Theo of Golden: My Favorite Novel for July

I noticed Theo of Golden by Allen Levi, on the New York Times list for weeks, read about its jump from a 2023 self-published novel to being picked up by Atria, a Simon & Schuster imprint two years later, and noticed it was a Katie Couric Book Club Pick. None of that enticed me enough.

It took word of mouth from a friend telling me how much she liked the book to decide it was time to see why so many people did. I listened to the audio version, narrated by David Morse. At first, I didn’t understand what everyone was raving about. While I found the story interesting, I also thought it a bit slow. But that changed along the way.

Now, I’m in the fan column. The story is a nudge of sorts, a reminder that we can make a difference in others’ lives with small acts of kindness and seeing beyond the surface. If we do, our own life is enriched. Young or old, it’s not too late. Theo was in his mid-80s, lived in Golden only a year, and made a difference in dozens and dozens of lives.

I found the book refreshing. In this age of screens, A.I. bots, hate filled name-calling, and self-dealing, we need a lot more Theos. If you like stories that stay with you and offer hope, I’d suggest Theo of Golden.