The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry
{4.5/5} “Plus, I’ve never really liked babies. I like Maya, but… Conversation with her lacks to say the least. We talk about Elmo, and I can’t stand him, by the way, but other than that, it’s mainly about her. She’s totally self-centred.”
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin, published in 2014
A. J. has recently lost his wife, and his valuable copy of Tamerlane by Edgar Allan Poe was stolen. Then a baby shows up in his bookstore, with a note. A. J. looks after the baby, Maya, for a couple of days and they become attached to each other. Eventually, A. J. works up the nerve to ask out Amelia, a sales rep from a publisher who visits him 3 times a year.
This is a book for people who love books. It’s also a book for people who love people.
There are lots of discussions about books, a couple of mysteries, and it’s very funny at times. It’s also about life, and how something unexpected can be a catalyst for change.
It’s terrific. This is the first book by Zevin I’ve read.