January reading roundup #2

January is flying by – between work, travel, snow and ice, and lots of tea. Here’s what I have been reading:

All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me, Patrick Bringley
I think Annie recommended this lovely memoir by a former Met guard, who took the job after his brother’s death and spent a decade engaging with the art, the visitors, and his wildly diverse colleagues. Bringley is a thoughtful, wise guide; this is a book about museums, but also about looking and seeing and paying attention.

The Phoenix Crown, Kate Quinn & Janie Chang
I loved this lush, bold novel about a priceless Chinese artifact, a group of brave women, and the San Francisco earthquake. Opera singer Gemma Garland; her oldest friend Nell, an artist; Chinese seamstress Feng Suling; and botanist Alice Eastwood are drawn together by the titular crown. When the earthquake strikes, they scatter, but are reunited five years later when the crown resurfaces. Fast-paced, richly drawn and unapologetically fierce. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Feb. 13).

Ways to Build Dreams, Renee Watson
Ryan Hart is back for a fourth adventure – middle school is approaching, and she’s trying to figure out who she wants to be. A little less plot than the other books, but a sweet conclusion to this fun middle-grade series featuring a spunky, smart Black girl.

Otter Country: An Unexpected Adventure, Miriam Darlington
Darlington, a longtime fan of otters, goes on a months-long quest to search out their presence in Britain. She meets other otter experts, learns a great deal about climate and ecology and habitat, and attempts to capture the otter’s elusive appeal. Lyrical and lovely. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Feb. 20).

Becoming Madam Secretary, Stephanie Dray
I inhaled this novel about Frances Perkins – FDR’s secretary of labor and the first woman to serve on a U.S. presidential cabinet. Dray brings Perkins and her time to vivid life: her staunch New England resolve, her compassion for destitute mothers and babies in Hell’s Kitchen, her dedication to better labor practices and more rights for workers, her long relationship with FDR (marked by both contention and respect). Compelling and so well done. (I also loved Dray’s The Women of Chateau Lafayette.) To review for Shelf Awareness (out March 12).

Every Time We Say Goodbye, Natalie Jenner
After her playwriting career takes a disastrous turn, Vivien Lowry heads to Rome to work as a script doctor at Cinecittà Studios. She meets a colorful cast of characters – actors, producers, directors – who are enjoying la dolce vita while fighting strict censorship by the Vatican. More poignantly, though, Vivien and her new friends are all still reckoning with their experiences during the war. A cinematic historical novel featuring characters from Bloomsbury Girls, which I loved. To review for Shelf Awareness (out May 14).

Top Marks for Murder, Robin Stevens
Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are back at Deepdean – but as parents descend for the school’s Anniversary weekend, they discover that some things have changed. When their friend witnesses an altercation, followed by a murder, Wells and Wong are back on the case. I loved seeing how the girls have matured, and the mystery was clever. So fun.

Most links (not affiliate links) are to my local faves Trident and Brookline Booksmith. Shop indie!

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January reading roundup #1

We’re already deep into January, and the new year is buzzing – wild weather, upcoming travel plans, lots going on at work. Meanwhile, here’s what I have been reading:

Redwood Court, DeLana R.A. Dameron
Dameron’s debut novel is a vividly described narrative about a Black family in South Carolina, told by the youngest granddaughter, Mika. Sharply observed: so many nuances of family dynamics, Black Southern culture, and growing up in the 1990s. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Feb. 6).

The Frame-Up, Gwenda Bond
Magically gifted art forger Dani Poissant has been out of the game for a decade. But she’s called back in for a big job involving her mother, her old crew, a sinister painting and a multimillion-dollar collection. The plot and world-building are a little thin, but I liked Dani (and her dog, Sunflower) enough to keep reading. I adored Bond’s YA series featuring Lois Lane. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Feb. 13).

