The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
‘Cobble Hill’ a delightful look at connected lives
Cecily Von Ziegesar, “Cobble Hill” (Atria)
With “Cobble Hill,” acclaimed “Gossip Girl” author Cecily Von Ziegesar has brought readers a brand new — and fascinating— cast of characters.
The book follows the lives of four families who all live near one another in a wealthy Brooklyn neighborhood. Tupper is an inventor with an eclectic artist wife who is always disappearing and reappearing as she creates pieces of performance art around New York.
Mandy, the wife of an ex-rock star, fakes having multiple sclerosis to take a break from her life. Her husband, Stuart, finds himself falling for his son’s school nurse, Peaches, who finds herself falling right back while also managing problems in the life of her teenage son, Liam.
Then there is Roy Clarke, a famous author desperately seeking inspiration for his next book, and his wife Wendy, who uprooted her family from England to New York to find herself in a job she loathes.
Throughout the book, the lives of these families collide and entwine in unexpected ways. The story delves deep into the minds of each character, providing a dynamism that makes it impossible not to become invested in what happens to each one. It’s an intriguing examination of a wide variety of psyches and personas.
“Cobble Hill” is not the scandalous Upper East Side melodrama of Von Zeigesar’s past. It’s a story aimed at adults and is much calmer than what you may expect from the writer who brought you Blair Waldorf. This, however, is not a weakness. Von Ziegesar’s writing style is engaging, light, and fun, and the story is a delight to read.
Veterans’ fundraiser to go virtual, with a prince and a Boss
This year’s Stand Up for Heroes fundraiser is going virtual for the first time and The Boss will once again be there. But so will a real prince.
Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow, Tiffany Haddish and Brad Paisley have all signed up to participate — as well as Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, for the first time.
The fundraiser, which benefits injured veterans and their families, will also feature comedians and musicians including Nate Bargatze, Ronny Chieng, Mickey Guyton, Patti Scialfa, Iliza Shlesinger, Jeannie Gaffigan and Ray Romano.
It will air on ABC News Live, TikTok,
Facebook Watch, Cheddar, Twitch and Armed Forces Network on Nov. 18. Jon Stewart will again be host. Stewart and Springsteen have been longtime backers of the annual effort.
Stand Up for Heroes was first held in 2007 and is produced by the New York Comedy Festival and the Bob Woodruff Foundation. Woodruff was nearly killed during a 2006 attack in Iraq while embedded with U.S. troops for ABC News.
“For the last 14 years, the Stand Up for Heroes event has continued to inspire our nation and serves as a reminder of all of the brave individuals that have defended our country selflessly in our military,” Woodruff said in a statement. “This year, it is especially important that we unite to show support for their sacrifices as we come together virtually to stand up for our heroes.”