|
OUR FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2019
|
|
It's December, which means it's time for our year end best-of lists! We'll spend the month celebrating a great year of books, dishing up book recommendations and complimentary gift wrapping like they're going out of style.
On Saturday, December 7th, join us for our Lakeview East's Treat Stroll and Shopping Extravaganza! From noon to 4PM we'll be serving up homemade sweets courtesy Unabridged superfan (and French chef!) Benjamin Gooding.
Then on Saturday, December 14th from 6PM to 9PM we'll celebrate our annual holiday party, featuring 10% off everything in the shop, complimentary wine, sweets, raffles, and more.
Scroll down to view our favorite books of 2019. Happy Holidays!
|
|
|
See what's happening on our social sites:
|
|
|
The Queer Book Club will meet to discuss Holidays on Ice on Monday, December 9th at 7PM.
"David Sedaris’s beloved holiday collection is new again with six more pieces, including a never before published story. Along with such favorites as the diaries of a Macy’s elf and the annals of two very competitive families, are Sedaris’s tales of tardy trick-or-treaters (“Us and Them”); the difficulties of explaining the Easter Bunny to the French (“Jesus Shaves”); what to do when you’ve been locked out in a snowstorm (“Let It Snow”); the puzzling Christmas traditions of other nations (“Six to Eight Black Men”); what Halloween at the medical examiner’s looks like (“The Monster Mash”); and a barnyard secret Santa scheme gone awry (“Cow and Turkey”). No matter what your favorite holiday, you won’t want to miss celebrating it with the author who has been called “one of the funniest writers alive” ( Economist)." - Hachette
In paperback, fiction, 12.99; Back Bay Books.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Playful and inventive, funny and provocative, Frankissstein is a “fiendishly brilliant romp” (Shelf Awareness), an audacious love story that challenges all our concepts of gender constructs, what it means to be human and what distinguishes man from machine--from cryogenics to x-bots, from transgender to transhuman, from Frankenstein to artificial intelligence. Using an intricate narrative structure that showcases her prodigious talent and brilliant mind, Jeanette Winterson revisits Mary Shelley writing her magnum opus in 1819, and then creates her own 21 st century update with a rollicking passion all its own. This riotous reimagining of Frankenstein and the Prometheus myth is an exhilarating example of the novel as philosophical inquiry; it left me thinking, questioning, and reveling in what I had just read. MY FAVORITE NOVEL OF THE YEAR!!
In hardcover, fiction, 27.00; Grove Press.
|
|
|
|
|
Inland , by the internationally acclaimed author of The Tiger's Wife, is an historical novel, sweeping in scope, set in the American West in 1893, an epic story and equally epic journey, set against the backdrop of an unforgettable, drought-ridden landscape—all masterfully and lyrically described by Obreht. Brilliantly conceived (with layers of the haunting story and well-kept secrets slowy revealed,) and subverting the classic western tale, Inland is a reimagination of the myth of the American West (weaving in the true story of the U. S Camel Corps!), focusing on two main characters-- Nora , a hardscrabble frontier woman haunted by the death of a child and now trying to save her troubled family and her farm, and Lurie , a Turkish immigrant and former outlaw, haunted by the ghosts of his past, whose path and story will collide with Nora’s. I found Inland stunning, with its gorgeous writing and wonderful twists and surprises (part of the joy of reading Inland is getting a feel for the novel’s rhythm and cadence, and figuring out all the story’s connections!) Generally, I’m not a big fan of novels of the American West (Larry McMurtry and Cormac McCarthy come to mind,) but I found Inland lyrical, suspenseful, riveting, brilliant—the kind of Great American Novel the Pulitzer Prize committee will be considering next year, it is that good!
