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I'll Be Your Blue Sky: A Novel
by Marisa de los SantosThe New York Times bestselling author revisits the characters from her beloved novels Love Walked In and Belong to Me in this captivating, beautifully written drama involving family, friendship, secrets, sacrifice, courage, and true love for fans of Jojo Moyes, Elin Hilderbrand, and Nancy Thayer.On the weekend of her wedding, Clare Hobbes meets an elderly woman named Edith Herron. During the course of a single conversation, Edith gives Clare the courage to do what she should have done months earlier: break off her engagement to her charming—yet overly possessive—fiancé.Three weeks later, Clare learns that Edith has died—and has given her another gift. Nestled in crepe myrtle and hydrangea and perched at the marshy edge of a bay in a small seaside town in Delaware, Blue Sky House now belongs to Clare. Though the former guest house has been empty for years, Clare feels a deep connection to Edith inside its walls, which are decorated with old photographs taken by Edith and her beloved husband, Joseph.Exploring the house, Clare finds two mysterious ledgers hidden beneath the kitchen sink. Edith, it seems, was no ordinary woman—and Blue Sky House no ordinary place. With the help of her mother, Viviana, her surrogate mother, Cornelia Brown, and her former boyfriend and best friend, Dev Tremain, Clare begins to piece together the story of Blue Sky House—a decades-old mystery more complex and tangled than she could have imagined. As she peels back the layers of Edith’s life, Clare discovers a story of dark secrets, passionate love, heartbreaking sacrifice, and incredible courage. She also makes startling discoveries about herself: where she’s come from, where she’s going, and what—and who—she loves.Shifting between the 1950s and the present and told in the alternating voices of Edith and Clare, I’ll Be Your Blue Sky is vintage Marisa de los Santos—an emotionally evocative novel that probes the deepest recesses of the human heart and illuminates the tender connections that bind our lives.
I'll Be Your Polar Bear
by Justin RobertsFrom 4-time Grammy nominee Justin Roberts comes a heartfelt picture book about the lengths a father will go to in order to comfort and protect his child.Because you and I,we&’re two of a pair: you&’re my everything, and I&’m your polar bear. On a wintry walk in the twilight, a father and child&’s antics come to resemble those of playful polar bears. As they tumble through the snow, explore icy caves, and push against the wind, Dad is a constant source of reassurance, comfort, and even a cozy ride home. Tender illustrations and delicate verse create a playful and warm book that will help parents show their children that even through ups and downs, they will always be there.
I'll Be Your Sweetheart: A heart-warming saga of mothers, daughters and best friends (Molly and Nellie series, Book 8)
by Joan JonkerWhile Molly and Nellie play detective, for Molly's youngest, there's also a party to plan and a boy to impress... Joan Jonker brings us another instalment of her hugely popular Molly and Nellie series in I'll Be Your Sweetheart, as the two friends get up to more mischief in their beloved Liverpool. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Anne Baker. Not a day goes by without Molly Bennett and Nellie McDonough counting their blessings. But when an elderly neighbour, Flora Parker, is robbed of her most treasured possession, and left without a penny to her name, the two friends jump at the chance of setting their detecting skills in motion. Meanwhile, Molly's youngest daughter, Ruthie, and her best friend, Bella, are making plans for their joint sixteenth birthday party. Ruthie is determined to look glamorous, a real knock out, to catch the eye of a certain boy for whom she's got more than a soft spot. What readers are saying about I'll Be Your Sweetheart: 'This is another excellent read from Joan Jonker. We are back with her most popular characters Molly and Nellie, and as usual, you feel right at the centre of the action. Once again Molly and Nellie are called on to help a neighbour and there's lots of fun and laughter before things reach the feel-good conclusion I've come to expect from Joan. First class as usual!'
I'll Be the Water: A Story of a Grandparent's Love
by Alec AspinwallJoshua and his grandfather love being together. More than anything else they love fishing. But Grandpa gets sick and is in the hospital a long time. When he gets out, he and Joshua share one more fishing adventure, and Grandpa promises Joshua that he will always be near. “Think of it this way,” Grandpa says. “Today, you and I are like two fish swimming together in this lake. When I die, things will be different. I won’t be a fish anymore, but I’ll become something even better. My love will be like the water in the lake. You might think I’m not with you, but we’ll be closer than ever because you’ll be surrounded by my love.” Long after Grandpa dies, Joshua comes to understand that Grandpa kept his promise—and that love and its memory survive death. When grown-up Joshua goes fishing with his daughter, he teaches her what Grandpa taught him: “She knows we never have to feel alone or afraid because we are surrounded by a love that lasts forever.” “Each memory is like a special gift I can unwrap again and again,” said Grandpa. “And that’s a gift I want to give you, too.”
