Five picks for December

Buzz Reads is a column about books by reviewer Cindy Burnett. Each month, Cindy recommends five recently or soon-to-be released titles.

Before We Say Goodbye by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (speculative fiction) – Have you ever wanted to travel back in time to try and revisit some person or event in your life? In a quiet back alley in Tokyo, Café Funiculi Funicula allows customers to do just that – take a trip into the past. But strict rules exist: the present will not change, the customer cannot leave the chair that allows the travel, each traveler must return in the time it takes for their coffee to get cold, and more. In Before We Say Goodbye, four new visitors arrive at the café to travel back in time. These moving and thought-provoking stories will have you re-evaluating some of your own encounters and relationships as well as pondering what would you change if you could travel back in time. While this is the fourth installment in this series, each one can be easily read as a standalone since the primary focus is the new customers and their journeys.

The General and Julia by Jon Clinch (historical fiction) – Near the end of his life and battling throat cancer, Ulysses S. Grant struggles to complete his memoirs before he passes away, in order to leave his family financially sound. He chronicles his love for his family, his role in the Civil War as well as Lee’s surrender, serving as a twice-elected president, losing his entire fortune to a swindler, and his friendship with Samuel Clemens, who ultimately publishes his memoirs. While the focus is clearly on Grant in this tale, the book also serves as a fascinating glimpse into the Civil War and Reconstruction-Era years from a perspective I have not encountered previously. This thought-provoking and stunningly crafted story of Grant’s life and legacy from his own perspective will stay with me for a long time. This is a must-read book for historical-fiction fans and history lovers alike; it will be one of my top reads of the year.

If You Would Have Told Me by John Stamos (memoir) – Who doesn’t recognize John Stamos? The star of Full House, ER, General Hospital, and two Broadway shows is a very recognizable individual, and in his new memoir, he regales us with fabulous insider stories about his time touring with the Beach Boys (they are personal friends of his), working on Full House and ER, and starring in two Broadway shows. He also chronicles his close relationship with his parents and the role they played in his success as well as his struggles with addiction. He seems much more down-to-earth than I would have imagined, and I thoroughly enjoyed his stories about pursuing fame, Hollywood, his friendship with Bob Saget, and fatherhood. The audiobook is a delight: Stamos narrates it, and Jamie Lee Curtis reads her touching Foreword to the book. This will make a great gift for the holidays.

Meet the Benedettos by Katie Cotugno (fiction) – Billed as Pride and Prejudice meets the Kardashians, Meet the Benedettos is an ultra-modern retelling of Jane Austen’s most enduring novel. The Benedettos, a once “famous” family who entertained viewers with their escapades and over-the-top lifestyle on a reality show, are now encountering financial difficulties following the show’s cancellation several years prior. When popular actor Charlie Bingley rents a home in their neighborhood with his best friend Will Darcy, certain members of the Benedetto family believe that their futures are looking brighter. The story is relayed through multiple points of view, which worked splendidly by keeping the story moving at a fast pace while allowing the reader to learn more about each character’s perspective. Moreover, Cotugno’s social commentary strikes a cord, much like Austen’s did two centuries ago. Side note to those who have never watched The Kardashians: I have not either, but this book worked very well for me.

The Purest Bond: Understanding the Human-Canine Connection by Jen Golbeck and Stacey Colino (nonfiction) – The Purest Bond combines the science behind why the connection between humans and dogs exists with real-life stories of the pets that have changed various humans’ lives. The authors explore the physical, social, cognitive, and emotional effects of having a dog as a companion and why these connections are more important than ever in our increasingly isolating world. During the pandemic, dog adoptions more than doubled as people realized that bonding with a dog can provide so many fabulous mental-health benefits as well as helping combat loneliness. Most importantly, dogs remind us of all that is good in the world – companionship, affection, spending time outside, love, and sunshine – even during these trying times. As a dog lover, reading this one made me smile, and I loved learning more about the science behind our affection for canines. This is the perfect book for the dog lover in your life.

Editor’s note: Southside Place resident Cindy Burnett also writes our weekly Page Turners column. She hosts the Thoughts from a Page Podcast, is co-creator of the Houston literary event series Conversations from the Page, runs the Instagram account @thoughtsfromapage, and regularly speaks to groups about books.