The Last Devil to Die, Richard Osman
The Thursday Murder Club has hit a lull – or thinks they have, until a friend of theirs is killed in a case involving an ancient terra-cotta box filled with heroin. Joyce, Ron, Ibrahim and Elizabeth join forces (with a few other friends) to find the killer. I loved this fourth installment; lots of tender/sad parts relating to Elizabeth’s declining husband, Stephen. But a well-plotted mystery, and I liked seeing Joyce step up and take charge.

Field Notes for the Wilderness: Practices for An Evolving Faith, Sarah Bessey
I’ve loved Bessey’s work for a long time: she is a thoughtful, encouraging, honest voice to those of us who’ve had to rethink/leave/jettison/remake the faith we were raised with. This book offers practices and approaches for “the wilderness” – i.e. those in-between places. She’s gentle and wise (and a beautiful writer); I felt so seen and encouraged. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Feb. 20).

The Turtle House, Amanda Churchill
Churchill’s compelling debut novel sensitively explores the stories of Mineko “Minnie” Cope, a Japanese WWII bride, and her Texan granddaughter, Lia. Back at home after fleeing a bad work situation, Lia (a promising architect) starts asking her grandmother questions about her experience growing up near Osaka and her journey to Texas. So thoughtful and well described; I loved the juxtaposition of Texas and Japan. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Feb. 20).

The Limits, Nell Freudenberger
I loved Freudenberger’s Lost and Wanted. Her latest novel explores the experiences of a group of characters during COVID: marine biologist Nathalie, working on an island near Tahiti; Nathalie’s ex-husband Stephen, a cardiologist in Manhattan; his second wife Kate, newly pregnant; Stephen and Nathalie’s teenage daughter, Pia; and one of Kate’s students, Athyna. They’re all basically trying to get through the day, but what I loved is the sensitive exploration of each character’s inner life and the dynamics between them. Rich and compelling. To review for Shelf Awareness (out April 9).

City Spies: Golden Gate, James Ponti
This sequel to City Spies finds two of the girls – Sydney and Brooklyn – caught up in the hijacking of a ship. After they save the day, the whole crew heads to London and then San Francisco in pursuit of an mole who’s been passing on MI6 secrets. Dragged a bit in the middle, but mostly really fun. I’m enjoying this middle-grade series (bought my nephew the first book for Christmas).

Most links (not affiliate links) are to my local faves Trident and Brookline Booksmith. Shop indie!

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we go to be moved.

My guy and I spent Sunday afternoon at the MFA, dodging the chilly rain (is it really June?) to see the Hokusai exhibit. It was crowded both with artworks and people; the press of bodies eventually became too much for us. But we both enjoyed seeing works by Hokusai, his contemporaries and students (including his children), and modern pieces – sculpture, ceramics, even a LEGO rendering of the Great Wave – inspired by his art. (His digitized sketchbooks, which you could flip through on a touch screen, were a great addition to the exhibit.)

One thing I love about the MFA: when I’m there, I always see multiple things I don’t expect to see. This time, that included a series of contemporary Chinese murals; a battered gold-plated weathervane in the shape of a rooster; and massive pottery jars at the Hear Me Now exhibit, featuring the work of Black enslaved potters from South Carolina. (I had planned on viewing the latter exhibit, but was stunned by the scale of the works and the potters’ history.)

Going to museums these days feels complicated, frankly. There are lots of questions swirling about access, provenance and artistic identity. I wonder a lot about where certain works came from, and which artists – especially marginalized ones – were cheated out of their artwork. I wonder who the “unknown” artists were (the MFA now notes them as “artists once known,” which I appreciate, but it still leaves a question mark). And the pieces themselves – like the photography exhibit from today’s Ukraine – often deal with heavy subjects.

I was particularly struck by a photo of a missile strike over Kharkiv; the sky was mostly dark, with a streak of light marking the missile’s path. It was lovely, or it would have been if I didn’t know what it was. Destruction and beauty, darkness and light, captured in the same striking image (itself surrounded by other images of battlefields and bombed-out buildings). It felt vital to stand there, in the safe, clean, well-lit museum, and bear witness to a totally opposite moment on the other side of the world.

