reading – Andrea Is Reading

March 11, 2023March 11, 2023

Highlighting My Favorite Women Writers for Women’s History Month

According to my reading spreadsheet charts from last year (jealous?), 70% of the books I read were written by women. The stats are looking the same for my 2023 reading so far. I love women writers, so I thought Women’s History Month was the perfect time to share some of my favorite authors. I wanted to keep this post at a reasonable length, so some tough decisions were made, but I feel good about this list. I’ve divided it into several categories, which shouldn’t surprise you since I mentioned spreadsheet charts in the first sentence. Anyway, let’s get to it!

All summaries are from NoveList.

Mysterious Ladies

A good mystery or thriller is one of my greatest reading pleasures. I want unputdownable books combining an exciting plot, excellent prose, and believable character development, and that’s what these writers provide.

Katrine Engberg

Recommended reads:

The Tenant: Two police detectives struggle to solve a shocking murder and stop a killer hell-bent on revenge.
The Butterfly House: Detectives Jeppe Karner and Anette Werner race to solve a series of sordid murders linked to some of the most vulnerable patients in a Danish hospital.
The Harbor: When a 15-year-old boy goes missing, leaving behind a strange note, detectives Jeppe Kørner and Anette Werner become trapped in a web of lies that could prevent the boy from ever being found.

Gillian Flynn

Recommended reads:

Dark Places: After witnessing the murder of her mother and sisters, 7-year-old Libby Day testifies against her brother Ben, but twenty-five years later she tries to profit from her tragic history and admit that her story might not have been accurate.
Gone Girl: When beautiful Amy Dunne disappears from her Missouri home, it looks as if her husband Nick is to blame. But though he protests his innocence, it’s clear that he’s not being entirely truthful. Gone Girl is not only the story of a disappearance, but a truly frightening glimpse of a souring marriage.
Sharp Objects: Returning to her hometown after a long absence to investigate the murders of two girls, reporter Camille Preaker is reunited with her neurotic mother and enigmatic half-sister as she works to uncover the truth about the killings.

Tana French

Recommended reads:

In the Woods: Twenty years after witnessing the violent disappearances of two companions from their small Dublin suburb, detective Rob Ryan investigates a chillingly similar murder that takes place in the same wooded area, a case that forces him to piece together his traumatic memories.
The Likeness: This novel finds Detective Cassie Maddox still scarred by her last case. When her boyfriend calls her to a chilling murder scene, Cassie is forced to face her inner demons. A young woman has been found stabbed to death outside Dublin, and the victim looks just like Cassie.
The Witch Elm: Left for dead by burglars while partying with friends, a happy-go-lucky charmer takes refuge at his dilapidated ancestral home before a grisly discovery reveals an unsuspected family history.

Jane Harper

Recommended reads:

The Dry: Receiving a sinister anonymous note after his best friend’s suspicious death, federal agent Aaron Falk is forced to confront the fallout of a twenty-year-old false alibi against a backdrop of the worst drought Melbourne has seen in a century.
Force of Nature: When one member of a five-woman team of co-workers goes missing during a corporate retreat, federal police agent Aaron Falk uncovers dark secrets in his search for the woman, a whistleblower and major contributor to his latest case.
Exiles: At a busy festival site on a warm spring night, a baby lies alone in her pram, her mother vanishing into the crowds. A year on, Kim Gillespies’ absence casts a long shadow as her friends and loved ones gather deep in the heart of South Australian wine country to welcome a new addition to the family. Joining the celebrations is federal investigator Aaron Falk. But as he soaks up life in the lush valley, he begins to suspect this tight-knit group may be more fractured than it seems. Between Falk’s closest friend, a missing mother, and a woman he’s drawn to, dark questions linger as long-ago truths begin to emerge.

Lisa Jewell

Recommended reads:

The Family Upstairs: Inheriting an abandoned mansion on the banks of the Thames in London’s fashionable Chelsea neighborhood, 25-year-old Libby Jones is soon on a collision course with her birth family’s past that is linked to long-ago murders.
The Girls in the Garden: Deep in the heart of London, in a lush communal square, as a festive garden party is taking place, a thirteen year-old girl lies unconscious and bloody in a hidden corner. What really happened to her? And who is responsible?
Watching You: When a murder occurs in Melville Heights, one of the nicest neighborhoods in Bristol, England, dangerous obsessions come to light involving the headmaster at a local school, in this place where everyone has a secret.

Prolific Queens

Sometimes I get tired just writing a paragraph, yet there are writers out there with many books to their names. This category celebrates some of those women.

