Never the Same: That Summer by Jennifer Weiner

I believe this is Jennifer Weiner's strongest novel. She has come so far in her writing career with this incisive book.

Diana, an attractive woman nearing 50, who manages a popular, upscale restaurant in Provincetown, Massachusetts, was once an intelligent, ambitious teenager who convinced her Boston parents to allow her to spend a summer on Cape Cod working as a mother's helper for a wealthy novelist/college professor and her husband, who own a large, beautiful second home with panoramic views.

Daisy, whose husband gave her that pet name in place of her own, also Diana, is a suburban Philadelphia wife, and the mother of Beatrice, a rebellious teenager. Daisy, in her early 30s, is an accomplished cook, and runs a small catering business out of her very comfortable home, while her husband, Hal, an older and very successful lawyer, rules the roost in subtle and not-so-subtle ways.

How, where, and why their lives converge is the focus of the story, which examines the lives and roles of girls and women, friendship, sexual mores and tensions, power issues between men and women, and the devastating trauma that results from date rape.

A Saga of Ambition: The Florios of Sicily by Stefania Auci

This multi-generational family saga is based on the real-life Florio family of Sicily, who rose from humble circumstances in a village on Italy's toe, which was destroyed by a massive earthquake, and became successful in a multitude of business ventures, including the first tuna canning, marsala wine exporting, and sulfur mining. 

The author masterfully describes the physical settings of the abandoned village, the atmosphere and physical surroundings of 19th century Sicily, along with insights into the social hierarchy, Italian politics and other important aspects that form the background of the Florios' lives. It's a wonderful lesson in history and sociology, as well as human nature.

Certain family members dominate as the story progresses but the ones that make up the heart of the book are Ignazio Florio, his nephew Vincenzo and his partner (later wife) Giulia, and their son Ignazio. Vincenzo is the strongest character of these and the one who was most responsible for establishing the family's successful business concerns. The family relationships among them and other leading characters are richly drawn.

The book is so vividly written that the reader feels completely transported to Palermo, and the background presented would greatly enhance any modern-day travel there.

Despite that, this is no lightweight romance or travel diary turned into a novel. It fully explores what the author has created as the emotional lives of the principals and we come to know them well. There is a lot to digest about family dynamics, the mores of the male-female roles of the time, business practices and so much more. The other key theme is family loyalty.

The novel is a rich and compelling read for anyone who enjoys history, is intrigued by Italian culture, and is a student of human nature, both its good and bad sides.

Highly recommend. 

70s Redux – Hearts of Darkness: James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Cat Stevens and the Unlikely Rise of the Singer-Songwriter

1970 and 1971 were the peak years of the Singer-Songwriter era in popular American music, according to author Dave Thompson. The phenomenon grew out of the folk and protest music of the mid to late 60s, which had already produced many iconic artists, including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, Tom Rush, Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, and many more. Many of those musicians got their start in the coffeehouses and small clubs of Greenwich Village in New York, but gradually the scene shifted west. The Mamas and Papas' "California Dreamin", released in December, 1965, sums it up perfectly. Cass Elliott, one of the "Mamas", established a home in the Laurel Canyon section of Los Angeles that became the place where many of her fellow artists gathered. In 1970, Joni Mitchell's album, Ladies of the Canyon, referred to the area. 

In general, the late 60s and early 70s saw a tremendous number of musicians, singers and groups establish themselves, especially in Los Angeles. They were mainly among the earliest cohort of the Baby Boom Generation, and in fact, the three subjects of this book were all born in 1948. Despite the repercussions of the Vietnam War, it was a free and easy time in many respects, and youth culture reigned. Those of us who immediately followed by five to eight years also embraced their music and it became ingrained in our hearts and minds.

The Singer-Songwriters specialized in a lyric-rich songwriting style, and generally performed solo, at least in the beginnings of their careers. They were introspective and at times, brooding, writing and performing songs based on their personal life experiences, family and romantic relationships, and spoke to the social and political events of the day and how they affected them. Millions of listeners connected with both their angst and joy, and many of their songs and albums were hugely successful.

Thompson works through the chronological events of early careers of his three subjects, switching back and forth among them. There are many details and anecdotes of their interactions with the other artists, concert promoters, record producers and some family background. Some of it is interesting, some is distracting, and would have been better left out.

Two of the most appealing aspects of the book are the Epilogue, which presents updates on the various other artists, business figures and record companies that figure in the lives of the subjects; and, a Discography which lists all the recordings (studio and concert) of the three artists and their associates from 1963 through 1972.

Probably the least appealing aspect of the book is the cover art, which features a triptych of shots of Browne, Taylor, and Stevens. The picture of Taylor is an unfortunate choice. The handsome young Taylor graced the walls of many dorm rooms with his intense good looks, but here a shot was chosen in which he looks not unlike the notorious mass murderer Charles Manson (who committed his crimes in Greater Los Angeles in 1969). Perhaps that is because the author seems to have singled out Taylor (in my opinion, by far the most talented of the three subjects, and whose career has most endured) for the most criticism.