There were seven or eight characters, all of whom I had immediate interest and connection with, and I could also quickly imagine how they would eventually intersect. My predictions were all wrong, of course, which made it even more fantastic. Primarily though, Walter's writing is so full, so comprehensive in its settings and moods, I didn't really want this to end. I found myself reabsorbing passages additional times just because of the way the moment was described. Now that makes for a memorable read.
Admittedly, I met Walter at an event in Indianapolis in the fall and was a little embarrassed I hadn't read any of his books. He's a cool dude and a natural storyteller. So, I went off and devoured The Cold Millions first, and then got Beautiful Ruins to read while I was on the beach during the holidays. He's now one of my top three favorite writers, along with Vonnegut and John Green. Yes, I'm a homer for people from Indy.
The #1 New York Times bestseller—Jess Walter’s “absolute masterpiece” (Richard Russo, Pulitzer Prize-winning author): the story of an almost-love affair that begins on the Italian coast in 1962 and resurfaces fifty years later in contemporary Hollywood.
The acclaimed, award-winning author of the national bestseller The Financial Lives of the Poets returns with his funniest, most romantic, and most purely enjoyable novel yet. Hailed by critics and loved by readers of literary and historical fiction, Beautiful Ruins is the story of an almost-love affair that begins on the Italian coast in 1962...and is rekindled in Hollywood fifty years later.
I was curious about the moment that the story was depicting before I started reading it. I sort of knew what ultimately happened, but now I feel like I lived it. That's what's so great about historical fiction written by someone who can capture how the moment truly felt by people/characters who were actually experiencing it. Walter writes so well, that learning about the labor movement of that era, which would generally be things to study as a history lesson, became an American chapter worthy of a binge. I was consumed by the entire time I was reading it.
'A beautiful, lyric hymn to the power of social unrest in American history...funny and harrowing, sweet and violent, innocent and experienced; it walks a dozen tightropes' Anthony Doerr, author of All the Light We Cannot See _____________________________________________
1909. Spokane, Washington.
The Dolan brothers are living by their wits, jumping freight trains and lining up for work at crooked job agencies. While sixteen-year-old Rye yearns for a steady job and a home, his dashing older brother Gig dreams of a better world, fighting alongside other union men for fair pay and decent treatment.
I teach communication, both speech and writing. I'm a fan of David Brooks books and columns. My liberal friends give me grief about it all the time. But I find him to be thoughtful and thorough in the way he frames his thoughts and research. This book will change how I teach college students, and any other group that I may appear in front of, to connect with each other through better conversations. I have already developed a workshop on the topic inspired by the book, and I spent a week teaching the methods in my classes last fall, and will again this spring.
I expect to be a student of the science he details in the book for the remainder of my teaching career. Yes, it was that transformative for me.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A practical, heartfelt guide to the art of truly knowing another person in order to foster deeper connections at home, at work, and throughout our lives—from the author of The Road to Character and The Second Mountain
As David Brooks observes, “There is one skill that lies at the heart of any healthy person, family, school, community organization, or society: the ability to see someone else deeply and make them feel seen—to accurately know another person, to let them feel valued, heard, and understood.”
And yet we humans don’t do this well. All around us…
Will O’Courtney is the ultimate insider. Having worked as an experienced contract lobbyist in Indianapolis for over a decade, he knows all the ins and outs of back-room deals and trading information. Shortly after his divorce is finalized, Will resolves to turn his life around, and just when he starts to think of leaving the winning course, he lands a contract with a national tobacco company that would change his life forever.
But when he discovers a scheme involving potential legislation for the monopoly of e-liquid tobacco products in the state, he finds out that malfeasance reaches the highest levels of government. Choosing to expose the seedy corruption behind closed doors in the Indiana Statehouse, Will becomes a whistleblower disguised as a lobbyist.
As he deals with suspect colleagues, wondering who he can and cannot trust, Will finds himself falling in love with a sprightly and spiritual young woman, who ultimately leads him to see and uncover the deep cracks along the Winner’s Circle and leave it for good.
