Dramas & Plays
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Earth's the Right Place for Love: A Novel
This beautiful new novel by the beloved author of Open House and Talk Before Sleep tells the story of two young people growing up in Mason, Missouri, and how Arthur Moses, a shy young man, becomes the wise and compassionate person readers loved in The Story of Arthur Truluv.
Nola McCollum is the most desirable girl in Arthur's class, and he is thrilled when they become friends. But Arthur wants far more than friendship. Unfortunately, Nola has a crush on the wrong Moses-Arthur's older brother, Frank, who is busy pursuing his own love interest and avoiding the boys' father, a war veteran with a drinking problem and a penchant for starting fights. When a sudden tragedy rocks the family's world, Arthur struggles to come to terms with his grief. In the end, it is nature that helps him to understand how to go on, beyond loss, and create a life of forgiveness and empathy. But what can he do about Nola, who seems confused about what she wants in life, and only half aware of the one who loves her most?
Full of unforgettable characters and written with Elizabeth Berg's characteristic warmth, humor, and insight into people, Earth's the Right Place for Love is about the power of kindness, character, and family, and how love can grow when you least expect it.
Nola McCollum is the most desirable girl in Arthur's class, and he is thrilled when they become friends. But Arthur wants far more than friendship. Unfortunately, Nola has a crush on the wrong Moses-Arthur's older brother, Frank, who is busy pursuing his own love interest and avoiding the boys' father, a war veteran with a drinking problem and a penchant for starting fights. When a sudden tragedy rocks the family's world, Arthur struggles to come to terms with his grief. In the end, it is nature that helps him to understand how to go on, beyond loss, and create a life of forgiveness and empathy. But what can he do about Nola, who seems confused about what she wants in life, and only half aware of the one who loves her most?
Full of unforgettable characters and written with Elizabeth Berg's characteristic warmth, humor, and insight into people, Earth's the Right Place for Love is about the power of kindness, character, and family, and how love can grow when you least expect it.
Editorial Reviews
"Elizabeth Berg is our Great American Storyteller. This wise and winning life/love story takes place in Missouri in the halcyon 1950s, when girls wore saddle shoes and boys bought the girls root beer floats. Shy Arthur Moses (who becomes Arthur Truluv) is in love with beautiful Nola McCollum, even though the popular girl has her cap set elsewhere and often. But Arthur, who takes his cues from the splendor of nature, is a perennial, and remains unwavering in his desire, despite life's pain and unpredictability. If Earth's the Right Place for Love, it is also the right place for humor, wisdom, and transcendence."-Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of The Good Left Undone
"This is a compassionate, witty, and delicate story about the people who find themselves on the sidelines and yet who manage-despite losses of their own-to be true to themselves and find their way. It's a celebration of small communities and the small kindnesses that, bit by bit, change a life."-Rachel Joyce, New York Times bestselling author of Miss Benson's Beetle
"Few authors write with more heart, wisdom, and human insight than Elizabeth Berg. Do yourself a favor and dive in."-Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"This is a warm, generous, and utterly satisfying novel, and its characters are vibrantly, terrifically human. I read it raptly, rooting for them all from the first pages."-Claire Lombardo, New York Times bestselling author of The Most Fun We Ever Had
"This is a compassionate, witty, and delicate story about the people who find themselves on the sidelines and yet who manage-despite losses of their own-to be true to themselves and find their way. It's a celebration of small communities and the small kindnesses that, bit by bit, change a life."-Rachel Joyce, New York Times bestselling author of Miss Benson's Beetle
"Few authors write with more heart, wisdom, and human insight than Elizabeth Berg. Do yourself a favor and dive in."-Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"This is a warm, generous, and utterly satisfying novel, and its characters are vibrantly, terrifically human. I read it raptly, rooting for them all from the first pages."-Claire Lombardo, New York Times bestselling author of The Most Fun We Ever Had
Readers Top Reviews
Kim Delfing
This is a sweet coming of age story of Arthur Moses and Nola from Bergs “The Story of Arthur Truluv”. It can easily be read as a stand alone novel and does not need to be read with the other 3 books of the series. The story takes place in the late 1940’s, early 1950’s and gave me strong Andy Griffith show vibes. Arthur is very sweet and understanding of all the neighborhood ladies he does odd jobs for, and he is remarkably understanding of his fathers anger issues. The story includes subject matters of physical abuse, brotherly love, forgiveness, second chances, friendship and love. It is very character driven with very little action beyond one tragic event. If you are looking for a sweet old fashioned character driven story set in that time frame you will find this enjoyable. If you are looking for a page turner, you may want to look for another option.
