A novel about war and unshakable belonging

As Memorial Day approaches, it feels appropriate to post my review of Andrew Krivak's new novel, "Like the Appearance of Horses." I mentioned the book a month ago as a recommended read, so the title may sound familiar. The story is about a family in which a grandfather, father, and son participate in the World Wars and the U.S. Vietnam War. The focus is not on combat, but on the profound connection among those who experience war’s many dimensions. Here's why I recommend this novel.

Three books I’m eager to read

If only I could read faster, but I’ve always been a slow reader. So many good books I see on my reading table, like stacks of travel brochures, and I want to go everywhere. I remind myself “bird by bird,” as Anne Lamott teaches us in her classic by the same title, adding these books to my already full reading life, stories of family secrets, the Troubles, and Nazi heritage.

Recommended novels set in Rome, Norway, and England

Here you’ll find books I talked about on the most recent WOSU All Sides Weekend Books, a live radio show that’s all about finding your next best read. I’ve not yet mentioned them on the blog, three novels of varied plotlines. One is inspired by the true story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, an official in the Vatican's Holy Office who saved the lives of escaped WWII Allied POWs.

Three February books

A small selection with a broad range in topics, herein you’ll find a hard look at five literary marriages (heads up fans of Phyllis Rose’s "Parallel Lives") and Salman Rushdie’s new novel about a woman inhabited by a deity. Also, a book-length essay from one of my newest favorite translated authors, Nona Fernandez.

“Two Thousand Million Man-Power” by Gertrude Trevelyan

Gertrude Trevelyan is a British author whose novels were among the best published in the 1930s; however, they disappeared after her death in 1941. Today her work is being rediscovered, including this memorable novel that was first published to critical acclaim in 1937. It was one of my top favorites for 2022. Once forgotten, it now deserves lots of attention, even if I'm repeating myself. Here's a review.

Three novels, one reminiscence

I told myself I wouldn’t add to my reading table during December, and yet these new books sound irresistible. They take place in varying worlds, such as North Korea, an Irish shirt factory, ballet, and the Mediterranean island of Rhodes. I’ve already dipped in to two of them. What’s here, I believe, is intriguing, funny, engaging, and moving, promising memorable good reads.