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Philip Roth’s The Plot Against America is a riveting political thriller about an alternative American history in which FDR loses in his third run for the U. S. Presidency to aviation hero and known Nazi sympathizer Charles Lindbergh.  As a result of Lindbergh’s win, the United States embraces an “America First” approach to foreign policy, refuses to enter World War II, befriends Nazi leaders and also begins implementing its own anti Semitic policies at home.  What I loved most about this bizarre and yet realistic retelling of American history is that it is told from the perspective of a child, who is watching his parents emotionally unravel as larger historical forces change the America they love into a hostile and fearful place.

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Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orenstein

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Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orenstein

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This nonfiction book examines the relatively new phenomenon of “girly-girl” culture, and specifically how pink-ified versions of toys (like a pink, fashioned themed Scrabble set) and Disney princess swag is marketed to young girls.  What I especially liked about Orenstein’s writing is that she doesn’t simplistically attack the girly culture of pink and princesses as inherently bad, but instead questions her own beliefs about everything from fairy tales to femininity.   As a result, she taught me so much about child development, and the assumptions we all make about what’s “good for girls.”

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A young family holds a Christening party for their second child—a beautiful little girl who is a lovely as her mother.  The whole neighborhood shows up, and as the party grows in size, one neighbor steals a kiss from the striking mother.  This clandestine event sets in motion a divorce, the blending of two families, and the joining of five children from four different parents.  Each chapter that follows moves a head in time, focusing on the long-term impact of these events on different family members.  Ann Patchett is a favorite author, and what I loved most about Commonwealth is how honest she is about family—how it is experienced differently by each member, and those experiences can be both surprisingly lovely while also deeply painful, and almost never what you expect.

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The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

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The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

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At the end of last year I asked my students to “pitch” their all-time favorite books, and one of my students, Mackenzie Dubbs, presented this book to the class.  I was so enthralled by her enthusiasm, I decided to read it myself, and became entranced by the story of Daniel, a boy who finds the only copy of a mysterious, wondrous book.  A dangerous man with a face scarred beyond recognition is tracking him down, because he wants to destroy the book, and doesn’t care if Daniel is destroyed as well.  I was immediately sucked into Daniel’s adventure both evading this man and uncovering the deep, layered and dark story behind this rare and precious book.  Thanks Mackenzie!

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The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

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The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

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The Underground Railroad won every book award under the sun last year, and as a long-time fan of Colson Whitehead I new I wanted to read it this summer—and I was not disappointed. Whitehead’s book imagines the underground railroad as an actual railroad—a literal underground set of tunnels made with varying skill and safety filled with train cars and conductors that move slaves secretly from state to state, hoping to finally bring them to freedom.  Whitehead uses this premise to track the escape of one slave, Cora, and as she stops at various points on the railroad, the reader is allowed to experience different moment of racism in American history.  A violent and disturbing book, but worthwhile in its innovative exploration of a topic I think America needs to keep talking about.