The Satisfaction Cafe by Kathy Wang

THE SATISFACTION CAFÉ by Kathy Wang is a LibraryReads selection for July and was recently recommended by Ann Patchett on a PBS NewsHour feature (see video below). However, I found the story evoked feelings of loneliness and sadness. The main character is named Joan and although she is from Taiwan, she eventually moves to California and becomes the fourth wife to an older, wealthy white man. It feels as though she is constantly denying herself and suppressing her feelings in order to “fit in.” No one is very welcoming; why does she bother? The book moves slowly, although it covers several decades, with her own grown children eventually confronting many of the same issues about belonging and following rules. The title reflects her dream: “Joan wished there was a place she could visit to feel less alone: a restaurant with very friendly servers, perhaps, where she might order a bowl of spaghetti and casually surrender her insecurities. When she was little, she used to daydream of a place she named in her head the Satisfaction Café, which had friendly employees and nice food and pretty toys; even as a child, Joan’s imagination had not stretched to fantastic outcomes but, rather, a reasonable amount of happiness.” That feeling proved elusive and instead of peaceful contentment, a melancholy atmosphere pervades the story. Those who prefer a feel good story will be disappointed.  

LibraryReads Hall of Fame

Both of these titles were included in the LibraryReads Hall of Fame and received some positive reviews. Sadly, I was not excited by either one. Read one or both and decide for yourself:

MURDER TAKES A VACATION by Laura Lippman, a best-selling author, was a disappointing surprise to me. I had high expectations for a fun read after noting that this new title had received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal (“a warm and cozy romp”) and appeared in the LibraryReads Hall of Fame for June. While I agree that business class travel can be disorienting if one is not used to it, why would an older woman traveling alone trust a seatmate enough to go with him to a hotel, upending her own travel plans on the advice of someone she has just met? That is exactly what the widowed Mrs. Blossom does in the opening chapters of this mystery story. Eventually, she reunites with her tour group and heads to Paris and the cruise on the Seine, but her decision-making is still poor when she does not correct another, much younger, man she just met as he tells the police he is her son. I can understand why the subtle humor and slightly awkward character might appeal to fans of Richard Osman or Nita Prose, but I missed something here -- there are so many other excellent mysteries to enjoy instead. 

WORTH FIGHTING FOR by Jesse Q. Sutanto was also a LibraryReads Hall of Fame selection for June. Part of a five book series (Meant to Be) about Disney heroines by different authors, it is a rather obvious retelling of Disney’s Mulan set in the present-day financial world. I had an extremely hard time accepting that the main character, Mulan, would be both a well-respected member at her firm and willing to let her cousin/assistant style her hair and choose her clothes when meeting with potential clients. That was a big disconnect although it clearly added some humor and pushed the story along. This title could work as a very light beach read if one is willing to overlook the repetitive nature of Mulan’s musings about her various roles, combatting toxic masculinity, and raging hormones. My suggestion is to look for Vera Wong mysteries by this author instead. I also saw a preview of a 20 page Book Club Kit for WORTH FIGHTING FOR which included an author interview, printable bookmarks, and discussion questions. Apparently designed for adults (the “Bites & Sips” section references a cocktail made with bourbon and banana liqueur), I am surprised that an adult book group would choose a title like this, especially when they could read a classic like The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston or Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See or even immigrant stories like Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan or Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok (or maybe, if the book club wanted an adventure with a more young adult feel, Spin the Dawn or Flame in the Mist or Divine Rivals) instead.  

Hazel Says No by Jessica Berger Gross

HAZEL SAYS NO by Jessica Berger Gross is certainly a roller coaster of a read. Set in Riverburg Maine, the novel features a family transplanted from Brooklyn: high school senior Hazel Greenberg Blum; her middle school brother, Wolf, who loves to act; professor and frustrated writer Dad named Gus; and Claire, fashion designer Mom. Settling in over the summer, things seem to be going well, but during the first day of school Hazel is propositioned by the high school principal and that event sets off a cascade of reactions. There’s plenty of hate mail and self-questioning; shunning of both kids; parenting crises and career angst for Gus and Claire… and then (that roller coaster) … media interest, trips to New York, local support, and new friends. The audiobook, excellently narrated by Emma Galvin, captures the shock, the sadness, the anger, the self-doubt, the creativity, the joy, the relief… This debut novel deftly explores societal themes (#MeToo; white privilege, antisemitism, small town insularity) while telling a coming-of-age story – mostly for Hazel, but for her parents and younger brother, too, as they all mature and change. In fact, Berger Gross makes the point rather obviously: “it was Wolf’s big monologue [in Charlotte’s Web] and he remembered, he FELT every word: Whatever will happen, will happen. I may not live as long as I'd like, but I've lived very well. A good life is much more important than just having a long life. So starting now, I'm going to stop worrying about myself. There are more important things than just thinking about yourself all the time.” HAZEL SAYS NO could be triggering; it contains some difficult moments and sensitive content; this title received a starred review from Booklist. 

