What are you reading this summer? I’ve assigned myself carefully selected books as a nostalgic nod to those long-ago summer reading requirements for school. These novels, however, are much more exciting, no slogging through “Advise and Consent” and “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.” Here’s the list, including plot summaries.
Tag: literature
The enduring significance of ordinary life
“Zorrie” follows the magnetic spirit of an Indiana woman in the mid-20th century. This exceptional, lyric novel captures her resilience and profound sense of belonging to the land and the people. A character hard to forget and literary talent at its best.
A discerning novel of ethnic identity
In "Days of Distraction," Alexandra Chang skillfully evokes the world of her Chinese American narrator, exploring themes of discrimination, self-perception and inter-racial relationships to poignant effect.
My year of reading
Here at The Longest Chapter, instead of calling out best books of 2019, I've gathered a more personal list.
Shannon Pufahl’s “On Swift Horses”
This fiction debut features gambling lost souls in the American West during the 1950s. It's written with gorgeous prose. Here's what the story is about.
Books I’m recommending
I've captured here the novels I mentioned on NPR member station WOSU All Sides Weekend Books that aired November 8, 2019.
A new novel inspired by CIA documents
In “The Secrets We Kept,” Lara Prescott unfolds a little-known, Cold War story about Boris Pasternak’s “Doctor Zhivago.” It’s historical fiction that’s entertaining, with a colorful cast of characters.
A symphony for besieged Leningrad
Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich immortalized the WWII siege of Leningrad with his 7th symphony. These books tell the story.
A selection of new books
Here are a few titles I’ve gathered from my ongoing hunt for good books, including novels to anticipate in 2019, more Lucia Berlin stories, and the 2017 Prix Goncourt winner.
The art of restitution and deception
Mark Sarvas’s novel "Memento Park" tells the story of a Hungarian painting that was traded to the Nazis during World War II in exchange for freedom, and of its return to the rightful owner.
An old good book for the beach
"Birdsong" by Stephen Faulks is a powerful epic not to be overlooked and a stunning portrayal of courage and redemption.
This unhappy Greek family
In Colm Tóibín’s new novel, the Greek tragedy of Agamemnon’s murder by wife Clytemnestra is told with great power and vivid imagining. Here’s what you can expect.
Great books go a step further
What's the difference between a good book and a great one? Jonathan Safran Foer answers in an introduction to "The Fixer" by Bernard Malamud.
Stories of corruption, madness and thievery
Don't be quick to shy away from "The Man Who Shot Out My Eye Is Dead" because it's short stories. The collection offers a distinguished lot, full of crime and mayhem.
New this month
Here's a quick look at three books to be published in March that promise hours of good reading. Two are novels, and one is a non-fiction account of a young man who walked away from civilized life to live alone in the woods of Maine.