In hardcover, fiction, 27.00; Random House.
|
|
|
|
|
The Water Dancer is a novel that astonishes, conjuring up a whole world in which I became immersed. The atrocity inflicted on generations of African American families during the time of slavery—the forced separation of families--takes center stage here (which ironically couldn’t be more topical now!), and it is the mark of a great novel like The Water Dancer that it can help transform how we view our shared history. I loved the sweeping scope of this novel, the book’s beautiful, haunting dust jacket reflecting the haunting, luminous prose contained within, and while confronting the brutality of slavery head-on, the novel is still able to celebrate the grace and humanity of its characters (including one from real-life, Harriet Tubman!).
In hardcover, fiction, 27.00; Random House.
|
|
|
|
|
Traversing space and time, from the famous crosswalk at London’s Abbey Road to East Berlin to Cape Cod, from 1988 to 2016, The Man Who Saw Everything is the superbly crafted, ambitious, consistently surprising, tantalizing new novel by Deborah Levy, and her third novel in a row to be nominated for the Booker Prize. With its fascinating array of themes—the mixing of lust and politics, trying to escape the harsh realities of our lives, being haunted by various spectres—the book dazzles as it entertains. I loved the beguiling voice and narrative, the crisp dialogue and the novel’s intricate structure, which loops back on itself—historian Saul Adler’s viewpoint turns out to be something other than it seems, which makes for some revealing moments that make this book even more exciting and powerful, while blurring binaries along the way (man/woman, gay/straight, East/West, past/present, personal/political, space/time).
In hardcover, fiction, 26.00; Bloomsbury Publishing.
|
|
|
|
|
In its simplest description, Quichotte is a modern-day retelling of Cervantes’ Don Quixote , about one man’s unlikely quest to win the heart of his true love. But of course, coming from the brilliant, playful mind of Salman Rushdie, and using the simple format of a road trip, it becomes so much more. With asides from the author, with its stories within stories, with its references to pop culture (of which Rushdie is a master!), Quichotte is an ambitious, dizzying, kaleidoscopic novel that dazzles while it entertains. It is a tilting at windmills in a cynical world gone a bit crazy, a tangled tale of estrangements and reconciliations, a visionary quest seeking the meaning of existence. It is about impossible, obsessional love, about opioid addiction, about living real lives in the time of fake news, and about the hypocrisies and absurdities of our mind-numbing junk culture. And it is very funny—buckle-up and enjoy the wild ride! My favorite Salman Rushdie novel since Midnight's Children !
In hardcover, fiction, 28.00; Random House.
|
|
This book is such a gift. Beautifully translated from the French by Jordan Stump, The Barefoot Woman is both a memoir of Scholastique Mukasonga's childhood in Rwanda and an elegy for her mother, family, and neighbors killed in the genocide. Reading this book is a bit like going to a wake--it's moving and beautiful and surprisingly funny and joyful. It is also unspeakably heartbreaking. The book is composed non-linearly; reading it feels like listening to a wonderful storyteller chronicling a rich and full life. There is almost no space devoted to the genocide itself, and the book is in many ways more devastating for that. It is a potent reminder of how much there is to lose, how much is already lost. My recommendation: absolutely read this, but don't read it alone. Make sure you talk about it. So much of the joy of this book came for me later, when I began recounting the tales of Mukasonga's mother with friends who had also read it, laughing and smiling at the pure love of it.
In paperback, non-fiction, 16.00; Archipelago Books.
|
|
This book is stunning, in every sense of the word. Both entertaining and fiercely intelligent, Trust Exercise follows a group of students at a performing arts high school through love (?), heartbreak, broken alliances, and questionable choices. Each new section of the novel undoes the previous one, in a move that confounds and complicates the stories told. In both structure and content, this novel is similar to Lisa Halliday’s Asymmetry , Meg Wolitzer’s The Interestings, and Lauren Groff’s Fates and Furies , but the voice and energy are all its own. Though never confusing, this narrative raises far more questions than it answers, resulting in a surprising and disquieting delineation of the unpredictable and far-reaching consequences of our actions.