Louise Erdrich

Recommended reads:

The Night Watchman: A historical novel based on the life of the author’s grandfather traces the experiences of a Chippewa Council night watchman in mid-19th-century rural North Dakota who fights Congress to enforce Native American treaty rights.
The Round House: When his mother, a tribal enrollment specialist living on a reservation in North Dakota, slips into an abyss of depression after being brutally attacked, fourteen-year-old Joe Coutz sets out with his three friends to find the person that destroyed his family.
Shadow Tag: After she discovers that her husband has been reading her diary, Irene America turns it into a manipulative farce, while secretly keeping a second diary that includes her true thoughts, through which the reader learns of Irene’s shaky marriage, its affect on her children and her struggles with alcohol.

Anne Lamott

Recommended reads:

Almost Everything: Notes on Hope: Presents an inspirational guide to the role of hope in everyday life and explores essential truths about how to overcome burnout and suffering by deliberately choosing joy.
Bird by Bird: Instructions on Writing and Life: A step-by-step guide to writing and managing the writer’s life covers each portion of a written project, addresses such concerns as writer’s block and getting published, and offers awareness and survival tips.
Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith: Combining elements of spiritual study and memoir, the author describes her odyssey of faith, drawing on her own sometimes troubled past to explore the many ways in which faith sustains and guides one’s daily life.

Toni Morrison

Recommended reads:

The Bluest Eye: Eleven-year-old Pecola Breedlove, an African-American girl in an America whose love for blonde, blue-eyed children can devastate all others, prays for her eyes to turn blue, so that she will be beautiful, people will notice her, and her world will be different.
Jazz: In Harlem, 1926, Joe Trace, a door-to-door salesman in his fifties, kills his teenage lover. A profound love story which depicts the sights and sounds of Black urban life during the Jazz Age.
Recitatif: In this 1983 short story about race and the relationships that shape us through life, Twyla and Roberta, friends since childhood who are seemingly at opposite ends of every problem as they grow older, cannot deny the deep bond their shared experience has forged between them.

Zadie Smith

The Poets

Poetry doesn’t have to be complicated or hard to read. You don’t need to analyze every line to enjoy a poem. These women write beautiful, approachable poems that will bring you joy or make you think.

Recommended reads:

What Is This Thing Called Love by Kim Addonizio
What Kind of Woman by Kate Baer
Postcolonial Love Poem by Natalie Diaz
Stag’s Leap by Sharon Olds
Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver by Mary Oliver
Second Sky by Tania Runyan
Goldenrod by Maggie Smith
Life on Mars by Tracy K. Smith

The Best of the Best

These writers have delivered some of my all-time favorite books. I bet even their thank you notes are full of gorgeous prose.

Recommended reading:

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Roxane Gay
Yaa Gyasi
Madeleine L’Engle
Rebecca Makkai
Celeste Ng
Flannery O’Connor
Marisha Pessl
Donna Tartt
Jesmyn Ward
Hanya Yanagihara

That’s it for me. What writers make your list?

March 4, 2023March 3, 2023

What I Read and Loved in February 2023

As an introduction to this post, I reflected on February and what my highlights were when I realized they were the naps I took. February was especially busy and had far too much snow for my liking, so I found solace in my comfortable reading chair, blankets, and candles. What’s better than a cozy nap? Not much, that’s what.

When I wasn’t asleep, I did manage to read some stuff. I finished six books last month, and I’m on target to reach my goal of 75. Let’s get to the books and a couple of other things I loved in February.

What I Read

Share your stuff. I'll go first. book cover

Share Your Stuff. I’ll Go First.: 10 Questions to Take Your Friendships to the Next Level
by Laura Tremaine
Format: Print

One of my hopes for 2023 is to be more intentional with my friendships. I’ve also started journaling again, thanks to Laura Tremaine, so I knew it was the perfect time to read Laura’s book, which addresses friendship through ten questions that also make excellent journal prompts. Laura challenges readers to delve deeper with their friends as she shares her life and answers the ten questions. Share Your Stuff. I’ll Go First. is a quick but thought-provoking read that will be valuable to anyone looking to learn more about their friends and themselves.

Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin
Format: Print

Sometimes I hesitate to reread books I’ve loved because I’m afraid I’ll be disappointed the second time. However, after reading Go Tell It on the Mountain again for my book club, I’m happy to report I love it even more than before.

The novel is set in 1930s Harlem and follows John Grimes on his fourteenth birthday. John is the son of a charismatic preacher named Gabriel, who overlooks John in favor of his younger brother, Roy. The other main characters are John’s mother and Gabriel’s sister, two fascinating women with difficult pasts.

Baldwin’s first novel is remarkable for many reasons, but the one that stands out most is how well-developed all the characters are in this relatively short book. If you’ve read Baldwin before, you know he’s a master of prose, and that gift is on full display here. If you like books that deal with faith, identity, and family, be sure not to miss this one. It’s one of my all-time favorites.

