The Novel Life

A. J. Fikry runs a small bookstore on Alice Island. He is a literary snob who doesn’t much believe in promoting children’s books or community outreach. It’s a good thing his wife Nicole takes care of these things. When Nicole dies suddenly in a car accident, A. J. loses his way. He attempts to drown his grief in drink and muses over the meaning of life by reading his prized possession, a copy of Tamerlane by Edgar Allan Poe. Invariably life strikes another blow. Tamerlane turns up missing and a toddler is abandoned at Island Books. To find out how A. J. copes, read The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin. The book is full of twists, turns and colorful characters. DB