Noah's Compass by Anne Tyler

Remember that guy on TV who would throw a dart at the US map and then go to that city. Then he'd open a phone book and point to a name and track down that person and find out their story. His philosophy was that everyone has a story. Well, this book is Liam's story told to us by Anne Tyler. All of Tyler's books portray characters who are unexceptional. She writes about unattractive, average people leading normal mundane day-to-day lives. She's kind of an anti-Danielle Steele. In Noah's Compass, we learn about Liam, a 60-something man who has just lost his job. He's been married multiple times, and he doesn't really have a solid relationship with any of his daughters. There isn't much action in the book, yet there is something about the way Tyler creates her characters and the detailed descriptions she provides that always leave me wanting more. If you like Anne Tyler, this is one for you. - June