We came here to shine : a novel

Title:

Author:

Schnall, Susie Orman, author.

ISBN:

9781250169785

Edition:

1st ed.

Physical Description:

350 pages : illustrations ; 21 cm.

General Note:

Includes reading group guide.

Conference Subject:

New York World's Fair (1939-1940 : New York, N.Y.) -- Fiction.

Subject Term:

Women -- Fiction.

Actresses -- Fiction.

Women journalists -- Fiction.

Female friendship -- Fiction.

Self-realization in women -- Fiction.

Summer -- Fiction.

Genre:

Historical fiction.

Summary:

Vivi Holden is closer than she's ever been to living her dream as a lead actress in sun-dappled L.A., but an unfair turn of events sends her back to New York, a place she worked so hard to escape from. She has one last chance to get back to Hollywood - by performing well as the star of the heralded Aquacade synchronized swimming spectacular at the World's Fair. Everything seems to be working against her, but her summer in New York will lead to her biggest opportunity to find her own way, on her own terms... Maxine Roth wants nothing more than to be a serious journalist at the iconic New York Times, but her professor has other plans. Instead, she's landed a post at the pop-up publication dedicated to covering the World's Fair-and even then, her big ideas are continually overlooked by her male counterparts. Max didn't work this hard to be the only - and an unheard one at that - woman in the room. When Max and Vivi's worlds collide, they forge an enduring friendship. One that shows them to be the daring, bold women they are, and one that teaches them to never stop holding on to what matters most, in the most meaningful summer of their lives. --

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Call Number	Status
Searching... Oakdale Library	FICTION SCH	Searching... Unknown
Searching... R.H. Stafford Library (Woodbury)	FICTION SCH	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

Set at the iconic 1939 New York World's Fair, Susie Orman Schnall's We Came Here to Shine is historical fiction featuring two bold and ambitious women who navigate a world of possibility and find out what they're truly made of during a glorious summer of spectacle and potential.

"An ode to female friendship that pulses with momentum and left me breathless." --Fiona Davis, national bestselling author of The Chelsea Girls

"A remarkable novel about the challenges women face and the courage they must summon in order to lead the lives they deserve." --Lynda Cohen Loigman, author of The Two-Family House

Gorgeous Vivi is the star of the Aquacade synchronized swimming spectacular and plucky Max is a journalist for the fair's daily paper. Both are striving to make their way in a world where men try to control their actions and where secrets are closely kept. But when Vivi and Max become friends and their personal and professional prospects are put in jeopardy, they team up to help each other succeed and to realize their dreams during the most meaningful summer of their lives.

Perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Beatriz Williams, We Came Here to Shine is a story of ambition, friendship, and persistence with a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the extraordinary NY World's Fair.

Author Notes

SUSIE ORMAN SCHNALL grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. Her writing has appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Huffington Post, POPSUGAR, Writer's Digest, and Glamour . She is also the author of The Subway Girls and of the award-winning novels On Grace and The Balance Project . Susie has spoken extensively on work-life balance and is the founder of The Balance Project interview series. She lives in Purchase, NY, with her husband and their three sons.

Reviews (1)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Schnall (The Subway Girls) sets this inspiring tale of friendship between two driven women at the 1939 World's Fair. Vivi Holden is a young Hollywood starlet poised for her first leading role, while Maxine "Max" Roth is an NYU student intent on a summer internship at the New York Times. But after test audiences disapprove of Vivi as a conniving lead, her studio sends her to the fair's Aquacade water ballet. Max, meanwhile, doesn't get the internship and instead ends up at the daily World's Fair publication, where her male counterpart writes the articles while Max manages the schedule. Vivi returns to her native New York City and learns she has four days to learn the Aquacade's intricate swimming sequences to perform in front of thousands. At the fair, Vivi and Max meet after listening to a talk on women's rights and begin going out for drinks. After photos surface of Vivi with Dean, the new lead swimmer, management informs the duo they are to act as a couple. Vivi then devises a plan with Max to spin the story to their advantage. While a melodramatic subplot leads to an outlandish scene of violence, Schall makes Max and Vivi's struggle to fulfill their dreams palpable. Schnall's engrossing period piece offers two characters worth rooting for. (June)

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Summary

Summary

Author Notes

Reviews (1)

Publisher's Weekly Review

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