Things My Son Needs to Know About the World, by Fredrik Backman

Currently, I only have a daughter, but a parent I trust recommended this book to me and told me I didn’t need a son to enjoy it. And she was right. This book is charming and lighthearted, humorous and relevant for any parent.

Backman is a total jokester, and I know a lot of people would love this book for all the small quips throughout his writing. But for me it was really the anecdotes that made me laugh – the kind of oversights and accidents that all of us sleep-deprived parents are prone to. Things like showing up to work with a toddler because we forgot to drop them at daycare, or the crazy online purchases we make in a late-night panic when our kids won’t sleep… Backman captures these moments with a perfect balance of empathy and exasperation.

This was such a quick and easy read, and was exactly what I needed in a week where I was busy and a little stressed. It’s the kind of book you can read out of order, or take long breaks from, coming back to it when you need a laugh or something that is both light-hearted and heart-warming. I don’t know any parents who wouldn’t benefit from keeping this on their side table.

May 17, 2022 1

The Year of the Horses, by Courtney Maum

I was really excited to receive an advanced reader copy of The Year of the Horses, a memoir by Courtney Maum that is forthcoming from TinHouse Books.

I have to admit, I was really intrigued as I started this memoir, because – at least on paper – I have a lot in common with Maum: I’m married, I’m a new mother with a young daughter, and I am an aspiring writer (not that Maum is aspiring… she’s obviously made it). Not to mention, like Maum, I’m a white and come from a good amount of privilege.

And yet, despite all these similarities between Maum and I, unfortunately I had a really hard time connecting with this novel.

Now, I don’t have a deep connection with horses and I haven’t (to my good fortune) experienced turmoil in my marriage or deep bouts of depression since having a child, so perhaps these differences contributed to my lack of engagement with the narrative. But then, I’ve certainly read narratives I had nothing in common with that I nevertheless felt deeply connected to.

Rather, I think I simply struggled to really feel the stakes, or urgency, in this novel. And at the same time, I found it difficult to really understand or sympathize with the author’s frustrations as a wife and mother, which to me often felt unwarranted or exaggerated.

All in all, while I appreciated the author’s willingness to share her personal healing journey, this wasn’t a particularly captivating story for me. Have you read The Year of the Horses? What did you think?

April 26, 2022 0

No One Is Talking About This, by Patricia Lockwood

There was so much buzz about Patricia Lockwood’s No One Is Talking About This, that I couldn’t wait to dive in. And now I can definitely say I understand why it received so much praise in terms of timeliness and originality. The book’s structure and subject matter both touch on things that we’ve all grown oh too familiar with: our obsession with the internet, ceaseless connectivity, ever-shorter attention spans, and our disconnectedness from one another.

And yet, for all it’s relevance and powerful messages, I admit I struggled to get through this one. The story is divided into two parts, and the first is utterly fragmented, random, and practically without plot, so that I didn’t feel invested in the protagonist (or anything, really… and perhaps to some extent that is the point).

The second part of the novel is much different than the first. A powerful plot emerges, a cast of characters is introduced, and suddenly the narrative is so compelling that I read most of it in one sitting. The story in part two, it should be said, merits a content warning (TW: terminal illness, child death) and I was utterly unprepared for how devastated I would be (especially as a new parent). And though I have to recognize the skilled writing that drew me in during this second half of the book, it was really quite difficult to get that far in this book for me.

If you’ve read this one, I’d really love to hear your thoughts, because I realize how original and relevant it was from start to finish. Did you struggle with the fragmented writing? Did you enjoy the narrative? Let me know!

January 19, 2022 1

Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel

If someone had given me a synopsis of this book before I dove in, I probably would have rolled my eyes. A global pandemic? I would have said I’ve had enough of that to last a lifetime, thank you. But in fact this book completely captivated me (and I learned that Emily St. John Mandel wrote Station Eleven before Coronavirus which is irrelevant but interesting). The writing is engaging and the plot is well-crafted; Mandel keeps you constantly on the edge of your seat.

A few other things I loved about the book: references to Shakespeare and religion for me to nerd out to, a badass female protagonist, and some very complex characters.

And of course, it’s impossible to bring up this book right now without also commenting on the TV series adaptation (which I just finished). I’m not much of a TV buff in the first place, but for me the series was pretty underwhelming, mostly because I found that the plot modifications made the story somewhat less convincing. However, I know a lot of readers that have loved the series, so I’d say it’s worth giving it a shot! And definitely – DEFINITELY – give this book a shot.

January 17, 2022 0

The Whole Brain Child, by Daniel Seigel & Tina Payne Bryson

As you may know, I’m not particularly big on non-fiction (outside of memoir), and it has been a struggle to find many parenting books that really grab my attention. But The Whole-Brain Child was recommended to me several times, so I had to give it a shot.

The verdict? This is a fantastic book to help new parents better understand the way their child’s brain is developing in the early years, and how they can help foster that growth. In a word, invaluable.

As someone who hasn’t had any formal education around child psychology (or any psychology, really), I really appreciated how this book was able to break down complex functions of the brain so that I could grasp them. More importantly, it paired this learning with tactical, realistic ways that I could leverage that knowledge in my parenting to better help my child develop intellectually and emotionally. From little cartoon graphics to “Refrigerator sheets” for helping you put parenting techniques into practice, this book really goes the extra mile to make things realistic and accessible for parents.

I will say that a few times I felt like concepts were a little redundant, but I also think that slightly different approaches will work for different parents (and children), so I wasn’t too bothered by the overlap between sections of the book. I’ll definitely be flipping back through this one time and time again in the years to come.

