Read This Instead

Bookish suggestions for dealing with the Writers and Actors strikes.

It is clear now that the writers and actors strikes will drag on long enough to impact the fall tv schedule. This got me thinking of read-alike books for shows that are no longer in production. After some research, here are some suggestions:

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I love built-in bookcases and this Vermont home has them in droves. Click here to see all the clever places where there is space for books in this cottage (including the bathroom).

Bookish News and Links

• There is still time to get some beach reading in and I am intrigued by some of these beachy suspense and thriller titles.

• I was happy to see this is welcome news for the family of Henrietta Lacks. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a fascinating read if you missed it when it came out back in 2011.

• Oliver Burkman always provides great perspectives and I enjoyed his essay on treating our to-read list as a river and not a bucket.

To return to information overload: this means treating your "to read" pile like a river (a stream that flows past you, and from which you pluck a few choice items, here and there) instead of a bucket (which demands that you empty it).

• The saddest moment of my summer was waking up on August 8th to see the town of Lahaina in ashes. Since then, the news has only gotten worse. One of my favorite bookish follows, Jane Mount, a Maui resident, created a print (all proceeds go to charity) with titles of books celebrating Hawaii. See her post below for book titles and the charities she is supporting.

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Jane Mount on Instagram: “my dear friends, thanks to you all we’ve raised over $2,500 for Maui wildfire relief, from the profits of all sales in the @idealbookshelf shop through today, THANK YOU!!!! ❤️❤️❤️
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all revenue from sales of this Hawai’i print will continue to be donated, and I will divide the current funds between the Maui Humane Society (they estimate about 3,000 pets are missing in the Lahaina area and are working so hard to rescue and reunite ❤️) and the Maui Strong Fund of the Hawai’i Community Foundation.
❤️🌈❤️ https://www.idealbookshelf.com/products/ideal-bookshelf-1274-hawaii”

August 21, 2023

Recent Reads

I was surprised to see The Postcard listed on Anne Bogel’s Summer Reading Guide. A World War 2 novel? Is this the season for it? But when I found an audio version, I gave it a try and I am so glad I did. This is an amazing story. Though not a light summer read, it is compelling nonetheless. The author deep dives into part of her family that was killed in the holocaust. Set primarily in France, she traces her family from their origins in Russia, an escape to Palestine, and then to France. Through research and conversations with her mom, she brings to life family members she has never met. Though categorized as fiction, Berest is placing herself into the lives of real family members. She is able to capture the intergenerational trauma and identity issues so many European Jews live with. What makes this book stand out is that it doesn’t try to wring emotion out of the reader, but matter of factly describes events. The almost professional tone only serves to highlight the depravity visited upon so many. This is a beautifully written story that deserves to be told - it's brutal and beautiful. I loved it.

I struggle with Riley Sager; I get drawn in by her descriptions but then feel let down by the execution. I wasn’t even going to try The Only One Left but it was available and the set up sounded intriguing. This turned out to be a fun read for me. She drew me in from the start, creating a creepy and evocative setting, and delivered on the plot and story pacing. Kit has not done much with her life and gets by as a caregiver. When something goes wrong with a patient she is suspended for six months. This book starts with her trying to get back in the good graces of her employer while he is trying to goad her into quitting. Kit takes a position with a woman accused of killing her family. Based very loosely on Lizzy Borden, Lenora is paralyzed from a stroke and needs help with basic care. How can she be a danger to anyone? As Kit takes up residence at the dilapidated and crumbling estate, she gets drawn into the past and begins to investigate what really happened on that infamous night. I do love isolated country home mysteries and this fits the bill.

This may be my surprise favorite of the summer. The Island is a sweeping historical novel set in the mid 20th century on the Greek Island of Crete and nearby Spinalonga. Spinalonga is an island that was used as a leper colony. The book begins with a young woman visiting Plaka, the small town where her mother grew up and refuses to talk about. Going back in time, the story reveals a place impacted by both history and disease. Hislop portrays both the perspective of the Lepers in Spinalonga and of those left behind. There is a period of time where Crete is taken over by Germany but this is not a WW2 novel. It is a sweeping family story about loyalty, tradition and self-sacrifice. I loved both the setting and the characters and there are many beautifully rendered scenes that took my breath away. This book took me by surprise in the best way.

Killers of a Certain Age has been laying around my home for almost a year! I have no idea what I was waiting for but I picked it up this past week and flew through it. I know why I saw it everywhere last summer -this book is such a fun ride. This thriller is fast paced and clever - a Jason Bourne type novel reimagined. Four women who have worked as assassins for forty years are retiring and, as a gift, they are sent on a luxurious cruise by their employer. While on the cruise, they realize they have now been targeted for elimination. This sets off a fun and page turning story as they travel around the world trying to stay alive and figure out what is behind their change in fortune. I do have a soft spot for older protagonists in mysteries and thrillers and this was perfect. I would love to see this become a series and it would most definitely make a great movie.

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