I may be on an Ann Patchett kick. Dutch House was so perfect. Now I am forcing my work book club to read Commonwealth.
Thankfully I’ve already had a handful of people tell me they finished it in a few sittings. I’ll find out if any of them really enjoyed it next week. Until then I will share my thoughts with you.
First, let me give you the rundown. Commonwealth is the story of a blended family. Bert Cousins and Beverly Keating kiss during her youngest daughters baptism party and that single event throws two couples and five children into a completely new life. Patchett follows all affected parties through multiple decades, poor decisions, and failed relationships. There is a story within a story. There is perfect family drama, and also the type of love you can only have for your family. Confused? Trust me, it’s worth it.
Patchett manages to make all of her characters feel real. Children that originally appear as one dimensional come into their own as they age. Albie who we see as an annoying toddler early in the book gets a fleshed out relationship with his siblings and thoughtful, if traumatic, growth. We follow Franny from her baptism, through high school, to law school, bartending, a toxic relationship, and finally something like peace.
I am a sucker for character driven stories, so Commonwealth was everything I could dream of. In fact, the meta story within a story plot was my least favorite aspect of the novel. However I can see how this won’t be a favorite for everyone.
Commonwealth is worth reading if you’re interested in a gateway to Ann Patchett, like family dramas, or just want to get lost in beautiful prose. There is no fantasy, just difficult people living real life.
One of my best friends is going through a hard time. Her boyfriend has a new injury that has left him with a walker and little mobility. She is in the process of moving in with said boyfriend. They live in a city with no family support.
I feel bad for her. Moving is awful under good circumstances. I can’t imagine combining two households while caring for a hurt partner.
It made me think of the crazy amazing things we all do for love. The things no one could imagine doing before having that person in their life, the new adventures, the hard talks, and the growing that takes place.
It made me reflect on how last fall my boyfriend drove across the state to attend the funeral of my roommates fiance. He had been sick far longer than my boyfriend and I had been dating. They had never met. He still wanted to be there for me and my roommate. When they needed another pallbearer he didn’t think twice. I knew I loved him before that moment, and we had started to joke about marriage, but after that day I knew he would be my forever person.
It reminded me of what it means to show up for the people I love.
It also reminded me of one of my favorite books, A History of Love by Nicole Krauss. It is about love in all of its kinds. It is a book about how it is hard to go on when that love is gone, and how time never stops moving. It is a book about how stories are important, and about how love stories transcend.
A History of Love is 15 years old and I still recommend it to people. It is a comfort read that takes me back to being a young, naive teenager. A History of Love is a comfort to me, just like baking. Baking makes me happy. Food is definitely one of my love languages. There is something great about taking a set of ingredients and turning them into something tasty. Not all of my recipes are unique. I spend a lot of time following food blogs and reading cookbooks. It combines my love of reading and food. It isn’t the best thing for my waistline. But it did bring me these Chia Snickerdoodles from Jessica at How Sweet Eats. They are soft, sweet, and like biting into a cup of Chia tea without the possibility of burning yourself with just out of the kettle water. Check them out. They’re totally worth it.
Now I’m not here to start defending a lot of dead white guys. I get it. A lot of classics are hard. They are from another time. They required further context to understand historical events, or a quick language lesson to understand the prose. They aren’t always fun, and sometimes they aren’t even rewarding.
However, I have a deep place in my little historical heart for classics.
They have survived, often a long time. They have resonated with generations. There is a reason why swarms of girls go through Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte phases every year. It’s okay to want to be a member of the Swiss Family Robinson. Dracula can still scare new readers every Halloween. Sure, these books don’t read like new releases, but they have heart and body and life.
They show us another time. Victorian England is depicted in countless films, historical fiction books, podcasts, theater…you name it! All of those representations still don’t compare to reading Dickens. There is so much detail about everyday life in Classics that you may never think about. Even current classics can give readers insight into our lives.
Writing is a political act. We understand (sometimes) our current political climate. We understand our social norms. The last 100 years have turned US culture on it’s head. Men and Women can live together! Women can have careers! Everyone can vote!!! Not to gloss over all of the bad that still happens, but these things would have been unthinkable in centuries past. Many of the classics that do survive challenge the social norms of their time. They often show dangerous thoughts on paper. Appreciate the radical. Big change is started in small places.
