After coming off some heavy choices — dark magic followed by even darker woods — we decided to aim for something a little more uplifting for October. Our October selection is The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg.
Berg’s novel is about an unlikely friendship that forms between three very different people, all of whom have suffered loss: Elderly widower Arthur Moses, teenager Maddie Harris, and Arthur’s neighbor Lucille. Their unexpected connection enhances their understanding of the world with all its heartache, and shows how kindness and compassion can turn acquaintances into family and lead to rebirth at any age.
Not since Paul Zindel’s classic The Pigman have we seen such a unique bond between people who might not look twice at each other in real life. This small, mighty novel offers proof that they should.—People
Fans of Meg Wolitzer, Emma Straub, or Elizabeth Berg’s previous novels will appreciate the richly complex characters and clear prose. Redemptive without being maudlin, this story of two misfits lucky to have found one another will tug at readers’ heartstrings.—Booklist
I thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with these lovable people in Elizabeth Berg’s world of unabashed optimism. Sometimes that’s just what’s needed.—Minneapolis Star Tribune
Our state library system seems to have a lot of copies of this book but I’m afraid to read it too soon and forget everything before we roll around to October. Will probably wait a bit before reading it, though I put a hold on it.
Yes, my library had all formats available – maybe because it’s from 2017? I agree about reading it too soon. I borrowed the kindle version, and will now put my kindle on airplane mode for a month and hope that the tracking spell doesn’t find me before I have a chance to read the book.
None of the 8 libraries in our consortium has the book. There are several in the state that has it, but it can take over a month to get. So, I ordered a book on E-bay. It was $4.00 and a hard back. If it is good, I will pass it around my friends and then give it to the library.
For those of you who like The Story of Arthur Truluv, you might want to pick up Earth’s the Right Place for Love. It’s the prequel: Arthur is sixteen with a crush on Nola, who has a crush on Arthur’s older brother Frank.
This is not a recommendation because I haven’t read the book. I just happened to notice that Berg revisited Arthur in 2023 with this novel. It takes place in 1947, so historical fiction.
It’s October 1st! Welcome to our discussion of The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg.
This was a lovely story. As noted by others, it was a very quick read — a simple storytelling style, with plenty of dialogue. Yet I didn’t find it to be a light-hearted story. I guess the circle of life makes me melancholy. I said to my daughter after I finished, “I just want to read a book that isn’t about death on every page.” And she said, “But Mom, all the great works are about death on every page.”
Not exactly a criticism, but an observation: Elizabeth Berg used a tried-and-true formula. There’s a little bit of A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (although Arthur is a saint, where Ove is anything but) and also Plainsong by Kent Haruf (two elderly bachelor brothers take in a troubled pregnant teen). Makeshift families created by unexpected relationships with people from different walks of life, with pregnancy an essential element.
Maddy sees pregnancy (or actually a baby) as the answer to past childhood heartache and current social / peer trauma – and in this particular story, she turns out to be right. Oh that every pregnant teen from a dysfunctional home had an Arthur Truluv waiting in the wings!
What did the epigraphs mean to you before you read the book? Did they seem to hint at any major themes in The Story of Arthur Truluv? How did the meaning of the epigraphs change for you, after you finished the book?
Arthur has a special connection to the dead. Every day he talks to his late wife, and he sees glimpses into the lives of other people who are buried in the cemetery. Do you think the connection he has with the dead influences how he views and lives his life?
Maddy is bullied by her classmates, both at her school and online. How does this effect the choices she makes early in the book, and how is she eventually able to overcome it?
Lucille is an incredibly talented baker. She puts so much time and effort into her recipes that it seems like more than just a hobby to her. What role does baking play in her life, and in the relationships she has with others?
Maddy and her father have a strained relationship. Why is it so difficult for him to give Maddy the affection and support she needs? Do you feel sympathy for him and the situation he is in? Does their relationship change over the course of the book?
Maddy and Arthur have many differences, the biggest of which is their difference in age. When they first get to know each other, there is a funny scene that highlights this, in which Maddy tries to get Arthur to use a curse word. Do you think differences in a friendship are an advantage or a disadvantage? Can you think of an example where this is true in other works of literature or in your own life?
Although Maddy never knew Nola, she honors her in a beautiful way at the end of the book. Why do you think she does this?
There is a popular adage that says: “Friends are the family we choose for ourselves.” That statement feels especially true for the characters in The Story of Arthur Truluv, who build an unconventional family out of friendship. Have you ever had friends that are as dear to you as family, or who are even closer to you than your relatives?
I loved this book! But, like Mary, I also struggled with the circle of life, Arthur’s grief, and I cried like a baby when he passed. It was definitely not a light hearted easy read for me either.
I struggled that there wasn’t more or a reconciliation between Maddy and her father, even though they were moving in that direction. And, I was really hoping that somehow Arthur would be able to connect with the spirit of Maddy’s mother. (I was really, really hoping for a very happy ending).
Lucille was a tough character for me. I’m not sure how much her story line enhanced the story other than highlighting Arthur’s kindness. I could have done without the chapters of her dating the HS boyfriend. I didn’t feel the sympathy for Lucille I think I was supposed to feel when he died. So for me, that emotionally fell flat.
I loved that Maddy named her daughter after Nola. I think she knew that Nola helped shape the man that Arthur became.
I wish we all had a kind and gentle soul like Arthur in our lives!
Overall a big thumbs up for me but I will admit that I went to a light hearted, fluffy, beach read immediately afterwards.