I'll Carry You
by Helen DochertyWhat can you carry? A pebble? A teddy? A bright red balloon? A painting you made? Or maybe, a hope or a dream?This gorgeous, reassuring picture book celebrates all the precious things we can carry, from toys and treasures to love and hope. Best of all, it shows how we can all care for each other with the love we carry in our hearts. Children will identify with so many of the beautiful, familiar scenes in the book, whether it's carrying a special pebble on the beach, cuddling their favorite teddy bear… or being carried on their dad's shoulders!The story is written in lyrical rhymes—perfect for reading aloud—and the colorful illustrations and adorable characters are full of fun and warmth.
I'll Come to You: A Novel
by Rebecca KauffmanWith empathy, insight, and humor, I&’ll Come to You chronicles the intersecting lives of one unforgettable family over the course of a year—1995—anchored by the anticipation and arrival of a child in this "intimate, wise and funny" novel that's "a true gem about life's changing seasons." —People &“Rebecca Kauffman writes like a sunbeam, strong and warm on whatever lands in her path. This book only looks short—in reality, it reveals a family so richly drawn, so deep and complex, that it contains the whole world.&” —Emma StraubA modern and classic story of family, with I'll Come to You, beloved author Rebecca Kauffman explores overlapping narratives involving a couple whose struggle to become pregnant has both softened and hardened them, a woman whose husband of forty years has left her for reasons he&’s unwilling to share and the man who is now disastrously attempting to woo her, a couple in denial about a looming health crisis, and their son who is fumbling toward middle age and can&’t stop lying. Ultimately, these storylines crescendo and converge into a dramatic and harrowing turn of events. With heart, wit, and courage, and through pain, these characters traverse territory that both challenges and defines the bonds of family.Sweeping yet compact, I&’ll Come to You investigates themes of intimacy, memory, loss, grief, and reconciliation, and the wonder, terror, frustration, fear, and magic of brushing up against the unknowable—both around us and within us.
I'll Cry If I Want To: Poems
by Raquel FrancoI'll Cry If I Want To is a poignant collection that delves into the intricate experiences of womanhood, motherhood, marriage, mental health, grief, and the challenges of being biracial. Each poem offers a candid glimpse into the raw realities of life, resonating with honesty and emotional depth. Throughout the collection, Franco explores the highs and lows of existence with unapologetic sincerity. From the joys of motherhood to the complexities of marriage, every aspect of life is examined through a lens of gratitude and resilience. Ultimately, it serves as a reminder that it's okay to embrace our vulnerabilities and acknowledge our struggles. Through evocative verses and illustrations, readers are reassured that they are not alone in their journey, finding solace in the recognition that someone out there sees and understands them.
I'll Fix Anthony
by Judith ViorstA little brother thinks of the ways he will some day get revenge on his older brother
I'll Give You the Sun
by Jandy NelsonAt first, Jude and her twin brother are NoahandJude; inseparable. Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude wears red-red lipstick, cliff-dives, and does all the talking for both of them. Years later, they are barely speaking. Something has happened to change the twins in different yet equally devastating ways . . . but then Jude meets an intriguing, irresistible boy and a mysterious new mentor. The early years are Noah’s to tell; the later years are Jude&’s. But they each have only half the story, and if they can only find their way back to one another, they’ll have a chance to remake their world. This radiant, award-winning novel from the acclaimed author of The Sky Is Everywhere will leave you breathless and teary and laughing—often all at once.
I'll Hold Your Hand
by Maggie C. RuddThis sweet picture book celebrates a parent's love and support of a child through life's milestones, from learning to walk to the first day of school and all the highs and lows in between.From the night you arrive to your first night away,from learning to crawl to healing a broken heart,and for all the highs and lows in between. . .through every season, every challenge, and every joy, you are loved.With lyrical text from Maggie C. Rudd and stunning art by Elisa Chavarri, I'll Hold Your Hand celebrates the unbreakable bond of family, and all the ways our actions can say “I love you” louder than words.
