Letter 53: Book Girl Summer, Vol. 2
Letter 53: Book Girl Summer, Vol. 2
When we recommend great books
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Happy summer!
In the spirit of summer vacation, Molly and Emily are switching up our weekly letter and bringing you a special list of recommended books. We did this last year, which you can read here.
I love summer. The heat is oppressive, but oh, the freedom! Of course, summer goes hand-in-hand with summer reading, or at least it does for these two former English teachers. There’s something magical about packing a paperback in your beach bag as you head to the pool to laze about on a summer afternoon.
I would argue that the joy of summer reading as an adult is that it comes without an assignment—you can choose your own (reading) adventure. However, for some, the open-ended nature of being able to select any book leads to decision paralysis. If that is your conundrum, here’s an idea:
Austin Kleon has a simple and effective summer reading assignment for us all:
If I gave a summer reading assignment to every American, here’s what it would be:
Visit your local library and apply for a library card. (Or pay your fines and renew.)
Ask a librarian for a tour of the library building, the online catalog, and the digital holdings. Ask the librarian to show you how to put materials on hold, how to request materials for purchase, and how to use interlibrary loan.
Check out at least one item. (So you have to return.)
That’s it.
And if on your sojourn to your local library you want to check out a book that has been vetted by amazing, intelligent women whom you trust…. well, Molly and I have got you covered.
Happy reading!
Molly
Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad
I tell everyone I know about this book and everyone that reads it, adores it. Once I started reading about Suleika’s journey through leukemia and across the United States, I couldn’t put the book down and finished it in a weekend. It wasn’t just Suleika’s strength and perseverance that kept me tied to her memoir, but it was her vulnerable honesty in storytelling that stayed with me most. She wrote to her readers like a close friend and she wasn’t afraid to show all of herself in her stories. When someone is willing to be vulnerable and honest, it allows others to learn, grow and change—exactly what happened to me in reading this book.
Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead
Oh, I love this book. LOVE! I’ve tried to read Maggie Shipstead’s work before and couldn’t finish it. This book? I couldn’t put it down (and it’s a big one!). Shipstead’s protagonist, Marian, is one of the best female characters I’ve read in a long, long time. She’s a true badass. And Shipstead juxtaposes the early 20th century Marian with a 21st century character, Hadley, in an intriguing way that continually kept me guessing which way the book would turn. I have a personal connection to the book, in that much of it is set in Missoula, MT, a town very close to where I was raised. However, much of the book is centered on aviation, a topic I know nothing about; and considering this, the storyline still kept me engrossed. Let me know if you read this one, because I love talking about it with everyone!
I was already a big fan of Amy Bloom before reading In Love, but my respect for her work and voice went to a new level after this memoir. I had to wait months for my library copy of this book and then I kept having to pull back on my reins so as to not read it too quickly once I had it in hand. This was one of those books where you re-read sentences to yourself at least four times because they are just that beautiful. A truly heartbreaking story of walking alongside her husband through his final months after his diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s. While I know summer reading may not be necessarily synonymous with stories of goodbyes; it certainly is a time for reading about true love—which is the essence of every page of this astounding story.
The People We Keep by Allison Larkin
This felt like a modern-day version of The Odyssey with a much more appealing (female) protagonist. Larkin’s novel follows the journeys of April, a talented magician who attracts other unique, albeit unusual, people that become April’s family in ways she subconsciously always desired. I enjoy reading stories about characters that not only have very different paths than I do but who also find the redeeming beauty in the struggles of everyday life. If you enjoy stories about resilience, musicians or quirky journeys, you’ll enjoy this novel.
Emily
If you enjoy engrossing stories of complex family dynamics and historical fiction, I highly recommend Pachinko. I’m sure you have heard of this novel, which is now a series on Apple, and it absolutely lives up to the hype that precedes it. Although at times devastating, the rich character development that is set amid historical turmoil blew me away. Lee’s style reminded me of family lore or of a distant relative detailing familial aspects of previous generations and their struggles.
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
I read the quartet of Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels in 2019, and their impact has remained just as potent in the years since. My Brilliant Friend, the first—and probably my favorite—novel of the series details the adolescence of Lila and Lenù, the two smartest girls in a derelict section of post-war Naples, a community that does not value the education of girls. The story is framed as a mystery, as present-day Lenù hears from Lila’s son that she has disappeared, seemingly intentionally. As with many stories about female friendships, the relationship between Lila and Lenù is layered, nuanced, and complex. It is one of the great works of contemporary literature.
American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson
American Spy is a quick, fun read—perfect for the beach! The novel opens with an assassination attempt of Wilkinson’s protagonist Marie, a former FBI agent, while her young twin sons are at home. Fearing for her sons’ lives, Marie decides to leave her boys in her mother’s care while she seeks answers as to why she is a target. The novel is framed as a letter from Marie to her sons, delving into Marie’s childhood in the 1960s, her complicated history as a Black woman the FBI in the 1980s, and her reasoning for her prolonged absence.
Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
So I’m while I am technically still reading Under the Banner of Heaven (I’m actually listening to the audiobook), I have to recommend it to my fellow true-crime connoisseurs. In it, Krakauer juxtaposes two histories: the beginnings of the LDS church and the 1984 brutal murders by the Lafferty brothers, adherents of a hyper-conservative sect of Mormonism. The level of detail is incredible and, while at times disturbing, is always fascinating.
“That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.”
Jhumpa Lahiri, The Namesake
With gratitude,
Molly & Emily
P.S. What’s your must-read book for Summer 2022? Share with us in the comments!
