What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? Please share! We’d love to know.
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FINISHED:
Partita by Barbara Kingsolver (pub date 10/6)—Music drives this book as well as the character of Livia. With chapter headings like Interlude, Partita, Overture, Fugue… I’m sure you get the sense of how important the music is to the foundation and the propulsion of this story. As we have come to expect from a Kingsolver book not all is happy and the roots of lost hope run deep in Livia’s family. It’s a book that takes off slowly, heavily influenced by Livia’s immersion in her music and her love of Bach. Once I engaged with the characters I knew I would be riveted to the end.
THEY CALLED ME A LIONESS: A Palestinian Girl’s Fight for Freedom by Ahed Tamimi and Dena Takruri, read by Dena Takruri—this is an excellent intro to the Israel vs Palestine conflict through the eyes of a young Palestinian woman raised to be an activist. I learned a number of things from this intimate account. 
Few and Far Between by Jan Carson—a tale of lit/spec/climate fiction set in an archipelago of islands in Lough Neagh, northern Ireland. RJ Connolly, an anthropologist, was sent to the island and became its defacto leader. Now 50 years later with the Troubles quieted, most of the inhabitants have moved back to the mainland but RJ’s two unmarried adult children Marion and Robert-John remain with a few others. In a climate conscious world the islands and the surrounding area are suffering so the government decides to remove the population and refill the Lough. Alex, a young anthropologist, returns to the island of her childhood with hopes of studying it before it disappears.
NOW READING:
KIN by Tayari Jones—
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I just finished THE STORY BAKER by Carsten Henn. It was a delightful read that you won’t want to read if you are hungry. 
I am currently reading SYCAMORE ROW by John Grisham for my book club.
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Hi Readers, I read Joyride by Susan Orlean. Orlean has been a New Yorker writer for over 20 years and written the books Orchard Thief and my favorite The Library Book. This was an interesting memoir in that she used her writings as the touchstone for her life.
For a reading challenge, I also read London Falling by Partick Radden Keefe. What a remarkable book. It is a nonfiction book about a young man (19) who is impressed by the oligarchs in London and pretends to be one to enter their lush world with bad results. But it is so much more, with learning about the evolution of London that made it possible for a Russian population to live and kill without consequences and the difficulty of being a parent to older teens and young adults. After I read it, I realized he too is a New Yorker writer for over 20 years!
If like nonfiction or know a reader who does these are solid books, especially London Falling.
Happy Reading
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I read Land & Its People by David Sedaris–laughed out loud in places, cringed in other essays–and Alice Hoffman’s collection, Best Dog in the World (spoiler alert: more dogs died than I had been led to believe). Now I’m racing through the third book in the Martini Club series by Tess Gerritsen, Shadow Friends.
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I’m reading The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong (loving it so far–much more than I thought I would b/c I found On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous a little rough), and just started Virginia Evans’s The Correspondent (suspending judgement until I finish it. . . )
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I finished IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME me by Alex Finlay, which wasn’t very good. I’m now reading THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING by Lisa Scoottoline, which isn’t good so far.
Dee - I also enjoyed Orlean’s The Library Book and I have been meaning to pick up Joyride. I recently finished London Falling as well. I kept hearing excellent reviews of Keefe’s earlier book, Empire of Pain but have not read it yet.
I’m currently reading two memoirs:
The Light of the World by Elizabeth Alexander - I confess that I heard Ann Patchett mention this backlist publication in reference to Alexander’s upcoming publication (Signals Across Vast Distances). The Light of the World covers the sudden death of Alexander’s husband (at age 50) and I’m just at the point when she’s facing that devastating situation.
Journey of a Thousand Miles by Lang Lang and David Ritz - Lang Lang is a concert pianist (although like Yo Yo Ma, he has found ways to successfully collaborate and perform other music genres). I picked up this book at a library sale and I’m motivated to read it now because I’ll hear him in concert next month.
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ave Diane_Jones
I also would like to read Empire of Pain, but for right now, I need a break from nonfiction. But I will be back! Glad to hear you liked London Falling and The Library book.
Lucky you to see Lang Lang in an upcoming concert..Enjoy!
I finished Theo of Golden this week for my school book club and I loved it; tragically, a couple of members objected vehemently to the religious themes in the book (and I chose it, so they may not take my recommendations anymore. It was such a nice story about altruism and family.
Now, I am reading Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke, which our book club leader recommended. It is way beyond my comfort zone, but, to be fair, it is still coming together and the multiple timelines make it difficult to determine how it will end.
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I am bouncing around between books but have spent the most time listening to The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei. This sci-fiction book and several of Kitasei’s others have been on my Kindle shelf waiting to be read. It is a diverting read with some unusual characters and a time-critical task at hand. It is an entertaining escape from the here and now.
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Currently actively reading “One Night Two Souls Went Walking” by Ellen Cooney and “Erotic Stories For Punjabi Widows” by Balli Jaswal. Two totally different themes and I am enjoying the both of them. And yes, I am still plodding through “John of John.” It seems slow and most depressing. I realize it was an Ophra’s pick but I am finding it a hard read. What do others think of this book. Is it worth my effort or not???
The religious tone of Theo of Golden is the main criticism I have heard about the book. However, I think one of the beauties of a book group is to be exposed to different types of books so it would be a pity if your counterparts didn’t consider your recommendations in the future. Variety makes life spicy and interesting.
Thank you for your feedback. So, in a group of 7, 4 loved it and 3 hated it. The religious undertones were a part of it, but our leader questioned Levi’s ability to write women as multi-dimensional people. It ended up being a pretty vibrant discussion.
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@Anne_Glasgow, I aspire to read as many books in a week’s time as you do!
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Oh gosh, good to know about Hoffman’s book, glad you gave us a heads-up. I’m just not good with books mentioning loss of furry family members.
I’m happy for you that you are racing through a book – I wish more were like that! I love a good page-turner! (I’m bookmarking that series on my library’s site right now…)
Here’s to hoping that book gets better and/or the next you read is fantastic!
You probably have a much richer life than I do @Lisa_B3. That being said I’m really grateful for all the books that keep me company.
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This makes me more interested now in Theo of Golden. I’m wondering what in the book specifically is causing the objections.
I’m curious as to what your comfort zone is, you seem to read widely! Is it a specific genre?
(My apologies if this seems nosy – I’m just always curious what other people like to read. My comfort zone tends to be for me to stick with informative nonfiction and cozier reads, nothing explicit, and no romantasy, or some “women’s” fiction. I am trying to stretch my picks a bit, especially after reading a western and being pleasantly surprised by it!)
P.S. My membership ends this weekend, so if I don’t hear back from you by then, I wish you happy reading.
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