The Secret of Clouds
A Novel
(Sprache: Englisch)
Named One of the Best 2019 Winter Books by PopSugar and Chosen as One of 9 Books to Read (or Gift!) This February by Instyle!
From the #1 international bestselling author of The Lost Wife and The Velvet Hours comes an emotionally charged...
From the #1 international bestselling author of The Lost Wife and The Velvet Hours comes an emotionally charged...
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Named One of the Best 2019 Winter Books by PopSugar and Chosen as One of 9 Books to Read (or Gift!) This February by Instyle!From the #1 international bestselling author of The Lost Wife and The Velvet Hours comes an emotionally charged story about a mother s love, a teacher s promise, and a child s heart....
Katya, a rising ballerina, and Sasha, a graduate student, are young and in love when an unexpected tragedy befalls their native Kiev. Years later, after the couple has safely emigrated to America the consequences of this incident cause their son, Yuri, to be born with a rare health condition that isolates him from other children. Maggie, a passionate and dedicated teacher agrees to tutor Yuri at his home, even though she is haunted by her own painful childhood memories. As the two forge a deep and soulful connection, Yuri's boundless curiosity and unique wisdom inspires Maggie to make difficult changes in her own life. And she'll never realize just how strong Yuri has made her until she needs that strength the most....
A novel that will make readers examine what it means to live life with a full heart.
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***This excerpt is from an advance uncorrected copy proof*** Copyright © 2018 Alyson Richman
Prologue
April 26, 1986
Kiev, Ukraine
She walks the cobblestone streets, her lithe body moving quickly. Most days, she is wrapped in layers of thin sweaters and a scarf roped loosely around her neck. But today it is unseasonably warm, the sun radiating against the pale blue sky.
Everyone in the square is celebrating the surprising heat wave. Girls are wearing cotton dresses for the first time in months. Old men are playing chess in the park, their sleeves rolled up past their elbows. Young children are at the river with their parents, knee-deep in water they normally wouldn t be able to swim in until July.
The heat. The sun. The light. For a few hours before, she had soaked in the unexpected sunlight in the privacy of her garden. But now, Katya finds herself joyously leaping over a puddle of soapy water left by the street washer. Her leotard is hidden underneath a thin black blouse. Stretching from the hem of her skirt are the sculpted legs of a dancer.
She walks as if suspended from the ground, arms swinging, her bag tossed over her shoulder. Her face is bone white, her blond hair coiled into a tight bun.
As she approaches the theater, no one takes notice of Katya as she pulls open the heavy door and ascends the cement stairs toward the ballet studios. Inside, the blinds are lifted all the way up to bring in the light. As the dancers stretch, their shadows mimic their movements across the wooden floor. Like dark ghosts resurrected by the sun.
Chapter One
Let me tell you a secret. A unique kind of person exists in this world, one who radiates light even through a curtain of darkness.
As a teacher, I ve seen everything in eyes staring back at me: the child who hates school and wishes to be outside; the one who aims only
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to please; the glassy, sleepy-eyed child; and the one who s perpetually lost in a daydream. But there are those rare moments when a student sits before you and you immediately are certain and you can t know why, it s just a feeling in your bones that they are different.
This child is not to be confused with the student who s the most ambitious, or the one who is naturally strong at taking tests. No, this child, the one you sense is extraordinary, is the one who returns everything you give and more. He or she becomes your beacon, as every word you utter in the classroom suddenly has a destination. It s as if you are teaching toward their light.
In the fall of 1999, I met Yuri, a student who one day would teach me lessons I could never have learned in school. I was young, just two years out of Columbia Teachers College. I had abandoned my first job after graduation as a personal assistant at a well-respected New York City PR firm, where my days had been so demoralizing and brain-sucking that I often thought eating glass might be less painful than spending twelve hours tending to my boss s Godzilla-like needs. Hoping to switch into something that could restore my faith in humanity and also give my life purpose, I followed my mother s suggestion and went back to school for a degree in teaching.
