Unplugged adventures and bite-sized reads
Plus a seriously great retelling of a classic and books about Black joy
Hey, readers!
This week I got to escape from reality with a three night stay at Avalanche Ranch, one of my favorite places on earth. We stayed in a little cabin, grilled some delicious dinners, soaked in the hot springs, ventured out on a few hikes, and sipped wine on a terrace with the most beautiful mountain views. It was utterly delightful.
One of the best parts of this particular trip was the chance to totally unplug. Avalanche Ranch doesn’t get cell service and there’s only one little spot on the property with WiFi access. I love being connected with friends and readers online, but getting the opportunity to disconnect was just what I needed in this moment. I’ve noticed myself checking my phone more and more frequently as quarantine continues. I’d also been refreshing my work email constantly hoping to find any updates on the fall semester (more on that next week), which would often lead to an anxiety spiral and an unproductive plunge down the job search rabbit hole. Putting all of that aside brought me a lot of peace and clarity (more on that next week, as well), and I’m so grateful for it.
And while I didn’t get as much reading done as you might expect with that unplugged time, I did read a couple of books I absolutely loved. I’m thinking this low quantity, high quality reading week is sure to reinvigorate my reading life as a whole.
This week in books.
This week I read…
Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan. I loved this book so much. Yes, between the setting and the glamour, it is the perfect escapist read for a quarantined summer. And, yes, Kwan made me laugh out loud with his clever asides and hilarious explanatory footnotes. But amidst all of the seeming frivolity, he’s also able to provide a nuanced exploration of the intersections of race and class, and an examination of Chinese-American biracial identity. This book is a retelling of another glamorous vacation novel, A Room with a View. The first half of the book follows Lucie Churchill as she attends a lavish wedding on the Isle of Capri with her uptight cousin Charlotte as her chaperone. Shy, quiet Lucie comes out of her shell on Capri when she meets the handsome, but awkward George Zao, and the rest of the novel follows the ongoing effects of that meeting. If you’ve read A Room with a View, you’ll know exactly what to expect, and, if you haven’t, I’ll let Kwan’s story surprise you. But I will say that I think this is one of the best retellings of a classic I’ve ever read. Kwan’s writing is whip smart and he has a great knack for using the glitzy details he’s so fond of to also offer social commentary. It’s fun and clever, and I hope you’ll give it a try! Amazon | Bookshop
You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat*. This debut novel packs a serious punch with its story of a Palestinian-American woman whose toxic codependency on her mother impacts her relationships with others, her body, and herself. It’s powerful, but dark, and Arafat’s voice is original and compelling. Amazon | Bookshop
*These books were submissions for the Aspen Literary Prize. Due to my participation on the selection committee, I will not be able to fully review these works until the long list is announced.
Now I’m reading…
Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano. A lot of people I know have loved Dear Edward and it was a Read With Jenna and Book of the Month crossover pick last December. So far I’m enjoying the little details Napolitano uses to create an layered scene, but am also finding many of the characters’ behaviors to be unrealistic. This has been described as a sob-fest by lots of readers, so give it a try it you’re in the mood for a good cry! Amazon | Bookshop
And I put aside…
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemison. This was my second attempt at The Fifth Season. I really wanted to read and love it, but I kept finding myself incredibly distracted every time I picked it up. There’s no question in my mind that this is a phenomenal book, I just think it’s very much a book written for people who already love and are invested in fantasy as a genre, and that’s not me. I wouldn’t rule out trying it for a third time, but for now I think I’m going to try Jemison’s newest book The City We Became, which sounds like it’s more my speed. Amazon | Bookshop
This week Michelle read…
How Much of These Hills is Gold by C Pam Zhang. This book was such a welcome departure from everything else I have been reading this summer! I loved Zhang’s fresh take on the classic “wild west” tale and the way she interwove long-buried lies and secrets throughout the plot made me excited to keep reading. There’s something rewarding about following an advanced writing style like Zhang’s, too. I do think it was a mistake to listen to this book on audio, though—the language and chronology of the plot can get a little complex and this is hard to follow when you don’t have the pages right in front of you. Amazon | Bookshop
Nobody Will Tell You This But Me: A True (as Told to Me) Story by Bess Kalb. This memoir is told from the perspective of Kalb’s deceased grandmother through prose, emails, and phone calls. We learn about Kalb, her mother, her grandmother, several other family members, and all of their relationships with each other. I couldn’t believe that they had that many family stories to tell! This is a sweet, heartwarming story that is equal parts funny and sad, and is a short listen on audio at just under 4.5 hours. Amazon | Bookshop
Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr. and The Ballot or the Bullet by Malcolm X. I read these for an online summer class I’m currently taking. Both pieces gave me deeper insight into the nuanced history of the civil rights movement and intensified my support for and understanding of Black Lives Matter. I also watched Spike Lee’s 1989 film Do the Right Thing for the class, which made for a great pairing.
