Hello and happy Friday from my finally-painted home office —
Back when I had the blog, I used to do tailored book recs for people — and I thought that might be fun as we gear up for holiday shopping. So let me recommend things for you, specifically! Or for somebody you’re shopping for, this holiday season! Leave a comment below or shoot me an email if you’d rather keep it off the internet for Secret Reasons.
(If it’s for you, tell me the last three things you read and your three fav books. If it’s for someone else, give me some flavor about who they are and what they like.)
I’ll check in on this thread regularly over the next several days, so don’t fret if you don’t hear from me right away!
I’ve recently enjoyed Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet, and it reminded me of another book I loved - Lincoln in the Bardo. I was fascinated by the way both novels approached historical figures, and am wondering if you have any recommendations for similar historical fiction.
Okay I'm very excited to get to recommend these two books because they're two of my absolute favorites:
* THE DRAGON WAITING by John M. Ford (technically alt-history as opposed to regular historical fiction, but it's got Richard III and it's an absolute joy to read)
* SUDDEN DEATH by Alvaro Enrigue, trans. by Natasha Wimmer (this one has a tennis match between Caravaggio and de Quevedo as well as Cortes landing in America, among many other things)
My husband gave my mum Normal People last year and it was a surprise hit (she generally reads thrillers). I'd love to give her something accessible, but literary. Maybe outside of white/straight/rich people. I was thinking Leave The World Behind, but would love any other suggestions. Thanks for your generosity in spending time on the community.
A big thumbs up to LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND -- and I'll add three more that I think might work too:
* Kate Reed Petty's TRUE STORY (a little thriller-y, a super immersive literary puzzle, and a fascinating exploration of truth and consent and storytelling)
* Kiley Reid's SUCH A FUN AGE (has the pulse of a thriller but its really a Literary Novel about, among other things, race and capitalism and childcare)
* Helen Phillips' THE NEED (the opening section of this book is the most breathless thing I've maybe ever read. It then shifts into a somewhat speculative rumination on identity and motherhood)
I’ve recently enjoyed Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet, and it reminded me of another book I loved - Lincoln in the Bardo. I was fascinated by the way both novels approached historical figures, and am wondering if you have any recommendations for similar historical fiction.
Okay I'm very excited to get to recommend these two books because they're two of my absolute favorites:
* THE DRAGON WAITING by John M. Ford (technically alt-history as opposed to regular historical fiction, but it's got Richard III and it's an absolute joy to read)
* SUDDEN DEATH by Alvaro Enrigue, trans. by Natasha Wimmer (this one has a tennis match between Caravaggio and de Quevedo as well as Cortes landing in America, among many other things)
Thanks for doing this!
Last read:
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
Gravesend by William Boyle
Some faves:
The Nix by Nathan Hill
The Sellout by Paul Beatty
The Winter of Frankie Machine by Don Winslow
I feel like you've maybe read one or both of these... but they feel too right not to offer up the choice:
* THE NEW YORK TRILOGY by Paul Auster
* CHRONIC CITY by Jonathan Lethem
Fantastic! I haven’t read either but will look into both. Thanks!
Ooh!
Last 3 books: THE SEARCHER (Tana French), ALL I ASK(Eve Crocker), THE FRIEND(Sigrid Nunez)
3 favs: DEPARTMENT OF SPECULATION, MRS BRIDGE, SING UNBURIED SING
Okay, okay, let's see...
* Mary Robison, WHY DID I EVER (if you loved the Offill, you're gonna *so* dig this)
* Scarlett Thomas, THE SEED COLLECTORS (or maybe POPCO)
* this one feels a little out-on-a-limb: Stephen Graham Jones, THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS
* because that one is out-on-a-limb, a bonus: César Aira, AN EPISODE IN THE LIFE OF A LANDSCAPE PAINTER
Love-loved WHY DID I EVER! Can't wait to dig into the other 3/4! Thanks for the recc. I love SMDB
My husband gave my mum Normal People last year and it was a surprise hit (she generally reads thrillers). I'd love to give her something accessible, but literary. Maybe outside of white/straight/rich people. I was thinking Leave The World Behind, but would love any other suggestions. Thanks for your generosity in spending time on the community.
A big thumbs up to LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND -- and I'll add three more that I think might work too:
* Kate Reed Petty's TRUE STORY (a little thriller-y, a super immersive literary puzzle, and a fascinating exploration of truth and consent and storytelling)
* Kiley Reid's SUCH A FUN AGE (has the pulse of a thriller but its really a Literary Novel about, among other things, race and capitalism and childcare)
* Helen Phillips' THE NEED (the opening section of this book is the most breathless thing I've maybe ever read. It then shifts into a somewhat speculative rumination on identity and motherhood)