Two contemplative novels and a comedic masterpiece
Plus more from Banned Books Week and the best apps to manage your TBR
Hey, readers!
Another Banned Books Week has come to an end and, I have to admit, this year it felt different. While I know book challenges happen all the time, typically this week feels like a celebration of literature, freedom of speech, and libraries. But this year it feels more serious and urgent. Attempts to ban books are on the rise and politicians and political candidates from local school boards to state and federal seats and races are campaigning on their censorship agendas.
I love Banned Books Week, but I think for many—myself included—the week mostly consists of reading an article or two about the issue, sharing our favorite banned books on social media if we’re public readers, and maybe (hopefully!) purchasing and reading a frequently banned book. This year is a good opportunity to do something a little more if you have the time and energy. GLAAD has compiled a great list of wide ranging action items to help combat book banning in schools and libraries. I don’t have much to add to it, but I did share one call to action of my own in this week’s Novel Pairings Patreon bonus episode, and I’ll share that here as well. So often teachers and administrations only hear from the parents who have a complaint about the curriculum. Not only is this incredibly disheartening, but it makes the case for removing challenged books even stronger. So if you’re a parent whose child is reading books with LGBTQ representation, books about combating racism, or books that seem like they might be targeted, I urge you to take a minute this week to email your school administrators and/or teacher(s) and tell them how much you appreciate having that book in the curriculum or library. Even if it doesn’t turn the tides of this issue, it will be meaningful to those doing this important work.
This week in books.
This week I read…
Briefly, a Delicious Life by Nell Stevens. I got this recommendation from my friend Holly of @fromhollysbookshelf, and I’m so glad she told me about it. I had started Stevens’ memoir a few months back and, while I loved her writing, I couldn’t quite get into it so I decided to save it for another time. I had no problems, however, becoming fully absorbed in this debut novel. The story is told from the perspective of Blanca, a 14-year-old ghost who’s spent the last four centuries haunting the monastery that was the site of her accidental death. Her life—or death rather—has been somewhat monotonous: she spies on the monks, keeps tabs on her living relatives, and experiments with her ghostly arts. But everything changes when the writer George Sand and her lover Frederick Chopin arrive at the monastery. Something long buried is awakened in Blanca and we see this ghostly girl bloom in her passion and obsession for George. We also begin to learn more about Blanca’s life and death which helps what is a decidedly quiet, meditative book have an element of propulsion. I really enjoyed this one for the clever narrative voice (the publisher’s blurb rightly describes Blanca as “spirited, funny, and righteous”) and themes of art and obsession. I recommend this to anyone who loved Matrix by Lauren Groff. Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm
Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies by Maddie Mortimer. This Booker Prize longlisted title is one I loved, but truly don’t know how to describe. It’s an experience—a disruption of typical storytelling and a feat of syntactical brilliance. The novel is about Lia, her family, and her cancer. The story follows Lia’s diagnoses, her teenage daughter Iris’s adolescent turmoil, and her husband Harry’s attempts to keep good cheer. All the while, Mortimer slowly reveals details about Lia’s past to show us who she is and who she has been, and to explore the ways in which memory is embodied. The body itself is an essential theme of this book as well, as Mortimer chooses to tell part of Lia’s story from the perspective of her cancer—a humorous and triumphant leach of a narrator. A few trusted readers told me I needed to read this one in both audio and print and that is definitely the way to approach this novel. The audio narration is incredible and adds so much to the experience, but seeing the way the words are laid out on the page is essential. Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm
The Good Lord Bird by James McBride. This National Book Award winner is the September FictionMatters Book Club selection. It tells the story of John Brown’s life and Harper’s Ferry raid through the eyes of a young slave boy whom Brown frees—or steals or kidnaps depending on your perspective—and subsequently mistakes for a girl. Henry/Henrietta/Little Onion is a fantastic narrator and horrific moments and laugh out loud lines. I can’t wait to discuss it with the Patreon crew! Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm
Now I’m reading…
Platonic by Marisa G. Franco. I’ve stalled out a bit on this one because I needed my audiobook listening time for The Good Lord Bird. It’s definitely a great and interesting book, but I’m not sure if I’ll pick it back up soon since there are so many other books I want to listen to right now. Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm
September by Rosamunde Pilcher. I’m way behind in the FictionMatters buddy read of this tome, but I’m going to try to conquer it this week! Bookshop | Libro.fm
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Links I love.
Some banned books make a splash, catapulting the authors and their titles into the public eye and onto best seller lists. But most banned or challenged books are stories we haven’t heard of, and it’s an absolutely brutal reality for those authors.
All too often kids get left out of the conversation on book bans. Here’s a powerful reflection on what censorship takes away from students.
Dame Hilary Mantel—author of the Wolf Hall trilogy—died this week. I’m committing to finally reading her lauded works.
7 short story collections about migration.
I’m even more excited about Celeste Ng’s new book after reading Stephen King’s review.
I don’t read a lot of scary books, but middle grade ghost stories might be something I could handle.
7 audiobooks to listen to this week.
Is your TBR overflowing? Here are the best apps for cataloging your collection.
This is a fun little behind the scenes look at the world of audiobook narration.
7 books about Marilyn Monroe to read after you watch Blonde.
End notes.
Three things making me happy this week:
Supporting my best book recommendation sources. For a long time now, I’ve enjoyed financially supporting my favorite book podcasters, bloggers, and Instagrammers through subscriptions or affiliate links because I know how much that means to me on the other end. This last week I tried to reflect a bit on where I get most of my book recommendations and whose reviews tend to sway me. I upped my Patreon pledge to Sarah’s Bookshelves to become a Superstar patron and am loving listening to the back catalog of bonus episodes. Then I subscribed to Hunter Mclendon’s newsletter which I can’t believe I’d been missing up until now. He’s reading through all of the National Book Award longlists decade by decade and unpacking all the trends. It’s absolutely phenomenal! Finally, I ordered a couple books I learned about from Annie Jones from her bookstore in Georgia. Yes, it takes a lot longer than getting them from my own indie, but she’s put so many wonderful reads on my radar it feels like the least I can do. I’m grateful for all the readers who keep me in good books and it feels pretty great to be able to support the bookish businesses I love.
Going to playgrounds with Louise. Now that Lou is standing and climbing, she can actually play a little on the playground equipment. It’s been a lot of fun to have a destination for our frequent walks and watch her explore more every day.
Sweater weather. It’s barely dipped into temperatures cool enough for sweaters, but I am embracing every minute I can in full force. Last fall I lived in disgusting sweatshirts and sweatpants all season because Lou had terrible reflux and spit up constantly—I couldn’t risk my knits! This year I’m bringing them back in full force and it’s a little silly how happy that’s making me.
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Readers, I hope your fall reading is feeling perfectly autumnal. 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