Exiles by Jane Harper
Format: eBook

Investigator Aaron Falk is back in the third book of Jane Harper’s mystery series. Each book is set in Australia, and this one takes place near a vineyard owned by Falk’s friends. He’s on vacation visiting them, but he can’t help but be pulled into the active case of Kim Gillespie, a woman who disappeared the year before at a summer festival. She left her baby alone in a stroller, and one of her shoes was found, but that’s all the police know.

As always with Jane Harper’s novels, Exiles is atmospheric and full of lovable, memorable characters. The supporting cast is one of the reasons I enjoyed this book so much. I liked seeing Aaron Falk with his friends and appreciated the slow burn of his new romance. The mystery at the heart of this story was wrapped up beautifully, and the pacing was perfect throughout. Exiles is my favorite Falk novel so far.

You could make this place beautiful book cover

You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith
Format: eBook

I’m a fan of Maggie Smith’s poetry, so I knew You Could Make This Place Beautiful would be gorgeously written, and it is. This memoir tells the story of Smith’s divorce and how she rebuilt a life for herself and her two children after her marriage ended. The story unfolds in a non-linear way, with vignettes imagining Smith and her husband as characters in a play. My favorite parts of the book were the longer sections because I liked the chance to settle down in a scene for a while instead of moving along to the next one. Smith tells her readers at the start of the book that her memoir isn’t a tell-all, but I wish she had delved deeper in certain passages or stayed with a moment for a few more pages. Despite that minor quibble, I enjoyed this book, and I’d recommend it to anyone who appreciates a well-written memoir about life’s second chances.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

Vinyl Moon by Mahogany L. Browne
Format: eBook

Vinyl Moon tells the story of Angel, a girl recovering from an abusive relationship with her former boyfriend. Her worried mother sends her from California to live with her uncle in Brooklyn. As Angel finds her footing in a new school and discovers writers like Toni Morrison and James Baldwin, she realizes the power of her voice and begins to use it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, but I wish it were longer. I felt I was just getting to know Angel and the other characters when the book ended. Nevertheless, Angel is a compelling protagonist who will inspire many teen readers who need a story of someone who overcomes and finds their way.

The Writing Retreat by Julia Hartz
Format: eBook

Alex is a struggling writer who can’t believe her luck when she’s offered a spot at an exclusive women’s writing retreat hosted by her favorite author, Roza Vallo. She learns that her former best friend, Wren, will also be there, and even though Alex can’t bear to think about what she did to Wren a year ago, she knows the retreat will be worth the awkwardness. But things aren’t what they seem at Roza’s estate, and when Alex realizes some people around her aren’t who they say they are, she knows she’ll be lucky to get out alive.

This thriller has an interesting plot, but The Writing Retreat didn’t work for me in the end. I found the characters flat, the twists unbelievable, and some parts too violent for my taste.

What I Loved

TELEVISION: Cunk on Earth on Netflix

I hadn’t heard of Cunk on Earth until Jamie B. Golden gave it a green light on The Popcast. I’m so glad she did! This show is a mockumentary about the history of civilization. Diane Morgan is brilliant as Philomena Cunk, a journalist who goes everywhere in boots and a long coat, no matter the weather or location. This five-episode series is completely ridiculous and delightfully stupid. I loved every second.

MUSIC: Cozy Coffeehouse Covers playlist on Spotify

I love a good cover song, so I listened to this playlist a lot last month. It’s folksy, mellow, and makes for good background music while working.

That’s it from me! What did you read and enjoy in February?

February 25, 2023February 24, 2023

30 Titles for Your Book Club’s Next Read

A few years ago, I had no desire to be part of a book club. Even though I love reading, I never wanted to feel obligated to read a certain book. (Earning my English degree might have something to do with that.) But when the opportunity arose to get involved in one of my school’s book clubs, I found myself surprisingly excited about it. Now the book club I’m in is one of my favorite things. I look forward to each meeting and have grown to love discussing all kinds of different books with my fellow readers.

If you’re in a book club, you know choosing a book for a group can sometimes be challenging. Today I’m sharing 30 titles that I think would make fantastic book club picks; 20 are fiction and 10 are nonfiction. I think this list has something for everyone, whether you’re looking for a book to discuss with your club or simply want something to enjoy on your own.

Fiction

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Summary: Separated by respective ambitions after falling in love in occupied Nigeria, beautiful Ifemelu experiences triumph and defeat in America while exploring new concepts of race, while Obinze endures an undocumented status in London until the pair is reunited in their homeland 15 years later, where they face the toughest decisions of their lives.

