Fikry, a man who holds no brief for random acts, who yearns for a distinct narrative, who flounders about until his life is reordered by happenstance. The storied life zips by, paced by a few unexpected turns and complications, and any. Fikry gabrielle zevin, 2014 workman publishing 288 pp. The author chooses to begin each chapter with a description of a short story. If ever there were a novel written specifically for book people, this is it. Fikrys stubborn and bitter personality is on full display at the start of the story when he learns that his favorite publishers agent has died. I gave it thought during the next day, i was sorry when it ended.
Fikry is a best book club book for discussion, a novel that is a love letter to the world of booksan affirmation of why we read, and why we love. Fikry by gabrielle zevin is a charming salute to books, bookstores and book lovers. The protagonist of gabrielle zevins novel the storied life of a. Top 10 actually, 11 quotes from the storied life of a. A comprehensive guide to zevins wonderful celebration of the world of literature, this book includes useful literary context. No book group should be without this companion guide to gabrielle zevins bestselling novel, the storied life of a. What inspired you to write about a small independent bookstore. I was intrigued by the summary, and loved the idea of an independent bookseller being the central character. Apr 23, 2015 of course, they couldnt come without purchasing a book. The story is about aj, a disgruntled bookshop owner who doesnt care for. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of poe poems, has been stolen. The storied life of aj fikry discussion peanut blossom.
All of the books and short stories mentioned in the storied. Maybe it was the writing style, perhaps the characters, but both books will have a place in my top ten. Fikrys recommendations from island books the pointe. By assigning these discussion questions, students will learn about how these themes impact the. Fikry is a 20 novel by gabrielle zevin that centers on the titular character, owner of a bookshop on alice island, a fictional island off the coast of massachusetts. I am trying to find some good discussion questions for your book the storied life of a. Each chapter is titled after a book, though there is no pattern to the titles other than the fact that they give a slight hint as to what. Fikry runs a dying bookstore on alice island, on the new england coast. Fikry is a bit of a departure from your previous books. Fikry basically kicked off my summer reading this year i felt like id been drowning in a sea of mediocre books, and after this one was the cover book for bookpage, i downloaded a copy from the library and took it along to the beach house in may. November book club discussion the storied life of aj fikry nov 30, 2014 23. How would you compare the act of buying books online to the act of dating online. How does the book itself function as a kind of canon.
This novel, in its humor and sadness, shows how he rebuilds with the. Ten years ago when i published my first book, it was like publishing in a completely different universe. The book is beautifully written with a storyline that will capture most anyones heart. Fikry by gabrielle zevin is about an orphaned child who gives a prematurely widowed bookseller a second chance at. In this sweet, uplifting homage to bookstores, zevin perfectly captures the joy of connecting people and. It is as enchanting a book as you will read this year. Mar 10, 2015 welcome to the march event of the peanut blossom book club for recovering readers. Below is a summary of the novel courtesy of goodreads.
What a charming story i was hooked from the beginning, and was enthralled throughout. Its fascinating and intriguing, and each chapter has a little mystery. In storied life, characters come with a reading list. Fikry has a little bit of mystery and a little bit of romance, but is at its core a love story. What do you think of this statement in view of the plot of a. Fikry by gabrielle zevin explores love, friendship and vulnerability. Fikry at its heart, gabrielle zevins new novel is a love letter to the joys of reading. Recommending new books each month to spark lively conversation. The story is about aj, a disgruntled bookshop owner who doesnt care for anyone, including his customers.
Then it continues on with a synopsis of the book itself, and then with a short recap of all the characters in the book. Fikrys life is not at all what he expected it to be. It was compiled from the stories mentioned at the beginning of each chapter of the novel. Fikry is not only a story about books and the love of books, it is a story about the ups and downs in life and how we choose to cope. The novels jacket cover contains two ponderous quotations about books, to give readers a little foretelling of the nature of the narrative. Fikry, is the owner of the independent bookstore, island books. Indie bookstore owner inhabits gabrielle zevins storied life of a. Fikry basically kicked off my summer reading this year i felt like id been drowning in a sea of mediocre books, and after this one was the cover book for bookpage, i downloaded a copy from the library and took it along to the beach house in may and. I absolutely adored gabrielle zevins latest novel, the storied life of a. November book club discussion the storied life of aj fikry. Fikry s life, told in shortstory narrative form over the course of two parts and chapters. Although murder and mayhem is my favourite genre to read, i need to read a feel good story every so often. Fikry is one that will remain in my heart and mind. Discuss some of the ways the stories relate to the chapters with which they are paired.