They can be fun! Not every classic is stuffy. I would have laughed in your face if you told me in high school that not only would I enjoy The Iliad, but that it would actually be fun, and actually kind of funny. But here I was this summer, laughing at my desk and enjoying the heck out of the Trojan War. I also think Shakespeare’s comedies are still laugh worthy. Capote can still entertain.
I know not every classic is for everyone. I personally never feel the need to read Faulkner again, or to pick up Moby Dick. I do think they need to be looked at as relevant, important. I know we have a heavy focus on white males in the classics, and that is something that is hard to avoid, but there is still so much to learn and possibly enjoy.
What are your classic experiences? Do you have a favorite or do you avoid them like the plague?
My life is starting to slow down, but my mind is still a little blurry. As a result I haven’t gotten a ton of new reading done.
Instead of giving you one full review today I’m going to put up a few mini reviews of books I read before I started this blog. Everything is still from my 2019 reading year. Some I have thought about using for a Food and Fiction Friday post, some I just don’t have 500 words worth of content to spew out. Most are worth reading. Enjoy!
Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh
Are you into fables, fairy tales, and the like? This is the novella for you. Silver in the Wood was easily my favorite read of the summer. You have wood nymphs, a myth, and a man that is possibly a tree and also maybe ancient? It’s the new type of fable we need. I can’t say enough good things about this Tesh treat.
How to Walk Away by Katherine Center
This was the August pick for one of my book club. I hate read 90% of it. I thought it was very anti feminist, that the characters were all either dellusional, weak, or toxic, and that the story needed a TON of editing. I know Center is a very popular author with a new book that is all over Bookstagram. My book club loved this book. It just wasn’t for me.
Nine Perfect Strangers by Laine Moriarty
Moriarty is such a treat to read. I loved Big Little Lies, and had seen Nine Perfect Strangers all over the booksphere. I love seeing Moriarty’s Australia in her novels. I also was really into the idea of a health spa gone awry. There is a minor twist that is hard to get over, but overall Nine Perfect Strangers is a great read.
Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin
Another book club pick! This time it was my own. Jane is an aspiring politician and single mom. Her daughter wants to know more about her absent father. At heart, this is a story about what internet culture can do to a young woman. It is about how we forgive men their transgressions and punish women for theirs. It is about bonding with our sisters in arms and forming relationships. It is about building new lives, or just finding ways to deal with the life you are living. Originally published in 2017 this is the novel we need for the upcoming election.
Your Favorite Band Cannot Save You by Scotto Moore
Another novella. Also easily the strangest thing I have read this year. Imagine that you discover a new band and are hypnotised by their music…and then shit hits the fan. I cannot recommend this enough but as about 90% of the book would be a spoiler I haven’t found a way to write a real review. Go look it up. It is so good and so short. You’ll finish it in a night.
I’ll be back Wednesday with my usual bookish thoughts, and back with a real review next Monday. Thanks for reading!
October is also the type of month that is crazy, but in such a way that I cannot pinpoint where all of my time went. I spent a long weekend in Chicago in the middle of the month. My boyfriend has been traveling a ton for work and it is making everything feel a little more chaotic.
October has never been my favorite month. I like the change of leaves and the cooler weather, but it tends to also make me melancholy. I love November, football, and Thanksgiving. I can give or take Halloween.
We also decided to jump on the health wagon. Goodbye restaurants, donuts, and chocolate. Hello veggies, hummus, and so much chicken. I’m only mostly cranky about the whole thing. I have a ton more energy, which is good because cooking every night can be a bit much. I’ve also found some amazing new recipes that have made this little journey much more exciting. Maybe I’ll share some in a future post? Anyway, I’m getting through a ton of audiobooks while I chop veggies. It’s a nice perk.
I did somehow manage to get reading in amidst all the chaos. I finished The Haunting of Hill House, Dutch House, The Library of the Unwritten, and Practical Magic. I have also somehow been listening to The Shadow of Night for what feels like a month and still haven’t finished. I have a few other books I’ve dabbled in. I wrote a post earlier this week about burnout and it has really affected my reading for this month. I’m accepting my humble 4 books for what they are – my best effort in a time where it feels like my mind has the attention span of a goldfish.
