Can a reader like a novel when he or she does not like the main characters or the plot? I was compelled to consider this question on completion of my book club’s April selection, The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai. The book came with the imprimatur of the literary community – shortlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize, fawning and starred reviews in major publications, respectable ratings on Good Reads and Amazon, and President Obama put it on his list of favorite b

Those who consider themselves bibliophiles generally like to receive books for Christmas. I do consider myself as such, and I very much like to find books under my Christmas tree. I also understand the difficulty of buying a book for a bibliophile. Absent some sort of wish list, it can be difficult to select a book that the bibliophile would a) like and b) not have read. The market solution to this challenge is the book-adjacent gift. Barnes & Noble has been aggressive in thi

Acadia National Park, Maine There isn’t a lot to say about The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store that has not been said. Published in 2023, the book belongs to the over-one-million-copies-sold club, boasts various prizes and awards, and is still prominently on display in the window of my local Barnes & Noble. Much has been written and said about the book, and it has been showered with deserved praise. It is a good book, notable for its strong characters, intricate plot, and sat