By the end of the afternoon, I was rather emotionally drained: absorbing snippets of stories from Ukrainian teenagers, the Edgefield potters and other artists (and subjects) felt like a lot to carry. Part of me wanted to wander through a gallery of beautiful, anodyne paintings and not think about anything for a few minutes. But on the train home, it occurred to me: we go to museums to be moved.

I go to the MFA to appreciate beauty, yes: we love the lime-green, towering Chihuly sculpture in the museum’s courtyard, and I adore an Impressionist painting, wherever I can find one. But we don’t only go to museums to see pretty or elegant things. We go to see important pieces (like the Obama portraits or artifacts from ancient cultures); to reckon with parts of our history, including the stories of the pieces themselves. We go to see art in conversation with itself and with its context; to be challenged, sometimes unsettled, shaken awake. We go to be moved. And that is as important as seeing something we call “beautiful.”

P.S. The June issue of my newsletter, For the Noticers, comes out soon – sign up here!

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February reading roundup #2

February has been a strange month – I’ve been fighting a weird upper respiratory infection, and the weather has swung from frigid to balmy, with very little snow. Meanwhile, here’s what I have been reading:

The Cuban Heiress, Chanel Cleeton
Two women – and the man on whom they both want revenge – board the SS Morro Castle, a pleasure cruise between New York and Havana. Elena is determined to get her daughter back, and Catherine (who’s not really an heiress) is wary of both her fiance and a mysterious jewel thief she meets. I like Cleeton’s historical novels, but this one felt a little thin; I prefer her series about the Perez sisters. To review for Shelf Awareness (out April 11).

Pride & Puppies, Lizzie Shane
Dr. Charlotte Rodriguez is swearing off men after dating too many not-Mr.Darcys. She gets an adorable golden retriever puppy, Bingley, and everything is fine – except she might be falling in love with her sweet neighbor, George. Meanwhile, George is head over heels for Charlotte but weighing a possible move back to Colorado (with plenty of unsolicited advice from his sisters). I loved this modern-day Austen-inspired romp with two wonderful main characters (and so much puppy cuteness).

See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love, Valarie Kaur
I picked up Kaur’s memoir at Yu and Me Books in NYC and was blown away. Kaur tells the story of her childhood in California, her family’s Sikh faith, her experience mourning and documenting hate crimes after 9/11, and her journey into love, healing and activism. She’s a strong writer and an even stronger person. Thought-provoking and compelling.

The Language of Trees: A Rewilding of Language and Literature, Katie Holten
Holten, an Irish artist and writer, has invented a tree alphabet – and this gorgeous collection of essays, poetry and quotes features each piece in English and in her Trees font. Wide-ranging, thoughtful and an urgent call to preserve and cherish the trees we still have. To review for Shelf Awareness (out April 4).

The Lioness of Boston, Emily Franklin
When Isabella Stewart Gardner came to Boston as a newlywed, she struggled to find her place in the rigid, wealthy Brahmin society. After struggling with infertility and losing a young child, she eventually began traveling and buying art – becoming a famous “collector” of both art and people. This novel – elegant, intimate, fascinating – narrates Isabella’s story in first person. I loved it, and it made me want to go back to her museum. To review for Shelf Awareness (out April 11).

The Stories We Tell, Joanna Gaines
This book showed up in my Christmas stocking, and I’ve been reading it slowly. I like its emphasis on owning all the parts of your story, though lots of it seemed vague and repetitive. I most enjoyed the parts where Gaines actually shared her personal experiences. Warmhearted, but a mixed bag.

A Murderous Relation, Deanna Raybourn
Veronica Speedwell and her colleague, Stoker, are called upon to investigate a scandal possibly connecting a prince to the Whitechapel murders. The case takes them to an exclusive brothel and all over London – including face-to-face with several villains they didn’t expect. A fun entry in this highly entertaining series; I was glad they didn’t dive over-much into the Jack the Ripper cases.

