Provided to the MPT
Good Material
Dolly Alderton
This book, by British best-selling author Dolly Alderton, is a rom-com flipped completely on its head. If most rom-coms feature a meet-cute, snappy dialogue, and a happily-ever-after conclusion, Good Material explores the unraveling of a romantic relationship: a happily-never-after, if you will — albeit with plenty of snappy dialogue. The plot follows Andy, a 35-year-old comedian, as he struggles through the aftermath of a surprising break-up with his long-term girlfriend. As a narrator, Andy is relatable, real, self-deprecating, and often wickedly funny, capturing the chaotic and confusing experience of the recently dumped. But Alderton does not leave the reader with only Andy’s voice or perspective. In the book’s conclusion, Andy’s ex-girlfriend, Jen, takes over the narration, offering her perspective and giving the reader a broader window through which to revisit the earlier scenes and chapters. While Good Material is primarily about the relationship between Andy and Jen, my favorite part of the book was actually the many other close family and friend relationships that support, challenge and care for the two main characters. Alderton is adept at capturing the quirks, idiosyncrasies, and intimacies of close relationships and, in doing so, proves that romantic love is only one facet of the human-lived experience of love.
Once Upon A Tome
Oliver Darkshire
I did not expect a book written by someone who works in a rare books store to be so entertaining. From his first days as an apprentice rare bookseller, when he was assigned a desk more suited for a munchkin than his lumbering 6-foot frame, Oliver Darkshire humorously describes his experiences and the unique individuals he works alongside, the latter with affection. As for those who walk through the doors of Henry Southeran Ltd to buy or sell rare books, his descriptions suggest “eccentric" is more appropriate for many of them. The store’s location is said to be on a street time forgot and one cab drivers frequently cannot find. There are locked bookcases for which there are no keys. There are numerous unusual objects collected over the 263 years the store has been in existence which have nothing to do with rare books. Strange unexplained occurrences are attributed to the ghost of a former owner who was run over by a tram as he left the store. In another’s hands, it is unlikely this book would have been so enjoyable. It is one I will occasionally pull off the shelf to read again in the years ahead.