Hannah Orenstein wanted to write a love letter to her lake house
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At the book's heart is the relationship between two half-sisters who have never met until their shared father's death calls them both to the lake house: Lucy, a native Mainer, is seeking refuge after the end of her marriage, while Vivian, a New Yorker, has driven up to prepare the house for a quick sale. What unfolds is a story of conflict but also growth, and the shy appearance of hope.
'Vivian and Lucy sort of represent the two different sides of me,' says Orenstein. 'When I'm in New York, I am out every night. I'm at fun restaurants. I love to get dressed up. When I'm in Maine, I am barefoot. I don't wear makeup for months on end. It's just a much slower pace of life.'
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The author adds that she hopes readers will be able to experience something like the peace she feels at the lake. 'I really wanted this to be escapist. I wanted people to feel like they were on vacation at the lake,' she says.'But also I think there's a lot in the book about forgiveness and how you can work through complicated relationships. No family is perfect. Lots of families are messy, and I hope this [book] can maybe help some readers process their own complicated feelings about their families.'
Hannah Orenstein will read at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 22, at
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Kate Tuttle edits the Globe's Books section.
Kate Tuttle, a freelance writer and critic, can be reached at
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'The grocery store is not air conditioned, it's crazy, and you're reaching into the back to try and grab the drinks in the back, because those have probably been there the longest and are the coldest, and sometimes even those aren't that cold. And I'm like, 'Oh my gosh, I just need something refreshing.' But it's so hard to find.' If you're an American heading to Europe this summer getting anxious about ice — and possibly a lack of air conditioning and tap water too — rest assured that there are other ways of staying cool in the heat: gelato, sorbet and granita, to name a few. A jug of tinto de verano in Seville will be full of ice, while a glass of rose in Provence will be chilled to perfection. Plus, Europe isn't a monoculture. Every destination will be different. 'I gotta admit, I really like ice, but I understand when I'm traveling that I'm not going to be able to get it in every single place, and sometimes I'm not going to be able to get it at all,' says the historian Rees. He adds: 'But that's all right. I leave the United States specifically so that I can try other people's cuisines, which includes their drinks and they may not have ice in them.' Brady echoes this, suggesting viewing an iceless European beverage as simply a cultural difference, rather than a frustration, and taking it as opportunity for 'self-reflection.' 'Try to resist what might be an immediate reaction, which is, 'Oh, this tepid water, this tepid tea is less good or less clean, or less tasty, less delightful,'' she advises. 'That is a very American, specific perspective. And, putting that aside, also just experiencing how other people around the world develop their own culinary tastes and preferences will make life much more interesting… And it'll just keep you from being a jerk.'