How to Be Brave, Daisy May Johnson
Calla North is used to looking after her mother, Elizabeth, who knows a lot about ducks but not much about everyday life details. But when Elizabeth goes on an expedition to the Amazon and Calla is sent to boarding school, she must band together with an unlikely crew of friends (and nuns!) to rescue her mother. A super fun middle-grade adventure with engaging characters.

Most links (not affiliate links) are to my local faves Trident and Brookline Booksmith. Shop indie!

What are you reading?

P.S. The fifth issue of my newsletter, For the Noticers, came out recently. Sign up here to get on the list for next time!

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Local adventures: back to the Gardner.

Earlier this summer, one of my dear friends moved away (sniff), and we made a serious effort to soak up some time together before she left town. One afternoon in late June, she texted with a question: would I like to join her and her daughter at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum that week? Of course, the answer was yes.

The Gardner is one of my favorite semi-hidden Boston gems; it’s tucked away in the Fenway neighborhood, built around a central courtyard that’s full of lush plantings year-round. Mrs. Gardner, as the docents still call her, was an avid collector of art, furniture and curiosities, from around the world. Her acquisitions are still arranged just as she specified – in multilayered, sometimes overwhelming splendor – at the mansion/museum she called Fenway Court.

The first few times I went to the Gardner, I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of art: there are thousands of objects, including paintings, textiles, furniture, dishes, sculptures, sketches, letters, tapestries and who knows what else. It took me a while to realize the goal isn’t to see or learn about everything: it’s to walk through and experience the total effect, the layers of history and different origin stories and artistic styles, all brought together by one woman’s passion for collecting. These days, I wander through, pausing when a piece catches my eye, but less focused on the details than on the whole.

This time was different, for several reasons: first, we enjoyed a snack at the cafe before our museum tour. I’d never been to the (relatively) new Cafe G before, but I have to say, the citrus pound cake was delicious (and felt fancy).

The three of us wandered around, starting at the top floor of the museum (for something different) and winding our way back down to the ground floor. I loved being there with 12-year-old Lucy, who noticed things I’d never have picked up on, and asked excellent questions (my favorite: “What would you want to ask Isabella, if you could?”).

In light of the current conversations around artistic objects, their provenance, and the recent encouraging trend of museums considering returning stolen objects, I also wondered about the collection at the Gardner. Where did all these objects come from? Who brought them to Isabella? Were they given freely (in exchange for money, of course) or stolen from their original homes? What happened to the people, buildings and communities who created them? I never used to consider these questions when I visited museums, but I am thinking about so many things differently now. (I am also, as ever, curious about the heist in 1990, which has never yet been solved.)

Every time I go to the Gardner, I find myself drawn to the windows in every room, gazing out onto the courtyard, which I find both restful and beautiful. (I’ve never seen the famous nasturtium plantings there, but it’s on my list for this winter.) Mostly, I was grateful to share a lovely afternoon with two women I love, in a place we all enjoy.

What local adventures are you having, these days?

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August reading roundup #1

August has, so far, been hot and full and lovely. Between (and during) weekend adventures and heat waves, here’s what I have been reading:

Horse, Geraldine Brooks
I love Brooks’ thoughtful fiction that takes readers to unexpected places – all her novels are so different. This one deals with a discarded painting, a horse skeleton, a Civil War-era Black horse trainer and an NYC art dealer, among other things. I especially loved the sections about Jarret, the trainer. Rich and thought-provoking, like all her books.

Flying Solo, Linda Holmes
After calling off her wedding, Laurie Sassalyn returns to small-town Maine to clear out her elderly aunt’s house. She finds a carved wooden duck buried in a blanket chest, and tries to figure out how it got there. This is a sweet story with a bit of a mystery, but it’s mostly Laurie coming to terms with what she wants from her life. I loved the side characters like Laurie’s best friend June and actor brother Ryan, and I appreciated the musings on how womanhood and relationships don’t have to look the same for everyone.