Carole A. Barker
Love doesn’t always make much sense, and it is as likely to bring pain as it is joy….in the end, though, it’s generally well worth the struggle. A quiet young boy named Arthur is growing up in a small Missouri town in the 1950’s. He isn’t at all like his athletic, popular big brother Frank, whom he idolizes. He is happiest when he is learning about or looking at the natural world, where no one expects him to know the right thing to say or do. His dad is quick to anger, and generally takes his frustrations out on Frank. His mother tries her best to keep everything on an even keel, but isn’t always successful. Arthur does odd jobs for people in town to make money for himself and his family….helping a widow do work around the house, helping a young wife tend to her rose garden, even sweeping up in a beauty salon. But, as boys often do, Arthur falls in love. Nola is the most beautiful and most popular girl in the glass, and Arthur has given her his heart completely. When he finally summons up the courage to speak to her, he finds out that she too has a crush….on his brother, Frank, whose own heart is already taken by another. Nola and Arthur become friends, and he sets out to make her see that he is the one she should look to for love. Reading an Elizabeth Berg novel is, for me, like sitting down and chatting with strangers who quickly become new friends. More than once, I’ve suspected that she somehow found a copy of my adolescent diary and used its entries as a template for a character. (In Earth’s the Right Place for Love, I guess it could have been my younger brother’s diary into which she peeked,). However Ms Berg does it, she manages to create wonderful, realistic snapshots of time peopled by characters who you either feel you have met before or are delighted to have finally made their acquaintance, and that is again the case in this novel . Berg fans may recognize young Arthur, who grows up to be a character in a previous novel, The Story of Arthur Truluv, but it is by no means necessary to have read that earlier novel to enjoy this one. I strongly suspect that if you haven’t, though, by the time you finish this new book you will be racing to grab a copy of the earlier one! If by some chance you have yet to read one of Elizabeth Berg’s novels, I wholeheartedly suggest that you do so . Those who appreciate gifted storytelling, are in for a real treat with any of her novels. Fans of Elizabeth Strout, Adriana Trigiani, Anne Tyler, or Sue Miller, you will certainly enjoy Ms Berg as well. Grab a cup of tea of a mug of hot chocolate, find a comfortable perch, and give yourself the gift of a few hours in Arthur Moses’ world.
Sarah Walderkathleen
I definitely really liked this book. Wasn't a love as I felt some parts were pretty slow but overall a good read. Also, did not realize it was part of a series but glad it was the "prequel" so I felt I wasn't actually missing out on anything.
Short Excerpt Teaser
Chapter 1
Mason, Missouri
April 1947
Sometimes Arthur snuck out of his house at night. He didn't go anywhere, just sat on the back steps outside the kitchen door. Here, he pondered things that were too big to fit inside the bedroom he shared with his older brother, Frank. Even in sleep, Frank seemed a large and nearly incandescent presence. A person like Frank didn't leave a lot of room for a guy like Arthur, unintentional though it was. And Arthur didn't mind, really. Being outside was a reminder to him that there was a place for all things, and, in that respect, didn't everything have equal value? Off to the side in the backyard, for instance, were daisies. Up above was the majesty of the moon and the stars and the rings of Saturn that he knew were there whether he could see them or not. And here, sitting on the steps in his pajamas, was Arthur, feeling that he was right where he should be. For him, life was like a gift perpetually ready for the opening. Cockeyed optimist, Frank called him, but Arthur wasn't sure he was cockeyed at all.
He wished that a certain someone would care to hear his thoughts. Hear and understand them. He guessed that everyone came to a time in their life when they started to be aware of a specific kind of loneliness. It reminded him of filmstrips he'd seen in science class: seeds buried in the earth and then sprouting, growing what looked like arms reaching out. On the rough concrete beneath him, he traced out the letters to her name: NOLA. Then he went back inside.
The next day, after school let out, Arthur went again to the chain-link fence near the front entrance of the high school and waited, hoping to catch a glimpse of Nola McCollum. He'd been doing this for several days now. Sometimes he smashed down dirt clods, a poor attempt to seem like he was doing something. More often he stood sideways, as though his attention were taken up by something off in the distance.
If she did not come out, he knew she had stayed after for one reason or another: a club meeting, cheerleading practice, rehearsal for a concert or a play. But if she did come out, he watched as she descended the steps and turned left toward home.
Nola was very popular, and almost always with a group of friends and admirers; Arthur once counted twelve people with her. But today she came out by herself, and everything in Arthur ratcheted up to high alert.
She was looking down and smiling, seemingly lost in thought. He liked the brown tweed skirt and yellow sweater she was wearing, and the way her coat was open to the mild April day. It was a chance for him finally to talk to her alone, to say . . . Well, that was the problem. To say what? She was mythical to him, barely real. But there she was, carrying books and wearing socks and shoes like everyone else. Just as she passed Arthur, the wind lifted her black hair and blew it across her face. Arthur swallowed around the boulder in his throat and called out, "Hey, Nola!"
She moved her hair aside and turned to look at him. "Oh, hi, Arthur!"
He walked up to her, his heart banging in his chest.
"I'm glad to see you," she said.
"Oh!" he said. "Well, that's nice!"
"I've been meaning to ask you if you could do me a favor." She turned her head and regarded him sideways, her eyebrows raised. Was she flirting with him?
"Sure! What is it?"
"Well . . . it's just that, like a lot of other girls, I have a crush on your brother."