I'll Just Be Five More Minutes: And Other Tales from My ADHD Brain
by Emily FarrisA hilariously-honest, heartwarming essay collection about life, love, and discovering you have ADHD at age 35 Despite being a published writer with a family, a gaggle of internet fans, and (most shockingly) a mortgage, Emily Farris could never get her sh*t together. As she saw it, disorganization was one of her countless character flaws—that is until she was diagnosed with ADHD at age 35. Like many girls who go undiagnosed, Emily grew up internalizing criticisms about her impulsivity and lack of follow-through. She held onto that shame as she tried (and often failed) to fit into a world designed for neurotypical brains. I'll Just Be Five More Minutes is a personal essay collection of laugh-out-loud-funny, tear-jerking, and at times cringey true stories of Emily's experiences as a neurodivergent woman. With the newfound knowledge of her ADHD, Emily candidly reexamines her complicated relationships (including one with a celebrity stalker), her money problems, the years she spent unknowingly self-medicating, and her hyperfixations (two words: decorative baskets). A memoir-in-essays both entertaining and enlightening, I'll Just Be Five More Minutes is for people with ADHD, as well as those who know and love them. This is a powerful collection of deeply relatable, wide-ranging stories about a woman's right to control her own body, about overwhelm and oversharing, about drinking too much and sleeping too little, and about being misunderstood by the people closest to you. At its heart, I&’ll Just Be Five More Minutes is about not quite fitting in and not really understanding why—something we&’ve all felt whether we're neurodivergent or not.
I'll Keep You Close: A Novel
by Jeska VerstegenJeska doesn't know why her mother keeps the curtains drawn so tightly every day. And what exactly is she trying to drown out when she floods the house with Mozart? What are they hiding from?When Jeska's grandmother accidentally calls her by a stranger's name, she seizes her first clue to uncovering her family's past, and hopefully to all that's gone unsaid. With the help of an old family photo album, her father's encyclopedia collection, and the unquestioning friendship of a stray cat, the silence begins to melt into frightening clarity: Jeska's family survived a terror that they’ve worked hard to keep secret all her life. And somehow, it has both nothing and everything to do with her, all at once.A true story of navigating generational trauma as a child, I'll Keep You Close is about what comes after disaster: how survivors move forward, what they bring with them when they do, and the promise of beginning again while always keeping the past close.
I'll Leave You With This: A must-read life-affirming story about family, loss and second chances
by Kylie Ladd'Heart-warming, uplifting, inspiring . . . a compelling read' GRAEME SIMSION'Told with warmth, compassion and humanity, I'll Leave You With This drew me in from the first page. Ladd blends depth and pace in this thought-provoking novel that is filled with hope and humour' JOANNA NELLThree years after the death of their beloved brother, all Daniel's sisters have left of him are their memories. They know he's helped others by donating his organs, but as miracles come true for the recipients, his own family are struggling with their devastating loss. When Clare suggests that they find the people Daniel's death saved, her sisters have their doubts. Will meeting them help to bring the sisters back together, or will old tensions and surfacing secrets splinter the fragile family ties forever?'Move over Jodi Picoult. Kylie Ladd creates ethical complications, then shows us both sides with uncanny insight into human nature. I inhaled this book!' FLEUR McDONALD'A page turner from the first to the last - I fell in love with all the characters and was gripped by the plot. Everyone will be reading this fantastic, heart-warming book. This is Kylie Ladd at her very best' SALLY HEPWORTH
I'll Leave You With This: A must-read life-affirming story about family, loss and second chances
by Kylie Ladd'Heart-warming, uplifting, inspiring . . . a compelling read' GRAEME SIMSION'Told with warmth, compassion and humanity, I'll Leave You With This drew me in from the first page. Ladd blends depth and pace in this thought-provoking novel that is filled with hope and humour' JOANNA NELLThree years after the death of their beloved brother, all Daniel's sisters have left of him are their memories. They know he's helped others by donating his organs, but as miracles come true for the recipients, his own family are struggling with their devastating loss. When Clare suggests that they find the people Daniel's death saved, her sisters have their doubts. Will meeting them help to bring the sisters back together, or will old tensions and surfacing secrets splinter the fragile family ties forever?'Move over Jodi Picoult. Kylie Ladd creates ethical complications, then shows us both sides with uncanny insight into human nature. I inhaled this book!' FLEUR McDONALD'A page turner from the first to the last - I fell in love with all the characters and was gripped by the plot. Everyone will be reading this fantastic, heart-warming book. This is Kylie Ladd at her very best' SALLY HEPWORTH