January 14, 2022 0

Memorial, by Bryan Washington

I’ve been wanting to read Memorial all year, partly given it’s broad acclaim and partly out of a desire to support my fellow UNO alum, Bryan Washington. So naturally I started this one as soon as I got it (as a holiday gift from yet another UNO alum!). And, to summarize, I really enjoyed this book.

Firstly, I thought the plot was so convincing and intriguing. Brief synopsis: a couple is forced to reconsider their close relationships and life goals when one of them unexpectedly travels abroad and leaves his mother and partner to live together. This feels so probable and yet, so strange. I found myself eager to know what would happen to each of the three main characters.

Additionally, I was really interested in the intertextual nature of this novel – it relies on traditional prose, but also photographs and text messages to tell a broader narrative.

The only thing I struggled with a bit while reading Memorial was it’s occasional use of crude language and description when I felt that something more subtle would do. For me, it was a little as though crass language was leveraged for shock value at times.

Otherwise, I really enjoyed the writing and voice of this book. It was easy to read, modern, and convincing. Give it a shot!

December 29, 2021 0

Review: Braiding Sweetgrass

Braiding Sweetgrass, the latest from plant biologist and professor Robin Wall Kimmerer, has been on bestseller lists (and my personal TBR pile) for quite some time. And now I understand why: this book really has something for everyone.

Not since “Boys in a Boat” have I read a book where, each time I talk to someone about it, I end up talking about something different. My nerdy cousin loved Kimmerer’s descriptions of plant biology. My friend loved the relatable, simple anecdotes from Kimmerer’s life that she uses to communicate critical messages. Environmentalists and activists are using this book to spread awareness about the history of land abuse that Kimmerer outlines in the later chapters. And me? Well I loved all of that, but was especially drawn to Kimmerer’s detailing of traditional Native American cultural beliefs and practices.

And what’s really great about this book is that, even if all those things aren’t for you, Kimmerer’s writing makes it easy and interesting to learn about all these things (and more). Most importantly, I think she has written a book that simultaneously provides a dire warning and a hopeful how-to guide for getting back to a healthy relationship between humans and nature, which is something we desperately need.

Did you read it? Let me know what YOU loved about the book in the comments below!

Ready to read it? Get the book from an independent publisher by going to my affiliate bookstore at bookshop.org!

August 12, 2021 0

Hamnet – To Read or Not To Read?

Definitely “To Read.” There really is no question on this one. Maggie O’Farrell has done such a brilliant job in Hamnet of reimagining the life of Shakespeare and his family. I dove into this one because, as a book nerd, I was excited at the idea of a historical fiction novel based on Shakespeare, but to be honest this book is so well written, and the narrative so enticing, that I wouldn’t have been able to put it down even if it had no historical context or connection to anything. It’s just an incredible story.

However, knowing that this is a historical novel based loosely on Shakespeare added a whole extra layer of intrigue when reading Hamnet. Though it is entirely a work of fiction, I still felt like O’Farrell developed the characters in such a way that gave dignity and life to historical figures who, especially in the cases of Shakespeare’s son, Hamnet, and his wife, Agnes, have largely been criticized or ignored. I really enjoyed listening to Maggie O’Farrell speak to this in the New York Times Book Review Podcast, and would highly encourage anyone who finishes the book to check out the interview, to better understand O’Farrell’s reasons for making the decisions she did when writing Hamnet.

This is probably my favorite book of the year so far, so I really hope you’ll read it. When you do, be sure to let me know what you think in the comments section below!

The Tiger’s Wife

I’ve been meaning to join an official book club for a while now, because obviously I love discussing books, and Téa Obreht’s The Tiger’s Wife is the book that has finally made me pull the trigger on that.

In other words, this is a novel I need to talk through – from the unique structure to the heavy symbolism to genre blending and cultural influences… I just have so many questions. And while some readers might find it frustrating to leave a book with questions unanswered, I personally love being asked to think critically about the various meanings hidden throughout a story.

And though I think it is certainly possible to read too much into “hidden meanings” and symbolism, Obreht’s novel blends just the right amount of clarity and ambiguity. The narrative follows three distinct, yet related stories, two of which read like local legends or fables with hints of magical realism, cultural influence, and regional history, and which shed light on the third strand of the narrative about the death of the protagonist’s grandfather.

Serendipitously, I saw that an Instagram influencer I enjoy, @fictionmatters, selected this as her July book club pick. I’ll be joining in on the discussion and may just have to come back for a part 2 to this book review! 😀

Related Links:

Get the book from an independent bookstore or publisher.

Join the Fiction Matters Patreon to become part of the book club. The Tiger’s Wife is her July pick!

James Baldwin, “Go Tell It On The Mountain”

Having only read If Beale Street Could Talk, I’ve been eager to get to more of Baldwin’s work for a long time, and was excited to pull Go Tell It On The Mountain off the shelf. And while I have to admit that while I found Beale Street a bit more riveting of a narrative, the thematic complexity of Go Tell It On The Mountain is unmatched.

One could spend hours and hours unpacking the racial, gendered, and religious power dynamics that play out between characters in this novel – it’s the kind of book that makes you want a class or a reading group to discuss it with, the kind that prompts me to look up podcasts and articles that analyze it.

And the fact that this is a semi-autobiographical novel makes it even more troubling, painful, and powerful. The fact that it was Baldwin’s first novel makes it even more impressive.

Finally, I want to mention that although, as I’ve mentioned earlier, this wasn’t quite as spell-binding as Beale Street (I found it a little slow at times), I also want to mention that this narrative develops in a way that is really unexpected and yet, realistic. With Go Tell It On The Mountain, Baldwin once again uses his craft to offer an insightful perspective of race, religion, gender, sexuality, and class in America.

Get the book through a local or independent publisher, HERE.

June 13, 2021 0