"Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?"
-Harriet Ward Beecher
In some ways this drama of domestic life is a fairy tale retold. It's deceivingly simple, shocking and poetic. I sat down one night and found myself flying through pages, only to rise early the next morning to see how Lucy's decisions and imagination would dictate her future. If you like Tim Winton or Lidia Yuknavitch, try Megan Harper!
If you loved Delia Owen's nature writing in "Where the Crawdads Sing" then J. Drew Lanham's Home Place will deliver. This is his memoir of growing up a black birdwatcher in South Carolina's farmland, and eventually turning that paradox into a career as an ecology professor. Filled with fantastic descriptions of flora and fauna as well as his traditional, medicinal grandmother to his first solo, backyard hunt. A great package for gift giving as well.
Lauren Redniss is a master storyteller, mixing art and science in a journalistic retelling of Oak Flat, a high mountain plateau located deep in Apache territory and at the center of a major clash between traditional and corporate interests. She wowed readers with her previous, more esoteric works about radioactivity and weather, but this book is a tangible work of environmental witness and reporting. A+
You know when a book keeps coming up? At first through recommendations and then over and over in conversation? Well, this is the one for me. And now it's one I will recommend to everyone I know. Like a good friend, it has shown me a new part of myself - and a new way to see each human in my world. At once a groundbreaking story of four decades of research and a deeply personal interpretation of the ways in which humans hurt and heal. A true classic.
You will never forget Shuggie Bain if you read this book - just as you probably haven't shaken Jude from 'A Little Life' or Turtle from 'My Absolute Darling.' Readers won't lose sight of the trauma or shame of this boy, the youngest of three, growing up in the home of his alcoholic mother in the post-gloom and revival periods of Glasgow. Readers will take up Scottish slang, find reason for tears and experience the conflicts of solace in this affecting debut novel, shortlisted for nearly every major prize given in the English language.
There are several literary novels whose characters idly pass their time whilst the reader is clued into the apocalypse. What makes this one so clever is its masterful and precise vocabulary, stark showcase of class, and ability to keep things 'unnervingly normal' well past the ending. It's a sharpened critique of luxury and examination of the nature of privacy among the wealthy. You can read this two ways: a totally engrossing, escapist thriller or a completely depressing version of exactly what might happen to all of us. Either way, it's an excellent novel!
Jacqueline Woodson tackles the aftermath of concussions on a boy and his family. The only son of a pro-football player sees his dad change before his eyes, and must alter his own participation in the rough-housing team games he loves, in this middle grade novel. It's great for 9-12 year olds, full of play action and admiration, personal growth and acceptance. Perfect for active kids and a well-narrated audio book for a short road trip, too!
I'm a sucker for egomaniacal chef memoirs, and this one is no exception. Packed with mistakes, moments of genius and lots of culinary vocabulary, Chang's narration is direct, his style efficient as knife skills on the line. Amazing to think that Momofuku changed the way we eat more than 15 years ago. If you liked Kitchen Confidential, pick up this book or download the audio on Libro.fm.
From this masterful storyteller comes another showstopper. It's part "We Were Liars," part "Lord of the Flies." Tenacious teenagers shirk the family vacation house with their sights on a better adventure when the apocalypse happens. This book will give you pause about our lazy malaise if end times are really just right around the corner. National Book Award nominee!
An entertaining mystery that alternates between the points of view of a wife and her deceased husband's sailing log book. This novel embodies the lark of setting sail for a year to escape it all. But of course, the most hidden baggage is what makes the story float, and it all plays out in a pretty tight hull of a sailing vessel. Strong writing filled with the language of the sea and great references to poetry and song. A perfect book for when you need to escape!
When poets write memoirs, I read them. And this shocking coming of age reflection on violence, race and motherless daughters evoked a subtle rage that later boiled and then recoiled in me by the end of the book. I am so grateful to witness Threthewey's survival on the page and in her own voice, as read in the audiobook. Unforgettable.
Taut, chilling and well paced, this debut novel is for literary readers who loved The Dog Stars or Station Eleven. I found the author's incorporation of ornithology relatable and passionate, while her characters throbbed with hidden regrets the reader begs to discover. This book made me love the oceans and our natural world more than I thought I could. A+
Amazing!!! This is conversational, documentary storytelling with short excerpts from Rankine's life, normal and extraordinary at once. An important history, it is inventive in form. Instead of flipping to the back for an end-note or having a miniaturized footnote to decipher, each attribution is noted on the left hand page. It feels like reading on the internet, clicking on a link for reference, but resisting the temptation to descend the rabbit hole. This is a critical conversation about race elevated to art.