In hardcover, fiction, 27.00; Henry Holt & Company.
|
|
Amy Hempel is a treasure. She is always a delight to read, and this collection (her first in over a decade) is no exception: heartbreaking, wise, and often startling, Sing to It delves into issues of cruelty and kindness, of what loss can create and what it means to love deeply. Like her contemporaries Lydia Davis and Mary Robison, Amy Hempel crafts compact and dazzling gems, stories in which each sentence shines and surprises. In this collection, I particularly loved “The Orphan Lamb” (about seduction); “Greed” (about adultery); and “The Correct Grip” (about anger and guilt). But even these favorites change for me -- as in her collected works, each story is truly a wonder. As a young writer, Hempel would go regularly to comedian’s open mics, to listen for timing, and you can hear this in the rhythm of her stories. They have a clear logic, but not a predictable one. Amy Hempel is a writer who I return to again and again, who always surprises no matter how many times I’ve read a story.
In paperback, fiction, 16.00; Scribner Book Company.
|
|
Lush, evocative, and emotionally resonant, CJ Hauser’s second novel takes on grief and family, asking what it means to be accountable to the earth and to the people we share it with. Hauser’s voice is compelling and propulsive -- if you want to get a taste, I’d recommend reading her essay in the Paris Review online -- and the novel is structurally playful in a way that calls to mind Virginia Woolf. There are many ways to describe it: this is a book about estranged siblings grieving their recently deceased father. It’s about an isolated island of quasi-scientists trying to prove that evolution is now going backward. It’s about the decay of earth. It’s about millenials. It’s about a duck. The bottom line: this is a book that is both intellectually interesting and heartfelt.
In hardcover, fiction, 26.95; Doubleday Books.
|
|
This book is truly (say it with me!) a delight. This collection of very short essays (“essayettes,” as Gay charmingly refers to them) is the year-long project of the poet Ross Gay, in which he set out to write about a small delight each day. The result is this wonderful little book. As in his other work, Gay shines in his ability to look closely at anything and find joy. Indeed, these writings cover all manner of subjects, moving from an examination of the way we lick cups to catch coffee drips, to a meditation on racism and illness, to a description of the gentle charm of flying with a tomato plant. In each essay, Ross Gay carefully unpacks the initial delight, uncovering the meaningful subtext of our daily encounters. Once found, he repackages it, fuller and more nuanced now, for the reader’s own delight. Audie loves and highly recommends this thoughtful and joyful book.
In hardcover, fiction, 23.95; Algonquin Books.
|
|
|
|
|
These diaries are a joyful and urgent reminder that queer histories are bright threads of being woven into our current moment. Lou's lifelong work to articulate his identity as a gay trans man, to record his pleasures and heartache, and to create an archive that would help others to feel less alone have resulted in a nuanced and luminous self-portrait. The openness and immediacy of Lou's voice is a testament to something he himself observes somewhere near the middle of this radiant book: we have always been here.
In paperback, non-fiction, 19.95; Nightboat Books.
|
|
|
|
|
I suspect a lot of reviews will describe this as "difficult" and "important," so I'm going to skip those characterizations and get right to what I found to be the most genius thing about this genius book: in a world where women's accounts of violence are routinely dismissed and discussions of abuse in lesbian relationships are rare, Machado has flawlessly synthesized a multitude of genres, motifs, and literary tropes in order to create a harrowing and unprecedented narrative of her own experience that simultaneously acknowledges the obstacles to its existence and transcends them entirely. You should read this book.
In hardcover, non-fiction, 26.95; Graywolf Press.
|
|
|
|
|
Molly Mendoza works with an extravagant visual language to create a fantastic, riveting, and bittersweet fable about two characters flung unexpectedly from their respective worlds and into a dizzying series of dimensions, each with its own internal logic & obstacles to overcome as they attempt to return home. A compelling and familiar narrative about friendship, community, and self-discovery is at the heart of this adventure, but it's Mendoza's dazzlingly beautiful illustrations that make this book such a stunning and worthwhile journey.
