New choices for reading groups

Forever

Hamill's 16th book is a one-of-a-kind tribute to New York. Through a mysterious twist of fate, Irishman Cormac O'Connor is promised eternal life and youth, but naturally, there's a catch: in order for the magic to take effect, he must never leave Manhattan. On a quest to find his father's killer, O'Connor arrives on the island in 1740. Watching New York develop from a small outpost in the woods to the booming city of contemporary times, he fights in the Revolutionary War, meets Boss Tweed and witnesses modern tragedies, including the terrorist attacks of September 11. He also falls in love with a tough Dominican girl named Delfina. Meanwhile, his desire for revenge never flags. Skillfully blending fact and fiction in this spirited historical novel, Hamill has created a moving testament to humanity's will to endure. A reading group guide is bound in the book.


Family Matters

Set in contemporary Bombay, this remarkable novel tells the story of 79-year-old Nariman Vakeel, head of a large family and a victim of Parkinson's disease. When Nariman's deteriorating health forces him to move in with his stepdaughter Roxanna, who shares a two-room apartment with her family, life changes for everyone in the tiny flat. Roxanna's husband fights to support the household and bring up their two sons according to tradition. Meanwhile, Nariman looks back on his past, remembering a doomed love affair that had disastrous repercussions. Through their stories, Mistry offers an incisive look at modern-day Indian culture, presenting an unforgettable portrait of life in a poverty-stricken city. This beautifully crafted study of the nature of family was a 2002 Booker Prize finalist. A reading group guide is available online at www.vintagebooks.com/read.


Child of My Heart

In this provocative coming-of-age novel, Theresa, a smart, unusually pretty 15-year-old, tells the story of a summer that changes her life forever. Pinning their hopes on her blooming beauty, Theresa's parents move the family to the affluent community of East Hampton, where they believe she'll find a wealthy suitor. In East Hampton, Theresa spends her days babysitting for the rich and famous, befriending their privileged children and playing on the beach. But this season of youthful innocence also has a dark side. Suffering the sexual advances of older men, Theresa gets a bitter introduction to the grownup world from her wealthy clients. Characterized by the author's trademark crystalline prose, this edgy narrative is an intense look at the boundary between childhood and adulthood. With it, McDermott continues the groundbreaking portrayal of modern-day Irish-American families that distinguished previous, best-selling books like Charming Billy. A reading group guide is available in print from your local bookseller.


Samuel Pepys: The Unequalled Self

This much-celebrated biography of one of history's foremost memoirists is a triumph of accessible scholarship. In his daily diary, Samuel Pepys described life in Restoration England, documenting catastrophic events like the Great Plague (1665) and the Great Fire (1666) in mesmerizing detail and commenting on England's stormy political scene. Tomalin introduces readers to the man behind the memoir, examining his early career in the government, his years as a navy official and his connections to notables such as Isaac Newton, Christopher Wren and King Charles II. Pepys' personal life, which included one tumultuous marriage and numerous illicit amours, is also scrutinized here. Tomalin tells Pepys' story with energy and authority, creating a lively profile of this unique man of letters—a writer with a shrewd eye, unmatchable wit and incomparable intellect.


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