Last week I dropped into Borders Bookstore while I was waiting for Sophie to be finished having "the works" at the doggie beauty palace. (Not my favorite bookstore, but it was across the street.) I scoured my way through the new hardcover fiction and found a few that made me itch to read them.


First off, New York novelist Cheryl Mendelson's second work of fiction is out. Love, Work, Children, like her first novel Morningside Heights (check out my post of January 7, 2004, in the Archives for more info on this title), is set in that distinctive, yet little known Upper West Side neighborhood. She focuses this time on characters who were minor players in Morningside Heights, in particular Peter Frankl, who at midlife, discovers that his relationship with his wife, his work, and his entire family life are not bringing him any joy or meaning.

I would very much like to continue this post, but my laptop Slimbrowser is giving me fits.