Arthur's heart sank. "Frank?"
"Uh-huh. Gosh, I'm embarrassed to ask you, but do you think there's any chance . . . Can I give you my number to give to him?"
"Yeah, I guess so. Sure."
She pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil and wrote down the number. When she looked up, she smiled at him. "I'm probably being foolish," she said. She folded the paper and handed it to him.
Arthur shoved it deep into his pocket. "You know what?" he said. "I think it's a good idea to let someone know you care about them. They might not be aware." He tried to look meaningfully into her eyes.
But Nola only said, "You're so nice to say that. Thanks for not making fun of me."
"I would never make fun of you, Nola."
She hiked up her shoulders. "Well, that's that!"
"Right," Arthur said.
"See you," she said, and her gaze lingered on him for a moment. Then she walked away.
Arthur watched her go. It was awfully sweet, the way she'd said, "See you." And he thought she'd looked at him in a way she never had before. Maybe she'd never really noticed him before, but now something could have been planted in her brain. Oh, sure, she'd approached him wanting him to give her number to his brother, but wasn't it possible...
Mason, Missouri
April 1947
Sometimes Arthur snuck out of his house at night. He didn't go anywhere, just sat on the back steps outside the kitchen door. Here, he pondered things that were too big to fit inside the bedroom he shared with his older brother, Frank. Even in sleep, Frank seemed a large and nearly incandescent presence. A person like Frank didn't leave a lot of room for a guy like Arthur, unintentional though it was. And Arthur didn't mind, really. Being outside was a reminder to him that there was a place for all things, and, in that respect, didn't everything have equal value? Off to the side in the backyard, for instance, were daisies. Up above was the majesty of the moon and the stars and the rings of Saturn that he knew were there whether he could see them or not. And here, sitting on the steps in his pajamas, was Arthur, feeling that he was right where he should be. For him, life was like a gift perpetually ready for the opening. Cockeyed optimist, Frank called him, but Arthur wasn't sure he was cockeyed at all.
He wished that a certain someone would care to hear his thoughts. Hear and understand them. He guessed that everyone came to a time in their life when they started to be aware of a specific kind of loneliness. It reminded him of filmstrips he'd seen in science class: seeds buried in the earth and then sprouting, growing what looked like arms reaching out. On the rough concrete beneath him, he traced out the letters to her name: NOLA. Then he went back inside.
The next day, after school let out, Arthur went again to the chain-link fence near the front entrance of the high school and waited, hoping to catch a glimpse of Nola McCollum. He'd been doing this for several days now. Sometimes he smashed down dirt clods, a poor attempt to seem like he was doing something. More often he stood sideways, as though his attention were taken up by something off in the distance.
If she did not come out, he knew she had stayed after for one reason or another: a club meeting, cheerleading practice, rehearsal for a concert or a play. But if she did come out, he watched as she descended the steps and turned left toward home.
Nola was very popular, and almost always with a group of friends and admirers; Arthur once counted twelve people with her. But today she came out by herself, and everything in Arthur ratcheted up to high alert.
She was looking down and smiling, seemingly lost in thought. He liked the brown tweed skirt and yellow sweater she was wearing, and the way her coat was open to the mild April day. It was a chance for him finally to talk to her alone, to say . . . Well, that was the problem. To say what? She was mythical to him, barely real. But there she was, carrying books and wearing socks and shoes like everyone else. Just as she passed Arthur, the wind lifted her black hair and blew it across her face. Arthur swallowed around the boulder in his throat and called out, "Hey, Nola!"
She moved her hair aside and turned to look at him. "Oh, hi, Arthur!"
He walked up to her, his heart banging in his chest.
"I'm glad to see you," she said.
"Oh!" he said. "Well, that's nice!"
"I've been meaning to ask you if you could do me a favor." She turned her head and regarded him sideways, her eyebrows raised. Was she flirting with him?
"Sure! What is it?"
"Well . . . it's just that, like a lot of other girls, I have a crush on your brother."
Arthur's heart sank. "Frank?"
"Uh-huh. Gosh, I'm embarrassed to ask you, but do you think there's any chance . . . Can I give you my number to give to him?"
"Yeah, I guess so. Sure."
She pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil and wrote down the number. When she looked up, she smiled at him. "I'm probably being foolish," she said. She folded the paper and handed it to him.
Arthur shoved it deep into his pocket. "You know what?" he said. "I think it's a good idea to let someone know you care about them. They might not be aware." He tried to look meaningfully into her eyes.
But Nola only said, "You're so nice to say that. Thanks for not making fun of me."
"I would never make fun of you, Nola."
She hiked up her shoulders. "Well, that's that!"
"Right," Arthur said.
"See you," she said, and her gaze lingered on him for a moment. Then she walked away.
Arthur watched her go. It was awfully sweet, the way she'd said, "See you." And he thought she'd looked at him in a way she never had before. Maybe she'd never really noticed him before, but now something could have been planted in her brain. Oh, sure, she'd approached him wanting him to give her number to his brother, but wasn't it possible...