Gorgeous, literary epic for fans of All the Light We Cannot See and A Fine Balance. This is a contemporary story of Middle East conflict set against the classic framework of 1,001 Arabian Nights. McCann is a master of character, and this book is likely to stand the test of time.
We all love this book for its heart and its hard-nosed female narrators that sob and sing across every page. Every oil patch and cigarette is plain as day, the wrath and despair of a caged life in Odessa, Texas confining to even the reader. When Mary Rose, Debra Ann, Corrine and Gloria tell their intertwined stories, you will want to listen close. A+
This book was the best book of the summer for 8-year-olds like me, and it keeps you on the edge of your seat. You are always wondering what will happen next to Bob the dog, Ivan the gorilla and Ruby the baby elephant. And the audio book is narrated by Danny Davito! 4.5 stars. - Silas
A band of nearly two dozen characters - and twice as many nicknames - come to life on the page in this National Book Award winning author's seventh book. It's a love story to 1960s New York and the people of the housing projects in which McBride grew up. Full of detail, fast-paced and clever satire for our modern age!
This is a book of dramatic adventure that is good for kids who like mythology and fairy tales. Don't be scared, but there are monsters in this book! 4.1 stars - Silas
Oh my gosh that was a very bad dad! If you like car racing, funny language and stolen money then you will love this book. It is great for fans of Roald Dahl then try this one! 4.7 stars - Silas
An exploration of the inner lives of marriage and mountain towns, the stories in this collection rise like the foothills to meet the peaks. From airport parking lots to high desert meadows, Sappenfield knows the modern West.
When I started this book, I wasn't sure Zusak could do it again. But let me assure you he has. Five brothers, contemporary Australia, a bit of horse racing and plenty of horse play make for an epic adventure. But the by each boy to uncover the passionate artists their parents once were makes this story Homeric. Outstanding as a book can be!f
I love the mountains and well written memoirs, so this book spoke to me from the first page. You know Pam from "Cowboys are my Weakness" but she's all grown up now - writing about the landscape as much as herself. Redemptive and empowering writing. A true western classic!
For fans of social justice memoirs and those who don't buy the myth of the American Dream. Gritty and raw, this book shines with a mother's unrelenting love for her daughter and belief that she deserves a better life.
Art imitates life imitates art, over and over again in this masterpiece of literary fiction. Luiselli brings to the page a story of many journeys, many origins, many books. Seamlessly, in a powerful novel about family and country, she tackles current events with grace and reality. I don't know how she pulled it off in advance, but this is the book to read of 2019.
Peter Heller has taught me to love many things I didn't know I could, namely post-apocalyptic fiction and fly fishing. In The River, Heller took me on a terrifyingly beautiful canoe trip I won't soon forget. Weaving friendship, adventure and great books into a deceptively simple narrative is true art, and a very very good yarn.
An absorbing and poetic recollection, a motherless coming of age. I love the juxtaposition of hand-penned letters next to a daughter's own translation and interpretation. Delicate and creative story telling with laser focus. An immersive, one-sitting kind of read.
I loved this coming-of-age novel set on a fictional west coast island where the sea and the weather influence every aspect of the soulful narrator's interpretation of the world. A book about struggle for self amid chaos created by humans and nature. Beautiful!
Inventive literary fiction from the author of Dept. of Speculation. Told in bursts that move the reader through the doldrums of daily life and into beautiful and sparse observations of our pending environmental peril, all wrapped up in a tiny book. Offill says more in 200 pages than most writers express in twice the space.
In the follow up to Lemons, Melissa Savage delivers another great story about friendship, loss and a healthy dose of UFO adventures. This is a great book for readers who like Spy School and 24 Hours in Nowhere.
Some new words and expressions I learned while reading this book: mathemagician, short shrift, dictionopolis, dodecahedron. This is a great book for kids who love clever language, like what's written in Roald Dahl and Lemony Snicket stories! A (by Silas)
An absorbing and poetic recollection, a motherless coming of age. I love the juxtaposition of hand-penned letters next to a daughter's own translation and interpretation. Delicate and creative story telling with laser focus. An immersive, one-sitting kind of read.
You can definitely just read this book as a beach read, and it will deliver. But, if you like to complicate things and read between the lines, if you want to really consider what it's like to live behind the headlines, then this book will also deliver. It's like Nanny Diaries written by Lena Dunham.
Simplicity Parenting is one of my favorite guides for maintaining sanity amidst the demands of home and the rest of the world. Now Payne brings meditation (I really should do that!) to center stage. Letting in the rage and celebrating the glorious moments are keys to his practice. As it turns out, we don't have to turn in to our parents if we don't want to!
