“BEAUTIFUL RUINS” BY JESS WALTER

I found this book utterly charming.  The story of five characters whose lives become intertwined, Beautiful Ruins takes us from 1960s Italy to current-day Hollywood and is by turns funny, poignant, romantic, ironic, and thought-provoking.  Walter’s characters—from the sleazy movie mogul to the idealistic Cinque Terre inn-keeper—are complex and compelling, and his sure-footed plotting moves the story back and forth in time to create more than enough suspense to keep his readers turning the page.  In the end, I found Beautiful Ruinsto be a fascinating testament to the idea that people don’t change, they simply stand more clearly revealed.