Favorite novel of recent years: All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr. Beautiful and powerful, threaded throughout with the mesmerizing notes of Claude Debussy's Clair de Lune, I couldn't stop thinking on the story for months after finishing it.
Currently about to begin The Vanishing Half, by Brit Bennett after she was featured on PBS Newshour's art and culture segment.
I highly recommend the Armand Gamache series by Louise Penny. The first book is called "Still Life", and the books just get better and better as they go. There are currently 16 in the series.
The House in the Cerulean Sea, by TJ Klune. Beautiful, fun, a little fantastical, with my favorite theme of finding where you belong. It was also the first book I've read with two men falling in love - I'm enlarging my mind. Read this one!
I'll recommend a book that I haven't read yet, but I think will be a new favorite! The Book of Delights by Ross Gay. In an interview about the book, Gay said "The more you study delight, the more delight there is to study… I felt my life to be more full of delight. Not without sorrow or fear or pain or loss. But more full of delight.” And that sentiment sounds... well, delightful. He's also a gardener!
I don’t have a recommendation right now but wow I am grateful for you. This letter spoke directly to my heart - and my tummy - we have a great bagel bakery here in Raleigh!! Thank you
Oh my word. Thank you for this. More tears after yesterday’s tears. Optimistic but not hopeful...I am going to have to think about that. I am kind of a Debbie Downer...okay, not kind of. My default especially after the last two week is anger, not optimism or hope and yet I just finished a zoom conversation that asked, specifically regarding my state, what gives me hope. Hard to answer. Best I could do was that so much has been exposed I hope there is a renewed willingness to have hard conversations.
Ack! Favorite novel of all time? It stresses me out to try to decide! I asked myself what would I take to a desert island if only allowed one novel. Maybe *The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe*? Stressing. And you've read that, I'm sure.
Have you ever read Circe by Madeline Miller? It is so unique and thought provoking. I just finished The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd. I loved it. I loved thinking of Jesus as a married man. It makes sense that to be fully human, one would have to experience the most human of things...love.
Some of my favourites (with apologies - I tend toward the melancholy): Fall on Your Knees, by Ann-Marie MacDonald; The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver: East of Eden - John Steinbeck (as if I have to specify the author! lol); The Shipping News - Annie Proulx; Cutting for Stone - Abraham Verghese; Where White Horses Gallop - Beatrice MacNeil; OOOOH, try The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow by Rita Leganski! I'll stop now.... Happy reading!!
Favorite book, but not new, is Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner. I really like Madame Bovary, also. But oh, my. I tried to share today's blog on FB and now I am locked out. Something easy has turned into a mess.
The striking contrast in Bernie and Miss Gorman shouts to what we have felt and where our hope begins; not just in posture and movements (which you so beautifully described) but in colors, textures, expressions. I will imagine her words will begin to change all our “ pictures” maybe like that of a darkroom process. For me, i find wonder and comfort in how you share your world. Thank you. I will 2nd “All the Light We Cannot See” and add This Tender Land.
Transcendent Kingdom was one of my favorite novels I read last year - just a magnificent work of fiction.
I recently finished Even As We Breathe by Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, which is also magnificent. It's the first novel published by an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation, and has some historical fiction, some suspense, and some seriously gorgeous prose.
I’m reading a beautiful book, “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Such beautiful language - almost poetic.
Favorite novel of recent years: All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr. Beautiful and powerful, threaded throughout with the mesmerizing notes of Claude Debussy's Clair de Lune, I couldn't stop thinking on the story for months after finishing it.
Currently about to begin The Vanishing Half, by Brit Bennett after she was featured on PBS Newshour's art and culture segment.
I highly recommend the Armand Gamache series by Louise Penny. The first book is called "Still Life", and the books just get better and better as they go. There are currently 16 in the series.
Steinbeck....
The House in the Cerulean Sea, by TJ Klune. Beautiful, fun, a little fantastical, with my favorite theme of finding where you belong. It was also the first book I've read with two men falling in love - I'm enlarging my mind. Read this one!
I'll recommend a book that I haven't read yet, but I think will be a new favorite! The Book of Delights by Ross Gay. In an interview about the book, Gay said "The more you study delight, the more delight there is to study… I felt my life to be more full of delight. Not without sorrow or fear or pain or loss. But more full of delight.” And that sentiment sounds... well, delightful. He's also a gardener!
I don’t have a recommendation right now but wow I am grateful for you. This letter spoke directly to my heart - and my tummy - we have a great bagel bakery here in Raleigh!! Thank you
My favorite novel from 2020 was A People’s History of Heaven by Mathangi Subramanian.
Some of my all times ones would be Good Omens and Everything I Never Told You.
I loved The Night Tiger by yangsze choo. It's set in Malaysia in the 30's and is beautifully written. The story really pulled me in.
Oh my word. Thank you for this. More tears after yesterday’s tears. Optimistic but not hopeful...I am going to have to think about that. I am kind of a Debbie Downer...okay, not kind of. My default especially after the last two week is anger, not optimism or hope and yet I just finished a zoom conversation that asked, specifically regarding my state, what gives me hope. Hard to answer. Best I could do was that so much has been exposed I hope there is a renewed willingness to have hard conversations.
Ack! Favorite novel of all time? It stresses me out to try to decide! I asked myself what would I take to a desert island if only allowed one novel. Maybe *The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe*? Stressing. And you've read that, I'm sure.
Have you ever read Circe by Madeline Miller? It is so unique and thought provoking. I just finished The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd. I loved it. I loved thinking of Jesus as a married man. It makes sense that to be fully human, one would have to experience the most human of things...love.
Some of my favourites (with apologies - I tend toward the melancholy): Fall on Your Knees, by Ann-Marie MacDonald; The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver: East of Eden - John Steinbeck (as if I have to specify the author! lol); The Shipping News - Annie Proulx; Cutting for Stone - Abraham Verghese; Where White Horses Gallop - Beatrice MacNeil; OOOOH, try The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow by Rita Leganski! I'll stop now.... Happy reading!!
Favorite book, but not new, is Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner. I really like Madame Bovary, also. But oh, my. I tried to share today's blog on FB and now I am locked out. Something easy has turned into a mess.
The striking contrast in Bernie and Miss Gorman shouts to what we have felt and where our hope begins; not just in posture and movements (which you so beautifully described) but in colors, textures, expressions. I will imagine her words will begin to change all our “ pictures” maybe like that of a darkroom process. For me, i find wonder and comfort in how you share your world. Thank you. I will 2nd “All the Light We Cannot See” and add This Tender Land.
Transcendent Kingdom was one of my favorite novels I read last year - just a magnificent work of fiction.
I recently finished Even As We Breathe by Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, which is also magnificent. It's the first novel published by an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation, and has some historical fiction, some suspense, and some seriously gorgeous prose.