In hardcover, graphic novel, 22.95; Nobrow.
|
|
|
|
|
The third novel from Chicago's Goldie Goldbloom, On Division is the stunning, singular portrait of Surie Eckstein, a 57-year-old Chasidic woman who has just discovered she's pregnant -- with twins. Happily married for four decades, a mother of ten and grandmother of 32, Surie's life is one of profound connection and religious devotion. As she grapples with the possible social repercussions of her untimely pregnancy, she finds herself, for the first time in her life, with a secret. This secret opens like a window in her life, offering her a new understanding of herself and her place in the world, as well as the chance to maybe finally begin to reckon with the sweeping grief of an earlier loss.
In hardcover, fiction, 26.00; Farrar Straus and Giroux.
|
|
|
|
|
Daphne Marlatt is sort of like Adrienne Rich, if Adrienne Rich were Canadian and given to associative lines with unpredictable trajectories. Radicalized by their claustrophobic experiences of marriage and motherhood, both came out later in life & became active in feminist organizing. They began publishing within a decade of one another and used their work to articulate historically silenced experiences. In contrast with Rich's narrative prowess, however, Marlatt's meandering postmodernist poems are genre-blurring, richly embodied, immersive, and deeply worth the radical attentiveness they demand. Her work is easily my favorite discovery this year.
In paperback, poetry, 29.95; Talonbooks.
|
|
In this eviscerating collection, Franny Choi examines her identity as it is engaged by the public, refracted specifically through the lenses of her queer and Asian American identities. Choi lays bare the behaviors she's manufactured in response to trauma. Cyborg imagery recurs throughout Soft Science as Choi struggles to locate her humanity within the matrix of robotic mannerisms she's developed as armor against a course and uncritical world. (To wit, the sections of the book are framed by a series of Turing tests.) Katharine loved this brutal and stirring book.
In paperback, poetry, 15.95; Alice James Books.
|
|
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead follows Janina, an elderly woman hemmed in by an arbitrary political boundary and a society she cannot comprehend. A reclusive astrologer with a fondness for William Blake, Janina is the winter caretaker of a mountainous plateau on the border of Poland and the Czech Republic. There she witnesses the grisly slaughter of the region's wildlife at the hands of the nearby town's celebrated huntsmen. Known by the townspeople as an eccentric crank, Janina writes the police routinely to inform them of trespasses against the region's poaching laws. When men from town begin to turn up dead, she turns her gifts for translating the wisdom written in the stars toward demystifying their murders, insisting that the natural world is exacting it's revenge. As Janina bridles against an unjust system bent on silencing her voice, Tokarczuk probes two of the fundamental disconnects that define human experience: arrogance in the face of the natural world and the inscrutability of others. A prodigious character study that renders the contradictions that form the basis of Janina’s character in elegant detail, Drive Your Plow... is an astounding exploration of self-determination in a senseless & cruel world.
In hardcover, fiction, 15.95; Alice James Books.
|
|
Poet Naja Marie Aidt's shattering memoir of loss charts her expanding constellation of grief in the wake of the sudden death of her 25-year-old son, Carl. She tracks her sorrow in fits and starts, circling irrevocably back to the simple and irreducible fact of Carl's death. Interspersed with fragments of other accounts of loss spanning from The Epic of Gilgamesh to works by Joan Didion, Anne Carson, and Nick Cave, When Death Takes... is as much a primer on the literature of grief as it is a gutting exploration in its own right. Read this book and be transformed.
In hardcover, non-fiction, 22.95; Coffee House Press.
|
|
Lost Children Archive begins in New York, where an unnamed couple and their children from previous relationships live together in unraveling bliss. Several years previously the couple met on assignment collecting recordings of every language spoken throughout the boroughs. As the project draws to a close, their professional ambitions diverge: The man becomes obsessed with recording traces of the Comanche Indian tribe, while the woman becomes focused on bearing witness to the plight of undocumented children making the dangerous journey from Mexico and Central America into the United States. As the family embark on summer-long journey from New York to Arizona, each member develops an archive of their experiences on the road. Through recordings, photographs, and stories, each member uncovers similarities between past and present American atrocities and confronts the tenuousness of familial bonds. An electric meditation on the power of documentation to safeguard and transform memory.
In hardcover, non-fiction, 22.95; Coffee House Press.
|
|
|
This idiosyncratic novel-cum-memoir loosely chronicles the early life of translator Jennifer Croft, focusing particularly on her relationship with her younger sister, Zoe. Croft captures the peculiar intimacy of childhood beautifully, rendering her shifting relationship with her sister through her photographs (interspersed throughout the book) and aphoristic asides exploring place and vernacular. Richly layered and deeply felt, Homesick is a nuanced investigation of the breadth and sweep of language.
In hardcover, non-fiction, 22.95; Unnamed Press.
|
|
|
|
|
|
In his expedition to the deepest parts of our physical world, acclaimed nature writer Robert MacFarlane reaches far into the past and far into the future, exploring science, language, mythology and more in Underland . MacFarlane visits some of the planet’s hardest to reach places: caves carved by rushing rivers, tunnels under Paris, the subterranean cavity of a glacier. On each plane, and in the adventures required to visit, he beautifully evokes the awe of venturing into deep, natural worlds, as well as the terror inspired by the underworld, the claustrophobia of the descent. Along the way, he sees fungal networks spread among ancient forests, some of the earliest artwork created by humans, sites of historic violence, seas of plastic waste, and tombs of lethal radioactive material. Each of these escapades is a diving point into deeper discussion of our relationship with nature; our uses/abuses of mineral wealth, hubris in the face of a collapsing environment, speculation on what awaits future inhabitants of earth. In witnessing the geological record, he wonders how humans, though only a blip on the long timeline of history, will leave the world after our time. Through it all, Underland asks ‘Are we being good ancestors?’ Matty recommends!
In hardcover, non-fiction, 27.95; W. W. Norton and Company.
|
|
|
|
|
In this finalist for the 2019 Booker Prize, “Tequila Leila,” a sex worker in Istanbul, is murdered and left in a dumpster. In the final moments following her last heartbeat, her brain continues to function, recalling sensations and memories in a frenzied blur; the traumas of her youth, and the life and friendships she made “in a city where everything was constantly shifting and dissolving.” Between vignettes of her oppressive, patriarchal upbringing in rural Anatolia, and episodes of danger and revolution in the city where East meets West, Leila introduces each of her outcast companions, and a powerful portrait of friendships emerges. Shafak balances the beautiful and tender with the bleak and brutal, and as the book culminates in Leila’s last adventure, her friends are moved to action by grief and injustice
In hardcover, fiction, 27.00; Bloombsbury Publishing.
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of the 2019 Booker Prize, Bernardine Evaristo orchestrates contemporary British life in this chorus of voices; Girl, Woman, Other is a collage, the world through the eyes of 12 black, British women. Loose in structure, without punctuation and discarding the expected format, her poetry-prose style puts the reader to the pace of each woman’s unique voice, flowing through the thoughts and memories of a varied cast; the anti-establishment queer theatre-maker, the buttoned-up corporate ladder-climber, the farm-owning nonagenarian, wives, mothers, daughters, and more. Though the author treats each character with tenderness, and though each of their interior selves is full and vivid, none are immune to her critique. As she spins a web of connections around her characters, this multifaceted novel considers their shared race and gender.
In paperback, fiction, 17.00; Grove Press/Black Cat.
|
|
|
|
|
A youthful Bujar runs away from home as his family and country fall apart. Agim, his best friend, must also flee after being caught in girl’s clothes. Years later we see an older Bujar, queer, transient, and alone. Statovci teases out the middle years, Bujar’s journey to escape Albania, and the fate of Agim. Crossing is full of legends and lies; the myths that Bujar’s father tells of their ancient homeland, Agim’s beliefs about the wider world, Bujar’s attempts to create a new life. Caught between heritage, desire, and collapse, they reject traditions: “Nobody has to remain the person they were born; we can put ourselves together like a jigsaw.” Bujar’s dissatisfaction forces him to try on new personas, he swims through multiple genders, nationalities, personal histories, and lovers. This romp, comic at times, devastating at others, takes him all over the world. In Crossing , there is satire, an aching alienation of each character, and a barely contained violence that erupts as humorous, even romantic, scenes take brutal turns. This is a story of exile – from country, from the body, from others. Here, human made borders dissect geography and sex, creating strict categories for the people they contain. Statovci writes of the consequences for the immigrants who would cross them. Matty recommends!