I’ve also come across some fun articles that I think you all will enjoy. Take a look. Read the tabs when you open them. I bet you also need some you time, so decompress and enjoy some lovely book things.
Lately I have been feeling a little blah. Life is really busy. I am seeing lots of tweets and memes about how adulting is just saying “next week will be less busy “ until you die. I wish that didn’t feel so accurate sometimes.
The boyfriend and I are juggling our multiple friend groups, our families, work, and trying to spend quality time together. There just aren’t enough minutes in each week. The result is that when we do have free time neither of us want to do much. He doesn’t pick up the same video games anymore. I have a pile of books with placeholders within the first 20 pages. All started. None able to hold my attention while my brain feels so full of schedules, to-do lists, and other stresses.
I know plenty of readers that fall into books in times of stress. I have never been one of them. When I am busy, sad, or overbooked I have a hard time focusing on books. The stories don’t stay with me. I can read the same 5 pages over and over and not retain a single thing. Readathon this weekend got me through a book and a half. I did listen to a lot of audiobook while cleaning, cooking, and taking walks. I didn’t boost my numbers like I thought I would.
Instead that evening I watched a couple of movies with my boyfriend. We laughed. I was a little spooked. It was great.
More importantly, it was the type of relaxation I needed. As much as I love reading it is a hobby deeply connected to my job. Now it is also connected to this blog that I try to update 3 times a week. Sometimes book feel more like work then pleasure. And I can’t do those books right now.
I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We’re eating at home more and trying to eek out us time despite all of the other demands against our schedule. I am carving out me time that isn’t just in the kitchen baking, or taking an accidental nap. I’ll get back to books being fun. I’m just not there right now.
I am a bit of a new release junkie. My backlog is huge. Even when I get to an older title, it has probably been released within the last ten years. There are just too many good books coming out for me to investigate the books that came out 25 years ago.
I surprised even myself when I picked up Practical Magic. I saw it on someone’s Halloween book recs and thought, huh, I’ve heard of Alice Hoffman, I know people who love that Sandra Bullock movie…Why not?
Practical Magic, for the few of you who haven’t spent time with the very fun 90’s movie, is the story of the Owen’s sisters. Sally and Gillian were orphaned at a young age and grew up with their aunts, who were more than a little peculiar. After a hard childhood goodie goodie Sally and rebel Gillian head out on separate paths, one full of children and love, and the other divorce and adventure When an unexpected tragedy brings them back together they must learn how to be a family, love, and accept the practical magic that is all around.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this Hoffman classic, but I can tell you it did involve more magic. If you’re searching for spells, familiars, and general sorcery this is not the book for you. However if you are looking for beautiful prose, well developed characters, and a very intriguing family history please stick around.
I loved every character in this book. The aunts are enchanting and mystifying. Sally is heartbreaking. Gillian is funny, sad, and endearing all at once. Even the younger characters, Antonia and Kylie jump off the page. The sibling rivalry feels real. They are all truly a delight. The minor characters are still full of personality and small secrets.
My one minor criticism is that even for a short book the plot felt a bit slow. Things were happening, and then they weren’t. It left oodles of time for character development, but occasionally left me feeling like I was adrift in someone’s life story, not in the pages of a novel.
If you’re looking for something spooky to end October I wouldn’t say this is necessarily the book you’re looking for. If you want to learn a little more about love, spend some time with a perfectly dysfunctional family, and see a little magic it is worth checking out.
Also…I should probably watch the movie…That would mean turning off Halloween Cake Off for more than a couple hours though…Probably won’t happen.
I am a big believe in books finding their readers at the right time. Some of my perennial favorites would fall flat if I read them for the first time now. I would find Foer’s writing cloying. I wouldn’t be able to lose myself as freely in Chevalier’s ever varying settings. Hogwarts wouldn’t hold the same meaning.
So I am glad that I waited several years to jump into the All Souls trilogy. I started A Discovery of Witches in September right when the weather started to cool (it was a trick. It was 80 degrees again later that week. Michigan, you suck.) I was completely enamored with a Witch and a Vampire dealing with rare books and manuscripts in Oxford’s beautiful Bodleian library.
