Check It Out:

Remember times when you have glanced through family photo albums? All of a sudden you are transported into your past and your life becomes timeless.

Books, as well, can take our minds to other settings, where we vicariously experience other people’s dreams, joys, and struggles. Here is a cross-section of books available at the Newport Beach Public Library that portrays generations of families and their colorful undertakings.

“Sun Going Down,” by Jack Todd: This epic story of the old West follows four generations of the Paint family beginning with Ebenezer Paint who is en route from Mississippi to the Dakota Territory at the height of the Civil War. The story follows the lives of Ebenezer’s two sons who become orphans after Ebenezer leaves them to vainly pursue his riches.

“Sweet Mandarin: The Courageous True Story of Three Generations of Chinese Women and Their Journey from East to West,” by Helen Tse: Three enterprising and resourceful Chinese women face incredible odds in this multi-generational memoir. The story begins with Lily, who lives in a rural village in China.

When tragedy strikes, Lily and her family become penniless and she and her children immigrate to England. Lily becomes the proprietor of a Chinese restaurant and faces overwhelming trials to give herself and her children a better life.

“Ancient Highway,” by Bret Lott: In this novel, the glamour of Hollywood beckons Earl Holms, a 14-year-old runaway who competes for attention with 12 other siblings on a farm in 1927 in Hawkins, Texas. Later, Earl has an only child of his own, Joan, who grows up to resent her father’s dogged pursuit of a nonexistent film career. In the following generation, Joan has a son who joins the Navy and later returns in 1980 to live with Joan’s parents. Eventually, her son uncovers his family’s silent history and decides to heal the rifts.

“Fathers and Sons: The Autobiography of a Family,” by Alexander Waugh: This unusual and provocative historical account covers the literary dynasty of four generations of father-son antagonisms within this prominent British family. Waugh often includes letters and diary entries from members of the family and embellishes with his own colorful commentary. He successfully links fathers to sons covering a century of war, conflict, and change. “The View from Garden City: A Novel,” by Carolyn Baugh: This engaging story follows the fascinating lives of six Arab women who live in contemporary times in the Garden City district of Cairo. The story unfolds with several younger Arab women who are friends seeking true love in a culture of arranged marriages and oppressive women’s roles. The women followed in this saga must rely on their own inner strength amid a world of harsh realities.

Every person has a story to tell.

Add your memories to our scrapbook: In honor of the 50th Anniversary of the Corona del Mar Branch Library, we are assembling a scrapbook filled with memories and photos from library customers. If you have a special memory about the Corona del Mar Branch, please submit it on our 50th Anniversary Celebration page at www.newportbeachlibrary.org or drop it off at any of our branches.

CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public Library. Library materials may be reserved from home or office computers by accessing the catalog at www.newport beachlibrary.org. For more information on the Central Library or any of the branches, please contact the Newport Beach Public Library at (949) 717-3800, option 2.