I was lucky enough to be able to engage in conversation with the talented and charismatic Laurie Frankel at my latest book club meeting, where we discussed her moving new novel, One Two Three (Henry Holt and Co.) The group gave this amazing book rave reviews and we thoroughly enjoyed our discussion with Laurie.
One Two Three is a story told by teenage triplet girls, Mab, Monday and Mirabel, living in a small town with their mother, Nora, the town therapist and barmaid. Many years earlier a chemical plant polluted the water and caused major damage to the people residing there. Nora has been fighting for justice since the beginning; her daughters show developmental and physical signs of poisoning, yet they are fully accepted in their community and live full and typical teenage lives. When it seems like that chemical plant is rearing its ugly head again close to two decades later, the town does not fight back successfully. So, the triplets come together to put an end to the additional damage and suffering that the plant could cause, but they do it their way.
With the charisma of a tight-knit community and Erin-Brockovich-style passion, author Laurie Frankel shows us how to stand up for what we believe in and accept a wider range of normalcy. Taking action with this outlook in a community breeds kindness and confidence, and aids in understanding and communication amongst everyone. No matter who you are, you have the ability to fight for what is right and work together with others to achieve and accomplish. One Two Three is a compelling story about environmental injustice and the people caring for each other in a small community.
Reading Laurie Frankel’s books change how we look at each other and the world and I especially recommend This Is How It Always Is and One Two Three!
A FEW TIDBITS ABOUT LAURIE FRANKEL
She studied Shakespeare in graduate school and never took a writing class!
She read a newspaper article about a small town in West Virginia with a similar problem to chemical poisoning where there was a 25-year lawsuit and couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Laurie believes people are weird and quirky, and if we expand our thoughts about what is normal, pushing the limits for a wider range of normalcy and the acceptance of it, the world would be a more accepting and happier place.
When writing the chapters, she tried to give each sister the same amount of time, so when one chapter was added or deleted, three had to be added or deleted. This made for challenges during the editing process. Mirabel’s chapters were the longest because she told her mother’s story as well as her own.
Laurie hopes people feel empowered and inspired when walking away from this book. She believes that just because you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel or the odds are stacked against you, doesn’t meant there is no way through. Sometimes you can’t do it the way it is always done, but it is possible; just find your own way and look someplace different.
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About Laurie Frankel:
Laurie Frankel is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of four novels. Her writing has also appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Publisher’s Weekly, People Magazine, Lit Hub, The Sydney Morning Herald and other publications. She is the recipient of the Washington State Book Award and the Endeavor Award. Her novels have been translated into more than 25 languages and have been optioned for film and TV. A former college professor, she now writes full-time in Seattle, WA, where she lives with her family and makes good soup.
