The Front Seat Passenger by Pascal Garnier
You Can't Keep a Good Woman Down: Stories by Alice Walker
The Door by Magda Szabo
Some Day by Shemi Zarhin
The Forgotten Recipe by Amy Clipston
Upstairs at the Strand: Writers in Conversation by Jessica Strand
Hotels of North America by Rick Moody
The Portable Veblen by Elizabeth McKenzie
The Book of Phoenix by Nnedi Okorafor
Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger
Arcadia by Iain Pears
I am teaching a reading class in the month of May for our May Experience term. Two of these books are in genres I haven't yet read - sports and Amish romance. I haven't decided which way to go so I may go both ways and read the Bissinger and the Clipston.
The McKenzie is on the Baileys shortlist, the Okorafor is on the Arthur C. Clarke shortlist (but I have read other books by her, and The Book of Phoenix is the prequel to my favorite, Who Fears Death.) The Moody just jumped out at me while at the public library, as did the Pears (I had tried the audio and couldn't get into it but still was intrigued by the description... I suspect this author may just not be for me....)
I requested the McCarry, the Garnier, the Walker, and the Zarhin through interlibrary loan. I loved the first Paul Christopher novel, and came across the Zarhin on a publisher's website sale. The Walker is the May read for a feminist book club in Goodreads; I've read poetry by Walker before but not short stories.
I have been wanting to read the Szabo but haven't cracked it yet. Robyn, my amazing co-worker with impeccable book taste, thought I might want to read the Strand so she saved it for me. I've dipped into one interview and enjoyed it, so I will likely read it in chunks between other things.
I like some Iain Pears (his early Art History mysteries are a blast), and despite mediocre reviews, I quite liked Stone's Fall. Some of his work can be a bit impenetrable and I suspect this is among them. I have a copy, but haven't felt compelled to pick it up and actually read it.
ReplyDeleteYes, similar. It's almost like I need a way in, a reason to start, or it might not happen. I may look into some of the earlier titles you have mentioned.
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