By Any Other Name, Lauren Kate
Editor Lanie Bloom prides herself on handling crises at work, and snagging the perfect guy who fits her (long) list of criteria for a mate. But when Lanie gets (provisionally) promoted and finally meets her reclusive top-tier author, everything she thought she knew about life and love is thrown into question. I loved this sweet, witty publishing rom-com – shades of Nora Ephron, for sure – especially the subplot involving an elderly couple picnicking in Central Park. (Reminded me of this.)

Blurb Your Enthusiasm: An A-Z of Literary Persuasion, Louise Willder
Blurbs are “the outside story” of a book – and there’s more to them than most people think. Veteran copywriter Willder takes readers through the (literal) A-Z of blurbs, touching on publishing history, literary snobbery, racism, gender politics, puns (so many puns!) and other entertaining absurdities. Smart, nerdy and so much bookish fun. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Oct. 11).

The Key to Deceit, Ashley Weaver
London, 1940: Ellie McDonnell, locksmith and sometime thief, has (mostly) gone straight since getting caught by British intelligence. When Major Ramsey comes asking for her help again (albeit reluctantly), Ellie gets swept up in a mystery involving a young drowned woman, espionage, and more. I love Weaver’s elegant Amory Ames series and enjoyed Ellie’s first adventure; this one was even better.

Wise Gals: The Spies Who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage, Nathalia Holt
The CIA as we know it is relatively new – it was founded after WWII, and a small cadre of sharp, accomplished women was instrumental in its founding and early years. Holt peels back the curtain on five “wise gals” who shaped the agency, fought for equity and did critical work. Insightful, compelling and so well researched – a brilliant slice of mostly unknown history. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Sept. 13).

The Cannonball Tree Mystery, Ovidia Yu
As the WWII Japanese occupation of Singapore drags on, Chen Su Lin is translating propaganda articles, cooking for Japanese officials and trying to stay alive. When a relative of hers – a known blackmailer – ends up dead, Su Lin gets drawn into the case, especially when she realizes it might involve sensitive photos and info relating to the war. This mystery was still fairly grim, but a bit more hopeful as Su Lin reconnects with a few friends and the tide of the war begins (slowly) to turn.

Summer Solstice: An Essay, Nina MacLaughlin
I loved MacLaughlin’s thoughtful, lyrical memoir, Hammer Head, and picked up this slim essay at the Booksmith. She writes about summer’s fullness, its nostalgia, its mythical status as a season, its beauty and lushness and even its end. Lovely.

Vinyl Resting Place, Olivia Blacke
Juniper “Juni” Jessup has just moved back to her hometown to open Sip & Spin, a record shop she co-owns with her sisters. But when a local young woman is found dead after the opening-night party – and their uncle, suspiciously, skips town – Juni and her sisters investigate. A fun cozy mystery; first in a new series. I liked Juni and the Texas setting, though the other characters were a little thin. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Dec. 27).

Most links (not affiliate links) are to my local faves Trident and Brookline Booksmith. Shop indie!

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Local adventures: my month of ushering.

Back in the winter, Lyric Stage (my favorite local theater company) tweeted about needing volunteer ushers for their early spring production, The Book of Will. I’d never even thought about ushering before that, but I signed up and happily showed up early to hand out programs, direct patrons to their seats, and see the show for free. One of my fellow ushers said she’d been doing this for years: “It’s a whole scene!” she told me. I resolved to look into it.

Since then, I’ve ushered at two more Lyric Stage productions, and last month, I expanded my efforts to other theaters: the Huntington, which was showing the brand-new production Common Ground Revisited, and the ART in Cambridge, which just finished its run of the fantastic revival of 1776. I spent three out of four Friday nights in June ushering at local shows, and I have to say, it’s the best volunteer gig in town.

