Beauty in the Broken Places by Allison Pataki

BEAUTY IN THE BROKEN PLACES by Allison Pataki is my favorite book of the year so far. And when you realize that it is the story of Pataki’s youthful, athletic husband having a major debilitating stroke at age 30, you may wonder why. Pataki has written a moving, inspirational book, as she says, “a Memoir of Love, Faith, and Resilience.” Expecting a baby in Fall 2015, the couple left O’Hare on June 9th for a “babymoon” in Hawaii.  Instead, Dave Levy’s in-flight stroke precipitated an emergency landing and trip to a hospital in Fargo, North Dakota.  There, Levy (then a third-year resident in orthopedic surgery at Rush) regained consciousness, but a totally new journey had begun for them.

Pataki continues the story over the next year, discussing a range of emotions – fear, frustration and joy – as Dave begins the recovery process and daughter Lilly is born. Pataki shares “Dear Dave” letters which she began to record daily events and progress, alternating those sections with chapters about their life together in college, their wedding and early career years. The couple have a strong, caring relationship and supportive network of friends and family, providing a solid past from which to fight for their future together, but it was still an extremely difficult process as Pataki points out.

I found the faith and frankness that Pataki expressed to be very moving. In addition, I liked the local connections to Rush and RIC (Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, now called Shirley Ryan AbilityLab). There are numerous reviews online (like these from NPR and The Today Show), plus you can greet Allison Pataki in person since she is coming to The Bookstall on May 15 at 6:30pm.  I am really looking forward to meeting her – in part to talk about this book and in part to learn what exciting new projects she plans to pursue. 

The Best Cook in the World by Rick Bragg

We have several books by Pulitzer Prize winning author Rick Bragg in our collection so I thought I would pick up his latest, THE BEST COOK IN THE WORLD which received starred reviews from Kirkus and Library Journal. Once again, Bragg’s writing skills are clearly evident, even if he is quite self-deprecating about his own cooking ability.  Here, he relates “Tales from My Momma’s Table,” praising his mother’s talents in the kitchen and evoking numerous images of life in rural Alabama. Unfortunately, I believe that it will probably be of limited interest for our students, although fans of locally sourced and more natural foods or of Southern cuisine may want to experiment with some of his unique recipes involving greens, grits, and even snapping turtle.

And if you are looking for a novel set in Alabama, try HURRICANE SEASON by Lauren K. Denton.  I was initially attracted by the truly beautiful cover and I found the story to also be heartwarming and gentle. Franklin Dairy Farm in Southern Alabama is home to Ty and Betsy Franklin who agree, although childless themselves, to watch over their young nieces for two weeks while Betsy’s sister, Jenna who is single mom, attends an art retreat to enhance her photography skills. The story is told from alternating viewpoints, allowing readers to better understand as all three adults grapple with their own “internal storms” even as some actual hurricane warnings become dire. HURRICANE SEASON is a story about family, marriage, sisterhood and the choices made for love. Consider this if you are looking for a slow-paced beach read this summer.

Liar's Candle by August Thomas

LIAR’S CANDLE by August Thomas is an exciting, action packed thriller that I have been enthusiastically recommending. The main character is Penny Kessler, a college age intern at the United States Embassy in Turkey.  Throughout the novel she transforms from a young, naïve and idealistic student and becomes hardened to the reality of violence and political corruption. The novel is enhanced by insights into the diplomatic world and vivid descriptions of Ankara, Istanbul and other sites in Turkey. Debut author Thomas has written a fast-paced story set in a part of the world filled with turmoil and where America’s friends are not always who they seem.  In fact, American politicians and civil servants (like CIA manager Christina Ekdahl, newbie agent Connor, and State Department employees Zach Robson and Brenda Pelecchia) also have their own motives and reasons for secretive activity. LIAR’S CANDLE involves a major bombing, kidnapping and plenty of espionage double cross; it received a starred review from Library Journal. I am definitely recommending this title as a summer read – once you start, you will not want to put it down!