A typically sharp, convincing and insightful look at people - in this case, artists and writers on a retreat - and why they do the things they do. ( )

“Real People” by Alison Lurie is a patchwork: the narrative switches between dialog (reporting actual conversations) and musings on these. In 146 pages Lurie examines two weeks shared at an artists retreat. As readers we follow Janet, a moderately successful writer, who reports on events, conversations, conflicts (pausing sometimes to remind herself to “use that” in a future story).
[My pick of the best line in the book? “For protection from the sun he had tied under his chin an oversized straw hat such as Mexican book ends wear.”] ( )