Why I chose this book: Americanah raises important questions about race and belonging, but it’s also a beautiful love story at its core. Adichie’s writing is wonderful.

The Appeal by Janice Hallett

Summary: When the cast of a local theater group raises money for an experimental treatment for the director’s granddaughter, who has a rare form of cancer, one member raises her concerns, creating tensions within the community, which leads to murder.

Why I chose this book: This is an epistolary novel written in emails, text messages, and notes. It’s a fun page-turner and keeps readers guessing. The large cast of characters will make for a great conversation.

Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke

Summary: In a rural East Texas town of fewer than 200 people, the body of an African American lawyer from Chicago is found in a bayou, followed several days later by that of a local white woman. What’s going on? African American Texas Ranger Darren Mathews hopes to find out, which means talking to relatives of the deceased, including the woman’s white supremacist husband — and Mathews soon discovers things are more complex than they seem.

Why I chose this book: I love a good mystery novel, and this book delivers an unputdownable story featuring a vibrant protagonist.

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

Summary: A five-decade saga tracing the impact of an act of infidelity on the parents and children of two Southern California families traces their shared summers in Virginia and the disillusionment that shapes their lasting bond.

Why I chose this book: Commonwealth is engrossing from beginning to end. We can all relate to complex families and how they hold each other’s secrets.

Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen

Summary: It’s December 23, 1971, and heavy weather is forecast for Chicago. Russ Hildebrandt, the associate pastor of a liberal suburban church, is on the brink of breaking free of a marriage he finds joyless―unless his wife, Marion, who has her own secret life, beats him to it. Their eldest child, Clem, is coming home from college on fire with moral absolutism, having taken an action that will shatter his father. Clem’s sister, Becky, long the social queen of her high-school class, has sharply veered into the counterculture, while their brilliant younger brother Perry, who’s been selling drugs to seventh graders, has resolved to be a better person. Each of the Hildebrandts seeks a freedom that each of the others threatens to complicate.

Why I chose this book: IT’S SO GOOD, THAT’S WHY! Crossroads is long, so this book is only for the most dedicated book clubbers, but Franzen has given us so much great stuff to discuss thanks to the oh-so-complicated Hildebrandt family.

Dear Fang, With Love by Rufi Thorpe

Summary: Newly involved in his daughter’s life shortly after she suffered a breakdown, Lucas takes the teen on a trip to Europe in the hopes that an immersion in regional history and culture will help her forget his past mistakes and her uncertain future.

Why I chose this book: Dear Fang, With Love is an underrated gem. It’s sweet, surprising, and the European setting gives readers a nice sense of escapism.

Hell of a Book by Jason Mott

Summary: A work of fiction goes to the heart of racism, police violence, and the hidden costs exacted upon Black Americans, and America as a whole.

Why I chose this book: This novel addresses important and heavy themes, but it’s Jason Mott’s use of magical realism that makes this novel a memorable must-read.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Summary: Two half-sisters, unknown to each other, are born into different villages in 18th-century Ghana and experience profoundly different lives and legacies throughout subsequent generations marked by wealth, slavery, war, coal mining, the Great Migration and the realities of 20th-century Harlem.

Why I chose this book: Homegoing is one of the most important books written in recent years. It’s incredible how much story and characterization Yaa Gyasi fit into 320 pages. The fact that this is a debut novel continually blows my mind.

I have some questions for you book cover

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

Summary: A woman must reckon with her past when new details surface about a tragedy at her elite New England boarding school.

Why I chose this book: The best book club books are page-turners that also have a lot of important themes to discuss. The mystery at the heart of I Have Some Questions for You will keep readers turning the pages, and themes of class, justice, and homecoming will keep any book club talking.

If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin

Summary: When a pregnant Tish’s boyfriend Fonny, a sculptor, is wrongfully jailed for the rape of a Puerto Rican woman, their families unite to prove the charge false.

Why I chose this book: Baldwin is a genius whose skill is on full display in this classic. Though it was published in 1974, Beale Street’s look at the American justice system is as important as ever.

In the Woods by Tana French

Summary: Twenty years after witnessing the violent disappearances of two companions from their small Dublin suburb, detective Rob Ryan investigates a chillingly similar murder that takes place in the same wooded area, a case that forces him to piece together his traumatic memories.

Why I chose this book: In the Woods is the mystery novel to which I compare all others. The writing, characters, and moody setting are utter perfection.

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

Summary: Waiting to be chosen by a customer, an Artificial Friend programmed with high perception observes the activities of shoppers while exploring fundamental questions about what it means to love.

Why I chose this book: Even the sci-fi haters will like this thought-provoking story about a future that seems all too possible.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Summary: Four famous siblings throw an epic end-of-summer party that goes dangerously out of control as secrets and loves that shaped this family’s generations come to light, changing their lives forever.

