Two Books That Are Pulling Me Out of a Reading Slump

What day is it? What month is it? When was the last time I sent a newsletter? Who can answer any of these questions??!! Not me, baby!

This is the sort of thing one really shouldn’t say (ahem) especially when one owns a bookstore (ahem) and is a novelist (ahem) but I just have not been able to read this summer. This spring, too. Moving, book tour, summer travel, ferrying kids to and fro 1000000 camps, it just has not been a fertile time for me and books. I’ve been writing! Which is great! A true delight! But until this week, reading has been a slog.

Well, consider me de-slogged. Unclogged! Unfogged! I am reading not one but TWO books right now that have me absolutely rapt. And so, in case you are also having a slow reading summer, allow me to put a couple of things on your TBR list.

1. This one is already in paperback, lucky you! So many people have told me how they loved this book, so I know I’m preaching to the choir, but Annie Hartnett’s The Road to Tender Hearts has me utterly. Hilarious! Moving! Dark as shit! This is LIFE. Gorgeous sentences! I am loving every page. Why have I not read all of Annie Hartnett’s books??? What the hell is wrong with me? Not to worry, I will remedy the error.

   

2. Yiyun Li has a new novel out in October. Ann Patchett told me it was one of the best novels she’s ever read in her life and if that is not enough for you, well, not really sure what you could possible get out of this newsletter. Music Against the Night is a NOVEL, a capital letters NOVEL, a historic saga of two musicians but the surprises within each page/sentence. I am not even halfway and I can tell you it’s one of my favorites for the year. Pre-order now, thank me later. DANG, BABY. That’s what this novel makes me feel. If I could whistle, I would whistle.

Happy August. July was 700 weeks long, can’t wait to see how long August lasts.