Serious and not-so-serious reads to unwind the summer

Loads of new fiction and two nonfiction titles to peruse this month. Maybe for reading at sports practice, waiting in the school pick-up line or on those last days of vacation. Book clubs are probably starting back up soon as well.

 

Nonfiction:

 

“Mutinous Women” by Joan DeJean. In 1720, the French government arrested women – some barely adult – on trumped up charges, and shipped them to populate the Louisiana territory. It was a god-forsaken wilderness, but the women who survived the voyage established communities, started families, ran businesses, and were essential to settling the lower Mississippi region.

 

Fiction:

 

“The Midcoast” by Adam White. Set in Maine, but relatable to any community. What parents will do for their children knows no bounds. Well-written, believable, and poignant.

 

“One Day I Shall Astonish the World” by Nina Stibbe. From the author of “Love, Nina,”  this story is a deep dive into the complicated friendship of two women in England. Stibbe gives us an honest account of the women and their relationship which is frequently complicated by spouses, jobs, hopes, and expectations. Great for a Book Club.

 

“Mecca” by Susan Straight. A somewhat sobering profile of the native community of Southern California. This is not the glamour of LA, but the people who live and work in the hills and communities surrounding the glitz. 

 

“Ill Will” by Dan Chason. This author has a new book out, but the NYT reviewer preferred this earlier book. Great for those who like a creepy, pervy, murder mystery. 

 

“Counterfeit” by Kristen Chen. Asian Stanford students dive into counterfeit luxury purse importation. Fascinating portrayal of how it is done (it helps to speak Mandarin) and the psyche of those who thrive on deceiving buyers. I am equally interested in why people knowingly buy fakes.

 

“Hurricane Girl” by Marcy Dermansky. A quick read about a girl hit in the head during a hurricane and her increasingly odd behavior after the incident. Her antics are by turns funny and horrible.

 

“Horse” by Geraldine Brooks. Do not be intimidated by the 400 + pages of this book by Pulitzer Prize winner Brooks. The story is based on the real life thoroughbred Lexington. It spans the racing industry of 1860 to contemporary Washington, D.C. and does not disappoint. 

 

“The Fervor” by Alma Katsu. Also reality based, this story details many of the atrocities foisted upon American citizens of Japanese heritage who were placed in camps during World War II. A widow, a reporter, and a child all seeking the truth and their own salvation.

 

“Vigil Harbor” by Julia Glass. The author of “Three Junes” pens this novel set in the not too distant future in a seaside town in Massachusetts. Eco-terrorists are part of the cast, but mostly it is about people, relationships, loyalty, perseverance, and faith.

 

“NSFW” by Isabel Kaplan. The politics – sexual and otherwise – of network TV, told through the travails of a young girl trying to get a foot in the door without selling out. Pretty much the same in any business, but Kaplan gives the insider’s view of the production industry.

 

“Fellowship Point” by Alice Elliott Dark. Set mostly in Maine at a summer compound populated by a small group of families who cherish the natural beauty of the land. But the younger generation sees profit in development sparking a rift between aging owners. A highly engaging saga of personal heartbreak and redemption.