I love live theater, and I missed it sorely during the worst of the pandemic: streaming a play or two online, as I did, just isn’t the same thing. There’s something visceral and immediate – and so much fun – about being in a space with live actors, watching them tell stories in real time.

Volunteering has allowed me a glimpse behind the scenes, too: I’ve met a few staff members as well as fellow volunteers, and watched the audience stream in, excited or indifferent or anxious to find their seats, and settle in for an evening (or an afternoon) of storytelling. It’s a delight to be a small part of making the show happen, and (of course) the reward is wonderful: getting to see the show for free in exchange for a bit of time.

Several of Boston’s theaters are dark for the summer right now, but you can bet I’ll be ushering again this fall. I’m so thrilled to have discovered this new-to-me slice of the city I live in and love.

What local adventures are you having, these days?

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Local adventures: art in conversation.

Last month, my guy and I headed to the MFA on a Saturday (thank goodness for library passes). Both the permanent collection and the rotating exhibits there are stunning, and we love an occasional afternoon spent strolling among the art.

We spent most of our time in the New Light exhibit, which brings together new pieces and older artworks, placing them side by side and in conversation with one another. I saw more pieces than I can possibly tell you about here, but I was fascinated by the juxtaposition of art in different media, from different eras, telling different sides of a story or simply highlighting the various angles of a subject or topic.

There were paintings, of course, and sculptures, and mixed-media pieces made of textiles and paper and wood. There were pieces clearly inspired by other artists’ work, and a tiny scale model of a gallery that an artist had used to virtually showcase others’ pieces during the height of the pandemic. There was a sculpture of Fred Hampton’s door, a powerful piece calling attention to the brutality so often faced by Black Americans. There were detailed botanical drawings next to a piece by Lui Shtini that combined a recognizable flower with some fantastical elements. And there were a number of pieces that simply identified the artist as “Artist once known.”

That, perhaps, caught me more than anything else: a way to acknowledge the fact that artists unknown to us (many of them female, Indigenous or marginalized) were once known, and important, to their loved ones and communities. Someone knew this quilter, this painter, this sculptor, this folk artist who took such care to carve or draw or assemble a piece. Their identities, while maybe lost to us, are still important, and still vital to acknowledge. It brought those “unknown” artists a little closer to me, and reminded me that art is always saying something: it highlights beauty, records and analyzes events, calls out injustice, names and honors complicated emotions.

The neon sign above, which hangs in a different gallery of the MFA, reminds me of that, too: the museum encourages visitors to look, feel, talk, communicate, interact with the art. You don’t have to be an artist or an art historian to do any of those things, to engage with art on a human level. I’m grateful to the MFA for reminding me of that, in different and thought-provoking ways.

What local adventures are you having, this summer? How do you like to engage with visual art?

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June reading roundup #3

Suddenly, it’s July – the heat is here, as are the occasional summer thunderstorms. Nine days to Walk for Music; a couple weeks until a getaway I’m looking forward to. As we close out June, here’s what I have been reading:

Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships, Nina Totenberg
Totenberg, a longtime NPR reporter, met Ruth Bader Ginsburg early(ish) in both their careers. Her memoir traces their five-decade friendship, but it’s also a broader meditation on friendship, community, Washington insider politics and the challenges of being a woman in Washington’s highly rarefied environment. Thoughtful and insightful. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Sept. 13).

In a New York Minute, Kate Spencer
Franny Doyle is having a terrible day: she got laid off, then her dress ripped in the subway door. Then a handsome guy offered her his suit jacket and their “love story” went viral. But is there maybe a spark there after all? I loved this sweet, sassy rom-com that’s also a love letter to NYC and a tribute to stalwart friendships (for both main characters). So much fun. Recommended by Annie.