I enjoyed reading this book, and i definitely give. It is cute, quirky, funny, sadhearttuggingly sadand i loved every minute of it. At the beginning of the novel, he is a man in his late 30s who is recently widowed and owns the only bookstore on a small island near cape cod, massachusetts. I see myself in the basement at word brooklyn and on a ladder at blue willow in houston and on a cushioned divan, like a queen, at the book stall in winnetka. The author chooses to end the novel with a new sales rep coming to an island books that is no longer owned by a. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a. Of course, they couldnt come without purchasing a book. Fikry by gabrielle zevin discussion questions discussion questions provided by the publisher q1.
Fikry is an affirmation of the love of books and reading and how they meld lives together. Fikry, is a sweet, gentle book, just what i was looking for. I wish to inspire readers, teachers, and book clubs to bake along with their reading and promote discussion about the books weve enjoyed. Fikry owns island books on alice island, a summer destination off massachusettsthink nantucket. These the storied life of aj fikry discussion questions are perfect to get you started. Fikry s stubborn and bitter personality is on full display at the start of the story when he learns that his favorite publishers agent has died.
Fikry, a book about a bookstore island books and its quirky booksellerowner a. Fikry to me last month and i was delighted she did. Below is a summary of the novel courtesy of goodreads on the faded island books sign hanging over the porch of the victorian cottage is the motto no man is an island. I was thrilled by the description of the storied life of a. This broad approach is more about showing the patterns and development of a life as the title itself suggests than about tight plot development, although theres certainly. Gabrielle zevin is a new york times bestselling author whose books have been translated into more than thirty languages. On the faded island books sign hanging over the porch of the victorian cottage is the motto no man is an island. Fikry is a heartwarming book about a lonely man who finds true love, happiness, and friendship.
The story was not boring, my attention never wandered, in fact, i did not even want to shut off the light and go to sleep. It starts out with some thoughts about the book, then leads into a short summary of the different literary stories mentioned in the storied life of a. Fikry reminds us all exactly why we read and why we love. We have scheduled your book for next april, but i get all these organized ahead of time since we have guest discussion leaders each month. These are all of the books and short stories mentioned in gabrielle zevins the storied life of a. Fikry by gabrielle zevin discussion guide for book clubs. Fikrys life, told in shortstory narrative form over the course of two parts and chapters. Embittered, socially inept and selfdestructive since the death of his wife nic, a. Welcome to the march event of the peanut blossom book club for recovering readers. The book tells the story of loss, which aj can relate to, since he lost his wife nic. In the storied life of aj fikry, each chapter begins with a book recommendation that illustrates something important aj wants to share with. Its a story that i can only imagine for some reason or another will resonate with all readers. Hes not yet 40 but already widowed, his wife, nic, dead in an auto accident. The book held my attention from the moment i began reading.
All of the books and short stories mentioned in the. A must for book lovers and booksellers alike, the storied life of a. I anticipated a good story, but was blown away by a book that topped all my expectations. Aj, with his newfound sensitivity, realizes he wants to bone amelia. At one point, maya speculates that perhaps your whole life is determined by what store.
Fikry is a breezy, bighearted treat, especially if youve ever wondered about the inner workings of americas national treasuresneighborhood bookstores. You know everything you need to know about a person from the answer to the question, what is your favorite book. In the storied life of aj fikry, each chapter begins with a book recommendation that. William from columbia, md i really enjoyed the storied life of a. On thursday, june 11 th, the fixed on fiction book group met to discuss the storied life of a. I believe book lovers would savor this novel, but i also recommend the storied life of a. Gabrielle zevin has written a book with a story that is entertaining and uplifting. In the storied life of aj fikry, each chapter begins with a book recommendation that illustrates something important aj wants to share with his daughter. I enjoyed reading this book, and i definitely give it a five star rating. Every good book contains a world far deeper than the surface of its pages. This book was a beautiful circle of life and love story. What do you think the future holds for physical books and bookstores.