See Jane Win by Caitlin Moscatello

SEE JANE WIN by Caitlin Moscatello deals with candidates, their campaigns, and the victories for women in American politics between the Spring of 2017 and now. Moscatello, a journalist who writes frequently about gender and reproductive rights and politics, chose to profile four women: Abigail Spanberger (running for Congress in Virginia); Catalina Cruz (a Columbian-born Dreamer running for state assembly in New York); Anna Eskamani (running for state office in Florida); and London Lamar (seeking a seat in Tennessee’s state house).  In general, this is not a “how-to” book, but rather a (sometimes surprisingly dry) chronicle of events with some limited analysis that is based primarily on a string of interviews. Roughly ten percent of this text is devoted to notes and index, although it would have been helpful if Moscatello had also added contact information for the many organizations (IGNITE, Running Start, Onward Together, Emerge America, Run for Something, Latino Victory, etc.) that she mentions. I honestly thought that the presentation at our school by one of the organizers of the Woman’s March in Chicago was more impactful for students. However, SEE JANE WIN received a starred review from Kirkus and Booklist recommended it for teens, saying, “Politically engaged teens of all genders will be drawn to these inspirational women's stories and the ups and downs of running for office.”

Historical Fiction Ideas ...

Goodreads provides tons of ideas and lists if you are looking for historical fiction. One highly recommended title is last year’s WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING by debut author Delia Owens, set in the mid-twentieth century along the North Carolina coast and combining mystery and historical fiction. Here are a couple of other more recent publications, both of which have some ties to Chicago:

THE WOMEN OF THE COPPER COUNTRY by Mary Doria Russell (The Sparrow) offers a fictionalized account of an actual miners’ strike from 1913-1914 in Calumet, Michigan on the Upper Peninsula.  Here, real life Anna Klobuchar Clemenc (called Annie Clements in the novel) heads the local Women's Auxiliary No. 15 of the Western Federation of Miners and supports efforts by workers to unionize for better conditions.  At the time, James MacNaughton was President and General Manager of the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company; he is portrayed as bigoted (“how long, he wonders, before the entire American workforce is undermined and replaced by nihilists and hoodlums?”) and more concerned about efficiency than safety or personal relationships. It is a classic confrontation and there is much hardship for the miners and their families, including the infamous Italian Hall disaster where over seventy adults and children died in a stampede. The content of THE WOMEN OF THE COPPER COUNTRY is moving and some Junior Theme researchers might find this book inspirational if they are looking at labor unrest and strikes in the United States, but Russell’s choice of an omniscient point of view makes the characters seem distant to me. Russell should be acknowledged for her efforts to chronicle the story of a strong woman whose courage has been largely forgotten despite Clemenc being inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame.

ASSASSIN OF SHADOWS by Lawrence Goldstone is a new mystery story set in 1901 and centered on the assassination of President McKinley near Buffalo. Harry Swayne is a Secret Service agent who, along with his subordinate Walter George, is ordered to lead the federal investigation. I liked the historical references which definitely made me curious about that era and its politicians and influencers such as Ohioan Mark Hanna. 

Readers will no doubt reflect on attitudes from that time towards police and security forces, conspiracy theories, and also about dissent and free speech since anarchists are presumed to have been involved. However, I found the relationship between Harry and Walter to be very strained and uncomfortable. They frequently trade veiled insults and almost come to blows: “Walter swatted Harry’s finger away. He often wondered if the two of them went at it, who would be left standing at the end.” That made it more difficult to empathize with these characters, although ASSASSIN OF SHADOWS did receive a starred review from Publishers Weekly. I would more heartily recommend earlier works - Used and Rare and/or Slightly Chipped - by Goldstone and his wife, Nancy.

Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane

ASK AGAIN, YES by Mary Beth Keane is a thought-provoking novel which will be a popular choice for book groups. In a quiet, but subtly powerful way, Keane encourages her readers to explore their own attitudes towards mental health and alcoholism.  Two families, the Gleesons and the Stanhopes, are at the center of this novel.  The husbands, Francis (from Ireland and married to Lena) and Brian (married to Anne), are both New York City cops.  As young newlyweds in the 1970s, the two couples buy houses next door to each other in a small town called Gillam. The Gleesons eventually have three daughters, including Kate who is the youngest and the same age at Peter Stanhope. This is the story (told from multiple viewpoints) of the parents, their relationships and a tragedy which ensues with consequences for more than one generation: the lives of Kate and Peter become a major focus.

Spanning more than forty years, ASK AGAIN, YES is a well-written novel which is emotionally compelling (I read it in two days) and will likely produce much discussion. Keane’s work could definitely also serve as a “jumping off point” for our Junior Theme researchers who are interested in topics such as parenting and marriage, loneliness and friendship, mental health and/or substance abuse. ASK AGAIN, YES received a starred review from Kirkus (“a solidly satisfying, immersive read”), was positively reviewed on NPR, and was named an Amazon Best Book for June 2019.