The Last Mapmaker, Christina Soontornvat
Sai has spent her life (so far) struggling to rise above her family’s low-class background. When she gets a chance to join an exploratory voyage as a mapmaker’s assistant, she jumps at it. But on board ship, she discovers that so many things – including the voyage itself – are more complicated than they seem. A Thai-inspired adventure that asks some interesting questions; dragged in the middle but ultimately was really fun. Recommended by Karina Yan Glaser, whose books I adore.

My Beloved World, Sonia Sotomayor
I admire Sotomayor, but didn’t know much about her before reading this wonderful memoir of her early life and career. She tells a compelling, warmhearted story of her early life in the Bronx, her Puerto Rican family, her journey to Princeton and Yale and her career as a lawyer and judge. Thoughtful, insightful and fascinating. Recommended by my friend Allison, who also loved it.

Portrait of a Thief, Grace D. Li
I loved this Ocean’s Eleven-esque heist novel that follows five Chinese-American college students as they attempt to steal back several priceless bronze pieces that Western museums have looted from China. I liked the characters, the fast pace and especially the questions about ethics, colonialism and who gets to decide where certain treasures belong. Fun and thought-provoking. Recommended by Anne.

So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix, Bethany Morrow
It’s 1863 and the March women are building a life for themselves in the freedpeople’s colony of Roanoke Island, Virginia. I loved this thoughtful remix of a beloved story; the sisters are recognizably themselves, but also distinct from Alcott’s characters. The warmth of family love and the past trauma of enslavement are strong, and I appreciated the questions Morrow’s characters ask about equality and freedom. Excellent. Also recommended by Anne.

Most links (not affiliate links) are to my local faves Trident and Brookline Booksmith. Shop indie!

What are you reading?

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November reading roundup #1

We are halfway through November (already?) and the leaves are still gorgeous, thought the nights are getting colder (and darker!). Here’s what I have been reading:

Our American Friend, Anna Pitoniak
First Lady Lara Caine, a Russian and former model, has always been a bit of a mystery. When she invites journalist Sofie Morse to write her biography, Sofie’s not sure what to think – but she finds herself drawn into Lara’s world. A twisty, fascinating novel – part thriller, part Cold War history, part meditation on making one’s way in the world as a woman. Clearly inspired by Melania Trump, but very much its own thing. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Jan. 4).

The Whispers of War, Julia Kelly
As Europe hurtles toward another war, three friends – two Englishwomen and a German immigrant – struggle with the implications for their lives and friendship. Kelly writes warm, engaging novels about female friendship, and this one was really well done. Found at the Book Shop of Beverly Farms.

Red is My Heart, Antoine Laurain, illus. Le Sonneur
I have loved several of Laurain’s whimsical novels about life and love in Paris. This one is different – snippets of musings from a man going through a breakup, illustrated by street artists Le Sonneur. A bit enigmatic, a bit pensive. I received an advance copy; it’s out Jan. 18.

The Magnolia Palace, Fiona Davis
New York, 1919: artists’ model Lillian Carter needs a new career, and stumbles into a position as private secretary to Helen Clay Frick (whose father created the Frick Collection). In 1961, a young English model named Veronica finds herself stranded at the Frick in a snowstorm and uncovers a mystery. I love Davis’ richly detailed historical novels – this one was engaging and fun. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Jan. 25).

Call Us What We Carry, Amanda Gorman
Like a lot of people, I found out about Gorman when she wowed us at President Biden’s inauguration. Her new collection is piercingly honest and deeply felt – about race, the pandemic and the vagaries of being human. Lyrical and healing; her skill amazes me. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Dec. 7).

Her Path Forward: 21 Stories of Transformation and Inspiration, ed. Chris Olsen and Julie Burton
My Tuesday morning writing group has saved my life during the pandemic. Chris (a member) and Julie (who runs ModernWell) have co-launched Publish Her Press, and this is their first project. (And several of my friends are in it!) A wide-ranging collection of stories by and about women finding their way.

Most links (not affiliate links) are to my local faves Trident and Brookline Booksmith. Shop indie!

What are you reading?

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