The setting was everything I needed. I always miss school in the first few weeks in September. Something about the 12 years in public school, plus undergrad and grad school will always have me associating early fall with campuses, trees. Large brown satchels, books, and new friends. It feels safe. I sometimes wish I was a librarian at a university just so I could get the full new school year experience every year.
But alas, this year I experienced it through Debroah Harkness’s words. I took a sick day to read hundreds of pages. I went right out for the second book.
Okay, Shadow of Night isn’t as good. I’m still working my way through. It isn’t my fault each All Soul’s book is over 500 pages and that I like to read other things. The thing about this extended reading experience is that I never have to leave this world of Witches. I can fall in love with Vampires and laugh at Demons. Sometimes it is really great to simmer in a story, dipping in and out and letting the setting stay in your mind.
I have been thinking about what I should write about All Souls for weeks. I wondered if I needed to finish the series before putting my thoughts on paper (err, blog post) but I decided that no, there is value in the journey. I’ll finish Shadow of Night shortly and move on to The Book of Life. I won’t rush through. I’ll enjoy my time with Diana, Matthew, and company. I’ll the perfect mix of fantasy and history. There will be more talk of rare books and the type of world I understand, even if my version of researchers, reading rooms, and books is less supernatural.
I’ll enjoy all of this while snacking on pumpkin butter granola. I’ll throw in some sweet pecans and some raisins. It’ll make my morning yogurt taste like fall. Maybe I’ll throw in some extra apples and another scoop of pumpkin butter for good measure? I bet even Diana would enjoy this. It would be the perfect pre workout meal. Or the perfect meal when you’re just trying to get through the early weeks of a diet. It’s super tasty and feels like a treat, even though it is quite healthy.
Ingredients: 3 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 c pumpkin butter
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 c chopped pecans
1/4 c raisins
Steps: Preheat your oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small pot, melt butter and wait for brown specks to appear at the bottom of your pot. Your butter should smell slightly nutty. Take off the stove and transfer to heatsafe bowl to prevent burning and mix in pumpkin butter, maple syrup, and vanilla.
Add the oats, spices, and nuts and stir until everything is sticky and combined. Spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
Wait for granola to cool and toss with raisins. Store in an airtight container and enjoy with yogurt, or just as an afternoon snack.
In a previous life I also had a book blog. My reviews were worse. My content was a lot more meme worthy. It wasn’t the type of blog run by a librarian with a mission, but a college student with a love of books and a confused life path. I have fond memories of those times. I read great books and found my voice. I learned about ARCS and the bookish community.
I learned about readathons.
Specifically, I participated in the Dewey Readathon, starting in 2010. I didn’t know what to expect. It wasn’t an easy time but I was young and there was coffee and short stories and Harry Potter. There were blogs to read when hands go tired of holding a physical book. There was a huge community of readers doing the same thing, sharing their reading experience, and sending out love into the world.
It has been a few years since I have been able to fully participate in a Dewey Readathon and I am very much looking forward to jumping back this weekend. I don’t participate in a lot of other big community reading events. I don’t love the week long readathons that feel more like marathons than short sprints. 24 in 48 takes up too much of my weekend. I can commit to a day. I can make that day about me. I can meet new readers and follow their journeys while having my own. It is fantastic.
It is also a very long time to read. So, as someone who has done this through many different stages of life (college student, under-employed post drag, sad post break-up girl, and now bookish professional) I want to share some of my tips, my reading list, and some general life advice.
1.The Books Make the Readathon
Now is not the time to make your way through War & Peace. Pick short reads. I am a big fan of collections of short stories, novels under 350 pages, and novellas. I can intersperse short stories into reading breaks from other books, or just enjoy several short adventures with a ton of different characters. The point is you don’t want a Tome. You’ll get bored, overwhelmed, tired, and need a change of scenery. Prepare for this. You’ll feel much better when you’ve finished a handful of books instead of most of a door stopper.
My reading list for this weekend will include: Practical Magic Commonwealth Jane Friday Black Yellow House
The Shadow of Night
I won’t make it through all of them, but I’ll enjoy what I finish, and accept everything still on my TBR.