I enjoyed the sparse treatment of toxic masculinity, the Midwest and our desire to over think coming of age in this novel. Nuanced and dark, this is a book for readers who loved Ohio or even Catcher in the Rye.
I devoured this inventive and courageous personal-project-turned-memoir about a good Midwestern girl who directly confronts her rapist and turns the interview into an exploration of identity and action. Noteworthy in every way!
Powerful, evocative and full-to-the-brim with humanity. A cautionary tale of refuge and revenge that will leave you turning pages until long after your bedtime. Fantastic book for discussion!
An excellent collection of essays written with precise language and an intellectual approach to the implications of popular culture and our responsibilities within it. Read this book if you like to think independently and aren't afraid to question your own choices!
If you're looking for a realistic survival story, then read this book! It's a fast-paced and heart-pounding adventure for kids who like to be outside and wonder what it would be like to face a bear on the trail or find out what they're really made of!
Machado is a writer's writer, no doubt. And while the subject matter is dark and twisty, her language moves the reader through dozens of literary techniques that turn the memories into a beautiful, if devastating, memoir.
Nic Stone did an awesome job of making a road trip with Grandma into an amazing mystery with historical significance. So much fun to read out loud!
This is world history through the lens of science, written by a professor at the Colorado Mesa University. Surprisingly entertaining and full of detail that will make you rethink events like the fall of Rome and the American Revolutionary War.
After reading this gorgeous tome, you'll never look at your book cases in the same way. Colorado library designer Thatcher Wine packed these pages with ideas for making your personal books look as important as they feel to you. With photography from regular houses and celebrity mansions alike!
A juicy mother-daughter story about the secrets one is willing to keep in exchange for the approval of another. Excellent writing makes this memoir an enjoyable read for those who love romance, family drama and food!
Ultra-marathon champion and mother of two, Katie Arnold explores her relationship with her father in this memoir of grief and hope. Perfect for memoir readers and outdoor enthusiasts!
If you loved Wonder or the author Kate diCamillo, you will love Song for a Whale! The writing quality is fantastic, so reading this novel aloud to kids from 6-12 is a treat for any grownup. Independent readers will find science, adventure and their own empathetic pulse beat harder. Awesome book!
Great for history buffs and ski enthusiasts, here is a thoroughly researched chronicle of the 10th Mountain Division during WWII. Vivid storytelling features Minnie Dole, Earl Clark and others strongly connected to the founding of Vail. Honest and inspired reportage adds to the ranks of titles like the Last Ridge, Boys of Winter and Soldiers on Skis.
My favorite literary book of the year! A timely story of a Syrian refugee and his blind wife determined to get to England. Beautiful writing with a reveal I didn't see coming. If you liked Exit West or Life of Pi, pick up The Beekeeper of Aleppo.
From the creators of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls comes a well executed chapter book series for curious kids. Our family loved the real life story of Ada Lovelace - full of science and fun facts about living in Victorian times.
If easy readers are too easy, and chapter books are just too hard, try this in-between series. It's great for boys and girls who love imaginary adventures of peril and disguise!
Wow! Emily St. John Mandel is a literary force. I loved every page of The Glass Hotel, even when I wasn't sure why I was reading about the financial crisis. A great American novel written by one of my favorite Canadians!
Stuck in a reading rut? This short work of fiction is a masterpiece and has it all - plot, characters, voice, history, commentary, love. Pick it up!
If you love western fiction, literary novels and plots of biblical proportion, then try Inland. For fans of Gold, Fame, Citrus and News of the World. Or try it on audio - great narration and production quality!
If you need to escape into a great book, this is it! You'll fall in love with the tribe of kids and their daring river adventure toward a better life. For fans of David Wroblewski's The Story of Edgar Sawtelle.
If you love books like Wonder or Wishtree, then pick up this book! Nova and her sister are growing up in foster families during the 1980s. They are obsessed with the upcoming launch of Challenger and finding a way to live on their own. Their relationship is the focus of the book, but there's also lots of lessons in science and emphathy. Great on audio, too!
Looking for adventures and intrigue that take place all around the world, including in Vail, Colorado? Look no further than Stuart Gibbs' Spy School series. The ski school adventure (Book #4) features a near-accurate depiction of our beloved ski town, and is a seriously fun and dangerous mission for spy-hero Ben and his super-smart friends. A+
It's a classic for a reason! Full of malicious and neglectful adults and ingenious and empathetic children, this is Roald Dahl at his finest. Boys and girls love this novel, so don't ignore it just because the cover is pink! This book is Silas-approved (age 8).