To be honest, I became nearly evangelical in my passion for teaching after I switched careers. The thrill of teaching children is that they don t edit themselves, like adults do. Truth can be found in every classroom, and I savored that purity like a refreshing glass of water. I wanted to be the teacher who read passages out loud to my students, like my own English teacher had done when I was in sixth grade, so we could all hear the music in the words. Deep down, I believed a story could change us, and that if we read it deeply enough, a good book could transform our souls.
It was my second year teaching sixth grade
This child is not to be confused with the student who s the most ambitious, or the one who is naturally strong at taking tests. No, this child, the one you sense is extraordinary, is the one who returns everything you give and more. He or she becomes your beacon, as every word you utter in the classroom suddenly has a destination. It s as if you are teaching toward their light.
In the fall of 1999, I met Yuri, a student who one day would teach me lessons I could never have learned in school. I was young, just two years out of Columbia Teachers College. I had abandoned my first job after graduation as a personal assistant at a well-respected New York City PR firm, where my days had been so demoralizing and brain-sucking that I often thought eating glass might be less painful than spending twelve hours tending to my boss s Godzilla-like needs. Hoping to switch into something that could restore my faith in humanity and also give my life purpose, I followed my mother s suggestion and went back to school for a degree in teaching.
To be honest, I became nearly evangelical in my passion for teaching after I switched careers. The thrill of teaching children is that they don t edit themselves, like adults do. Truth can be found in every classroom, and I savored that purity like a refreshing glass of water. I wanted to be the teacher who read passages out loud to my students, like my own English teacher had done when I was in sixth grade, so we could all hear the music in the words. Deep down, I believed a story could change us, and that if we read it deeply enough, a good book could transform our souls.
It was my second year teaching sixth grade
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Autoren-Porträt von Alyson Richman
Alyson Richman is the international bestselling author of The Velvet Hours, The Garden of Letters, The Lost Wife, The Last Van Gogh, The Rhythm of Memory, and The Mask Carver s Son, and is featured in the anthology Grand Central. She lives in Long Island, New York, with her husband and two children.
Bibliographische Angaben
- Autor: Alyson Richman
- 2019, 384 Seiten, Maße: 13,1 x 20,3 cm, Kartoniert (TB), Englisch
- Verlag: Berkley
- ISBN-10: 0451490770
- ISBN-13: 9780451490773
- Erscheinungsdatum: 05.02.2019
Sprache:
Englisch
Pressezitat
Praise for The Secret of CloudsAlyson Richman is known for her stunning historical fiction (The Lost Wife is being made into a movie as we speak!), but her first foray into a contemporary story will make you forget about the past . The Secret of Clouds is a moving story about the power of one person to change our lives. PopSugar
"Historical fiction doyenne Alyson Richman makes her foray into the contemporary with a riveting tale that explores the bond between an isolated student and his connection to the outside world: his tutor." Instyle
An exquisite story Richman s great strength in designing the emotional ebb and flow of her engaging narrative should win accolades and a heap of new readers. Washington Independent Review of Books
Richman writes a captivating contemporary novel of making unexpected friendships and living life to its fullest. For fans of Marie Bostwick and Karen White. Library Journal
With lyrical writing and a compelling story this book is tailor-made for book groups. Booklist
Long renowned as a master of historical fiction, Alyson Richman spreads her wings and soars with the contemporary story The Secret of Clouds is an unforgettable gift. Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan s Tale
A story of family bonds, heartbreak, healing and hope one that reminds us it is not how long we live but how well we live that matters most. The tenderly written ending will bring you to tears, but in the best possible way. Lisa Wingate, New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours
A tender, captivating, and ultimately satisfying story about the emotional gifts exchanged between a caring teacher and a student in need. Thank you, Alyson Richman, for another heartrending tale. Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Exquisite and haunting. Richman writes with the soul of a poet, and her captivating new novel enchants while tugging ever so
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gently at the heart. Her story stands as a reminder to never take any day for granted. Fiona Davis, national bestselling author of The Masterpiece
