I don’t know why, but I have read a lot of books set during WWII and in England. True I like historical fiction, and true there are a lot of these books written (maybe someone in publishing can explain it to me? Likely because they sell. Because I’ll read them). I bet one of you knows why this particular period and place is so enthralling to this reader. Continue reading
Category Archives: Fiction
Everyone Brave is Forgiven: I have read a lot of books about the Blitz.
Filed under British literature, Fiction, Historical Fiction
The Husband’s Secret: Rich, white ladies have it so. hard. (not)
I think I’m done with Liane Moriarty. I had a lot of fun reading Big Little Lies, and Truly, Madly Guilty and I had fun reading this one, too. But it’s all the same book and the same reading experience: rich, white ladies encounter some soft tragedy and have their Tupperware selling businesses disrupted as a consequence. Okay, it’s not charitable (or accurate, I guess) to suggest the novels are pure fluff. Continue reading
Filed under Bestseller, Book I'll Forget I Read, Fiction
The Hate U Give: Super. No clickbait. Just super.
I like to walk around the big chain bookstore, with its carefully crafted display tables and candles and blankets, and not buy books (or anything). Instead I have my library app open and as I see a book that looks interesting I order it up. A few weeks or months later the book arrives at the library and I feel this smug satisfaction of *free books* and the delight of having forgotten I’d ordered it in the first place, so it’s like a double present. Continue reading
Filed under American literature, Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
The Hours: Reading Deja Vu
I think I might have read Michael Cunningham’s The Hours before. I know I’ve seen the movie. And I’ve read Mrs. Dalloway a few times. So maybe that’s it. Or maybe the scenes of Mrs. Brown, at home, baking a cake, taking care of her kid, and wishing she was reading just echo my current life too closely? Continue reading
Filed under Book Club, British literature, Fiction, Prize Winner
Literary Vice 