Why I chose this book: Malibu Rising looks like a breezy beach read if you judge it by the cover, but Taylor Jenkins Reid delivers a powerful story about a family whose famous father left tragedy in his wake. I read this in one sitting.

The Nix by Nathan Hill

Summary: Astonished to see the mother who abandoned him in childhood throwing rocks at a presidential candidate, a bored college professor struggles to reconcile the radical media depictions of his mother with his small-town memories and decides to draw her out by penning a tell-all biography.

Why I chose this book: This book got a bit of buzz when it came out in 2016, but it’s my literary mission to keep The Nix alive and well. There’s a lot happening in this book, but it’s the complicated mother/son story that anchors the narrative.

Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld

Summary: This powerfully imagined tour de force of fiction of what-might-have-been follows Hillary Rodham as she takes a different path, blazing her own trail – one that unfolds in public as well as in private – and one that crosses paths again and again with Bill Clinton.

Why I chose this book: Who hasn’t wondered what their life would be like if they’d made different choices? There’s so much to talk about throughout Sittenfeld’s reimagining of Hillary’s destiny.

Sam by Allegra Goodman

Summary: Grappling with self-doubt and insecurity as she grows into her teens, Sam, yearning for her climbing coach’s attention, dealing with her father’s absence and raging against her mother’s constant pressure, must decide who she wants to be in the face of what she’s expected to do.

Why I chose this book: Have you ever finished a book and knew you’d be thinking about it for a long time? That’s exactly how I felt when I finished reading Sam. I love this moving coming-of-age story.

Shadow Tag by Louise Erdrich

Summary: After she discovers that her husband has been reading her diary, Irene America turns it into a manipulative farce, while secretly keeping a second diary that includes her true thoughts, through which the reader learns of Irene’s shaky marriage, its affect on her children and her struggles with alcohol.

Why I chose this book: Shadow Tag isn’t one of Erdrich’s most popular novels, but it’s one of my favorites. Readers who love stories about messy marriages will like this one.

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

Summary: A story of how the past affects the present, and of deeply entrenched racism, Sing, Unburied, Sing describes the life of a biracial boy, his addicted, grieving black mother, and his incarcerated white father. A road trip to Dad’s prison kick-starts the novel, which offers deeply affecting characters, a strong sense of place (rural Mississippi), and a touch of magical realism in appearances by the dead.

Why I chose this book: Jesmyn Ward is an incredibly talented writer whose gift shines in this novel. The prose is beautiful, the story is heart wrenching, and familial love pierces through the bleakness of the subject matter to infuse the story with hope.

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Summary: Alix Chamberlain is a woman who gets what she wants and has made a living, with her confidence-driven brand, showing other women how to do the same. So she is shocked when her babysitter, Emira Tucker, is confronted while watching the Chamberlains’ toddler one night, walking the aisles of their local high-end supermarket. The store’s security guard, seeing a young black woman out late with a white child, accuses Emira of kidnapping two-year-old Briar. A small crowd gathers, a bystander films everything, and Emira is furious and humiliated. Alix resolves to make things right.

Why I chose this book: Despite its themes, this novel really is a fun read. Plus, it provides an interesting look at influencer culture, which I find endlessly interesting.

Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

Summary: Her world upended by the death of a beloved artist uncle who was the only person who understood her, fourteen-year-old June is mailed a teapot by her uncle’s grieving boyfriend, with whom June forges a poignant relationship.

Why I chose this book: This book came out in 2012, and I always thought it deserved more buzz. It’s a deeply emotional novel about grief and the relationships that sustain us.

Nonfiction

Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl

Summary: The editor-in-chief of Gourmet recounts her visits to some of the world’s most acclaimed restaurants, both as herself and as an anonymous diner in disguise, to offer insight into the differences in her dining experiences.

Why I chose this book: Few things unite people as much as food. This memoir is a quick, delightful read that any foodie will adore. Have snacks on hand.

Here for It: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America by R. Eric Thomas

Summary: A humorist and playwright provides a heartfelt and humorous memoir-in-essays about growing up seeing the world differently, finding unexpected hope and every awkward, extraordinary stumble along the way.

Why I chose this book: This is the perfect book if you need some good laughs but also love stories with a lot of heart. Here for It is one of those books that I think most readers will enjoy.

Me, My Hair, and I: Twenty-Seven Women Untangle an Obsession
edited by Elizabeth Benedict

Summary: These twenty-seven “hair pieces” offer up reflections and revelations about family, race, religion, ritual, culture, motherhood, politics, celebrity, what goes on in African American kitchens and at Hindu Bengali weddings, alongside stories about the influence of Jackie Kennedy, Lena Horne, Farrah Fawcett, and the Grateful Dead. Layered into these essays you’ll find surprises, insights, hilarity, and the resonance of common experience.

