Tag Archives: Post-WWII

Hide

Leave a reply

[Cover]

Title: Hide

Author: Matthew Griffin

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA, February 2016

Summary/Review: Matthew Griffin’s debut novel is an honest, realistic look into the lives of of two men in love. Griffin reminds us in our 2016 marriage equality world that not so long ago, gay couples had to hide their authentic selves if they were to carve out any kind of life with each other. Frank and Wendell abandon everything – literally to be together in a hostile post-WWII small Southern town. Does it damage them permanently? Yes. Was it worth it? The answer is also a resounding yes. If you’ve ever wondered if regular people make huge sacrifices to advance civil rights, this novel will answer that question. Hide chronicles the love story of the two young men and their twilight years together. The care they give each other is honest and unedited. Matthew Griffin has created a fascinating, raw story and a powerful tale of two men and the love they share despite having no support from the outside world.

Who will like this book? Someone who’s a fan of books about LGBT people specifically older gay men, aging and end of life care, rural stories, post-WWII stories.

If you like this, try this: Christopher Bram’s Exiles in America, Alice Munro’s Away from Her, and Lisa Genova’s Still Alice.

Recommended by: Philip B., Reference Librarian

If you think this is something you’d like to read, visit the Fairfield Public Library catalog to see if it’s available and/or to place a hold!

Railwayman’s Wife

Leave a reply

Title: The Railwayman’s Wife

Author: Ashley Hay

Publisher: Atria Books, April 2016

Summary/Review: A poignant, post WWII novel set in New South Wales, The Railwayman’s Wife is the type of book you wish you could step into, if just for a moment, to make everything right. Some novels make it difficult to just sit back and watch…

Ani Lachlan, her husband Mac, and their daughter Isabel live in what Ani considers “the most beautiful place in the world”, a lovely cottage in a village nestled between the mountains and the sea. But not even this idyllic village can shelter its people from heartbreak and tragedy. Not the local doctor, returned from war but still haunted by the lives he couldn’t save.  Not the young poet whose writing once flourished on the battlefield but is now uninspired and hollow. And not Ani, who turns to her love of books to find solace and healing after her own personal tragedy. Three people whose lives are connected in ways even they do not realize. One person whose life might be saved with just one word.

Beautifully written, atmospheric and haunting, my heart broke for these characters during their darkest hours, and cheered for them as they tried to find their way in this new world.

Who will like this book?: Someone looking for a melancholy but beautiful book that will make you want to jump into its pages.

If you like this, try this: The Soldier’s Wife by Margaret Leroy, The Golden Hour, by Margaret Wurtele

Recommended by: Sue B, Circulation Coordinator

It’s too soon to put a hold on this book, but keep checking to see when the library orders it!