Book Look

This is the time of year I enter into a great seasonal battle. The sunny back deck and/or the shady front porch beckon seductively. Do I read or garden? Do I inhabit the hammock or wallow comfortably in a mound of sweet smelling dirt? Tough choice.

I joke with my working compatriots that I will have to quit my job just so I can have some more reading time available. There is nothing that makes me happier than sitting in an Adirondack chair in the yard, bare feet nestled in that rapidly growing green grass with a good book in my hands. Here is one: “The Rug Merchant” by Meg Mullins.

Ushman Khan has arrived in New York City from his native Iran to sell fine imported carpets. Left behind him is a strained relationship with his wife Farak and an ailing, demanding mother. The American dream does not exactly turn out as Ushman had planned and he lives in his head as much as in the small basement apartment where he returns listlessly each evening.

I won’t go too much further into the story line as the plot would be revealed, and that is the true beauty of this small gem. It is about relationships and subtle but important characters. From Ushman, to Farak, to Mrs. Roberts (a wealthy client), to the luminous Stella, many different levels of existence and thought, social position and cultures intertwine.

Like the beautiful hand-made rugs Ushman sells, even the simplest of color and pattern have hidden depth.

Even though the critics referred to this novel as “languid,” I rather enjoyed the pace. It was expanded from a short story by Mullins included in the “Best American Short Stories of 2002.”

Although not a new tale, there are multiple love stories within and all are crafted with a sensitive hand.

Happy Reading!

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