There’s no better way to travel than by armchair. It certainly beats long airport lines and lost luggage. This month we’ll travel around the world via fictional books. – Laura Kelly

First, we go to Maine and Europe (in a dual timeline) with Holland Road by Caroline Kelly: A prodigal son theme is the framework of this book. Returning home to Maine after serving as an Army medic during WW2, Richard Dare struggles to reconcile being back in his hometown with all he experienced serving in Europe. As much as he wants to slide back into his old life, Richard has to come to terms with not only his physical wounds but his deeper emotional wounds. The strong pillars of his family and his childhood love, Grace, sustain and carry him through.

On to Ireland with Foster by Claire Keegan: This is a small little book packed with beauty and depth. A young girl is sent to live with foster parents and slowly begins to blossom in the warmth of their care. Written with melodic language, the author paints a beautiful picture of rural Ireland and a young girl transformed by a loving family.

Over to southern India with The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese: We find ourselves on the Malabar coast in the early 20th century, spanning eight decades and following three generations of a family. A generational “curse” involves an aversion to water–a medical mystery that ties together much of the narrative.

And finally, we land in Japan with What You Are Looking for Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama. How can you go wrong with a title like this? A charming, short compilation of stories that revolve around a small Tokyo library. The librarian, Sayuri Komachi, senses exactly what visitors are looking for in life and offers just the book recommendation they never knew they needed. 

Scranton Selections are written by various staff members. This month’s contributor is Laura Kelly, Library Technical Assistant.