The mystery of the forest is at least a little bit explained in this popular science memoir from a former logger turned tree hugger. Although the book mostly takes place in Germany, there are many wonders revealed relevant to our American trees and forests. Interesting and worthwhile!
The mermaid obsession runs wild in this literary novel set in the unnamed far north. A small town protagonist can't find her way out of the fishbowl, her dreamscape life haunted by a father lost-at-sea and an older friend damaged and drowing in booze. If you like Lidia Yuknavitch, try Samantha Hunt!
Relevant and powerful. For today's readers of Ta-nehisi Coates (Between the World and Me) and Casey Gerald (There Will Be No Miracles Here). If you yearn for classic literary memoir, this is an oldie but a goodie!
Colson Whitehead is a master storyteller and a gifted writer who will take readers to places beyond their imaginations. And in the case of Nickel Boys, the setting is a harrowing historical reform school for boys in Florida during the Civil Rights movement. Inspired by true accounts, this novel will leave your sense of humanity changed forever.
Want a funny book to read right now? Dave Barry fit my mood with this sweet self-help-but-not-really book about what his dear old dog taught the author about aging. Great pick-me-up and a good audio book, too!
Having grown up with the Amish, I was intrigued by the true story that inspired Toews to write a novel that gives modern agency to Mennonite women. But it works! Imaginative and easy-to-read, this book should make you think - and talk - about our contemporary world in contrast to the old ways of enduring and traditional cultures.
If you love epic tests of the mind and the soul, pick this book up! Absolutely engrossing, here is a border-bending memoir by a Kurdish Iranian poet imprisoned in Australia. Literally a man without a country, Boochani writes about his experience with strokes of Shantaram and Crime and Punishment. A must read of our time destined to become a classic!
This book will move you to tears, enhance your understanding of the complex relationships between mothers and sons, and amaze you with its breath taking style. Literary readers will savor every word.
Love this book!Great for parents, teachers and anyone who wants to foster a lifelong love for books. Full of great references, age appropriate suggestions, new research and awesome recommendations from the New York Times Book Review editors.
If you loved Normal People or Fates and Furies, then this novel is for you. Contemporary characters set on the stage of a high school theater with a peculiar teacher and plenty of hormones make this an absorbing summer read.
This book is worthy of all the buzz. I resisted reading it because it was just too popular. But man, it is so good! Marianne and Connell, two Irish teenagers ready for university, are trying to figure out who they are to themselves and each other in this complicated world. Sally Rooney can write! And the book is deliciously dark and smart. The must-read for the summer!
This book is for everyone who needs a little pick me up. And don't we all? Filled with illuminations and short observations on wide ranging topics - from gardening and pawn shops to cafes and libraries - Gay finds small fissures that let in the light. Quotable and joyful, this book is a true delight!
If you're like me, you need guidance in life. And looking to Toni Morrison - in this case through a collection of essays, speeches and private thoughts put to the page - seems a reasonable place to start. Offering an intellectual and heartfelt perspective, Morrison gives solace and empowerment to the reader. An excellent and relevant addition to any thinker's library.
Colorado stories told with a distinctly feminine voice, from the Northside and Westside neighborhoods of Denver across the entire 20th century. Latina and indigenous sisters, mothers, aunties and anonymous women who struggle to be heard, want to be seen, must be loved. It's the story of two Denvers, at times resentful but always in gratitude for those who came before. I absolutely devoured this book!
Art imitates life imitates art, over and over again in this masterpiece of literary fiction. Luiselli brings to the page a story of many journeys, many origins, many books. Seamlessly, in a powerful novel about family and country, she tackles current events with grace and reality. I don't know how she pulled it off in advance, but this is the book to read of 2019.
A true classic; more than 20 years old and hasn't aged a day! What an adventure for the Beaudelaire siblings and their long lost, nefarious relatives. Full of excellent vocabulary. A treat to read aloud!
What do we do with the ideals and energy of youth? A timeless question considered and answered by several generations in this debut novel set on the western slope of Colorado. Among the high desert mesas, a family's legacy will be decided. Personal paths blazed. And some will leave the idealism of a grand landscape behind. Perfect fodder for a summer of escape!
Did you love Million Little Pieces? I did. And I felt bad for the public shame fest that clouded James Frey's reputation. He can write. Like fire. And if you want the rest of the story, you should read this book!
We LOVED this book for a family read aloud! You'll learn new things and be amazed by one very special bear who inspired the world during an otherwise dark time in history. Wonderful themes of empathy, difference and joy. A+
A life reflected in the many variations of a Colorado blue sky, this memoir comes from an understudy of Lucia Berlin and University of Colorado professor. From the ache of companionship to the searing reality of wildfire, Auvinen's themes illuminate mountain living to readers everywhere.
I love, I love, I love this book! A powerful and moving memoir illuminates the perils and passions of everyday life, how certain instances, conditions and scrapes with risk shape desire, personality, peace. Exquisitely written and concise. Perfect for literary book clubs and lone readers ready for a book to touch their soul.
It reads like Kent Haruf in England! This novel about longing, desire and the bittersweet gratitude of surviving draws on voices of two lifelong friends. A quiet and sparse narrative with emotional depth and intimacy that stays with you. For fans of Carver's Cathedral or Petterson's Out Stealing Horses - beautiful writing and characters!
A moving and contemporary love triangle imagined by one of the most eloquent writers of our time. Tayari Jones set out to write a story about social justice, but ends up with a breathtaking and personal solution to the heartbreak. I loved this book!
Our southern border has drawn much commentary, but I haven't heard about the complexities from someone so entwined as Fransico Cantu. A student of international relations, a border patrol agent and an accomplished writer, Cantu recounts his time growing up and working, literally, on the border. Illuminated by contemporary philosophy and the power of history, this book is an important addition to the canon.
Here's a rollicking, laugh-out-loud tragicomedy that is perfect for summer reading!
If you liked Thomas Pynchon's "Inherent Vice", or Jonathan Topper's "This is Where I Leave You," you will love Anthony Tambakis' debut about a unlucky-in-love-and-in-life main character who holds onto your heart long after the final page.
This is a great discussion book premise - what would you do with your life if you knew the date you would die? Four siblings' stories play out in this portrait of a family transformed by one visit to a psychic in the sixties. Full of American cultural references and the perspective of decades, this is a great novel for fans of Jonathan Franzen and Celeste Ng.
For fans of social justice memoirs and those who don't buy the myth of the American Dream. Gritty and raw, this book shines with a mother's unrelenting love for her daughter and belief that she deserves a better life.
My first nomination for the Caldecott Medal this year! This touching portrayal of an inventive child's bad day unites human emotions with finely drawn creatures of land, sea and sky. The result puts words to the self-care and resilience that children nurture for themselves. A beautiful and important book.
A novel told in letters. Or actually, a lot of emails, which shed light on our modern ways of coping with the timeless struggles of love and loss. If you liked The Rosie Project or Me Before You, try When You Read This!
We LOVED this book for a family read aloud! You'll learn new things and be amazed by one very special bear who inspired the world during an otherwise dark time in history. Wonderful themes of empathy, difference and joy. A_+
One of the best books ever! This is a fast-paced story of underdogs upsetting the apple cart, going on adventures and learning that being flawed is far better than chasing perfection.
The absolute perfect introduction to the history of Vail for all ages! Large historical photographs compliment the simple verse style in this biography of Pete Seibert, the 10th Mountain Division and the founding of our home ski hill. A great family read-aloud!
I love the mountains and well written memoirs, so this book spoke to me from the first page. You know Pam from "Cowboys are my Weakness" but she's all grown up now - writing about the landscape as much as herself. Redemptive and empowering writing. A true western classic!
When I started this book, I wasn't sure Zusak could do it again. But let me assure you he has. Five brothers, contemporary Australia, a bit of horse racing and plenty of horse play make for an epic adventure. But the by each boy to uncover the passionate artists their parents once were makes this story Homeric. Outstanding as a book can be!
If you want to have an adventure to England and laugh with the queen, this is a perfect book for you. We love Mac as an author, but now he is in the story and man, it is funny! Perfect for kids who love Dog Man!
This book is great! Informative without being too dense, and true to history without the ideology. Beschloss' compelling storytelling about wartime chief executives from 1812 to Vietnam is awesome for students and history buffs alike.
The absolute perfect introduction to the history of Vail for all ages! Large historical photographs compliment the simple verse style in this biography of Pete Seibert, the 10th Mountain Division and the founding of our home ski hill. A great family read-aloud!
Diana Henry is a foodie's best friend. Through storytelling and innovation, she builds 25 mouth-watering menus for complete, seasonal meals. She takes care of every detail while keeping it simple - providing recipes for appetizers, sides, mains and dessert packaged together in an easy-to-navigate and gorgeous format. Just feel the cover and you can't resist this cookbook!
This book has it all! A literary mystery with gorgeous nature writing and amazing empathy and heart. You won't want the chapters to end once you've met Kya Clark, Jumpin' and the North Carolina coastal marsh.
Did you love Million Little Pieces? I did. And I felt bad for the public shame fest that clouded James Frey's reputation. He can write. Like fire. And if you want the rest of the story, you should read this book!
This is an amazing book for animal lovers of all ages, but especially for curious kids trying to figure out their compassionate place in our natural world. From the author of the best selling book for adults, The Soul of an Octopus, this memoir is told through the stories of 13 animals that changed the author's life. Two thumbs up!
This book is the proof that cuddling up with a good book on a cold day is good for the soul. The characters are quirky. The setting is old-fashioned. There are movies and lost loves and an impeccable use of the English language. A great book for readers who want to get cozy and escape to simpler times!
The adventures continue for Rosie, Iggy and Ada in this new chapter book series from Andrea Beaty. They're STEM smart already, and now these intrepid second-graders begin to learn about history and activism from their irreverent grandmothers. Lovely and fun!
Kate DiCamillo explodes my heart. It's just true. Kids and grown ups will relate to the simple story of being lost - and found - when you're least expecting it. I was overjoyed to spend another day with Louisiana, who stole the show in Raymie Nightingale and continues to teach us how forgiveness can heal even the most impossible wounds. Five stars!
What a great book for anyone who convenes with others! If you're a hostess, a mother of the bride, a meeting planner, an executive director, a fundraiser, or a social being of any kind, read this book so you'll never host a boring party again.
Fans of domestic drama and psychological fiction will love the newest novel by the author of The Paper Chase. Just think of putting the characters from Fates and Furies in the therapist's office and the reader is a fly on the wall. Delicious!
This is a spectacular and important volume from the team behind Architectural Digest and Bon Appetit magazines. It's a thoughtful consideration of land stewardship, design excellence and the future of environmentally friendly luxury. Beautiful photography and language tell the story of Knapp Ranch, from its geologic origins to its contemporary uses. A must for lovers of art books by John Fielder and Ralph Lauren.
Love this book! One of the best and most surprising memoirs in years. An important book for readers of the American West, coming of age, and self discovery. Tara Westover is a fierce little sister with a redemptive story to tell.
If you liked Hillbilly Elegy, this book from journalist Sarah Smarsh will be of interest. Certainly a memoir, it explains the experiences of millions of Gen Xers brought up in the Midwest.
I don't normally read graphic novels but this one spoke to me. Light hearted and on-point with moving illustrations. If you know a small business owner (or are one yourself), this is an insightful treasure to consider!
If you like to laugh super hard then read this series out loud with your kid! It's about how Andy and Terry get to know each other, the adventures they have together, and one dependable set of emergency inflatable underpants. Silas says it's an A+
A fun rom-com by local artist and author Leigh Ann Van Fossan! The story of an artist who leaves her successful life in Manhattan for a break in an idyllic Colorado town turns out to be more revealing that it seems. A breezy book for the pool side or the beach!
Wow! Lauren Groff can write. Linked short stories set in the sunshine state, each jumps off the page. Relevant, thought provoking, contemporary and well written. My perfect summer reading!
My son Silas is basically Calvin. This could be one reason why we don't have babysitters much. But we do love to read, and these classic, Midwest comics are good clean fun.
This is take-your-breath-away talent from debut novelist Stephen Markley. "Ohio" is a literary "Hillbilly Elegy" and a hillbilly "Little Life." For anyone who left their hometown and doesn't feel bad about not going back, it absolutely delivers! Full of buried secrets, "Ohio" asks us why we don't go back, how we decide what to do when we go back, and who we are because of, or in spite of, the circumstances of upbringing. Markley's sentences are powerful, compelling the reader to empathize with the lives of a disparate group of friends ten years past high school in a post 9/11 Midwestern town. With occasional authorial intrusion, Markley brings the humanity of combat, addiction, dead end job options, self hood and mediocre choices to breathtaking conclusions. You won't be able to stop thinking about Ohio, no matter where you're from!
Bridget Jones and Gloria Steinem walk on to a college campus. The rest is history in this smart, winding and literary novel that gives a nod to our political climate without going off the deep end. Perfect for feminist readers who still need a little spice in their lives.
What do we do with the ideals and energy of youth? A timeless question considered and answered by several generations in this debut novel set on the western slope of Colorado. Among the high desert mesas, a family's legacy will be decided. Personal paths blazed. And some will leave the idealism of a grand landscape behind. Perfect fodder for a summer of escape!
The train wreck is nasty as ever. And not only could I not look away, I was mesmerized by the complexity of the drama through such simple terms. The author - a staff writer for the New Yorker - sets the journalistic stories that have made her career against her own tragic narrative. This is a story of how we change when the the world seems to conspire against us, and how we find hope after the jarring fall. Excellent!
