Book Club: Elizabeth Berg

I am an avid reader ~ and that's an understatement.  I have been reading since the age of four {reading chapter books on my own since kindergarten}; I grew up reading a book walking to and from the bus stop, on the bus ride, after school, at the dinner table {a convenient way to ignore my older brother}, before bed, and even after bed with the aid of flashlights.  I read books, magazines, the back of my shampoo bottles in the shower, notes on my mother's counter ~ not to be snoopy; I just read voraciously.  So I figured this blog would be a perfect forum for me to share this interest with you all ~ a place where I can recommend books old and new, and hopefully get suggestions for great new reading material as well.  We'll have our own little "book club", if you will.  ;)

Allow me to introduce you to my very favorite author, in case you haven't met her yet.  Her name is Elizabeth Berg, and she's written over twenty books in about as many years {most of which are novels}.  I equate Ms. Berg's books to chick flicks, and I mean that in the absolute best sense of the phrase.  Reading one of her novels is like curling up on the couch for a good conversation with a great friend ~ you feel comfortable; you feel compassionate; you take away lessons you can use in your own life; you learn a lot about your friend and yourself.

Most of the protagonists in Berg's books are female {one exception that comes to mind is Say When, in which the main character is a man whose wife has left him; it's quite refreshing to read from this perspective}.  I've noticed that as Berg ages {Wikipedia has her listed as being 62 years old}, so to her main characters.  She has a trio of books that center around a young girl named Katie; most of the books she published in the '90s and early 2000s feature women in their forties; and her latest novels center around women who are in their fifties {one of her most recent publications, The Last Time I Saw You, chronicled a woman's trip back to her 40th high school reunion ~ making the characters in the book approximately 58}.  Berg used to live in Boston {and now resides in Chicago}, and many of her earlier books are located in and around the Boston area ~ a fun bonus for this native Bostonian.

If you're looking for a new author to follow or a feel-good "easy" read, I would highly recommend just about any of Elizabeth Berg's books.  I have read maybe two of her books that I wasn't crazy about ~ which means there are almost 20 that I would strongly suggest. She spins tales of relationships ~ between friends; between sisters; between parent and child; between husband and wife.  She tells tales of people from different walks of life, and at different points of their life ~ when you look back over her collection, your bound to find at least a character or two that you can relate to on some level.

Check out Bergs' personal website for a complete list of her works, along with a brief synopsis and her inspiration for each book {both in her own words}; you can also follow Berg on her Facebook page. Of course, you can find her books for purchase both in-store and online at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and your favorite local bookstores.

Scroll below for a quick view of some of my favorite Elizabeth Berg picks {even though it is so, so hard to pick a favorite!}

 One of the first, or possibly the first, Elizabeth Berg novel I read.  An Oprah Book Club selection, Open House tells the story of a recently separated woman who rents out rooms in her house to boarders in order to make ends meets and keep her home.

 

Durable Goods, Joy School, and True to Form follow Katie Nash, a young "Army brat" living with her widowed Army colonel father in the 1960s.  12-years old when we first meet her in Durable Goods, Katie is at the center of a true coming-of-age storyline that is simultaneously relatable, heartwarming and heartbreaking.

 

Such a unique plot line!  Nan is middle-aged and frustrated with her husband, her daughter, her life.  She needs a break, and so she abruptly sets off on a road trip to an undetermined destination.  Along the way she journals about her travels and self-discoveries, and occasionally writes to her bewildered husband back home to let him know she's okay ~ she isn't leaving him, she just needs a break.  Who can't relate to that?

 

 

 

 

Patty is in her mid-thirties.  She is single; she is a real estate agent that never actually sells property but doesn't really know what else to do with her life; and she desperately wants a family.  She decides to have a child with her gay best friend, instead of waiting for her fairytale prince to come along and procreate with her.

 

 

 

This is one of Berg's more recent novels.  Set during World War II, it tells the story of sisters, of romance, and of an era gone by.  Usually Berg's novels are set in present-day, and this book offers a fun and interesting look back at a different time ~ the fashions, the manners, and the way the world worked were all different.  

 

 

 

I hope you can find an Elizabeth Berg novel {or several} that resonate with you.  Reading her books has brought me so much joy over the years, and I'm sure she can do the same for you.

xoxo

Bean

{photo credit: barnesandnoble.com}