Why I chose this book: Hair is a big deal, but we don’t often talk about why. This essay collection is funny, illuminating, and will start great conversations about female beauty standards.

Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong

Summary: Why I chose this book: An award-winning poet and essayist offers a ruthlessly honest, emotionally charged exploration of the psychological condition of being Asian American.

Why I chose this book: I read Minor Feelings two years ago, and I’m still thinking about it. Essay collections can make excellent book club picks because there’s sure to be at least one piece with which each reader will connect.

A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

Summary: Hemingway’s memories of his life as an unknown writer living in Paris in the twenties are deeply personal, warmly affectionate, and full of wit. Looking back not only at his own much younger self, but also at the other writers who shared Paris with him – James Joyce, Wyndham Lewis, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald – he recalls the time when, poor, happy, and writing in cafes, he discovered his vocation. Written during the last years of Hemingway’s life, his memoir is a lively and powerful reflection of his genius that scintillates with the romance of the city. –Goodreads

Why I chose this book: Classics might not be a book club’s first choice, but there’s something special about reading and discussing a work from the past, especially when it takes place in Paris. Hardcore book nerds will love the literary elements of this memoir.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Summary: Demonstrates how introverted people are misunderstood and undervalued in modern culture, charting the rise of extrovert ideology while sharing anecdotal examples of how to use introvert talents to adapt to various situations.

Why I chose this book: As an introvert, this book made me feel seen. Extroverts will benefit from better understanding the quiet folks in their lives and learning why they behave the way they do.

The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House by Kate Andersen Brower

Summary: An intimate account of White House life from the perspectives of the service staffs of the Kennedys through the Obamas details their friendships, marriages, everyday activities and elaborate state dinners.

Why I chose this book: I love presidential history, but even if you don’t, I think you’ll find this book to be an entertaining read. We’re all familiar with images of the White House, and this account gives readers behind-the-scenes access to the chefs, florists, gardeners, and other important people who make life and events possible for the President and their family.

The Shelf: From LEQ to LES: Adventures in Extreme Reading by Phyllis Rose

Summary: Can you have an Extreme Adventure in a library? Phyllis Rose casts herself into the wilds of an Upper East Side lending library in aneffort to do just that. Hoping to explore the “real ground of literature,” she reads her way through a somewhat randomly chosen shelf of fiction, from LEQ to LES. The shelf has everything Rose could wish for–a classic she has not read, a remarkable variety of authors, and a range of literary styles. In The Shelf, Rose investigates the books on her shelf with exuberance, candor, and wit while pondering the many questions her experiment raises and measuring her discoveries against her own inner shelf–those texts that accompany us through life.

Why I chose this book: If you’re in a book club, you probably love books. And if you love books, you’re likely to enjoy reading books about other books. I adored this fun literary adventure and think most book lovers will too.

Sigh, Gone: A Misfit’s Memoir of Great Books, Punk Rock, and the Fight to Fit In
by Phuc Tran

Summary: In 1975, during the fall of Saigon, Phuc Tran immigrates to America along with his family. By sheer chance they land in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, a small town where the Trans struggle to assimilate into their new life. In this coming-of-age memoir told through the themes of great books such as The Metamorphosis, The Scarlet Letter, The Iliad, and more, Tran navigates the push and pull of finding and accepting himself despite the challenges of immigration, feelings of isolation, and teenage rebellion, all while attempting to meet the rigid expectations set by his immigrant parents.

Why I chose this book: This memoir is such a joy, especially for book and music lovers. It’s funny, insightful, and will give any book club much to discuss.

Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories That Make Us by Rachel Aviv

Summary: Raising fundamental questions about how we understand ourselves in periods of crisis and distress, the author draws on deep, original reporting as well as unpublished journals and memoirs to write about people who have come up against the limits of psychiatric explanations for who they are.

Why I chose this book: A lot of books on this list are lighthearted; this one definitely isn’t, but it’s a great and important look at mental illness. This book would be wonderful to discuss in a group of thoughtful readers.

Most summaries came from NoveList.

Have you read many of these? What titles would you suggest for a book club?

February 4, 2023

What I Read and Loved in January 2023

January can be a bit of a downer, but it turned out to be a fantastic reading month for me. I read seven books, and all but one was a four or five-star read. I hope this momentum continues in February. I’m also sharing a few non-book loves for the month. Let’s jump in!

