Theo IS Golden

A friend recently recommended Allen Levi's Theo of Golden to me, saying it was an "Eileen book." By that she meant a book that's a feel-good read that lifts up your spirits and restores your faith in humanity. (A little background: ever since the pandemic I've gravitated toward books with positive themes and stories to help me offset the doom and gloom of current events.)

In a nutshell, the book is about an 86-year old Portuguese man who goes only by the name of "Theo" and stays in the fictional town of Golden, Georgia over the course of a year. On his first visit to the local coffee shop, he spots on the walls charcoal drawings of the town's people drawn by a local artist. There and then, he decides to buy each drawing over time and gift it to its subject.

You're probably thinking what I was thinking--what a dull book. But hear me out. In the "bestowals" of the portraits, which happen on a bench near a town fountain, Theo speaks with and sincerely listens to the recipients talk as they look at their portraits. Most of the time, they open up about themselves to the attentive older gentleman who gives them his time and his interest. In the process, Theo makes friends and becomes a recognizable, well-loved member of the small Southern community.

We get to know about the various people of Golden, but ironically, we know little of Theo who evades sharing too much of himself. Without giving anything away, we do learn about Theo at the end of the book, but the real takeaway is that in today's high-tech world we still have human needs. We have needs to connect with others in person, to be really seen, to be truly heard, to give and to receive kindness. Most importantly, we have a need to give of ourselves, something that no technology can achieve. This is why Theo of Golden has touched me and I suspect so many others so deeply, making it number one on The New York Times bestseller list.

Which book has struck a chord with you? Share with us!

Wishing you great, heartfelt, moving reads from the perch.