Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake, by Anna Quindlen

Our beloved Anna Quindlen, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and author of nonfiction and fiction alike, missed the mark in "Lot's of Candles, Plenty of Cake," her new memoir about life, family and aging. This compilation of light, fluffy vignettes is entertaining but predictable. Quindlen's stories all conclude with sunny bromides. She gives us dull platitudes, but what we want are shiny truths.




If you have a nonfiction yen, Cheryl Strayed's "Tiny, Beautiful Things," a compilation of her best "Dear Sugar" columns, will make you shiver.

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