Reflections on submission reading and recent books that have influenced my political perspective
Plus a bookish YA novel and books with terrible endings
Hey, readers!
We’re embarking on the last week of October (where did the time go?!), which means it’s the last week of reading submissions for the Aspen Literary Prize. Truth be told, I’m actually done with the reading part and now comes the reflection and the rounding out of my reviews. Participating in this reading committee has totally transformed my 2020 reading life, and I feel so privileged to have gotten this opportunity. I’m so curious to discover how this experience will influence how I read and respond to literature as time goes on, but for now, I wanted to share some of my biggest takeaways from my Aspen Words reading experience.
There are so many wonderful under-the-radar books out there. I consider myself to be pretty aware of the books that come out every year. I subscribe to publications that discuss upcoming releases and often receive advance reader copies of books from publishers. But I read so many submissions that I had never even heard of as part of this process. Of course I’ve always known that bookstagram and book blogs tend to feature all the same books (because those are the ones getting the marketing dollars) but I was blown away by how many books I loved that I wouldn’t have picked up otherwise. I’m hoping to intentionally seek out lesser-known books in my future reading.
Books that open readers’ eyes to contemporary issues come in all genres. Going into this process, I assumed I’d be exclusively reading heavy literary fiction. There was a lot of literary fiction submitted, but there were also mysteries, horror novels, sci-fi, and comedies. I loved seeing how authors in all genres use their craft to explore essential social issues.
Trends in publishing are very real. I don’t typically read enough new releases a year to notice or be able to comment on many trends. It was really interesting to see how authors are exploring similar themes in different ways, or how similar tones, symbolism, and genre choices pop up across different works.
Electronic reading is much faster than paper book reading. It feels like I can fly through a book on my kindle or computer almost twice as quickly as I do a paper book. Digital reading still isn’t as enjoyable for me and I don’t know that I even like reading books that quickly, but it’s a cool thing to know.
I love short story collections. I am on the record saying that I rarely read short story collections and, if I do pick one up, I usually only read a story or two and then set it aside. Reading through the short story collections submitted for the Aspen Literary Prize showed me that I actually love reading entire collections. I think the reason I never gravitate towards short stories is merely that it’s harder to sell a collection of stories than a novel in a back cover blurb. Now that I know this about myself I’m excited to pick up a few collections that have caught my eye.
I do, in fact, have a reading saturation point. Being in the book blogging world I know there are people who read a lot more books than I do in a single year. After this year, I’m more than okay with that. I have a reading saturation point at which it becomes incredibly difficult to remember books, articulate my thoughts about them, or even want to continue reading. Reading so many books this year is a huge accomplishment, and I’d easily do it again for this kind of opportunity. But I’m never going to be the kind of person who reads 250 books a year for pure pleasure, and that’s fine by me.
This week in books.