I'll Leave You With This: A totally heartbreaking and gripping page-turner
by Kylie LaddA totally heartbreaking but uplifting story about family, loss and second chances.Three years after Daniel was killed by a senseless act of violence, all his sisters have left of him are their memories - and responsibility for Daniel's mischievous dachshund John Thomas. Daniel donated his organs, his death facilitating life-saving miracles for other families, while his own loved ones struggle to come to terms with their devastating loss, each at a crossroads of her own: It's been twelve years since film director Bridie had a hit, and while she's still invited to glitzy media events, nowadays it is as her successful actor husband's plus one. Clare and her wife Sophie have been through four rounds of IVF and while Clare remains hopeful to keep trying, it may be at the cost of her marriage . . .Conscientious Allison looks after everyone. Her younger siblings, her children and the many patients she treats in her job as Chief Obstetrician at a big teaching hospital. But who's looking out for Allison?Emma is looking for love, but isn't having much luck on dates. And there's something she can't tell anyone, whether romantic prospect or even her family, about the real reason she quietly abandoned a musical career that she loved . . . When Clare suggests that they try to make contact with the recipients of Daniel's organs to honour their brother, not everyone thinks it's a good idea. It's a heart-wrenching process, but will meeting those that their brother saved help to bring the sisters back together, or will old tensions and surfacing secrets splinter the fragile family ties forever?(P) 2022 Penguin Random House Australia
I'll Let You Go
by Bruce Wagner"[Wagner] slices open the self-satisfied bosom of Los Angeles yet again in his third novel, a sprawling family saga that trades the usual mush-mouthed sentimentalities for cascading shards of knife-edged vignettes. A masterful, modern-day fantasy of millionaires and madmen, fathers and sons, reality and dreams."--Kirkus ReviewsBruce Wagner's I'm Losing You was hailed as "outrageous -- dead-on in every way" by Janet Maslin in The New York Times. New York magazine's Walter Kirn called it "the year's best book." And John Updike, in The New Yorker, wrote that Bruce Wagner "writes like a wizard." In I'll Let You Go, Wagner offers a stunning novel that surpasses anything he's done before.Twelve-year-old Toulouse "Tull" Trotter lives on his grandfather's vast Bel-Air parkland estate with his mother, the beautiful, drug-addicted Katrina, a landscape artist who specializes in topiary laby-rinths. He spends most of his time with his young cousins Lucy, the girl detective, and Edward, a prodigy undaunted by the disfiguring effects of Apert Syndrome. One day, an impulsive revelation from Lucy sets in motion a chain of events that changes Tull -- and the Trotter family -- forever.Though the story unfolds in contemporary Los Angeles, the reader hears echoes of Proust and 1,001 Nights as Toulouse seeks his lost father, a woman finds her lost love, and a family of unimaginable wealth learns that its fate is tied to those of the orphan Amaryllis (who officially aspires to be a saint) and her protector, a courtly giant of a homeless schizophrenic -- both of them on the run from the law. Along a path shaded by murder and mysticism, we meet such unforgettable characters as Fitzsimmons, a deranged former social worker; the enterprising Monasterio family of servants (Candelaria, Epitacio, and Eulogio); "Someone-Help-Me", a streetwise devil; and Pullman, a seemingly ageless Great Dane.Complexly wrought, deeply moving, and scathingly ironic, I'll Let You Go dazzles the reader with the unique blend of gorgeous prose, acerbic wit, and deep emotion that are the specific province of Bruce Wagner.From the Hardcover edition.
I'll Love You Forever
by Owen HartPolar Bear and Cub explore the beauty of their home in the Arctic as the seasons change. Throughout the journey, Polar Bear reassures Cub that no matter what changes occur in nature-snow falling in winter, flowers blooming in spring, air warming in summer, and leaves changing color in fall-the loving bond between them will never be broken.
I'll Never Be Long Gone: A Novel
by Thomas Christopher GreeneThe lives of brothers Charlie and Owen Bender are changed forever on the night their father walks into the Vermont woods with a death wish and a shotgun. The second shock comes when his suicide note bequeaths the family's restaurant to Charlie alone, while leaving Owen with instructions to follow his own path, wherever it may take him.Years later, the restaurant is a success. The void in Charlie's life, created by his beloved brother's absence, is finally filled when a passionate affair becomes a deeply satisfying marriage. And now prodigal son Owen is returning home, to be welcomed back into the family fold. But the cruel legacy that tore a brotherhood apart created wounds not easily healed . . . and there must be reckoning.
