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Summer Hours at the Robbers Library: A Novel Paperback – February 27, 2018
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From journalist and author Sue Halpern comes a wry, observant look at contemporary life and its refugees. Halpern’s novel is an unforgettable tale of family...the kind you come from and the kind you create.
People are drawn to libraries for all kinds of reasons. Most come for the books themselves, of course; some come to borrow companionship. For head librarian Kit, the public library in Riverton, New Hampshire, offers what she craves most: peace. Here, no one expects Kit to talk about the calamitous events that catapulted her out of what she thought was a settled, suburban life. She can simply submerge herself in her beloved books and try to forget her problems.
But that changes when fifteen-year-old, home-schooled Sunny gets arrested for shoplifting a dictionary. The judge throws the book at Sunny—literally—assigning her to do community service at the library for the summer. Bright, curious, and eager to connect with someone other than her off-the-grid hippie parents, Sunny coaxes Kit out of her self-imposed isolation. They’re joined by Rusty, a Wall Street high-flyer suddenly crashed to earth.
In this little library that has become the heart of this small town, Kit, Sunny, and Rusty are drawn to each other, and to a cast of other offbeat regulars. As they come to terms with how their lives have unraveled, they also discover how they might knit them together again and finally reclaim their stories.
- Print length384 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateFebruary 27, 2018
- Dimensions5.31 x 0.86 x 8 inches
- ISBN-100062678965
- ISBN-13978-0062678966
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Finely choreographed and lucidly told, Halpern infuses this tale of derailments and second chances with free-ranging empathy, lithe humor, and penetrating insights into the human psyche. [Halpern is] a discerning and sensitive novelist.” — Donna Seaman, Booklist (starred review)
“Sometimes the best stories in the library aren’t found on its shelves; they’re walking through its doors and congregating by the reference desk. Sue Halpern knows this and mines the setting for comic and tragicomic gold.” — Marilyn Johnson, author of This Book Is Overdue! and The Deadbeat
Marilyn Johnson, author of This Book Is Overdue! and The Deadbeat
“This novel presents a full cast of intriguing, complex characters and a heart-warming message about how our losses are often what allow us to connect with each other.” — Julia Alvarez, New York Times bestselling author of In the Time of the Butterflies
“Summer Hours at The Robbers Library is whip-smart, funny and moving all at once. A rare combination.” — Maggie Gyllenhaal, Academy Award-nominated actress
From the Back Cover
People are drawn to libraries for all kinds of reasons. Most come for the books themselves, of course; some come to borrow companionship. For head librarian Kit, the public library in Riverton, New Hampshire, offers what she craves most: peace. Here, no one expects Kit to talk about the calamitous events that catapulted her out of what she thought was a settled, suburban life. She can simply submerge herself in her beloved books and try to forget her problems.
But that changes when fifteen-year-old, homeschooled Sunny gets arrested for shoplifting a dictionary. The judge throws the book at Sunny—literally—assigning her to do community service at the library for the summer. Bright, curious, and eager to connect with someone other than her off-the-grid hippie parents, Sunny coaxes Kit out of her self-imposed isolation. They’re joined by Rusty, a Wall Street highflyer suddenly crashed to earth.
In this little library that has become the heart of this small town, Kit, Sunny, and Rusty are drawn to one another, and to a cast of other offbeat regulars. As they come to terms with how their lives have unraveled, they also discover how they might knit them together again and finally reclaim their stories.
About the Author
Sue Halpern is the author of seven books of fiction and nonfiction, most recently Summer Hours at the Robbers Library. Her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, New York Times Magazine, New York Review of Books, Rolling Stone, and Condé Nast Traveler. She lives in Vermont with her husband, the writer and environmental activist Bill McKibben, and is a scholar-in-residence at Middlebury College.
Product details
- Publisher : Harper Perennial (February 27, 2018)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 384 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0062678965
- ISBN-13 : 978-0062678966
- Item Weight : 9.6 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.31 x 0.86 x 8 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,029,923 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #13,180 in Women's Domestic Life Fiction
- #14,017 in Family Life Fiction (Books)
- #20,535 in Contemporary Women Fiction
- Customer Reviews:
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But there were so many positive reviews that I kept going, and I'm glad that I did.
While it's not at all what I'd call a 'page turner', and it's also not a typical beach read, this IS a well told story that unfolds at a reasonable pace and suddenly you realize that you care about these people and you want to know what's happening with them.
The events that take place to move the tale along aren't things that happen to all of us and, while it's also hard to imagine each of the three main characters having one such life-altering dramatic experience, none of it is at all unbelievable. There's no sudden turn of events that makes you sit back and think 'now, where in the world did THAT come from?' (which always annoys me and takes me out of the story).
If you're looking for a nice series of character studies featuring real people just trying to get along in a challenging world I can absolutely recommend Summer Hours at the Robbers Library.
This is a story of Kit's learning to trust and care for humankind again. And for herself. The trauma she described is horrific, and the growth and recovery slow but satisfying. Sunny and Rusty are interesting characters, as are The Four, a group of retired men who have coffee and read the paper every morning. I thought the story ended a bit too abruptly, but it was a good one nevertheless. I enjoyed it.
My high hopes were dashed, however, much like a helium balloon with a pinprick that ultimately completely flattens.
The primary "hook" for the story is a tragic marriage. The reader knows this very early; her psychiatrist refers to the trauma of going through what his client has gone through, for example. Sections are interspersed throughout the tale about "the marriage story" - but contrary to what we would expect, as in a suspenseful build-up, these sections are bland, dull, practically non-eventful.
What the heck? There IS going to be something really BIG
eventually, right? A big, exciting disclosure, yes?
NO!!!!!! The reveal is as weak as all that went before. By the end, there are also dangling, frayed pieces of the plot that never meshed properly or even survived. I believe - with more thought and effort -this could have been a good book...but it simply wasn't.
Hit a few nerves with secrets unfolding along the way,as good stories do.All in all,a well told tale that kept me interested to the very end.
Reading this book for me was time well spent as it explored the human condition and how we deal with feelings, goals and obstacles in our lives in an authentic way. It's light and fun and easy.
Thank you so much Sue Halpern for writing one of the books that I will never forget!