"Alyson Richman weaves an emotionally rich story of love, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit. The Secrets of Clouds will soar off the page and into your heart." Jamie Brenner, national bestselling author of The Husband Hour
"Alyson Richman captures the gift of love for family, and those who feel like family with her pen dipped first in truth, then crystalline tenderness, and finally compassion. The Secret of Clouds immersed me in the world of a teacher s caring, an immigrant family s heroism, and a child s courage. Richman writes like a dream." Randy Susan Meyers, internationally bestselling author of The Widow of Wall Street
In her new novel, Alyson Richman weaves storytelling magic with an extraordinary cast of characters: a compassionate young teacher, a precocious but ailing student, and an immigrant couple with a uniquely tragic past. Readers have come to expect Richman s luscious prose and vivid details, but in The Secret of Clouds, she delivers even more I was thoroughly captivated by this deeply personal tale of perseverance, acceptance, and the heart s capacity for love. Lynda Cohen Loigman, author of The Two-Family House
[A] devastating novel bolstered by Richman s perspective on how teachers and students can learn from each other, resulting in a heartening tale. Publishers Weekly
Praise for the novels of Alyson Richman
A truly beautiful, heartfelt story I couldn t put it down once I started it. Ms. Richman is a very special talent. Kristin Hannah, New York Times bestselling author
Richman deftly weaves fact and fiction to create a carefully wrought story of love, of what the heart chooses to give up, and what it chooses to keep. Karen White, New York Times bestselling author
A book as full of treasures as the Paris apartment that inspired it....A masterful mix of the glamour of the Belle Epoque and the shadows of impending war. Lauren Willig, New York Times bestselling author
Staggeringly evocative, romantic, heartrending, sensual, and beautifully written. John Lescroart, New York Times bestselling author
If you love graceful, mellifluous writing, you should read this book. Jenna Blum, New York Times bestselling author
Grabs your heart and doesn t let go Moving, unforgettable and so expertly told. Sarah Jio, New York Times bestselling author
Lyrical and rich filled with beauty and tragedy, romance and heartbreak. Jillian Cantor, author of Margot
"Alyson Richman weaves an emotionally rich story of love, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit. The Secrets of Clouds will soar off the page and into your heart." Jamie Brenner, national bestselling author of The Husband Hour
"Alyson Richman captures the gift of love for family, and those who feel like family with her pen dipped first in truth, then crystalline tenderness, and finally compassion. The Secret of Clouds immersed me in the world of a teacher s caring, an immigrant family s heroism, and a child s courage. Richman writes like a dream." Randy Susan Meyers, internationally bestselling author of The Widow of Wall Street
In her new novel, Alyson Richman weaves storytelling magic with an extraordinary cast of characters: a compassionate young teacher, a precocious but ailing student, and an immigrant couple with a uniquely tragic past. Readers have come to expect Richman s luscious prose and vivid details, but in The Secret of Clouds, she delivers even more I was thoroughly captivated by this deeply personal tale of perseverance, acceptance, and the heart s capacity for love. Lynda Cohen Loigman, author of The Two-Family House
[A] devastating novel bolstered by Richman s perspective on how teachers and students can learn from each other, resulting in a heartening tale. Publishers Weekly
Praise for the novels of Alyson Richman
A truly beautiful, heartfelt story I couldn t put it down once I started it. Ms. Richman is a very special talent. Kristin Hannah, New York Times bestselling author
Richman deftly weaves fact and fiction to create a carefully wrought story of love, of what the heart chooses to give up, and what it chooses to keep. Karen White, New York Times bestselling author
A book as full of treasures as the Paris apartment that inspired it....A masterful mix of the glamour of the Belle Epoque and the shadows of impending war. Lauren Willig, New York Times bestselling author
Staggeringly evocative, romantic, heartrending, sensual, and beautifully written. John Lescroart, New York Times bestselling author
If you love graceful, mellifluous writing, you should read this book. Jenna Blum, New York Times bestselling author
Grabs your heart and doesn t let go Moving, unforgettable and so expertly told. Sarah Jio, New York Times bestselling author
Lyrical and rich filled with beauty and tragedy, romance and heartbreak. Jillian Cantor, author of Margot
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