Hazel's reading list:  “Remembering how good reading made her feel - grounded and alive. She’d read as much as she could before college. Virginia Woolf and bell hooks. Jhumpa Lahiri and Lauren Groff. Celeste Ng and Lorrie Moore, Curtis Sittenfeld and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Elena Ferrante and Sheila Heti and Min Jin Lee and Jennifer Egan and more Zadie Smith.” 

The Movement by Clara Bingham

THE MOVEMENT by Clara Bingham is about “How Women's Liberation Transformed America 1963-1973.” Bingham (Witness to the Revolution) is an award-winning journalist and author. She has divided her latest text into sections that deal chronologically with events and people relevant to the women’s liberation movement. She has interviewed more than 100 women and consulted primary documents in order to write about topics like abortion, the formation of NOW, the role of Shirley Chisholm, and publication of Our Bodies, Ourselves. But there is so much more as Bingham once again cleverly utilizes contemporary voices to truly convey an important and tumultuous time in American history. THE MOVEMENT received a starred review from Publishers Weekly (“Readers will be electrified.”) and Booklist recommends it for teen researchers, saying “This provides a wealth of information for report writers presented in a uniquely accessible format.”

The Sisterhood by Liza Mundy

THE SISTERHOOD by Liza Mundy is subtitled “The Secret History of Women at the CIA” and Mundy writes that “this book tells the story of one of the biggest transformations in CIA culture, from a male dominated institution where women were seen as typists and sexual playthings to one where women propelled some of the agencies most important successes.” Mundy, a bestselling author and an award-winning journalist, has written previously about the contributions of women in unusual, potentially dangerous occupations (Code Girls). This lengthy tome (480 pages) is also thoroughly researched; at least fifteen percent is devoted to detailed notes and an extensive bibliography. Plus, over 100 interviews were conducted. Those stories are what really capture the readers’ attention. They are split into three parts: The Assessment of Men; Ladies Doing Analysis; and Getting Their Guys, each of which has multiple chapters. As just one example, Mundy chronicles the career of Lisa Manfull, a diplomat’s daughter who spoke numerous languages and was recruited after graduation from Brown in 1966, hired at a GS level below her male counterparts, and faced significant resistance and discrimination, even from other women at the agency. Her “housewife cover” offers a fascinating look at operations in Europe and Africa during the Cold War as well as her own struggles to establish a career in balance with her marriage. THE SISTERHOOD received starred reviews from Booklist (“every page is electric with revelations”) and Kirkus (“a vivid, compelling, and important book”).

Exit Inteview by Kristi Coulter

EXIT INTERVIEW by Kristi Coulter is a spirited and relatable discussion of employment at Amazon from 2006 to 2018. Coulter, a gifted writer, begins by describing the all-day interview process; although she seems surprised by some questions (e.g., How many gas stations in the US?). Coulter uses the subtitle “The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career” and she writes about the evolution of her feelings towards the organization for which she works and the content, decisions, and impact of that work. Some chapters looking specifically at events associated with female employment since 1972 – simultaneously disheartening and amusing, these are fascinating compilations of national (passage of the ERA; Ferraro for VP), local (harassment at Amazon), and personal (family dynamics, childhood games) occurrences. Her insights on gender are thoughtful; they are not overly strident, but they do allow readers to appreciate the inherent biases that are present in society and particularly (and unfortunately!) in the tech sector. Hopefully, some readers will recognize themselves and pause for deeper reflection. Her own father seems unable to acknowledge the prejudice she faces daily. Likewise, her own capitulation to work pressures and toxic workplace expectations should provide an opportunity for further introspection by all of us. Obviously, it is not just the warehouse conditions at Amazon that are prompting injury, burnout, and exit interviews.  

Accountable by Dashka Slater

ACCOUNTABLE by Dashka Slater (The 57 Bus) is subtitled “The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed” and relates events that occurred in 2017 in Albany, California (liberal Bay Area) when a Korean American high school junior posted racist and misogynist memes on Instagram. Even though he initially had only 13 followers, many of the posts dealt with classmates and people they knew, especially Black and biracial girls. The New York Times recently published a lengthy article written by Slater who described, “competing narratives about how exactly the events should be interpreted, with some seeing them as a calamity that occurred despite Albany’s particular virtues (small, liberal, educated, interconnected) and others as a consequence of Albany’s particular shortcomings (too white, too insular, too wealthy, too obsessed with academic achievement).” Clearly, there is MUCH opportunity for teaching, for reflection (e.g., Am I racist? What makes someone racist? Why had no-one said anything earlier?) and for discussion (e.g., Does not taking action imply approval of content? How could the account followers and its subjects attend school together? Do the statistics Slater share correspond to our school? Are these events about race, gender or both?) with adolescent students. ACCOUNTABLE received a starred review from Booklist which says in part that this text “should be required reading for any teen before they create, comment, or even like a media post.”