Alternate Side by Anna Quindlen was a disappointment. I was looking forward to it, as I really love Quindlen’s writing, but overall, it was a let-down – well-written but boring. It’s the story of a family, living in NYC, on a close-knit cul-de-sac, and their relations with their neighbors. The block is torn apart by a violent incident mid-way through the book. It is really the story of Nora and Charlie’s marriage, told from the perspective of what is happening around them. But, it’s obvious from the start what is going to happen and the “terrible incident” wasn’t really so dramatic as to completely upend the whole rest of the story. If I were you, I would give this one a skip.