A happy and difficult and rewarding novel

In looking for new books for this blog, I placed holds at the library randomly on novels with the subject of happiness. A most incredible book was caught in this random net. Generosity: An Enhancement by Richard Powers is a fantastic and difficult read. It’s a multi layered story of Thassa Amzwadit, an Algerian immigrant with hyperthermia, a genetic disposition to happiness. She meets an unhappy writer, a psychologist, a journalist, and a genomicist. All these well realized characters are swirled into a chain of events as Thassa’s genes are studied and made public.


The plot, however, does not unfurl easily. It's layered with heavy debates about ethics, media, and the writing process. The author interjects with comments on how the story is going. The language is difficult and poetic. I had to read this slowly in order to digest the complex ideas. I found it a compelling and rich commentary on society’s obsessions and the direction science and industry are heading. If you liked The Elegance of the Hedgehog or Corrections by Jonathan Franzen you might find this book a treasure as I did.

Butterfly triggers memories

We chose to read Butterfly by Sonya Hartnett based on good reviews, and didn’t realize it was a young adult novel. It’s a well crafted story of 13 year old Plum living in Australia in 1980. She is lonely and angry and worships her two older brothers. Having difficulty socially at school, she makes friends with a young mother living next door.


Hartnett poetically conveys the isolation of being a teenager. This novel threw me back into the anxiety that was high school. Hartnett has skillfully balanced the elements of a novel. There is a solid plot for those who like a compelling story. The characters are vivid and memorable. The language is rich and evocative for those who enjoy the sounds, images, and rhythms of the words.

Most of my book club enjoyed this choice. There was some debate about whether the ending was appropriate for teens. I should point out that Butterfly does not qualify as a “happy” book in either the characters or plot, but that book clubs will be happy with this evocative, short and interesting read.