Mona Simpson

The Lost Father (1993)

Off Keck Road (2015)

It's odd how similar this book is to Empire Falls, even though it's only a quarter of its size and about an area on the other side of the United States. It may be minimalistic instead of expansive, but Off Keck Road perfectly describes small town life and its inapplicability in today's world. Peo...

Anywhere But Here (2015)

"Strangers always love my mother," Ann August tells us at the start of Anywhere But Here. "And even if you hate her, can't stand her, even if she's ruining your life, there's something about her, some romance, some power. She's absolutely herself. No matter how hard you try, you'll never get to h...

A Regular Guy (1997)

Two and a half stars. Maybe two and a quarter.This was a book club selection, a fictional retelling of the rise and fall (before the return and higher rise) of Steve Jobs. Only in this book Steve Jobs is named Tom Owens, and instead of running a computer company, he runs a company that does som...