recent reads

a handful of summer reads I've enjoyed over the last few months

Hi friend,

I’m one of those readers who tends to pick up four or five books at a time. I’d say I’m a mood reader, but my mood shifts from morning to night, and so maybe I’m more a temperamental reader? My moods don’t usually last for days, or weeks, at a time. The books I reach for in the morning or during lunch break are different from the books I reach for at night, as I climb in bed (earlier than ever, these days, to savor the last sunny hour, which bathes my bedroom in an orange glow).

And this summer, I’ve been in a big rotation of stories.

I was recently inspired by Abra’s “Everything I Didn’t Read in August” post, which felt like an invitation to think and write about the books I haven’t finished yet (and maybe even a few I never will) with the same energy I devote to stories I’ve sped my way through).

So, here are the titles I’m still working my way through — with a brief note on why I’m not done with them yet:

• The Memory Police — dragging a bit, to be honest. This is a quiet, good story and it’s perhaps been a little too quiet to keep me going. I think this is a book for morning reading (when I’m alert) rather than night reading (when I’m all vibes and apt to zonk out early).

• I Who Have Never Known Men — this is exactly the kind of book I love to read for its darkness, voice, and premise. That’s also exactly why I’ve set it down for a few days: it feels so very dark.

• Picnic at Hanging Rock — I don’t know why I set this down after getting just 30 pages into it. It’s fantastic! I have a feeling that it could fit on my “steamy summer reads” list. (I have this same inkling about The Talented Mr. Ripley, which I’ve never read but have watched dozens of times.)

• Martyr! — Kaveh Akbar, the author, is one of my favorite poets of all time. (Tiny brag: I had the privilege of meeting him, and hearing him read from his debut collection, while we were both teaching at Purdue University!) The only reason I set this one down was because I got very sad during a particular chapter near the middle, when the main character visits a dying artist, and I hit my sobbing quota for the week. I’ll get back to it soon.

Book haul on a late summer afternoon

Here’s what I’ve recently finished, with some longer reflections and thoughts below:

• Men Have Called Her Crazy which I could not wait to read and then totally fell flat for me.

• The Secret Garden a short children’s novel I was certain I had read before but have never read as an adult and omg!

• A spate of short stories, including the ones featured on our fall syllabus!

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Men Have Called Her Crazy by Anna Marie Tendler