“The River, By Moonlight” is a beautifully written literary novel about a young artist named Lily who threw herself into the Hudson River, the event witnessed by a passing vagrant who was unable to do anything to stop her. The year was 1917, the people in an uproar over the war, and Lily’s death added to the state of confusion and uncertainty. Henrietta, Lily’s mother, was already concerned over the state of the world, but her daughter’s death shattered her. Henrietta’s good friend Erich traveled to New York City, site of the death, to identify the body and see what … Continue reading →

In the new novel “Waiting for the Light to Change,” Sarah has had a difficult life. Her husband, Bob, left her and her three children when her youngest was just one. She’s had to work hard at providing for her family, being both mother and father, and battling the resentment that built up against Bob and his new wife, Claire—a battle she lost. She hates the fact that Bob is a successful doctor, has money to burn, and has the respect of everyone around him while she’s sitting on raggedy furniture, barely able to meet the bills. She works at … Continue reading →

I’ve heard this book mentioned frequently over the years, usually with the words “modern classic” attached to it. It’s written in a literary style with somewhat of a rambling plotline, but at the end you see how all the seemingly loose threads do come together. It’s the early 1900s and our focus family is the Nolan clan. Johnny, the father, is a singing waiter and also an alcoholic. He’s charming, funny, handsome, and completely unreliable. He is tolerated by his adoring wife, Katie, who works cleaning three apartment buildings so they can have their rent free. His oldest child, a … Continue reading →