All The News I Need: A Novel by Joan Frank

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

All The News I Need probes the modern American response to inevitable, ancient riddles—of love and sex and mortality.

Frances Ferguson is a lonely, sharp-tongued widow who lives in the wine country. Oliver Gaffney is a painfully shy gay man who guards a secret and lives out equally lonely days in San Francisco. Friends by default, Fran and Ollie nurse the deep anomie of loss and the creeping, animal betrayal of aging. Each loves routine but is anxious that life might be passing by. To crack open this stalemate, Fran insists the two travel together to Paris. The aftermath of their funny, bittersweet journey suggests those small changes, within our reach, that may help us save ourselves—somewhere toward the end.

Praise
“Joan Frank has gifted us with two unforgettable characters in a novel filled to bursting with hard truths and shimmering beauty.” —Bob Wake, Cambridge Book Review

Joan Frank is a human insight machine.” —Carolyn Cooke

“I will be quoting her ‘rules for aging’ at many dinner parties!” —Natalie Serber

my thoughts:

Wow.  This book is why I love to read.  I'm serious.  All The News I Need is the epitome of great literature.  Its creative, relatable, and unputdownable.  The writing is beautiful and the characters are unforgettable.  This is one book that I will be recommending to anyone and everyone who loves to read.

Ollie is 62 and Fran is 58.  They are both convinced that life is pretty much over.  They are getting older, they have lost their loved ones, and they are feeling pretty hopeless.  In fact, they realize that they really only have each other and that is thanks to Kirk, Fran's late husband.  So, to avoid being completely alone and keep a connection in the world, they decide to maintain their friendship.  They figure that its better to have each other, than to have no one.  Okay, I know this sounds like a book about a pair of downers and it is, but only at first.  You see, the duo decide to a take a trip to Paris.  Yep, Paris!

Fran wants to revisit places she visited with Kirk; plus, she really thinks Ollie needs this trip (and she somehow convinces him to go).  So the two head off to the City of Lights. And let me just say that this trip is just what the doctor ordered to get this duo out of their doldrums.  Paris manages to open their eyes, hearts, and minds to the fact that life is not over for them just yet.  There is still so much more to experience and explore.

Joan Frank has written a truly engaging and entertaining story that explores the topics of aging and loss in such an honest and open manner.  She has created two characters that can make you wince and cringe with their negativity, but then make you smile and laugh at the same time with their astute observations about life.  I absolutely LOVED this book.  It was superb with a capital "S".  All The News I Need is a must-read for anyone who LOVES to read. 

Here's the link to the TLC Book Tour schedule for: All The News I Need

Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!