What I Read

One of Us Is Dead by Jeneva Rose
Format: eBook

One of Us Is Dead is a thriller about a murder in Buckhead, a wealthy neighborhood in Atlanta. The victim is part of an elite group of women with important spouses and equally important images to maintain. These women spend much of their time at Glow, an upscale salon owned by Jenny, who is interrogated by a detective throughout the novel. He’s hoping the secrets shared in Jenny’s salon chair will help him find the killer.

This book is entertaining, but the story fell flat for me. The characters seem like caricatures, and I got tired of their gossip and backstabbing. However, the book is a quick read, so if you want something light and fast-paced, you might like this novel if you’re in the mood for plot over character development. (Also, the author is one of my favorite TikTok follows.)

Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories That Make Us by Rachel Aviv
Format: eBook

In Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories That Make Us, Rachel Aviv introduces readers to four people experiencing psychological crises. First, we meet Ray, a once-successful man who can’t let go of his anger. He thinks his doctors are unable to treat him and he resents how his life has turned out. Next is Bapu, an Indian woman who feels an irresistible call to her religion, choosing her god over her family for most of her life as a wife and mother. Then there is Naomi, a poor Black mother who kills one of her sons in a moment of manic desperation. Finally, we meet Laura, a privileged white woman who doesn’t know who she is without her antidepressants. Aviv also shares her own story of being diagnosed and hospitalized with anorexia as a young child.

Each case study is powerful, especially the ones that focus on women. I appreciate how Aviv chose diverse subjects, both racially and economically. Yet, despite their diversity, each person feels trapped in their illness, struggles with hopelessness, and experiences difficulties getting proper medical and psychiatric care. This book makes important points about medication, access to good healthcare, and how one’s environment plavs a role in illness and recovery. Strangers to Ourselves is a book l’Il be thinking about for a long time.

Diary of a Void by Emi Yagi; translated by David Boyd and Lucy North
Format: Audiobook

Ms. Shibata is a lonely woman in her mid-thirties working a dull office job. Because she’s a woman on a team of men, her coworkers expect her to make the coffee, clean the break room, and take care of other menial chores. Shibata is understandably tired of this role, so one day, she makes an announcement: she’s pregnant. Except she isn’t.

Diary of a Void explores what happens in Shibata’s life over the next nine months. The “pregnancy” not only allows her to get out of chores, but she can leave work early. With her new free time, Shibata joins an aerobics class for expectant mothers, cooks healthy meals, goes on walks, and marvels at the slower pace of her life. Weight gain and padding help Shibata keep up her ruse.

I love this book’s exploration of motherhood and how that role impacts how a woman is seen and treated. Diary of a Void reminded me how much I enjoy Japanese fiction’s playfulness and subversive nature.

Spare by Prince Harry
Format: Print

Spare surprised me. It was one of those books I picked up intending to skim, but I found myself quickly engrossed and read the entire thing in two days. So much has already been said about Prince Harry and some of the things he reveals in Spare, but what stands out above all else is how difficult it would be to grow up with the level of fame he endured and is enduring. Autonomy would be nearly impossible. Mistakes would be headlines. The worst moments of your life might just be entertainment to others. I was moved by Harry’s story and found the section in which he discusses his military service especially interesting. This book could have been shorter–something I say about many of the books I read–but I’m glad I read it.

Illustrated Black History by George McCalman
Format: eBook

Illustrated Black History is a collection of brief biographies of important Black figures throughout history, including athletes, artists, politicians, chefs, dancers, and many others. Each biography is accompanied by a gorgeous, bold illustration of the subject, which makes this book a joy to read.

Sam by Allegra Goodman
Format: eBook

I love reading a novel with solid character development, and that’s what I got with Sam. The book begins when Sam is a little girl and follows her through her teen years. Throughout the book, Sam lives with her single mom Courtney, who’s working two jobs to keep her family afloat. Sam’s dad Mitchell struggles with addiction, so he’s in and out of her life, making promises he can’t consistently deliver. As Sam grows up and becomes more complex, so does Allegra Goodman’s writing. Sam is a heartfelt, moving, and memorable coming-of-age story about a girl I’ll be thinking about for a long time.

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai
Format: eBook

Bodie Kane is a successful podcaster and professor who returns to Granby, the New Hampshire boarding school she attended as a teen, to teach a couple of classes. In her podcasting course, a student starts digging into the murder of Thalia Keith, Bodie’s former roommate at Granby, who was killed on campus. Though the case has been solved for years, Bodie can’t help but ask questions and begins to wonder if justice was really served.

I Have Some Questions for You is a masterful mystery novel about growing up, injustice, and the secrets we keep. Granby feels like a real place, and the characters who populate its campus are complex and interesting. Rebecca Makkai builds tension slowly and methodically until the book’s satisfying conclusion. This novel is the very best of dark academia. I know it will be one of the best things I read all year.

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy of this book. It releases on February 21.

