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A South Dakota Search, a Journey in Japan
Susan Meissner, Stephanie Dray, Emily St. James, Saou Ichikawa, and more ...
BookBrowse Highlights
Hello Readers!
This week, we explore several books in which women, both recent and historical, seek a place for themselves and others in a sometimes hostile world.
Our book club is discussing Susan Meissner’s A Map to Paradise, where a McCarthy-era actress struggles with being blacklisted, along with Stephanie Dray’s Becoming Madam Secretary, a fictionalization of the life of Frances Perkins, who was responsible for governmental protections Americans have come to rely on.
Our Editor’s Choice pick, Woodworking by Emily St. James, follows a closeted trans high school teacher coming to terms with her identity in contemporary South Dakota.
In connection with our review of Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa, about a disabled woman’s desire for autonomy, we bring you a “beyond the book” article on Tomoko Yonezu, an activist involved in women’s liberation and disability rights at a crucial time in Japan.
Plus we have a dazzling variety of free books for members to request, previews of April books, and a new Wordplay!
Thanks for reading,
The BookBrowse Team
Book Club Discussions
Discussions are open to all to view, so if you've read a book, click on "discuss." If you have not, we suggest you go to "about the book" to avoid spoilers.
A Map to Paradise by Susan Meissner
From the Jacket With her name on the Hollywood blacklist and her life on hold, starlet Melanie Cole has little choice in company. There is her next-door neighbor, Elwood, but the screenwriter's agoraphobia allows for just short chats through open windows. He's her sole confidante, though, as she and her housekeeper, Eva, an immigrant from war-torn Europe, rarely make conversation. Then one early morning Melanie and Eva spot Elwood's sister-in-law and caretaker, June, digging in his beloved rose garden. After that they don't see Elwood at all anymore. Where could a man who never leaves the house possibly have gone? |  |
From the Discussion
"I really liked this book for several reasons including its focus on McCarthyism and agoraphobia…It also helps provide insight into the revenge politics of our current era.” —Linda_Monaco
“It was entertaining and suspenseful, with a compelling theme and well-developed characters…Would inspire good discussion for book clubs.” —Janie-Hickok-Siess
See what people are saying in response to this question: "If you had access to a time machine like the one June imagined for herself, would you use it? If so, where in time would you want to go and why?”
Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray
From the Jacket New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray returns with a captivating and dramatic new novel about an American heroine, Frances Perkins. Frances is destined to rise in a political world dominated by men, facing down the Great Depression as FDR's most trusted lieutenant—even as she struggles to balance the demands of a public career with marriage and motherhood. And when vicious political attacks mount and personal tragedies threaten to derail her ambitions, she must decide what she's willing to do—and what she's willing to sacrifice—to save a nation. |  |
From the Discussion
"I hadn’t realized that Frances Perkins was truly the architect and the force behind creating that social safety net that is now being destroyed…I am grateful to Stephanie Dray for bringing this remarkable woman into a well-deserved spotlight!” —Michelle_H
“I would encourage any book club to read this book.” —Dee_Driscole
See what people are saying in response to this question: "Perkins’s legacy continues to live on in our society today. With the five-day workweek, fire and food safety regulations, unemployment insurance, and Social Security, how has your life or the lives of your family members been impacted by her work?”
Editor’s Choice
Woodworking by Emily St. James
Erica Skyberg is a popular English teacher and long-time community theater director, preparing to put on a production of Thornton Wilder's Our Town. She's more or less a pillar of the community, even if she prefers to keep a low profile. The only problem? No one in her town of Mitchell, South Dakota knows who Erica is. Everyone, including her students, the high school's conservative principal, and her ex-wife Constance, starring as Emily in the play, knows Erica by a different name, and sees her in the body of a man. … continued Review by Norah Piehl |  |
Beyond the Book
Tomoko Yonezu: The Activist at the Intersection of Women's Liberation and Disability Rights in Japan
In Hunchback, protagonist Shaka considers writing her dissertation on Tomoko Yonezu, a women's liberation and disability rights activist. Yonezu may be most known for attempting to spray paint the Mona Lisa when it came to Tokyo in 1974, as a protest against the museum refusing access to disabled people who needed assistance. But she's also particularly interesting because she represents the intersection of two different, and sometimes contentious, social movements of the time—the Women's Liberation movement (ūman ribu), and the disability rights movement. … continued Article by Chloe Pfeiffer |  |
April Previews
We know it can be tough to keep up with all the new books coming out every month, so we do the hard work for you. We've carefully selected 100+ of the most noteworthy books publishing in April and are continually updating our selections — check them out and get yourself on the library waitlist ahead of the crowd! BookBrowse members can see, sort, and download the full list of previews for all months. |  |
Non-subscribers can view books up to the current month and a limited selection of future months. If you don't already, you may also wish to subscribe to our Publishing This Week newsletter.
Wordplay
Solve our Wordplay puzzle to reveal a well-known expression, and be entered to win a one-year membership to BookBrowse!
"T B S of T F"
The answer to the last Wordplay: B O a F F T
"Birds of a feather flock together"
Meaning: Individuals with similar tastes or interests tend to congregate together.
This phrase is based on observational fact. Many bird species do indeed travel in flocks, such as starlings, blackbirds, and finches. This behavior can occur for many reasons, such as predator avoidance, aerodynamics (making it easier for weaker birds to fly), and an increased ability to spot food. Generally, flocks consist of a single species — “birds of a feather.”
There’s a small contingent of scholars who claim the saying was used by the ancient philosophers Plato (in his Republic, 360 BCE) and Aristotle (in Nichomachean Ethics, probably written a few years later). … continued
Wordplay by Kim Kovacs
For Members
Members! This month's First Impressions and Book Club books are now available to request. Offer closes end of Saturday, April 5th. Books are provided free of charge to BookBrowse members resident in the US with the understanding that they'll do their best to either write a short review or take part in an online discussion forum (depending on whether the book is assigned for First Impressions or the Book Club). Regular Members who choose to take part generally receive a book about every three months, Sustaining Members will get at least one book each month they request. |  |
Not yet a member? Free books are one of the many benefits of a BookBrowse membership, for just $5.00/month! Join by this Saturday to request a book from this list. Don't wait!
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