The Bennington Bookshop

Vermont's oldest independent bookstore!

Monday, June 26th, 7pm
The Left Bank, North Bennington

Readings, music and memories - come along and join in the celebration of Shirley Jackson's life and work. Details

Looking for a good book to read?
Here's a great place to start: Our Reviews and Recommendations page.

This week's recommendation:
The Fortunes
Peter Ho Davies
Reviewed by Phil

Through the lives of four people at different times in history, Peter Ho Davies's latest novel, The Fortunes, documents the Chinese American experience. Three of the stories involve actual historical figures, but the book is a fictional rendition of their lives.

The book begins at the time of the California Gold Rush and the building of the first transcontinental railways. The second story relates the life of Hollywood's first Chinese movie star and the isolation born of her exoticism. Next, we are asked to remember the life of Vincent Chin, mistaken for Japanese and beaten to death on the eve of his wedding. The fourth tells the story of a modern-day couple visiting China to adopt a baby. There's a sense of foreboding in this story - you just know something awful is going to happen, you're just not sure what. It's beautifully told.

The stories are absorbing, the writing deft: This is a thoroughly enjoyable book, with deep insights into what it's like to be "other." Thoughtful writing at its best.

Looking for something for a son or daughter, niece or nephew?
Each month, local school students submit reviews of the books they are reading. Read their reviews on our Student Reviews page.

Struggling over which book to buy as a gift?
Make sure you get the perfect book every time with a Bennington Bookshop Gift Certificate.