What I Loved

A hand journaling — Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

ACTIVITY: Journaling

I’ve kept journals off and on since I was in elementary school, but I stopped over the past few years. I realized how much I missed the practice, so I took Laura Tremaine’s online class, Journaling for Grownups. The course was terrific, and I learned a lot from Laura and the other students. Picking up journaling again has been such a gift. I’ve been using Archer and Olive journals, which I love.

Sheng Wang sweet and juicy comedy poster

COMEDY: Shang Wang’s Sweet and Juicy

A friend recommended this special, and I’m happy to report that I laughed through the entire thing. I’m eager to watch it again. It’s on Netflix.

EVENT: Jess Walter’s Library Visit

Jess Walter is a prolific and popular local author who visited one of my school libraries last week. He talked about his writing process, answered questions from students, and read an unpublished short story. As much as I enjoyed hearing him read, my greatest delight was hearing him answer kids’ questions and encourage them to write. (Walter’s latest book, The Angel of Rome and Other Stories, is marvelous.)

FRAGRANCE: Jazz Club by Maison Margiela

While I journaled, watched comedy specials, and listened to local authors, I smelled like Jazz Club, my new favorite scent. Wearing it makes me feel much cooler than I actually am, so it’s worth every penny.

That’s it for me! What did you read and love in January?

January 21, 2023January 20, 2023

Book Clubbing

I’ve been working in school libraries for about 12 years now, and one of the highlights of my career is the student and staff multicultural book club I co-lead at one of my high schools. I feel lighter and more hopeful whenever I leave one of our meetings, consistently impressed by students’ thoughtfulness and kindness. The world can seem so bleak sometimes, but being around smart, outspoken young people is a nice antidote to discouragement and disillusionment.

Book covers for The Marrow Thieves, Dear Martin, and The Night Watchman

The first session of the book club I ever hosted was in 2019. We read The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline, a dystopian book no one in my group enjoyed, including me. But despite not liking the book, we had fantastic conversations. Since I work in libraries and not classrooms, I only get a little time to talk with kids; I usually only see them in passing. The book club was the first time I had a chance to get to know students and witness them engage with a text. When I hear people say that kids don’t read anymore, I want to roll my eyes and bring them to a book club meeting.

When the pandemic shut down in-person schooling, we decided to try having the book club via Zoom. I was doubtful we’d have much success, but I’m happy to say how wrong I was. We had the most participation we’d ever had as we read and discussed Nic Stone’s Dear Martin, a powerful novel about police brutality and growing up as a young Black boy in predominantly white spaces. Even though we were faces on a computer screen, we were able to have important conversations about race, policing, violence, and friendship. Those are complicated topics, but students were always patient and understanding, even when there was disagreement. We had two more rounds of online club meetings before we got to meet in person again. As much as I love the in-person meetings, I look back on the online discussions with fondness and gratitude. They provided connection and community when we were desperate for both things.

When we returned to the school building, we read The Night Watchmen by Louise Erdrich. I don’t read much historical fiction, so this book stretched me and challenged me, which I appreciated. Erdrich is an incredibly gifted writer, deserving of the many accolades she’s received over the years. (I really love Shadow Tag and The Round House.) In our meetings, we talked about missing and endangered Native women and discussed why their cases are too often ignored. We pondered Native resettlement together and marveled at the events that inspired the book. The Night Watchmen is heavy and long, but the students consistently showed up with things to say.

Book covers for When stars are scattered and Go tell it on the mountain

We strive to read a variety of genres and viewpoints, so we decided to switch things up and read graphic novels for the next book club session. One of the books we read was When Stars Are Scattered, a middle grade book that tells the story of Omar Mohammed and his brother growing up in a Kenyan refugee camp. A local refugee came in and spoke to us about her experience in a camp. Her story was moving and powerful, and I remain grateful that students could hear someone speak who was directly affected by the subjects we’d been reading about.

Right now, we have two more meetings before we finish Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin, one of my favorite novels. Having the opportunity to discuss Baldwin’s brilliant writing with a group of thoughtful readers is a joy. The theme we’ve focused on throughout the novel is identity. How does your family shape who you become? Can a person really change? What happens when someone is hungry for power? We’ve examined these questions and many others over the past few weeks.

Along with our primary texts, we pull in outside readings and media, such as poems, essays, interviews, and videos. I love doing this because it’s nice to connect different cultures and formats with the books we’re discussing.

Over the years, many people have questioned why I like working at high schools. They think of teenagers as wild, rude, and uninterested in reading. But young people are some of the most thoughtful readers out there. They’re passionate, critical thinkers who speak their minds and ask great questions. It’s been an absolute joy being part of a community of kids and school staff who value literature and the benefits it brings to our lives.