Ring in the new year with these reads

Welcome to a new year of reading. Try something new this year, maybe do some audible books. Stop talking on the phone on your walks and listen to something fun – a mystery, humor, or memoir are all good choices for the uninitiated to listen to. Please read – it makes you more knowledgeable, more interesting, and more understanding.

 

FICTION

 

“The All of It” – Jeannette Haien. Very brief tale from the Irish countryside. Beautiful writing and a great one to jump start a book club with discussion. Ethics, social mores, doctrine – a lot packed into a very small package.

 

“The Seamstress of Sardinia” – Bianca Pitzorno. Sweet, atmospheric story of a young girl working for her independence while constrained by class and education in 1900 Sardinia.

 

“Now Is Not the Time to Panic’’ – Kevin Wilson. A teenage art project goes viral resulting in global phenomena. A few holes in the plot, but a good story from one of my preferred authors. “Nothing to See Here” was a delight.

 

“We All Want Impossible Things” – Catherine Newman. This received glowing reviews. Personally, I was underwhelmed. Story of best friends as one is dying. Not as morbid as it sounds, but not as nostalgic as I had envisioned.

 

“The Rabbit Hutch” – Tess Gunty. National Book Award Winner. Forced myself to finish it. Awards and reviews do not always tell the whole story – but many loved it.

 

“Before You Knew My Name” – Jacqueline Bublitz. Two young women looking for their future in New York City. One is murdered. The other needs to find out what happened to her.

 

“The Cloisters” – Katy Hays. If you are familiar with The Cloisters in New York City, you know it is the perfect setting for a mystery. Ambitious young girls in the art world in NYC. Easy reading thriller.

 

“Sometimes People Die” – Simon Stephenson. A young doctor takes a job as house staff in a city hospital in East London. People are dying, somewhat unexpectedly, but who can really tell in this atmosphere? Written by a physician, this book is incredibly accurate in its descriptions, which appealed enormously to me.

 

“Act of Oblivion” – Robert Harris. I was ignorant of this episode of history in England and the colonies. Beginning in 1660, two men flee to America after participating in the plot to kill King Charles I. Ten years later, they are being pursued to be executed, under the Act of Oblivion, for those crimes. Incredible descriptive writing, excellent pacing of the story. A satisfying read.

 

NONFICTION

 

“Con Artist” – Tony Tetro. Shocking revelation of how forgery infiltrates the art world. My friend runs a high-end gallery in a major city and he knew who these people were. Tetro, a master forger, tells his own story with only a modicum of swagger. A cautionary tale.

 

“Your Table Is Ready” – Michael Cecchi-Azzolina. Highly recommend listening to this book read by the author, a trained actor. Ribald account of the fine dining world. Probably a pinch of exaggeration, but hilarious and fun. Enjoyed this book immensely!

 

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