I'll Never Be Young Again (Virago Modern Classics #116)
by Daphne Du MaurierA COMING-OF-AGE TALE OF ADVENTURE AND LOVE, FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF REBECCA'The iron of the bridge felt hot under my hand. The sun had been upon it all day. Gripping hard with my hands I lifted myself on to the bar and gazed down steadily on the water passing under . . . I thought of places I would never see, and women I should never love'As far as Richard's father, a famous poet, is concerned, his son has no talent as a writer and will never amount to anything. In a moment of crisis, Richard decides to end his life, but is saved by Jake, a passing stranger. The two men, both at turning points in their lives, set out for adventure, jumping aboard a ship to Norway. Their travels take them through Europe and they form a passionate friendship. But in bohemian Paris Richard meets Hesta, a music student who inspires him to follow his artistic dreams.No other popular writer has so triumphantly defied classification . . . She satisfied all the questionable criteria of popular fiction, and yet satisfied the exacting requirements of "real literature", something very few novelists ever do - Margaret Forster
I'll Never Be Young Again (Vmc Ser. #513)
by Daphne Du MaurierA COMING-OF-AGE TALE OF ADVENTURE AND LOVE, FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF REBECCA'The iron of the bridge felt hot under my hand. The sun had been upon it all day. Gripping hard with my hands I lifted myself on to the bar and gazed down steadily on the water passing under . . . I thought of places I would never see, and women I should never love'As far as Richard's father, a famous poet, is concerned, his son has no talent as a writer and will never amount to anything. In a moment of crisis, Richard decides to end his life, but is saved by Jake, a passing stranger. The two men, both at turning points in their lives, set out for adventure, jumping aboard a ship to Norway. Their travels take them through Europe and they form a passionate friendship. But in bohemian Paris Richard meets Hesta, a music student who inspires him to follow his artistic dreams.No other popular writer has so triumphantly defied classification . . . She satisfied all the questionable criteria of popular fiction, and yet satisfied the exacting requirements of "real literature", something very few novelists ever do - Margaret Forster
I'll Say Goodbye
by Pam ZollmanBeach days with Uncle Mike always bring something unexpected, like a shiny shell that turns out to be a hermit crab. But Uncle Mike has cancer. Not every surprise is a good one anymore. Soon Uncle Mike starts spending more and more time at the hospital, and the grown-ups start saying &“we don&’t know&” over and over. One day Mom says Uncle Mike is gone. Gone where? What place could be better than his house on the beach? How could he leave without saying goodbye? This gentle, evocatively illustrated story addresses illness and loss from a child&’s perspective. Though grief, confusion, and anger can be overwhelming, we can find ways to move forward with the memory of our loved ones.
I'll See You Tomorrow: Building Relational Resilience When You Want to Quit
by Heather Thompson Day Seth DayIn a culture where people easily and hastily cancel relationships rather than cultivate them, discover what the Bible has to say about how we need to keep showing up for one another—even when we feel like walking away.We are surrounded by choices. If we want to watch a movie, we have multiple platforms we can choose from. If we grow tired of a friend or conversation, we leave them on read. It's never been easier to tune out and make a switch when something doesn't go perfectly or when we are offended. It's easy to cancel something from our lives when it comes to technology, television shows, or choices of food and drinks. But what about canceling friends or family members when we are disappointed or offended by them?In I'll See You Tomorrow, communication professor Dr. Heather Thompson Day and Seth Day tackle difficulties that people face in relationships and help them navigate through relational disappointment, conflict, and fear. The dangers of a relational cancel culture are a timely one. This book will help you:learn to extend grace to yourself and your loved ones in order to forgive and keep showing up,discover how childhood trauma continues to affect your relationships,stop waiting for an ideal and refuse to let it prevent you from what's possible,recognize the value of a healthy (and small) circle rather than a large one, and refuse to let fear of what may or may not happen cause you to miss the beauty of what is.Blending personal stories with data and research in a way that inspires truth and helps people change their everyday mindsets, Heather and Seth encourage you to embrace this valuable truth: relationships don't have to be perfect to be fulfilling.
