Hope this finds you well after the summer hiatus! It was a busy but good summer for me, and I had the privilege of attending the Kenyon Review Writers Workshop and Tin House Summer Workshop, both of which I highly recommend. I learned a lot and made some great new writing friends.
As I’ve gotten deeper into my own writing projects, I’ve realized I can’t maintain the longer weekly posts I was doing last winter and spring, but instead, I’m planning to do a single monthly post with a list of some of my favorite reads from that month. I’ll also include a few sentences about each one to give you a flavor and sense of which titles you might want to explore further and potentially add to your reading list. Though September snuck up on me this round, I plan to do this the first Saturday of each month starting in October. :)
From this summer, here are a handful of books I found worth reading:
Lone Women by Victor LaValle - This is a historical horror novel about a Black woman who sets her parents’ bodies on fire and flees to Montana in 1915 to start a new life because the homesteading laws are worded broadly enough to permit her to own property; she carries with her a mysteriously heavy trunk. This was a quick, thought-provoking read with strong pacing and some interesting twists: a genre-read for people who don’t usually read genre fiction (like me!).
The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi - I read this novel after studying its first chapters in an online novel seminar taught by Jennifer Baker through Tin House. The book’s structure and prose are beautifully rendered, with a fascinating use of point of view: a book to read for its story, yes, but perhaps even more for its craft. A gorgeous book. I don’t want to say much more for fear of spoilers.
Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma by Claire Dederer - This 2023 book of essays interrogates the highly charged contemporary question of to what extent readers should judge or consume (or not consume) art based on the monstrous behavior of the artist. I will refrain from giving away the book’s thesis but will note I found her essay on Nabokov’s Lolita and the essay titled “Drunks” to be the strongest and most memorable pieces. If you are at all interested in this debate, this is a very worthwhile read.
Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enriquez - This 2018 story collection uses supernatural elements less as a source of horror and more to hold up a mirror to everyday evil, particularly the ways that Argentina’s history of dictatorship and torture continue to haunt contemporary Argentina; I’m not usually a horror fan, but this one was compelling for me. Favorites include: “Adela’s House,” “Spiderweb,” and “The Neighbor’s Courtyard.” For me it was the rare story collection that read well all the way through.
Exhalation by Ted Chiang - A 2020 collection of sci-fi stories that at times felt more like narrativized thought-experiments than character-driven stories, but were nonetheless often extremely memorable and engrossing. Favorites include: “Exhalation,” “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate,” and “Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom.” While some of the others were slower going for me, the stronger stories made it well worth picking up the book. I’d give any Ted Chiang book a try after this.
As always, thanks for reading, and if you have any recommendations from your summer reading I hope you’ll considering sharing them in the comments!
Dear Jules: Thank you so much for recommending the site to help me get back on George"s site.. I I never found out why but I got the e-mail Thursday. Lots to catch up with. Seems like there is a lot more writers.
I have attended several work shops during my writing life. I loved Natalie Goldberg’s one's in New Mexico. Her books are:: Writing Down to the Bones-Wild Mind (Living the Writer"s Life}.My favorite one was BREADLOAF in Vermont. I ran in the 3 mile race for writers and came in last and won 3 Batteries. Those memories are the best. So stay on your path. Wishing you health, peace, strength and friendships. See you in October Gloria GRILLO Barsamian
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My favorite workshop was at BREADLOAF. A 3 mile race was held and I came in last and they gave me 3 batteries. ?All those memories are precious to me now.
Back with elan Jules. Not just signposting one but several reads that are new blips on my reading radar. Particularly drawn to the short story collection that you found achieved such consitent high quality.
Good to be reading you again, and seems like 'hiatus' is somewhat of a misnomer to be applied to what was clearly an a energising and renewing summer.
Read well and I'll look forward to catching up with your October post.