In hardcover, fiction, 25.95; Pantheon Books.
|
|
|
|
|
In her ambitious, one-volume history of the United States of America, award-winning historian and author Jill Lepore challenges many long held assumptions in These Truths . In the tradition of unlearning what many have been taught about US History, Lepore’s premise is a test of “these truths” as stated by Thomas Jefferson: political equality, natural rights, and the sovereignty of the people. Lepore’s evidence-based approach considers what US citizens have inherited in the wake of slavery, decades of “progress,” and technological advancement. Approachable, inclusive, and ultimately hopeful, These Truths asks how successful, if at all, “the American experiment” has been.
In paperback, non-fiction, 19.95; W. W. Norton and Company.
|
|
|
I love Chicago, history, mysteries, silent movies, and amusement parks--so when I read the synopsis of Curious Toys , I had high hopes. Happily, my expectations were surpassed. Set in Chicago in 1915, this eerie thriller brings to life Riverview Amusement Park, Essanay Film Studio, the city's street life, and more. I enjoyed author Elizabeth Hand's blend of real and fictional characters, including artist Henry Darger in a primary role. Best of all, Curious Toys is a window on our city from 100+ years ago. Owen recommends this unique mystery.
In hardcover, fiction, 27.00; Mulholland Books.
|
|
|
|
Lie With Me is a slim but insightful novel about the first true love between strangers Thomas and Philippe in rural France in the mid-1980s with addendums in 2007 and 2016. I was blown away by the abundance of brilliant lines and nuanced observations in the book. Bresson explains complex moments so simply and perfectly I was in awe. Sexy, smart, haunting, and highly recommended!
In hardcover, fiction, 26.00; Scribner Book Company.
|
|
|
|
Owen loved this gritty (but tender) character-driven love story set in rural Missouri. Zee's sister, LaReigne, may or may not have involved in a prison break. Enter Zee's knight in shining armor, Gentry, who fancies himself an Arthurian hero and vows to serve Zee in whatever way he can. Flawlessly written, compelling, and very rewarding, this book is both a great escape as well as a bold meditation on vows, chivalry, and the importance of kept promises.
In hardcover, fiction, 26.00; G.P. Putnam's Sons.
|
|
|
|
Lippman (author of Sunburn) is back with another great read. Set in Baltimore in 1965/66, The Lady in the Lake follows divorcee Maddie who has left her comfortable home and marriage to become independent and begins working as a journalist. In her new position, Maddie starts investigating the murder of a young woman. This suspense/thriller is a masterful combo of strong mystery, great characters, and historical fiction. A solid choice for a vacation or commuter read.
In hardcover, fiction, 26.99; William Morrow & Company.
|
|
|
|
I am a huge fan of the Hawthorne and Horowitz mysteries by Anthony Horowitz. The Sentence is Death is another winner with a serpentine plot, fantastic characters, expert plotting, and a satisfying conclusion. Horowitz's unique "author as character" plot device allows for all sorts of interesting quirks in the proceedings. Be sure to read The Word is Murder first.
In hardcover, fiction, 27.99; Harper.
|
|
|
|
|
|
In Jericho Brown’s powerful third collection, The Tradition , Brown lifts the veil from our comfortable lives to reveal sociopolitical and personal landscapes scorched by racism and homophobia, both exposing and ruminating on our current historical moment with delicate lyricism. Steeped in beauty, pain, and anger, Brown interrogates the normalization of the malevolent, while exploring fatherhood, ancestry, eroticism, and ultimately, survival. Allen Ginsberg once said that poetry is “that time of night, lying in bed, thinking what you really think, making the private world public.” These intimate poems are Brown’s private world, but they command a shared human experience, for those willing to succumb to his magic and his mastery.
