Sports books for non-sports fans
Plus a show I'm super excited about and Black authors on the power of stories
Hi, readers!
This week my husband and I went up to a cabin in the beautiful Colorado mountains for a pandemic-safe getaway. It was absolutely delightful. We went on a beautiful snowshoeing trek, read by the fire, watched a good movie and some bad TV, and just enjoyed a change of scenery.
When we got home, the rest of my week was packed with bookish goodness. I got the chance to interview author and podcaster Laura Tremaine on Instagram Live, recorded our one-year anniversary episode of Novel Pairings (we have such an exciting March planned!!!), and hosted a virtual hangout for my Patrons to chat about the Aspen Words longlist. With all that, I actually haven’t read much at all since we got home, but I am enjoying the books I’m in the middle of, so I’m hoping to make some progress this week.
This week in books.
This week I read…
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. I decided to read this after binging all of the movies and I’m so glad I did. As usual, the book is definitely better than the film in this case and I appreciated all of the sci-fi details and extended chaos theory explainers from Ian Malcolm. Amazon | Bookshop
The Ten Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer. My formerly in-real-life, current Zoom book club read this as our January pick. It follows a group of friends who have, for the most part, left careers to be stay-at-home moms. This wasn’t my favorite of Wolitzer’s (that would be The Interestings), but it was a great book to discuss with a group of 30-something women. I also enjoyed seeing the thematic roots of Wolitzer’s later work—like power dynamics in friendships and generational shifts in feminism—popping up in this one. Amazon | Bookshop
⭐️Share Your Stuff. I’ll Go First by Laura Tremaine. I don’t read a ton of personal growth books, but I love Laura’s podcast 10 Things to Tell You and the premise of this particular book caught my eye so I decided to pick it up anyways. I’m so glad I did! In Share Your Stuff, Laura (who is a wonderful question-asker and friend-maker) introduces readers to 10 questions that can take your friendships to an even deeper level. The questions aren’t necessarily what I would have expected, and neither are the answers Laura models throughout the book—and I loved that! I know many of us are seeking deeper connection after a year of isolation, but even if you’re just looking for a way to get started reflecting on your own life, this would be a great book to try. If you order before Tuesday, you’ll also get some amazing bonus goodies from Laura, including recorded interviews with some of the people she writes about in the book! Amazon | Bookshop
⭐️Each week, I’ll star my favorite book so you can find the best of the best at a glance.
Now I’m reading…
Summerwater by Sarah Moss. I loved Moss’s book Ghost Wall and so far am finding this just as brilliant. Amazon | Bookshop
400 Souls: A Community History of African America 1619-2019 by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain. This community history is unlike anything I’ve ever read. The 400-year span covered by the book is divided into 80 5-year increments and each increment is explored by a different author in their own voice and style. I’m listening to it on audio*, which I’m loving because it’s narrated by a full cast, which adds to the feeling of a community history. Amazon | Bookshop
*Use this link to get 2 Libro.fm audiobooks for the price of 1.
4 sports books for readers who don’t love sports (and ones who do!).
While it seems like the Super Bowl gets less and less exciting each season, as a reader, I’ve found that better and better sports books are being published year. If you’re in the mood for the drama of sports, but you’re not looking forward to the Big Game, these books are for you.
Ana on the Edge by A.J. Sass. For a coming-of-age story about a non-binary protagonist navigating the extremely gendered sport of figure skating. Amazon | Bookshop
Beartown by Fredrik Backman. For a book about the beauty of a sport that’s also a richly layered portrait of a community. Amazon | Bookshop
The Index of Self-Destructive Acts by Christopher Beha. For a book about sports analytics that’s a legitimate page-turner. Amazon | Bookshop
We Ride Upon Sticks by Quon Barry. For field hockey, witchcraft, and a heavy dose of 80’s nostalgia. Amazon | Bookshop
Links I love.
Read Brit Bennet, Jasmine Guillory, and Jacqueline Woodson reflect on the importance and power of fiction.
A diverse Great Gatsby is coming to your small screen, but I have to say I’m much more excited about Netflix airing the new Passing film!
I’m very excited to read Fake Accounts and No One is Talking About This (both are works of fiction exploring internet culture), and I really enjoyed reading this article about how authors write about the internet.
This list of nonfiction books about love is so fun!
Michelle Obama interviewed Amanda Gorman for Time.
The phrase “supernatural Victorian women” is basically catnip to me, so I’m insanely excited for this show.
Get excited: we’re getting a new Anthony Doer book this year.
Why are so many of us hitting a wall right now?
End notes.
Watching: Universal All Access sent me a Blu-ray of Let Him Go, a sort of genre-bending Western about a grieving couple trying to get their grandson back. My husband and I watched it during out mountain getaway, and we both absolutely loved it. It feels like one the type of movie that doesn’t get made anymore, in that it’s a fairly simple, character-driven story. But it’s also intense and had me covering my eyes with a blanket for some scenes. If you like books like True Grit and Whiskey When We’re Dry, you might like this movie. It’s also based on a book of the same name, which I’d definitely be interested in reading.
Listening: I started listening to Reply All’s Bon Appetít Test Kitchen series, and the first episode is fascinating!
Making: We just got the Milk Street Fast and Slow cookbook and have tried 3 or 4 recipes so far. They’ve all been delicious!
Loving: I’ve been raving about Aerie’s waffle joggers for months (the ones I have are sold out, but these look similar), and I recently got one of the oversized waffle sweaters. It’s just as comfy and cozy as the pants. It is very oversized, so I’m not sure I’ll wear it out into the world much, but it’s an excellent addition to my loungewear.
Readers, I hope you’re enjoying the big game or a solid block of reading time today. For questions, comments, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing fictionmattersbooks@gmail.com or responding directly to this newsletter. I love hearing from you!
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Happy reading!
Sara
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