Currently Reading
The Sundial (Farrar, 1958) by Shirley Jackson
I’m almost at the end of The Sundial by Shirley Jackson in the original hardcover edition from the library. I don’t know why I never heard of it before it was selected for the “Read in Peril” group conversation. Dark humor – classic Shirley Jackson.
When Things Get Dark (Titan, 2021) edited by Ellen Datlow
A library ebook loan that didn’t come in time for October reading.
The Orphan Collector (Kensington, 2020) by Ellen Marie Wiseman
The Orphan Collector by Ellen Marie Wiseman is my book club book that I have to finish ASAP!
From the internationally bestselling author of What She Left Behind comes a gripping and powerful tale of upheaval—a heartbreaking saga of resilience and hope perfect for fans of Beatriz Williams and Kristin Hannah—set in Philadelphia during the 1918 Spanish Flu outbreak—the deadly pandemic that went on to infect one-third of the world’s population…
Cloud Cuckoo Land (Scribner, Sept. 2021) by Anthony Doerr
Currently Listening To
Oh William! (Penguin Audio, 2021) by Elizabeth Strout
Oh William!, a sequel to My Name Is Lucy Barton, is written as another fictional memoir – this time, Lucy is telling the story of her relationship with her first husband, William. Both books are narrated by Kimberly Farr. Lucy Barton is a writer, and both books (novellas, really) are composed of scenes from her life, each one carefully chosen she tries in her quiet, understated way to explain to the reader (and possibly herself) how her life happened to unfold as it did.
Number9Dream (Recorded Books, 2013) by David Mitchell
Number9Dream (or number9dream,) David Mitchell’s second novel, is one I’m hoping to finish up this week; I had to stop and restart several times due to the usual juggling of library audiobook loans. In the part I listened to this morning, the author refers to the sky’s “cloud atlas,” which is the title of his third novel.
The Last Graduate (Random House Audio, 2021) by Naomi Novik
Temporarily Not Listening To
The Henna Artist (Harper Audio, 2021) by Alka Joshi
Took a drive to New York and back for a Broadway show with my adult children and their SOs over the weekend! We went to dinner and saw Ain’t Too Proud on Saturday night. For the drive, my daughter downloaded four audiobooks for us to choose from and The Henna Artist was the only one I hadn’t already read or listened to, haha!
We didn’t get to finish it but I do need to find out how things turn out for the main character and her younger sister, so I’ll have to pick it up again after I finish my others!
Recently Listened To
The Other Black Girl (Simon & Schuster, 2021) by Zakiya Dalila Harris
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris, narrated by multiple narrators – including one of my favorites, Bahni Turpin – is great as an audiobook. I couldn’t wait to get back to listening to this story of what happens when a young Black woman, trying to break the unacknowledged color barrier at an all-white publishing company in New York City, is quickly upstaged by a new hire – another young Black woman. (I’m sure the print version is also a pageturner.)
It’s all told in the first person, but from more than one perspective, and some from unknown person or persons. The story takes an unexpected turn, changing the nature of the story. This book is bound to spark many spirited book club discussions. If you liked When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole you’ll definitely like The Other Black Girl.
This post is linked to “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?” hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. Check out the link-up party there for more book lists!
Great assortment of books. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
That’s a lot of books! I just started a read/listen combo of Oh William! and love it so far.
I’ve been a bit obsessed with Shirley Jackson lately – I read her autobiography Life Among Savages (which I loved) and purchased the followup autobiography on audio – Raising Demons. The writing is light and so funny too. I also wish listed several of Jackson’s fiction: The Sundial, The Bird’s Nest and one other. Cloud Cuckoo is also on my TBR as is Henna Artist. Too many books –sigh.
i’m just reading four seasons in rome by anthony doerr. it’s good so far. i do love me a memoir 🙂
I’ve read and listened to Life Among the Savages and Raising Demons, once when I was a young mother and again much later. Maybe I’m a bit obsessed with her, too! I think of her writing as dark and funny, though.
I don’t usually care to read biographies of writers, but I have thought about reading A Rather Haunted Life. She was ahead of her time, I think.
I took that book with me when I spent 10 days in Rome (over five years ago now)! I really liked his writing, although I still resisted reading All the Light We Cannot See for quite a while because I’m an idiot! 😀