In paperback, poetry, 17.00; Copper Canyon Press.
|
|
|
|
|
After working on The Faggots and Their Friends for years and not finding an agreeable publisher, Larry Mitchell finally started his own press, Calamus books, and published this book in 1977. Long out of print, Nightboat books has finally reissued this cult classic which is simultaneously a time-capsule literary artifact and a timeless work of art. Both a fable and a queer declaration, this text perfectly straddles whimsy and beauty, humor and insight, escapism and revolutionary manifesto. Embodying many of the beliefs and secular spirituality of the later Radical Faerie movement, the anti- heteropatriarchal and anti- assimilationist politics of The Faggots and Their Friends is shockingly relevant today, and its explorations of chosen families, queer communities, and living and loving with complete freedom is inspiring. This book celebrates queer outlaws and outcasts, not despite their marginalized status, but precisely because of it. Shane recommends this moving and magical little gem.
In paperback, non-fiction, 16.95; Nightboat Books.
|
|
|
|
|
Woman Talking is a powerful critique of patriarchal culture, a riveting and disturbing tale that exists both as an allegory and as an examination of the real-life, horrifying contemporary events that took place in a Mennonite community in Bolivia. Canadian novelist Miriam Toews (who was also born in a Mennonite community) tells this stark tale in the form of the minutes from the clandestine meetings between the women of the community, when they finally come together to confront their options – do nothing, stay and fight, or run away. Ethical conundrums abound, with most of the tension arising from the choice between religion or liberation, and how, if possible, to remain faithful to a system that has been used to subjugate and betray them. The focus of Women Talking is on survival over trauma, and Toews explores faith, innocence, complicity, and determination in a toxic culture of violence and systemic oppression with searing urgency and insight. There is a redemptive power in solidarity and controlling one’s own destiny, and the haunting tale of Women Talking can attest to this.
In hardcover, fiction, 24.00; Bloomsbury Publishing.
|
|
|
|
|
This dystopian fable, first published in Japan in 1994 and translated into English for the first time, is a startlingly relevant reflection of our zeitgeist, a metaphor for both state control and the unstoppable effects of climate change. On an unknown island, objects- and the collective memory of them- start to disappear at the hands of the mysterious and brutal Memory Police. The incremental disappearance of the world has been normalized, and most of the fatalist characters in Ogawa's novel accept this world with disturbing passivity, while the protagonists who try to fight against it find themselves on the brink of existential collapse. With a keen sense of dread, Ogawa explores the nature of truth, the elusiveness of memories, state surveillance, safety versus captivity, and the construction of the self. The stark and elegantly understated quality of this tale gives it a disquieting eeriness, and the surreal, poetic imagery creates a lulling melancholy that is persistent throughout. If this book were a movie, it wouldn't be the big summer sci-fi blockbuster. Instead, it would be the indie arthouse film, and what it lacks in big flashy scenes it makes up for with a quiet devastation that will haunt you.
In hardcover, fiction, 25.95; Pantheon Books.
|
|
|
|
|
Acclaimed poet Ocean Vuong's much anticipated novel is a thing of shimmering, stunning beauty. A logical extension of the themes of his poetry, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is at its core a coming-of-age tale, but woven within are the complexities of the immigrant experience and the familial secrets and traumas that both bind and burden family members. The story is a haunted one; memories presented as vignettes flicker in and out and pass through the reader like ghosts, offering a glimpse of a life: a queer sexual awakening, a family secret, an act of violence, the trauma of war, a lie exposed, a love lost. The prose is what you'd expect from someone as accomplished as Vuong; in fact, there are many individual paragraphs that could work as stand alone poems, and Vuong even switches to poetry at one point to tell his story, because poetry is the only way to tell it. Tender and aching, with On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous , Vuong tears through the pain to expose the radiant heart of his tale, and what a magnificent heart it is. Shane recommends!
In hardcover, fiction, 26.00; Penguin Press.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
