When we heard that Judy Blume was releasing a new adult novel we knew we would have to make it our June book club choice. Her first adult novel in 17 years called, In the Unlikely Event, Blume recalls the strange winter of 1951/1952. She was 14 years old when 3 plane crashes occurred within a span of 2 months. In the video below she speaks about how she was reminded of these bizarre events and the five year journey of researching and writing this book.
Official Summary:
In 1987, Miri Ammerman returns to her hometown of Elizabeth, New Jersey, to attend a commemoration of the worst year of her life. Thirty-five years earlier, when Miri was fifteen, and in love for the first time, a succession of airplanes fell from the sky, leaving a community reeling. Against this backdrop of actual events that Blume experienced in the early 1950s, when airline travel was new and exciting and everyone dreamed of going somewhere, she paints a vivid portrait of a particular time and place—Nat King Cole singing “Unforgettable,” Elizabeth Taylor haircuts, young (and not-so-young) love, explosive friendships, A-bomb hysteria, rumors of Communist threat. And a young journalist who makes his name reporting tragedy. Through it all, one generation reminds another that life goes on.
In the Unlikely Event is vintage Judy Blume, with all the hallmarks of Judy Blume’s unparalleled storytelling, and full of memorable characters who cope with loss, remember the good times and, finally, wonder at the joy that keeps them going.
Join us this month on Goodreads to discuss this month’s pick. Oh and if you are one of those readers who love playlists to help set the mood while reading, Judy has made one to go long with In the Unlikely Event, you can find it here.
Oh, and remember Boozy Book Club HANGOUTS? They were a thing. And this month, we are bringing them back! Look for a post coming soon for you to choose which book from the last three months of book club we will discuss. Then we will drink. And talk books.
