Beautiful Ruins, But Some Not So Beautiful People

I hope you have a ticket for a place at the table, July 9th at 6:30pm in the Community Room at Capital Public Radio Studios so you can share you views.The twists and turns of Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter, will keep you interested, and on your toes.  The sadness in the lives of Walter's characters is so well defined, but their lack of introspection is what is beguiling.  

Pasquale is a sensitive, lovely man, unless you know what has happened in Florence.  Michael Deane is just awful, but what is underneath that Botox?  And Dee Moray....we just don't know yet, do we?

We'll have on more blog post in this location and then be sure to reset your browser to CapRadio.org/books and visit our fabulous new website for all the news from CapRadio Reads.  

As always, thanks for reading

Beautiful Ruins Makes A Great Summer Read

Life is a blatant act of imagination..... So says a character from Jess Walter's book Beautiful Ruins, our selection for our July 9th Face to Face meeting of CapRadio Reads at the Captial Public Radio Studios.

Dee Moray arrives, as if directly from the sea, to the Hotel Adequate View.  This scene near the opening of the book, evokes a cinematic feeling that will carry us through till the end.  In April 1962, Dee Moray, an actress from the film Cleopatra, which is being shot in Rome, arrives in Porto Vergogna, somewhere on the Italian Coast. Pasquale Tursi, owner of the "Hotel Adequate View" is there to greet her, and falls instantly in love , and "would remain in love with her for the rest of his life". How schmaltzy this COULD be, but isn't.  We do however, start to wonder what the title, Beautiful Ruins, is really referring to.  We immediately move to the present in the second chapter, meeting Michael Deane,  Claire and more of Walter's unique characters.  We know they are all tied together and, as if it were a movie, can't break away to go buy popcorn until we know how and why.  This novel is reminding me of seeing "Cleopatra" in New York at Radio City Music Hall with my Aunt.....I HAd to buy the program to read all about it.  Now I have the scoop on what was happening backstage.

Hope you are enjoying the book and I look forward to seeing you at the meeting. Please look at our brand new new website too.  Our address is www.capradio.org/books.  

As always, thanks for reading.

Beautiful Ruins Is Our July Title

Jess Walter's book Beautiful Ruins is a remarkable, witty, lush entertainment.Our July read will leave you wanting more from this talented author, whose book will make for hours of reading pleasure and a fascinating conversation for us.
We'll be back in the community room on July 9th at 6:30pm for a Face to Face discussion of the book.  I know you will love the book.  How can you not love a book with lovable characters, great cinematic qualities, beautiful surroundings and cameos by Liz Taylor and Richard Burton SIGN UP HERE to get a seat at the table.  We look forward to seeing you.
As always, thanks for reading.