Book Shorts. Reviews in a Nutshell.

The Beginner’s Goodbye by Anne Tyler

The Beginner’s Goodbye ultimately is a book about love. Wanting it, avoiding it, rejecting it, losing it… and that love is defined uniquely by each individual. With both humor and heartbreaking accuracy, Tyler presents a somewhat outlandish cast of characters that are so human and vulnerable, and “Baltimore” to their core. The “goodbye” referenced in the title is a nod to the publishing house, the family business where many characters are employed. “The Beginner’s Guide to,” their main product line, a series of books about life, serves as the vehicle through which Tyler presents and gently pokes fun at the perspectives of the main characters. Published in 2012, I somehow missed “Beginner’s” earlier on. Finding it, and reading it now was a genuine literary treat. Beautiful writing and character development. Highly recommended!