Now Michelle is reading…
Beach Read by Emily Henry. After finishing Party of Two, I thought I’d give another romance a try. After the first few chapters, I’m not sure I’m going to like this one but I’ll give it a little more time. The main character, January has just had her life turned upside down. To make things even worse, she’s suffering from serious writer’s block while her agent is pressuring her to publish another one of her bestselling romance novels. January decides to escape to a vacation home in Michigan in the hopes of finding inspiration for her new book. She ends up running into and striking a deal with her authorial rival, Augustus. Together they get each other out of their comfort zones in more ways than one. Amazon | Bookshop
Search Inside Yourself by Chade Meng Tan. Chade Meng Tan, a former engineer at Google, taught his colleagues how to apply emotional intelligence and mindfulness techniques in the office and beyond. In this book, he breaks down the basics of what truly makes us successful and happy through approachable methods and hilarious jokes and comics. Amazon | Bookshop
6 bite-sized reads.
Even though we’re deep into the pandemic, we’re still occasionally finding it hard to focus on our books. Here are some short reads that are a little easier to tackle and might get you reading again if you’ve been away from it for a while. From short stories to poetry to novellas, we’ve got it all on this list!
Bluets by Maggie Nelson. To read the beautiful prose of someone who really (really) likes the color blue. Amazon | Bookshop
The Book of Delights by Ross Gay. For a collection of mini-essays that offer their readers joy, reflection, awareness, and, well, delightful observations on some of life’s simplicities. Amazon | Bookshop
The Invoice by Jonas Karlsson. To ponder the true value of our material items and how we choose to spend our time. Amazon | Bookshop
Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks. To see that Hanks isn’t just an excellent actor, but a pretty good writer too! (Pro tip: get this one on audio and let Hanks’ voice soothe your soul. Use this link or code fictionmatters to get two Libro.fm audiobooks for the price of one.) Amazon | Bookshop
We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. For a concise, but powerful call to action for everyone who does (or doesn’t yet) consider themselves a feminist. Amazon | Bookshop
The World’s Wife by Carol Ann Duffy. For poems from the perspectives of myth, fairytale, and historical women that are at times poignant, irreverent, sexy, and hysterical. Amazon | Bookshop
Bookish reading.
Author Denise Williams shares seven books about Black joy to add to your shelves.
I’ve admitted to struggling with epic fantasy, but these “light, fun” fantasy reads might be more my speed.
In this interview, C Pam Zhang talks about writing Chinese-Americans into the wild west in her debut How Much of These Hills is Gold.
If you’re feeling curious about the history of race in American and recommitted to social justice, you need to bookmark this list of 14 books for a more inclusive look at American history.
Read this brief history of voting rights for more context on the MLK and Malcolm X pieces Michelle read this week.
This week, LitHub posed the question, is this the end of writing in cafés?
Station Eleven author Emily St. John Mandel has great taste in books, and she’s sharing her current reads in this video.
Novel Pairings.
As someone who revels in the feeling of anticipation, our seasonal previews are always some of my favorite Novel Pairings episodes. This Tuesday, we’re sharing the 6 classics we’ll be featuring on the podcast this fall, and we’ve got some good ones for you! For many readers, myself included, fall always comes with back-to-school, scholarly vibes. We’re leaning into that feeling with our fall classics!
You can find Novel Pairings in your favorite podcast player with new episodes every Tuesday.
End notes.
Watching: 100 Humans. Zainab Johnson, Sammy Obeid, and Alie Ward run hilarious, enlightening, and scary experiments on 100 volunteers of all ages and backgrounds in order to learn more about the human condition. Definitely a show for the psychology fanatics out there.
Listening: Why Won’t You Date Me? with Nicole Byer. You may know her from the Netflix baking show Nailed It. Nicole Byer is hilarious as she interviews her exes, talks dating app struggles, and more on this podcast. But stay away if bawdy comedy isn’t your jam!
Making: A renewed commitment to finishing my 30 days of yoga after a few days away from my computer and my mat.
Loving: The rainbow Soludos sandals I treated myself to earlier this summer. They’re pricey, but insanely comfortable and they bring me joy every time I look down!
Readers, I’m wishing everyone whoo needs it the time to unplug. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for FictionMatters, please feel free to email fictionmattersbooks@gmail.com or respond directly to this newsletter. Michelle and I love hearing from you!
And if you enjoyed today’s newsletter, please forward it to a book-loving friend. That’s a great way to spread bookish cheer and support the newsletter!
Happy reading!
Sara
This email contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase through an affiliate link, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting FictionMatters!