The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry: by the Sunday Times bestselling author of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Description

"Who the hell are you?" A.J. asks the baby. For no apparent reason, she stops crying and smiles at him. "Maya," she answers. That was easy, A.J. thinks. "How old are you?" he asks. Maya holds up two fingers. "You're two?" Maya smiles again and holds up her arms to him." A.J. Fikry, the grumpy owner of Island Books, is going through a hard time: his bookshop is failing, he has lost his beloved wife, and a prized rare first edition has been stolen. But one day A.J. finds two-year-old Maya sitting on the bookshop floor, with a note attached to her asking the owner to look after her. His life - and Maya's - is changed forever.

Gabrielle Zevin is the author of eight novels, including Elsewhere and, most recently, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, which is a New York Times bestseller.

Zevin has done something old-fashioned and fairly rare these days. She has written an entertaining novel, modest in its scope, engaging and funny without being cloying or sentimental. On top of all that, it is marvelously optimistic about the future of books and bookstores and the people who love both - Washington Post Packed with the love of a life lived around books - Metro This novel has humor, romance, a touch of suspense, but most of all love--love of books and bookish people and, really, all of humanity in its imperfect glory. - Eowyn Ivey, bestselling author of The Snow Child I read this book in one big greedy gulp. A charming and funny love letter to the written word - it will leave you smiling and with a large lump in your throat - Natasha Solomons, bestselling author of Mr Rosenblum s List and The Novel in the Viola Wade into summer reading with this sweet yet soulful tale of love, loss, the power of friendship--and books. Like sunshine on a breezy spring day, you won't want it to end. - Family Circle In this sweet, uplifting homage to bookstores, Zevin perfectly captures the joy of connecting people and books . . . Filled with interesting characters, a deep knowledge of bookselling, wonderful critiques of classic titles, and very funny depictions of book clubs and author events, this will prove irresistible to book lovers everywhere. - Booklist Gabrielle Zevin has written a wonderful, moving, endearing story of redemption and transformation that will sing in your heart for a very, very long time - Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain