March Madness
Highlighting some fabulous new books out this month
I usually put my book reviews at the end of the newsletter but the publishing industry is KILLING it in March so I am highlighting four fantastic books that just released in the past two weeks.
Wow, Charlotte McConaghy continues to impress me with consistently strong prose and gorgeous storytelling. This book may be categorized as eco fiction (stories with the climate playing an integral role) but it is so much more. The Salt family (made up of a single dad and his three children) have been living as caretakers on a remote island just off of Antarctica. For various reasons this island was chosen as a location for a world seed bank (a place to keep the viability of many types of seeds in existence). While they have been on this island for years, rising sea levels are now making the island uninhabitable; the family only has a few weeks left until they (and the seeds) are removed from the island. Then, after a particularly brutal storm, they find a woman injured and floating in the water. As they nurse her back to health, we learn from her (Rowan), Dom, and the children that there is a lot more going on here. There are secrets being hidden and we are not sure who to trust. So this story is part survival, part mystery, and a story of love and family. This book has everything plus gorgeous prose. It’s one of those pure gems that offers readers both incredibly well conceived characters and an immersive plot that keeps you turning the page. The youngest child, Orly, is absolutely one of my favorite characters ever. Dark, Wild Shore is so cinematic it would make an incredible film.
I devoured this book! It opens with a loose dog that is terrorizing sheep at a neighboring farm. Shortly after, we switch to a courtroom, where we learn a farmer is being prosecuted for murder. The two events are connected but we only learn how as the story unfolds. Broken Country centers around Beth, both as a young girl in love, and as a grieving mother caught in a love triangle. While grief and loss are major themes of the book, so are those of family loyalty and finding meaning in a simple life. Set in 1990s England, this book is engrossing and hard to put down. It reminded me of a current Maeve Binchy or even (dare I say) Where the Crawdads Sing. Broken Country is emotionally resonant and fast paced. The characters are likeable but flawed in realistic ways. I was drawn in wondering what would happen next, staying up late into the night reading, then I cried when it was over.
It is unusual for me to be so bewitched by a nature memoir. Memoirs with a primary “natural world” component are both popular and plentiful right now, but they are not usually something I gravitate towards. This is not the case with Raising Hare, which is absolutely enchanting, riveting, and beautifully written. The author, a professional policy advocate, stays in her rural cottage home during the covid lockdowns and inadvertently rescues an injured leveret, i.e. a baby hare. In the book, she details how she initially keeps it alive and how the hare becomes her companion; a quiet presence in her house. Her observations of its behavior, of the hare’s life, and of the wildlife surrounding her cottage are captivating. Dalton also does some interesting deep dives into the mythology and history of hares, and how they have been overlooked, understudied, and generally ignored. Overall, I found Raising Hare charming, joyful and life affirming. Her closeness to nature is what so many of us feel is missing in our lives and what we wish we could return to. Note: Raising Hare is longlisted for The Women’s Prize for Nonfiction in 2025, and it received 8 Rave reviews on Lit Hub (which I have never seen before.)
The Antidote is a fascinating book that I will have trouble describing in a brief review. Russell constructs an elaborate story that can be described both as historical fiction (set in Nebraska during the Dust Bowl period) and highly speculative. She creates a unique cast of characters, including a “prairie witch”, an orphaned basketball player, her stoic but kind uncle, and a Farm Security Administration photographer. There is a wider cast of characters but I don’t want to overwhelm you or scare you off. She weaves a complex tale entertains but doesn’t confuse. Even though there are elements of magical realism, The Antidote is clearly grounded in our country’s history, particularly as it relates to the expansion into the western territories and the displacement of indigenous residents. It examines how people hold onto memories and reconcile their actions in a very creative way. This would make an excellent book club choice as there is so much to talk about here. I am thinking about reading The Worst Hard Time as a companion read.
Two Longform Articles Worth Reading:
Rethinking my view on The Great Gatsby. I love when I read something that helps me see a book in a new light and this article from Vox certainly did that. I have been “over” Gatsby for decades but this article made me stop and consider a reread. Bravo!
Gatsby has survived this long because of a series of accidents: because a paperback edition fit well into the pockets of soldiers during WWII, because it meshes nicely with the educational goals of the standard 11th-grade English syllabus, because it’s fun to film and stage all those Jazz Age party sequences. But Gatsby makes the best argument for its own continued relevance when we strip those circumstances and accidents away and allow the text, shining as bright as the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock, to show us all what it can do. From Vox
This article about the history of children’s books in the London Review of Books is fascinating and worth your time. Katherine Rundell is one of the most engaging children’s authors writing today. Here she takes the reader through the history and influence of children’s books and why they continue to remain important. She writes “The great discipline of children’s fiction is that it has to be written for everyone: because if it is not for everyone then it’s not for anyone at all.” Rundell’s most recent book, Impossible Creatures, is a Middleburg Books top seller.
Some Really Joyful Bookish Links:
This article from The Guardian about romantic moments in bookshops made me smile. We have already had two engagements at Middleburg Books in the 18 months we have been open!
I love seeing Barbara Kingsolver’s commitment to helping those struggling with addiction in Appalachia.
A charming story about helping readers select their next book. This also reminded me of Susan Orlean’s wonderful The Library Book.
And finally, here are three great lists if you are still wondering what you might read next:
Your reviews of "Wild Dark Shores" and "Wild Hare" have peaked my interest. Thank you.
Thanks for the book recommendations, articles and lists. I will be looking into these during an upcoming trip.