I’ve been reading a lot for work lately, but I’ve snuck in some pleasure reads here and there. Here’s the best of what I read in April!
Circe: This sweeping, dazzling book covers thousands of immortal years, but I devoured it in two days! If you read The Odyssey in high school (didn’t we all have to do this?), you know Circe as the witch of Aeaea who turned men into pigs and hosted Odysseus on her island. But Madeline’s version retells the story from Circe’s point of view. Instead of predatory, she is powerful, instead of malicious, she is maligned and misunderstood. Beautiful, poignant, and inspiring, I’d recommend Circe to anyone who enjoys bluestocking historicals or wonderfully witchy tales.
The Bookshop on the Corner: If you’ve ever wanted to uproot your whole life and open a bookstore (who hasn’t?), this one’s for you. This charming lil romcom made me wish so badly that I owned a bus full of books and drove around the Highlands selling them to charming villagers just like the main character. Add a dash of sweet romance, and you have a lovely, light confection to enjoy (preferably while tromping around the Highlands yourself).
Black Leopard, Red Wolf: You can see a post about Black Leopard, Red Wolf here, in my “Should I Read This?” series. The tldr; version: I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone, but if you’re the type who enjoys super literary challenges of both stamina and stomach, then by all means go for it!
Happy All the Time: This one made it onto my “Best Books You’ve Never Heard Of” post, because it’s just so darn good. Many books end with a happy wedding, but Happy All The Time begins with one, and follows two loving couples through the strains and simple pleasures of their first years of marriage. While it’s admittedly a little dated, Laurie Colwin’s wry humor and warm voice filled me with New York nostalgia and deep contentment. Think Nora Ephron, 82 Charing Cross Road, “Here Is New York,” and Ruth Reichl.
If On a Winter’s Night a Traveler: If you’re reading this, I suspect you’re a book lover. Ergo, if you haven’t read Italo Calvino’s If On A Winter’s Night a Traveler before, you must. It’s quite different from some of his other works, so if you’ve tried Invisibile Cities or something else and it didn’t work for you, try this. I’ve never read a book that better engages with the challenges, delights, and pure bliss of reading.
Comments