LJ Ross Chooses A Dreamy, Globe-trotting Tale For July's Book Group

This month’s LJ Ross Book Club selection is Jess Walter’s Beautiful Ruins, a sweeping novel spanning several decades and continents, that weaves the lives and storylines of multiple characters whose lives are connected by chance and circumstance. The narrative begins with the story of Pasquale Tursi, an Italian innkeeper, who encounters beautiful American actress, Dee Moray, on the shores of the coastal village of Porto Vergogna. Dee is there to shoot a new film, ‘Cleopatra’, and their brief encounter sets the stage for a story that will have far-reaching consequences through the years. Fast forward to 1960s Hollywood and we are then introduced to Michael Deane, a producer who plays a significant role in the lives of many in this tale…

LJ’s Thoughts:

 ‘The lush glamour of Hollywood in the mid-20th century, alongside hazy vistas of the Italian coastline, serve as a fabulous, evocative backdrop to this story, which is an exploration of how even the most insignificant encounter can have far-reaching consequences for others. The author skilfully intertwines the lives of each of her protagonists throughout, expertly taking the reader back and forth through time without breaking the story’s natural pace, which is a difficult task at the best of times. Walter’s storytelling is best described as a tapestry, blending romance, humour and a full range of bittersweet human emotions that reveal themselves as the characters navigate the changing landscape of their own lives and of the world as it moves on. It celebrates the beauty to be found in altered dreams, or dreams unrealised, as well as the passage of time—which, in our modern world, is something that can often be forgotten. It’s a perfect read as we look forward to summer, and, for those of us who can’t make it to the Italian Riviera, it’s the next best thing!’