Elizabeth Berg was asked why she wrote this book trilogy. This is what she said:
“I found myself becoming increasingly depressed about the way the world seems to be going. I wanted to write myself out of my own funk, to remind myself of the beauty in the world, and in small things. It worked!”
These two books are sequels to The Story of Arthur Truluv. That was a lovely story of a man who comes to a graveyard everyday to spend time with his late wife Nola. He befriends a young troubled teen called Maddy and of course they end up helping each other. For that review, click here. I had no idea there would be a continuing story so I was pleased to enter this community again and witness the quiet intrigue of friendships and small acts of kindness. In book three there is a ‘confession club’ where the assignment isn’t to read a book, but to bring something intimate to share with the group, and it must be juicy–an embarrassing misdeed, a deep insecurity or doubt, a long held regret. Sound like fun?
This is classic cozy small town stuff, very homey and easy to read–no pandemic, no politics. Mason, Missouri seems untouched and unaffected by the news of the world–perhaps that sounds refreshing and soothing for the season we are in. And I don’t think there’s any reason to read these in any kind of order, they are more companion novels than a series, and can all stand alone.
I’ve read almost everything Elizabeth Berg has read, she has an extensive body of work that goes back decades, so pre-this-blog. If you type the author’s name into the search bar, you can find a few recent reviews from trying to finish off the backlist. I think I remember my favourites of hers were the Durable Goods trilogy and Ordinary Life.
Joanne's Reading Blog 