The train wreck is nasty as ever. And not only could I not look away, I was mesmerized by the complexity of the drama through such simple terms. The author - a staff writer for the New Yorker - sets the journalistic stories that have made her career against her own tragic narrative. This is a story of how we change when the the world seems to conspire against us, and how we find hope after the jarring fall. Excellent!
There is a lot in this slim novel! Kunzru cuts to the bone with a duo of contemporary hipsters obsessed with black music but disassociated with its true roots. A genre-bending story (coming-of-age, mystery, magical realism) about sound, silence, attribution and memory. A quick, literary read with lasting impact.
My favorite book of the year! Hamid is an accomplished novelist who can put everything I care about into 200 pages - coming-of-age, travel, race, religion, politics, love. Two young people in an unnamed city must learn to survive when it comes under attack. When they discover portals to transport them, their identities and relationships are challenged. What happens to love in a world where individuals are at war? Exit West is perfect for fans of Dog Stars and Station Eleven.
I am so glad to have Lucy Barton back in my life! Grounded in her signature style and setting, Elizabeth Strout takes us even deeper into the lives and relationships of a small Midwestern town. Love, love, love these characters!
I love, I love, I love this book! A powerful and moving memoir illuminates the perils and passions of everyday life, how certain instances, conditions and scrapes with risk shape desire, personality, peace. Exquisitely written and concise. Perfect for literary book clubs and lone readers ready for a book to touch their soul.
Dave Eggers again brings perspective to our world through the eyes of an American immigrant (as he did in "What is the What?" and "Zeitoun.") Exposing the intensity on the ground in Yemen alongside one man's personal quest to include his homeland in the third-wave coffee revolution, this book highlights how precarious our relationship with craft coffee really is. Fascinating and highly readable!
Great for fans of Junot Diaz' "Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao." Strong imagery and realistic portrayal of growing up young and other in America. A great mix of urban and literary makes this novel one of the best this year!
The fourth trimester is thought of as a time soaked in breast milk and excrement, which it is, among other things. This book is an intellectual's attempt at understanding the grief and change that new motherhood drops in her lap. An excellent read for those who don't fit in to the cult of contemporary parenting.
Jessie Ball has a way of really turning the form of a novel on it's head. A story intended to bring empathy to the author's own reckoning, this book asks quiet questions about the gift of time and the ability for families to really know one another.
What would be exciting in life if you lived 400 years? What would get you going in the morning? Here is an entertaining exploration of centuries-long living, from Victorian England to the present. What a fun book!
A life reflected in the many variations of a Colorado blue sky, this memoir comes from an understudy of Lucia Berlin and University of Colorado professor. From the ache of companionship to the searing reality of wildfire, Auvinen's themes illuminate mountain living to readers everywhere.
As unsettling as you've heard it is. This strange little book kept me reading til the end. The absent husband and his curious wife who can't seem to be honest with her mother-in-law, or herself... Another one I couldn't look away from!
Peter Heller tackles the techniques of mystery head on in his novel about a female private eye who is modeled on his own mother. Told with the direct description and narrative precision he is known for, this book should reach wider audiences interested in a page-turning summer read.
Elif Batuman is a Jonathan Franzen for Gen X women. Relatable, dishy and with a cultural complexity common in college and scarce off campus, this novel scores on entertainment and sentiment for a time at the dawn of email.
Contemporary family drama told with the lense of a collective narrator. Light enough for holiday reading, with depth enough for the literary reader.
This is a masterpiece! A direct and forceful narrative, a translation smooth and peaceful as the quiet narrator himself, this book takes the reader on a days-long search for the past and the present in modern day Bogat. A prominent political cartoonist is shaken when a forgotten uncertainty from the past resurfaces. Full of plot and careful style, the novel is a psychological study of what we believe makes us who we are. Five stars!
This is the kind of book I love - concise narrative of transformation and strong personalities, set in a moment of time in a particular place. Here we have Texas, just after the Civil War, and a pressman with a mission to return a missing girl to her civilized roots. The perfect four-hour read by a masterful writer!
Well-told, seamless slave narrative that forces the reader to continously examine our present as a reflection of the past. The story's main character is Cora, a girl and then woman who never gives up the fantasy or reality of freedom. It's tone is curt and frank, with economical and vivid writing.
Get out the family tree and listen with rapt ears to the multi-generational stories of marital power and familial love that weave tribal African life and British colonialism with the American slave narrative. I love that every chapter moves through a new generation to reveal even more about the past. An awesome book club book!