I'll Show Myself Out: Essays on Midlife and Motherhood
by Jessi KleinThe eagerly anticipated second essay collection from Jessi Klein, author of the acclaimed New York Times bestselling debut You’ll Grow Out of It.“ <p><p>Sometimes I think about how much bad news there is to tell my kid, the endlessly long, looping CVS receipt scroll of truly terrible things that have happened, and I want to get under the bed and never come out. How do we tell them about all this? Can we just play Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start the Fire and then brace for questions? The first of which should be, how is this a song that played on the radio?” <p><p>In New York Times bestselling author and Emmy Award-winning writer and producer Jessi Klein’s second collection, she hilariously explodes the cultural myths and impossible expectations around motherhood and explore the humiliations, poignancies, and possibilities of midlife. In interconnected essays like “Listening to Beyoncé in the Parking Lot of Party City,” “Your Husband Will Remarry Five Minutes After You Die,” “Eulogy for My Feet,” and “An Open Love Letter to Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent,” Klein explores this stage of life in all its cruel ironies, joyous moments, and bittersweetness. <p><p>Written with Klein’s signature candor and humanity, I'll Show Myself Out is an incisive, moving, and often uproarious collection. <p> <b>New York Times Bestseller</b>
I'll Stay
by Karen DayIn this compelling, emotionally complex novel, a college friendship sparks a life-changing sacrifice that connects two women forever--even as it shatters their closeness . . . “Let her go. I’ll stay.” There are some decisions you can never unmake. You can only atone for them—or try to. During her senior year of college, Clare Michaels takes a spring break trip to Florida with three other girls, including her best friend, Lee. She’s hoping for adventure and a few stories to share back at school. Instead, a string of bad choices leads to a horrific encounter, and Lee offers herself up so that Clare can escape. In the weeks and months that follow that fateful incident, Lee, once so dynamic and ambitious, flounders and withdraws. Clare was the only person to whom she’d ever confided about her troubled past. For Clare, that role felt like an honor—until it became a burden. Now she’s trying to make amends for her momentary selfishness by taking care of Lee—just as she’s been taking care of her high-strung mother, whose bestselling novel has been both windfall and curse. Years pass, circumstances change, and contact between Clare and Lee ebbs and flows, but the events of that night in Florida are impossible to escape. They keep dragging Clare back—forcing her to confront what really happened, and her part in it, in hopes of untangling guilt from loyalty and earning forgiveness at last . . . “I'll Stay is a heart-pounding, addictive portrait of how one split-second choice can twist our whole lives—and how the patterns of our lives lead us to those choices. A smart, compassionate, psychological spellbinder of a book—with one of the scariest scenes you'll read anywhere that'll stay with you forever!”--Jenna Blum, New York Times bestselling author of Those Who Save Us and The Stormchasers
I'll Take You There: A Novel
by Wally LambIn this radiant homage to the resiliency, strength, and power of women, Wally Lamb--author of numerous New York Times bestselling novels including She's Come Undone, I Know This Much is True, and We Are Water--weaves an evocative, deeply affecting tapestry of one Baby Boomer's life and the trio of unforgettable women who have changed it. I'll Take You There centers on Felix, a film scholar who runs a Monday night movie club in what was once a vaudeville theater. One evening, while setting up a film in the projectionist booth, he's confronted by the ghost of Lois Weber, a trailblazing motion picture director from Hollywood's silent film era. Lois invites Felix to revisit--and in some cases relive--scenes from his past as they are projected onto the cinema's big screen. In these magical movies, the medium of film becomes the lens for Felix to reflect on the women who profoundly impacted his life. There's his daughter Aliza, a Gen Y writer for New York Magazine who is trying to align her post-modern feminist beliefs with her lofty career ambitions; his sister, Frances, with whom he once shared a complicated bond of kindness and cruelty; and Verna, a fiery would-be contender for the 1951 Miss Rheingold competition, a beauty contest sponsored by a Brooklyn-based beer manufacturer that became a marketing phenomenon for two decades. At first unnerved by these ethereal apparitions, Felix comes to look forward to his encounters with Lois, who is later joined by the spirits of other celluloid muses. Against the backdrop of a kaleidoscopic convergence of politics and pop culture, family secrets, and Hollywood iconography, Felix gains an enlightened understanding of the pressures and trials of the women closest to him, and of the feminine ideals and feminist realities that all women, of every era, must face.