Finding yourself in a storage locker?

No, this book isn't some New Jersey mob tale about a bad decision made at a poker table, it's about a young mother of two deciding to take on life's challenges and say "YES" to being the strong and spiritual woman she's always dreamed of becoming.  How does this happen in a book about storage lockers?  Read Self Storage by Gayle Brandeis and find out.

In the post 9/11 summer of 2002, Flan and her graduate school husband Shea live a peaceful life with their two children on the campus of UC Riverside in student housing.  Flan has been supplementing their meager income by attending storage unit locker sales and reselling the cast off belongings in her yard every week.  This quiet life soon becomes unglued by several events.  Flan purchases the contents of a locker which has her puzzled, one solitary box with a slip of paper with the word "YES" on it.  This sends her on a mission to find out who and why it was left there. 

Then Flan's ethnically diverse neighborhood is sent into a tailspin when Flan's daughter is accidentally hit by a car in front of their house by the Afghan neighbor Sodaba.  Flan finds some comfort though by reading passages of her favorite poem, Leaves of Grass, which is frequently quoted throughout the novel.

This plot description sounds a little crazy, but Brandeis makes this story real and remarkable. In an online interview describes how and why she came to write this book which makes it even more interesting to read.  The author is even giving away free signed copies of the book to readers that want to share what makes them feel "YES" in their lives. 

This book has many messages about family, friendship, courage and self discovery.  I normally am not a fan of books that are set around 9/11, but this one had some moving scenes about what it means to be a strong and spiritual person in this world.  I'd love to hear what others think about this novel.