2. Embrace Audiobooks (and Bookish Podcasts!)
At some point you will have to get up. You’ll make dinner, or need to go to the gym. You’ll need to stretch your legs and rest your eyes. Your family will miss you and want to see your face. This is prime time to pull out an audiobook.
I personally love audiobooks, but they are ideal for readathons too. I can still feel like I’m participating while checking the #readathon tags on twitter and instagram. I can make myself a snack or take a shower. I can take a walk to get some fresh air. All the while I am still making progress into my TBR pile. I’m still immersed in my books.
In my life before audiobooks I would listen to bookriot podcasts. Listening to people talk about books is audiobook adjacent, and it still encompasses the spirit of the event. I have about 8 Hours left of Shadow of Night and I am sure I will get a couple hours of listening in sometime Saturday.
3. Snacks are Everything.
Treat. Yo. Self.
The Dewey Readathon happens twice a year. That means there are 2 times in a year I feel justified in buying sno-caps to throw in my popcorn, reeses cups, cookies, really just everything I love. I usually order carry out and get my absolute favorite shish tawook with all of the pita and veggies and garlic my heart can handle.
This year I am dieting (boo!) and preparing by making sure I have some tasty yogurt, homemade pumpkin spice granola – which you’ll see on the blog Friday, veggies, and all of the components to make my favorite carry out dish at home for half the calories. I’ll still splurge on popcorn. Maybe I’ll make my tea extra sweet. It’ll still be a treat for me.
Treats are important. Don’t let yourself get over hungry. Caffeine is super important for a 24 hour stretch, and filling snacks will help keep your mind from wandering. Also this day is for you. Get the food you like. Cherish it. Enjoy.
4. Warn Your Loves
My boyfriend has been warned about Readathon weekend every few days for the last week. I have told him he is free to make plans, but I will not be joining. He can talk to me, but I will be reading and may not answer. If he really wants me he should bring me snacks. That will get my attention.
I also told my parents, my friends, everyone that contacts me on the regular. I am not available on Saturday. I don’t care if they don’t understand. It is a great lesson in saying no to people. This no is self care. The day is for me.
Warning people makes the day easier on you. I promise this is true.
Lastly, some advice:
Readathon, like life, is not a competition. If you can’t clear your day and can only manage a few disjointed hours, congrats, you participated. If you fall asleep at midnight you still read until then. If your family needs you, there is an emergency, or you just plain don’t feel like spending most of your weekend glued to a book that’s fine.
The point is to have fun. Enjoy your readathon experience. I don’t care if someone else reads 12 books and I don’t make it through 1. There is no winning in comparing your experience to others. Just breathe, read, and move on.
If any of you are reading, good luck. For those of you who may have participated before let me know if you think I missed any major tips!
Guys, I am a sucker for books about books, or books about libraries, books about librarians. Really any book about other bookish things. I feel like a lot of us are drawn to books about our favorite things, and my favorite thing does also happen to be books.
Unfortunately I am not done saying book in this review. I’m not that sorry about it.
The Library of the Unwritten is a story of the Librarian of Hell’s Unwritten stories wing. Claire manages the books that never came to be, by authors both living and dead. Sometimes books come to life and wreak havoc on Claire’s day. It’s great. Except that a part of The Devil’s codex is on the loose in the mortal realm, and now Claire, a human disguised as a demon, her mentor, and a disgraced muse must return it before an all out war between heaven and hell breaks out.
At its premise Hackwith’s new novel hits all the right buttons. The actual hellish atmosphere is perfect for a spooky October evening. The universe and all of its trappings and tricks create a full and complex world to lose yourself in. There are books absolutely everywhere.
The only place I feel fell flat is with the characters. For a story so focused on mission and teamwork I didn’t find myself caring a bit about Claire and her crew. Sure, some of them were interesting. They were souls and demons and a manifestation of a fictional work. That is super cool. Their personalities just felt more like characters, and by the end I was dreading that this book, toted as book one in the Hell’s Library series, may end in a cliffhanger, as I had no desire to spend another book with any of them.
For all you plot driven readers, this is the October book for you. Demons and creatures abound. Mysteries are at every corner. I was frantically turning pages into the night because I needed to know what would happen to the library and it’s bookish inhabitants, and I wasn’t disappointed there.
The Library at Woodring Estate 