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The Last Cruise “Overhead, the Milky Way sprawled across the length of the sky, a violently lavish expanse of light. . . Christine felt a burst of wild, open excitement. Here she was, drunk on a raft in a pool on a ship on a dark ocean, thousands of miles from home.” In her first novel since 2013, Kate Christensen ’86 seems to pay homage to Katherine Ann Porter’s 1962 Ship of Fools. But unlike Porter’s backward glance at the first inklings of fascism, The Last Cruise voyages uneasily in the present. We experience the Queen Isabella’s farewell Hawaiian cruise through the eyes of 36-yearold Christine Thorne, a married but restless Maine farmer; Miriam Koslow, an Israeli violinist, onboard with her ex-husband and their bandmates in a classical string quartet; and Miklos Szabo, a youngish sous chef who dreams of leaving shipboard life for good. Days into the trip, the crew stages a walkout to protest the cruise company’s plans to dismiss them all in Hawaii. Abandoning
their 16-hour workdays and cramped berths, while Christine and Valerie vie for the charms they establish an open-air tent camp that of the moody Hungarian sous chef. Christine’s journalist friend Valerie dubs If Nazism is what thrums through Ship of “Occupy Main Deck.” Then Fools, global ruin is the everthe vacation from hell realpresent hum that powers The ly begins. A mysterious fire Last Cruise. It’s no accident and catastrophic power outthat the strike leader’s tattoo age leave the ship bobbing reads En Peligro de Extinción. As helplessly in the middle of a massive storm approaches the Pacific Ocean. Norovirus the becalmed ship, so does breaks out. The cruise line’s a solar-powered catamaran with a blond-haired Palo Alto rescue barges are delayed for family aboard. “We just sailed days, and as food supplies through hundreds of miles of dwindle, the ship’s billionaire trash,” yells the father to the owner ditches the whole debastranded passengers. “We cle aboard a private helicopter. were headed for Hawaii but Still, there is no aphro- (Doubleday, 2018) we decided to take a detour disiac like salt air, especially because we wanted our kids when things are looking dire. Disgusted at her husband’s craven getaway, to see the reality firsthand.” It’s a disturbing tale, deftly told. —ANGIE JABINE ’79 the billionaire’s wife consoles herself with Miriam’s ex. The quartet’s first violinist and Miriam rekindle their long-buried attraction,
Get Your Money Together participation, including space for note-takWhen you’re living paycheck to paycheck, words like “budget” and “savings” often ing and reflection. Rather than prescribing conjure sensations of doom, a specific financial regimen, frustration, or defeat. Get Karabaic provides a frameYour Money Together seeks to work for the reader to conclear that emotional hurdle struct their own strategy and help you regain control of based on personal goals. The your expenses. Through eight process that emerges is one chapters, Lillian Karabaic of incremental, weekly steps, from tracking daily purchas’13 and a host of adorable es to choosing a budgeting cats guide you through the method to prevent overspendworld of financial planning ing. Karabaic’s goal is not to with concise but clear explacrack down on the reader but nations, tables to keep track to help them reach a sense of of your own budgeting and calm about their money, consaving, and discussion ques- (Oh My Dollar!, 2018) tending that “the most punk tions that make it easier to rock life of all is one where discuss money with friends, you are in control of your money and can family, and partners. make the choices to enjoy life—based on The kitten-filled pages of Get Your Money your own values.” If you find yourself peeking Together not only inform but invite reader 30 Reed Magazine december 2018
at your bank balance through closed fingers, dreading your rent payment, or even if you just want to understand what a mortgage is, Karabaic’s book has resources for you. —KATIE STEELE ’18