Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan

I have been waiting to post about MANHATTAN BEACH by Jennifer Egan because it was chosen as the One Book Two Villages novel for Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District, but this seems a good time since tickets are going on sale today (June 1) for the upcoming Fall events with an author visit. In addition, there are several activities in the next few weeks that are related to the book’s themes and that offer free registration: After Hours kick-off on Friday, June 8, Airborne on D-Day in the evening on June 13, and Women of World War II Saturday, June 16. A book group discussion (here is the publisher’s guide) is scheduled for early August – see the library website or call for more details.

MANHATTAN BEACH is a work of historical fiction and first introduces readers to 11 year old Anna and her father Eddie Kerrigan as they visit the mansion of Dexter Styles, a man with ties to illegal activities, in mid-1930s New York. Part of the motivation for Eddie to get involved in dubious dealings is the need to support Anna’s sister, Lydia, who has severe disabilities. The story moves on to wartime and the Brooklyn Naval Yard where Anna works and seeks to be the first woman diver involved with repairing ships.  Egan skips back and forth in a somewhat disjointed manner with views from each of the main characters, adds suspense to the story, and explores themes involving family, role of women, resilience, identity and even the impact of technology, making this title (although lengthy at 430+ pages) a possible selection by more mature readers for Junior Theme.

MANHATTAN BEACH received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, Library Journal and Publisher Weekly although, frankly, the comments are more mixed from readers on Goodreads and other review sites. Perhaps this is related to expectations and similarities/differences to Egan’s earlier work A Visit from the Goon Squad which won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction.  Personally, I am eager to participate in the local programs and to share reactions about this title and the historical eras it covers.