This week Michelle read…
The Stranger by Albert Camus. This short, riveting novella really packs a punch. The story opens with the main character, Meursault, dealing with the death of his elderly mother. He then goes on to form a romantic connection with Marie and a friendship with his neighbor, Raymond. When they all take a vacation together, Meursault ends up killing an Arab man on the beach. The remainder of the book focuses on his imprisonment, trial, and sentencing for this crime. I found Meursault’s character to be the most fascinating because he is clearly suffering from a psychological disorder which causes him to have trouble relating to the world and processing emotion. Amazon | Bookshop
Normal People by Sally Rooney. I set aside Earthlings by Sayaka Murata and replaced it with this novel this week. I think that was the wrong choice because the same things that bothered me in Earthlings also bothered me in Normal People. The story follows Marianne and Connell throughout their high school and college years. The nature of their relationship vacillates over this period of time but they are almost always some form of friends or lovers. However, Marianne’s self-image really bothered me in this book and I did not like the way she accepted and even sought out abuse. I know many people loved this book, I may have just read it at the wrong time. Amazon | Bookshop
Michelle set aside…
Earthlings by Sayaka Murata. Like I said above, I set aside Earthlings this week because I was disturbed by the sexual abuse that the main character, Natsuki, faced from her middle school teacher. Natsuki had a hard time understanding that her teacher was acting inappropriately and when she tried to talk to her mother about the situation, she was reprimanded. I found this to be upsetting so I set the book aside for the time being. Amazon | Bookshop
Now Michelle is reading…
Recommended for You by Laura Silverman. Chelsey recommended this one on Novel Pairings’ Anticipated Fall 2020 Reads episode and I’m loving it so far! Shoshanna Greenberg is a high school student working at her local independent bookstore to make extra money during the holidays. When her manager announces a book selling competition between employees, Shoshanna is sure she can win the $250 prize and fix her beloved old car. However, the new employee, Jake, who doesn’t even read is giving her a run for her money. This novel has been described as To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before meets You’ve Got Mail and I agree it’s a wonderful refresh of these two romantic comedies. Amazon | Bookshop
The Meursault Investigation by Kamel Daoud. A follow-up to Camus’ The Stranger, The Meursault Investigation is told from the perspective of the murdered Arab man’s brother. The narrator tells his own story and his brother’s while also looking at Arab identity and the disastrous effects of colonialism in Algeria. Amazon | Bookshop
6 new(ish) books that have influenced my political understanding of the world.
Today’s recommendations are heavily influenced by two other book lists I’ve loved recently: What Should I Read Next’s episode with the ladies of Pantsuit Politics and the Aspen Words’ list of books to read to become an informed voter. Initially I thought I’d recommend books to read in the lead up to the election, but I can hardly predict what I’m going to need in the next week, let alone where other readers are going to be emotionally. So instead I’m sharing a few of my recent reads—both fiction and nonfiction—that have influenced the way I see the world politically.
Barn 8 by Deb Olin Unsworth. For a ludicrous and satirical story about poverty, small-town life, and the industrial chicken industry. Amazon | Bookshop
The Coyotes of Carthage by Steven Wright. For a well-paced mystery that engages in questions of special interest groups and bad-faith ballot measures. Amazon | Bookshop
Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez. To learn about the way data marginalizes women and puts lives at risk. Amazon | Bookshop
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich. For a beautiful story of community and an introduction to issues around Native American land rights. Amazon | Bookshop
The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt. To understand your core values and why those values may prevent you from understanding people who disagree with you. Amazon | Bookshop
The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavincencio. For a stunningly well-written personal and sociological exploration of undocumented lives in America. Amazon | Bookshop
Bookish reading.
Read more about your Enneagram type and find the best books for your type.
This is a wonderful essay about #OwnVoices and authenticity.
Looking for a scary book with a great setting? Check out these 50 horror and thriller novels, one for each state.
You might be surprised about which beloved books showed up in this list of books with the worst endings.
A really long series is a great reading project for the cooler months. Check out this list for the longest series in sci-fi/fantasy, mystery/thriller, and romance.
These bookish pumpkins are too cute.
Code Switch is one of my favorite podcasts and I enjoyed hearing what other Code Switch fans have been reading to during the pandemic.
End notes.
Watching: The new Rebecca movie. It didn’t live up to the Hitchcock version for me, but I loved talking about it with Chelsey for a bonus episode of Novel Pairings and I’m looking forward to discussing it with some Patreon community members tomorrow morning.
Listening: Traci Thomas of The Stacks Pod has Akilah Hughes on this week for a special election episode.
Making: Michelle just made these delicious chocolate chip blondies. She didn’t have a lot of faith in the batter, but once they came out of the oven, they were golden and gooey!
Loving: Trips to the Denver Botanic Garden. I went twice this past week! It was so lovely to meander through and take in the flowers and fall foliage, especially since it’s going to be cold and snowy this week.
Readers, I hope you’re getting as much as I am out of your 2020 reading life. For questions, comments, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing fictionmattersbooks@gmail.com or responding directly to this newsletter. Michelle and I love hearing from you!
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Happy reading!
Sara
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