THE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULUV by Elizabeth Berg

  

The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg
Publication: November 21, 2017
Publisher: Random House
Genre: Fiction
Rating: ★★★★★

A beautiful, life-affirming novel about a remarkably loving man who creates for himself and others second chances at happiness.

A moving novel about three people who find their way back from loss and loneliness to a different kind of happiness. Arthur, a widow, meets Maddy, a troubled teenage girl who is avoiding school by hiding out at the cemetery, where Arthur goes every day for lunch to have imaginary conversations with his late wife, and think about the lives of others. The two strike up a friendship that draws them out of isolation. Maddy gives Arthur the name Truluv, for his loving and positive responses to every outrageous thing she says or does. With Arthur’s nosy neighbor Lucille, they create a loving and unconventional family, proving that life’s most precious moments are sweeter when shared.-Goodreads

Elizabeth Berg put together [probably] the most unlikely people together in this story… and they turned out to be very charming.

Arthur is an octogenarian and a widower, whose everyday highlight is visiting his dead wife at the local cemetery. Meanwhile, Maddy is a bullied teenager, who lost her mother very early after she was born, leaving her to his distant and unaffectionate father. And Lucille is Arthur’s neighbor, who waited all her life for true love to happen.

At the center of this heartwarming story is a makeshift family. They’ve built a home abound with kindness and rooms for consideration. A simple structure, really, allowing them to forget the troubles and awful of the outside world, and focus on seeing the good in people. Unlikely people, yes, but home nonetheless.

I love Berg’s take on people. I love her characters, including their flaws. I’m glad she gave her characters another motivation in life. I’m glad to have met Arthur and wishing there’d be more like him in the world. I’m happy knowing that his kindness survived him and will continue effecting.

THE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULUV is Book #1 of the Mason series.

About the Author:

Elizabeth Berg is the New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including We Are All Welcome Here, The Year of Pleasures, The Art of Mending, Say When, True to Form, Never Change, and Open House, which was an Oprah’s Book Club selection in 2000. Durable Goods and Joy School were selected as ALA Best Books of the Year, and Talk Before Sleep was short-listed for the ABBY Award in 1996. The winner of the 1997 New England Booksellers Award for her body of work, Elizabeth Berg is also the author of a nonfiction work, Escaping into the Open: The Art of Writing True. She lives in Chicago.