BETWEEN TWO KINGDOMS: Between Two Kingdoms is a heart-wrenching and deeply personal look into a young woman’s battle through cancer. Inspiring and thought-provoking, this is a beautifully written memoir by someone who understands the meaning of courage, determination, and hope. —Libby

ATTACK OF THE BLACK RECTANGLES: A timely, fast-paced middle grade novel that puts the power of students front and center as they question the adults around them who think they know what's best. — Brianna

THE ESCAPE ARTIST: While working earlier this week, I started this book about the first Jew to break out of Auschwitz and couldn't put it down. Adding it to my holiday shopping list for friends and family while I puzzle away, getting ready for all the holiday celebrations to come. — Tatum

MEREDITH ALONE: Meredith works remotely, dotes on her rescue cat, loves to bake, has a friend who visits, and an online support group. Meredith has not left her house for 3 years. She is estranged from her mother and sister. Untangling the reasons for this is truly engaging — watching Mer strive to venture out is truly heartwarming. — Dorothy

THESE PRECIOUS DAYS: Ann Patchett's widely lauded collection of essays is now out in paperback. If you didn't catch it the first time around, now's the time. I particularly loved the “The First Thanksgiving,” where, in her freshman dorm room, she managed to prepare a complete turkey dinner from scratch, with the Joy of Cooking as her guide. A delight from beginning to end. — Sally

ACORN WAS A LITTLE WILD: A fun tale about a thrill-seeking acorn who has a big adventure after a daring drop from the safety of his oak tree. This is a wonderful Fall-themed read aloud for the classroom! 

WILL WE ALWAYS HOLD HANDS: This is a sweet story about the enduring power of love and friendship. This darling book would be a special gift for a parent or grandparent to give to a child. — Rita

THE PERSUADERS: Anand Giridharadas is one half of an incredible power couple (completed by none other than Priya Parker) and I've been listening to his measured take on persuasion on my morning runs. Insightful and dare I say it, infused with hope?

WE ALL WANT IMPOSSIBLE THINGS: This one is a doozy from a writer I have followed for many years. While loyal Ben + Birdy readers know about Newman's facility as a blogger, they might be stunned by the raw grace on full display in this book of loss. — Page

FOUL LADY FORTUNE: Following the Our Violent Delights duology, Foul Lady Fortune follows Rosalind, a spy who harbors her own secret, the ability to heal from any injury she faces. Forced into a marriage of convenience with a man she’s just met, the two team up to solve a series of murders happening in Shanghai. —Caroline

Listening with Leslie

Why I Don’t Write: And Other Stories

By: Susan Minot

Narrated by: Alex McKenna, Kristen Sieh, Andrew Eiden

Length: 4 hrs and 38 mins

This is the first book of short stories that I have read or listened to in many years, and I highly recommend it. Susan Minot writes very well, using spare, precise language, quickly and vividly sketched settings, and dialogue that feels real. Her stories describe with unsettling intimacy

doomed relationships between men and women constrained by the social conventions of their class. While living privileged, protected, traditional lives, the women seem to be drifting, unsure of who they are, imprisoned by grief and

memory, or coping with fallout from divorce or death or addiction. It's been over three decades since Minot’s last short story collection, and she’s only published one novel in the last 20 years – hence the title of this collection. She vividly answers the question in the title story, which is written in fragments of thoughts, reflecting the constant distractions of family, friends, events, life. Others of Minot’s stories are about achieving clarity or being jolted by an event into clarity, and about the haunting power of memories - memories of small personal experiences that frequently happen in the larger context of other disruptions - divorce, death, dislocation - which contributes to their power and helps explain how vulnerable, confused or disconnected the characters seem to be.

While in the audible version, the readers do a great job, some of the stories should also be read. Like other cherished books of short stories or poetry, I both listened to and read Why I Don’t Write, and even now, two years after its publication in 2020, I find myself rereading passages just to savor again Minot’s writing.

Please join Melissa Newman in conversation with Anne Keefe as we celebrate the release of Paul Newman’s memoir: The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man. In this raw, candid, unvarnished memoir of an American icon, Newman covers everything from his traumatic childhood to his career and family life, his thoughts on Marlon Brando, James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, John Huston, his greatest roles, acting, his intimate life with Joanne Woodward, his innermost fears and passions and joys. With thoughts/comments throughout from Joanne Woodward, George Roy Hill, Tom Cruise, Elia Kazan and many others. 

Melissa will be in conversation with Associate Artist at Westport Country Playhouse, Anne Keefe who has in the past served as Playhouse Artistic Director with Joanne Woodward. 

“This is like eavesdropping on a dinner party filled with friends and colleagues all listening to and talking about the man sitting at the head of the table, Paul Newman. Honest, funny and often painful conversations which were found by his daughters and woven together into a fascinating memoir of their “anything but ordinary” father. I loved the book and adored the man.” –Sally Field



A copy of The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man is included with the purchase of each ticket.