Not normally an author I lean toward, Brene Brown has mastered the art of bringing our inner lives out into the open. Coaxing the reader to be curious about the emotions they experience, she then urges men and women to explore how those emotions influence their interactions, their story, their view of the world. Inspiring and easy to read!
This is the one I read first after Winter Institute. I was taken by the tiny cast of characters and their very small world, how it all could be so alarming and brief. Strong writing, forceful and violent backdrop, a statement about masculinity, fatherhood, forgiveness, and the trauma we inflict on the ones we love the most.
The title is perfect - this is a frightening, short book in the form of a conversation between a mother and a son recalling an environmental poisoning and its after effects. Set in South America, the telling is circuitous and creepy. I love novels in translation that bend language on purpose. If you liked "Story of My Teeth," then try this!
Fast-paced and slightly distopian, this inventive novel imagines a notion that four states in America have never outlawed slavery. Now corporate interests, technology and geo-political tensions shape the economy and culture of the so-called United States. Part spy novel, part social commentary, this book is for readers of Neal Stephenson, Emily St. John Mandel and Colson Whitehead."
This is a great discussion book premise - what would you do with your life if you knew the date you would die? Four siblings' stories play out in this portrait of a family transformed by one visit to a psychic in the sixties. Full of American cultural references and the perspective of decades, this is a great novel for fans of Jonathan Franzen and Celeste Ng.
It reads like Kent Haruf in England! This novel about longing, desire and the bittersweet gratitude of surviving draws on voices of two lifelong friends. A quiet and sparse narrative with emotional depth and intimacy that stays with you. For fans of Carver's Cathedral or Petterson's Out Stealing Horses - beautiful writing and characters!
A moving and contemporary love triangle imagined by one of the most eloquent writers of our time. Tayari Jones set out to write a story about social justice, but ends up with a breathtaking and personal solution to the heartbreak. I loved this book!
You can hear a bluesy ballad while reading this novel, set against the rugged western ranges of Northern Nevada. Willy Vlautin tells a coming-of-age tale with hints of Kent Haruf and CJ Box. Check out the Richmond Fontaine soundtrack that accompanies the book!
Our southern border has drawn much commentary, but I haven't heard about the complexities from someone so entwined as Fransico Cantu. A student of international relations, a border patrol agent and an accomplished writer, Cantu recounts his time growing up and working, literally, on the border. Illuminated by contemporary philosophy and the power of history, this book is an important addition to the canon.
It's a narrative feat to bring to life on the page nature, politics and some wolf-crazy scientists. But Nate Blakeslee did it. This book is full of heart-pounding adventure and beauty, and it does an excellent job of telling a conscise story about the long history of wolves in the wild.Totally readable and unexpectedly beautiful.
Set against the backdrop of unrelenting poverty in the American South, this novel is part coming-of-age and part ghost story. Gorgeous language and harsh conditions for 13-year-old Jojo and his extended family give the reader a story you can't forget.
Moments of soaring grace and quiet introspection surface amidst the terror and violence of modern Kashmir. Roy accomplishes a feat of storytelling by mixing sectarianism and humanity onto every page. Playful language keeps the reader honest - it is just a story after all. Worth the read!
Two biographical essays written 30 years apart became this cogent and questioning memoir of lives observed by a child and delivered by an accomplished novelist. I loved this book for what it doesn't know, what it's not willing to assume. Great for readers who've found themselves sandwiched between generations.
"Step into the hearts and minds of students,
A coming-of-age novel with moments that both outrage and lull the reader with issues of race, privilege and identity. Some characters are complex and can't seem to get it together, while others are calmly oblivious to the changing world around them. Easy and entertaining!
This debut novel contrasts the sultry backdrop of Brazil with contemporary London. A successful physician must come to terms with his coming-of-age, full of secrets and conflicts between class and race. A great read for fans of Lisa See, Cristina Henriquez or Gabriel Vasquez.
Excellent narrative, disguised as a story but full of deep research of the housing crisis. This is an excellent book club book, and the one we chose to launch our local women's activist book club for Eagle County!
Great suspense and focused story of a youthful con artist with a twisted narrative that looks back in time. Super fun beach read for those who want to escape!
Here's a rollicking, laugh-out-loud tragicomedy that is perfect for summer reading! If you liked Thomas Pynchon's "Inherent Vice", or Jonathan Topper's "This is Where I Leave You," you will love Anthony Tambakis' debut about a unlucky-in-love-and-in-life main character who holds onto your heart long after the final page.
Favorite book of the year so far!
