Staff Picks: Recommendation Potpourri: Seven Books in Seven Days
by emjane
At the end of February, I took one of those wonderful, restorative vacations where you fly somewhere warm and don’t do much of anything for a week. When I find myself lucky enough to have these “gift of time” trips, I still can’t help but set up a little structure and challenge myself to read a book a day. I have the benefit of being a fast reader, and I also stack the deck a bit by leaving the giant tomes at home (you can only pack so many books!), but on the trips where I manage to achieve that silly benchmark, I return home bubbling about the reading even more than about the sunshine! Here are my reading highlights from that trip!
No One is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood | Request Now
I may have picked this book up because it was the smallest book on my frozen holds list, but it was the far-and-away highlight of my week of reading! This satire/autofiction/novella??? by poet Patricia Lockwood begins as a taut satire of the social media scene circa 2017. Part One focuses particularly on the narrator’s social media addiction, fame, and the absurdity of the digital world. Jumping quickly from one image or anecdote to another (almost like the jumps between stories on a scrolling news feed), Lockwood’s writing frequently made me chuckle aloud to myself, despite the fact that I was sitting on a plane next to a stranger. And then came Part 2. (And ahead comes what you might consider spoilers if this were a book read for twists and turns). The narrator’s pregnant sister finds out that her child has proteus syndrome—a rare disease best known because it’s what “the elephant man” suffered from—and everything changes. Still told in evocative imagery, albeit images that left me crying rather than laughing, No One is Talking About This takes on the challenges of mother and infant health, fear, loss, and grief. What could have been a disjointed read, instead, became a depiction of how one event can reshuffle all sense of importance.
The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen | Request Now
After the unexpected heaviness of my previous read, I was ready for a twisty domestic thriller as a fun palate cleanser and The Golden Couple delivered. After Marissa Bishop cheats on her husband Matthew and instantly regrets it, she turns to celebrity therapist Avery Chambers. Avery may have lost her therapy license due to her controversial (and some may say unethical) methods, she is known for results. Of course, there’s also more to Avery than her clients are privy to. Told in alternating chapters from Marissa and Avery’s perspectives, The Golden Couple is beautifully paced with earned twists. As a reader, I was often able to say “there’s definitely something fishy about x character” but was rarely able to pinpoint directly on the twist before the reveal. If, like me, you read thrillers for fun but also don’t want to scream at the book for being too obvious or too ridiculous, The Golden Couple is worth adding to your list!
Good Eggs by Rebecca Hardiman| Request Now
When 83-year-old Millie is caught shoplifting (again), her son Kevin—already at his wits end caring for his 4 children, looking for a new job, and experiencing frustration with his love life—insists that she have an in-home aide to help her. Fortunately, Millie bonds with and enjoys the company of her aide Sylvia; and her always-in-trouble granddaughter Aideen connects with Sylvia’s nephew. Unfortunately, all is not as it seems with this family, and Millie’s, Aideen’s, and Kevin’s life get thrown into chaos. This book is a little “sweeter” than my typical fare, but I found feisty Millie and angsty Aideen easy to root for in this book that I feel ready to recommend to the moms and grandmas in my life!
Great Falls, MT: Fast Times, Post-Punk Weirdos, and A Tale of Coming Home Again by Reggie Watts| Request Now
Musician and alternative comedian Reggie Watts (perhaps best known as James Cordon’s bandleader) intersperses a more traditionally-told autobiography of growing up with short chapters of somewhat absurd musings. This hybrid style makes for a page-turning, music-filled book. (Truly, there are QR codes that lead to audio recordings throughout the memoir). Though it’s unlikely many readers have similar experiences to Watts’ multicultural upbringing and the Seattle music and comedy scene, the most poignant and easy-to-connect-to segments are Watts’ depictions of his relationships with his parents. The love Watts has for his mother, particularly, shines through the page.
Watts came to Ann Arbor in November as part of his book tour, and I wish I had read Great Falls prior to seeing his show. Though I enjoyed the evening, having the context of Watts’ background—particularly his thoughts on language and chameleon identities—would have made it all the more meaningful.
Hey, didn’t you say you read SEVEN books?
Yeah, yeah, I did. Here’re mini-reviews of the other three.
The Guest by Emma Cline
Cline fulfills her reputation as an atmospheric, mysterious writer. None of her books, including this one, have been a runaway hit for me, but I’ll keep giving her a try because she still manages to captivate me despite not-particularly-likeable characters.
Midnight on Beacon Street by Emily Ruth Verona
A night babysitting ends with a body in the kitchen. This short horror novel, with chapters in a non-consecutive timeline to build suspense, is a fine-enough read, but not a “can’t miss”
Survival of the Thickest by Michelle Buteau
Sadly, this one is a pass for me; not all great comedians are great writers. But make the time to watch the Netflix series of the same name starring Michelle; it’s what I wanted this essay collection to be!
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