The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei

THE STARDUST GRAIL by Yume Kitasei (Deep Sky) is a very well-written stand-alone space adventure. The main character is named Maya Hoshimoto; she is a reformed thief (of sorts!) and a graduate researcher about other life forms. Her best friend is named Auncle, a multi-tentacled creature whose Freno species is at grave risk. They come across new information in the search for a stardust grail which could help the species repopulate or save Earth from being isolated from the rest of space as connecting nodes are increasingly disappearing. With more than one group seeking the grail, Maya and her team (includes Wil, a former CNE government guard, and Medix, a fairly sentient robot) are often in great danger as Maya decides to attempt another heist. They face numerous ethical questions and continue learning about each other, especially cross-cultural emotional differences, as when Auncle says, “I didn't realize the joy could feel so … sad at the same time.” THE STARDUST GRAIL received a starred review from Kirkus (“… covering everything from the rise and fall of alien civilizations to what it means to be a person, this is a luminous work…. Wondrous, new, and altogether alien.”) and Publishers Weekly (“Readers will be riveted.”). Enjoy the quest!

Jackie by Dawn Tripp

JACKIE by Dawn Tripp, an award-winning author, was inspired by the cover photograph. Tripp comments extensively on the photo, saying in part, “The moment was private, a faint tension between them, … and, also, a vulnerability, a tenderness. I found it a moment of heartbreaking beauty, a leave-taking.” This work of fiction provides insight into an historical figure with whom readers remain fascinated. Tripp conducted extensive research and lists numerous books and articles in a Sources section. And she includes numerous details in this almost 500 page novel.  One of my favorites is a passing reference to the country music song, “Drop Kick Me, Jesus (Through the Goalposts of Life”). I found Tripp’s staccato style – short, abrupt sentences – to be rather distancing, but perhaps it was intentional if that is consistent with the manner in which Jackie Kennedy spoke or wrote? Also, there is very little reference to key life events as a mother (e.g., Caroline’s wedding, birth of grandchildren); the major focus seems to be on her courtship with JFK, marriage, and subsequent public life. Still, the story has appeal and will hold readers’ attention.  JACKIE received a starred review from Library Journal and Booklist (“an authenticity equal to any biography, making it a requisite addition to the Jackie canon”). Interested readers looking for more on the 1960s should also explore the recently published An Unfinished Love Story by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand

Hearing that a “beach read” was enthusiastically recommended recently by the editor of the New York Times Book Review was a bit surprising. But so was learning that the prolific author Elin Hilderbrand (The Five Star Weekend) is going to retire after the publication of her latest book set in Nantucket, the aptly named SWAN SONG. This is a great, suspenseful summer read which features Coco, a young woman with all of the energy her name implies. In the hopes of getting her screenplay produced, she has bluffed her way into a personal concierge position with a wealthy investor, Bull Richardson and his wild, party-loving wife, Leslee. The couple is new to Nantucket and purchase a huge home and yacht as they try to get accepted at an exclusive club. As Hilderbrand’s narrative switches between the beginning and end of the summer, she employs some foreshadowing amongst her vivid descriptions of the excesses (imported Amalfi lemons, anyone?). With a touch of romance and plenty of mystery, SWAN SONG received a starred review from Kirkus and was a LibraryReads Hall of Fame title for June. If you are looking for a diverting summer read, add SWAN SONG to your to-be-read pile now.

The Nature of Our Cities by Nadina Galle

THE NATURE OF OUR CITIES by Nadina Galle is a book which educates by highlighting some very scary situations. For example, she notes that “in 2018, the European Union recorded 104,000 heat related deaths among older people, over one-third of the global total.” In fact, she encourages her son “not to think about this day as the hottest it's been in the last 100 years but as one of the cooler July days that he and his children would experience in the next 100 years.” Galle, a Dutch-Canadian ecological engineer, travels the world and describes actions being taken to help monitor water needs of trees in Groene Loper park in Maastricht, Netherlands, or measuring heat across neighborhoods in Portland, Oregon, plus many more locales and activities. Her emphasis, as the subtitle suggests, is on “Harnessing the Power of the Natural World to Survive a Changing Planet” as it faces threats from urban growth and climate change. She writes eloquently about current research and innovations, concluding that “tomorrow cities must rely on emerging technologies - and repurposed older ones - to build durable ecosystems,” but lacks the ability to synthesize and point to specific action steps for her readers. Notes make up a little over fifteen percent of this text, but unfortunately, a list of resources and relevant organizations (like MIT’s Senseable City Lab where she had a fellowship) or perhaps even commercial suppliers or government entities is missing. 

A Culture of Promise by Fee Stubblefield

A CULTURE OF PROMISE by Fee Stubblefield is subtitled “The True Story of a Small Company's Quest to Transform the Senior Living Industry.” Stubblefield, who has been involved in developing and managing senior living for close to two decades, repeatedly cites his Grandmother’s request to not be “put” in an old folks’ home as a motivating force. He notes that the wish (fairly common amongst a certain generation) is negative, fear-based and discriminatory. I liked that he provided some rationale for this concern by pointing to the history of senior living: the first, spanning roughly the 1960s to the early 1990s, is referred to as the Skilled Nursing Home period when the major emphasis was on safety. A second period focused on the “assisted living” concept and lasted roughly through the major disruption of COVID. Change is again necessary according to the author and the pandemic has provided an opportunity to further transform the industry. Describing his investment relationship with Harrison Street Real Estate, he writes at length about the concept of “limiters” and says, “my company was limited by the lack of understanding of the challenges our customers were going through, which created a lack of understanding as to how to meet their needs.” So true, especially his emphasis on the value of communication, and a key takeaway that “the employee experience defines the resident experience.” He offers charts that look at three dimensions labeled the customer, employees, and investors; then, he looks at three decision nodes: to move/join; to stay; and to thrive. Although Stubblefield references Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, it could be fascinating to look even more deeply into applying psychological concepts to his arguments. Stubblefield promotes “high-quality care, support, and love designed for every budget” and I would be curious to learn more about how well the twenty or so properties he operates across at least three states achieve that lofty goal. Even he comments on the “cultural misunderstandings between capital and operations.” A CULTURE OF PROMISE is written with an inspirational tone and will hopefully prompt some discussion and even soul-searching in an industry that tends to be very opaque and fragmented (most regulation is by the states). I have recommended this title to the administrators I know in the field. They may also be interested in relevant websites Stubblefield mentions like the National Investment Center or other trade associations. I am curious to see what else (like Here be Dragons about urgent care clinics) Forbes Books is publishing concerning changes in the healthcare arena.