None of these books were complete keep-me-up-late-for-just-one-more-chapter page turners, but in truth, that might be more about me than them. As days get shorter, my solar-powered self tends to run down a bit. I’m doing pretty well this fall overall, but my appetite for reading has to compete with a lot of other evening activities at this time of year (including, I’ll admit, an addictive little word scramble game on my phone!).
If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin. I truly thought that this novel was written with a modern lens looking back on 1970s New York. The themes of racial profiling, systemic oppression of Black people, societal fear of young black men – it all seemed so current. I looked up the publishing date after I finished reading it, and it was first published in 1974. That honestly shook me a bit. Nothing stale or dated about this novel, which is, perhaps above all else, a love story about the unshakeable resolve of a young woman and her family to save her fiance from jail after he is falsely accused of rape. With a 95% fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes, the movie made in 2018 based on the book is likely also well worth your time.
Miss Kopp’s Midnight Confessions by Amy Stewart. I’ve previously read the first novel in this series about Constance Kopp, the first “lady detective” in New Jersey circa the 19-teens. Based on true stories, this third in the series, is an enjoyable and rather wholesome read.
Death Retires by Cate Lawley. The premise in this cozy is that Death – or, rather, a Death, as there are several reapers working at any one time – retires back into a human existence and is just looking for a nice, normal suburban lifestyle to relax into. Unfortunately for this Death, aka Geoff, he continues to be visited by troublesome ghosts and is charged with the care of an even more pesky bobcat, who’s possessed by a human soul. Quite entertaining and good for several more episodes in a series, I’d expect.
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. So much buzz about this book! It’s being made into a web series by Amazon, and I’m not sure if the buzz came first or if the Amazon PR department deserves a raise. Regardless, it is such a masterful documentary-style treatment of a wholly fictional band. The story is told through the often-conflicting recollections of a massively popular 70’s rock band, The Six, and their co-lead singer and songwriter, Daisy Jones. I devoured this book.
On the Pod:
Whether or not you are a self-proclaimed Dolly fan (and I wouldn’t have said I was particularly), you’ve got to give this podcast a listen. Over nine episodes, host Jad Abumrad of WNYC Studios interviews musicians from around the world, academics, Parton family members, and Dolly herself to unpack her journey, her songs, and her legacy. He also plays a lot of her music, original recordings and covers. She’s a fascinating subject and, while the music speaks for itself, I really appreciated the opportunity to give it a more thoughtful listen.
