Good Reads & Views

Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
Fiction

What it’s about: Washington Black is born into slavery and transcends it over the course of this lyrical, globe-encompassing novel. When Wash becomes the assistant to a scientific-minded adventurer, his life is transformed as he develops his artistic talent. But when the two escape Barbados to explore the world, they’re pursued by a slave owner who perceives Wash to be a runaway.

Why you should read it: While there’s world travel and suspense in this novel, the spotlight is really on Wash’s rich emotional life. If you enjoy literary novels about characters discovering their true gifts, while connecting with others and experiencing the pain of betrayal, this historical novel is for you.

Reviewers say: Publishers Weekly says, “Crafted in supple, nuanced prose, Edugyan’s novel is both searing and beautiful.”

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Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing Out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self by Manoush Zomorodi
Nonfiction

What it’s about: While we used to have windows of time to simply notice the world around us, now most of us reach for our phones when things get boring. In this helpful and encouraging book, Zomorodi describes what we’re missing by logging on instead of occasionally zoning out.

Why you should read it: If your smartphone is connected to your person all your waking hours and you’re not totally happy about that situation, this book provides concrete exercises that will help you keep only the apps and uses that are best serving you. The author’s conversational tone and account of her personal experiences make this challenge friendly and approachable.

You might also like: If your goal is to reduce your social media use, also check out Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport.

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The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson
Nonfiction

What it’s about: From 1915 to 1970, nearly 6 million Black Americans moved from the South to the North in search of a better life. This poignant book follows three people who made this migration, and the author interweaves their individual experiences into the broader fabric of the time period.

Why it’s significant: The Great Migration was an important part of 20^th century American history, and this book blends history and personal experiences -- so you get to learn about this time frame while also gaining insight into the lives of a few of the people who made the journey. Wilkerson’s beautiful writing and evocative detail make The Warmth of Other Suns an absorbing read. If you enjoy reading narrative nonfiction that reads like fiction, this book is for you.

Book buzz: This book won the National Book Critics Circle Award and was named one of the 10 best books of the year by The New York Times, Amazon, and Publishers Weekly.

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The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom
Nonfiction

What it’s about: Sarah M. Broom grew up in the New Orleans that tourists never see—New Orleans East, where her family lived in the Yellow House, a shotgun house that was destroyed during Hurricane Katrina. In this coming of age story, she writes from the perspective of “the babiest” of 12 children, raised by a widowed mother who supported her family. 

Why you should read it: If you appreciate beautiful writing, this book is for you. Broom’s phrasing is often poetic, sometimes blunt, always original; her unique voice speaks from these pages. In this memoir about race and class, her matter-of-fact tone and lyrical writing make her story all the more powerful.

Book buzz: Winner of the National Book Award for Nonfiction, this book was also named a Best Book of 2019 by the Chicago Tribune, New York Times Book Review, and Washington Post.

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Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas

What it’s about: At an elite and secretive college, Ines—a student with a haunting past—tries to find her place among her brilliant and troubled peers. The strangeness of the academic program and the unusual rituals of the place gradually increase in intensity, which will keep you turning the pages.

Why you might like it: If you enjoy atmospheric stories infused with a mild and growing sense of eeriness, this book is a great choice for you. Also, if you’re looking for great debut novels by authors of color, pick up this book—it offers a compelling story, lush writing, and a beautifully evoked setting.

You might also like: If you like this book, also try The Secret History by Donna Tartt—another complex, quietly suspenseful story about students at a prestigious school.

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Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb
Nonfiction

What it’s about: In this intimate and compelling memoir, therapist Lori Gottlieb shares stories from behind the scenes in therapy—from both sides of the couch. Over the course of the book, you’ll feel like you’ve gotten to know her and her patients… and her therapist.

Why you might like it: If you enjoy great storytelling and narratives about work life, this book offers both. For fiction readers who rarely delve into nonfiction, this book is a great choice because of the way it delves into the inner lives of the characters. Who would’ve ever thought a therapist’s introspective memoir could also be a page-turner?

What sets it apart: Gottlieb’s warm humanity and unflinching self-scrutiny make her a delightful guide on this journey into the messy parts of life.

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Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell
Nonfiction

What it’s about: When the idea of cooking every recipe in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking entered Julie Powell’s head, it became an all-consuming project (pun intended). So many recipes, so many things that could go wrong—especially when cooking in a tiny apartment kitchen. With a sharp, frank tone, Powell conveys the delights and terrors of cooking like Julia.

Why you should read it: If you like reading about cooking or following people as they pursue ambitious year-long projects, give this book a try. Also, if you like memoirs that don’t mince words. (I swear that pun was not intended.)

You might also like: For more Julia Child, pick up her memoir, My Life in France. If instead, you’re in the mood for a book about a life-changing project, try Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project.

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Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
Fiction

What it’s about: Who wouldn’t want to be a nanny to children who spontaneously combust? In this irreverent, engaging story, Lillian’s old friend hires her to take care of her stepchildren—whose special talent needs to be kept under wraps while their father is being considered for a Cabinet post. The stakes are high, and the situation is really weird. Completely original and full of surprises.

Why you might like it: If you enjoy reading wry, first-person stories about unconventional characters, give this book a try.

You might also like: Be Frank with Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson is another quirky novel narrated by a nanny.

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Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
Fiction

What it’s about: When Emira is unjustly accused of having kidnapped the child in her care, a video of the incident goes viral. The child’s mother is an online influencer with an urge to fix others’ problems (while disregarding her own). Then add an unexpected twist or two… In this captivating #ownvoices novel about race and power dynamics, it’s fascinating to consider the characters’ points of view and motives. 

Why you might like it: If you enjoy reading books that are both page turners and thoughtful explorations of characters’ motivations, this book is for you. 

You might also like: Literary page-turner Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng also thoughtfully explores issues of race and class.

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Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob
Nonfiction

What it’s about: Listen in on Mira Jacob’s conversations with her young son, husband, parents, friends, and colleagues. In this creative, thought-provoking memoir in graphic novel form, Jacob—the daughter of immigrants from India—addresses race, ethnicity, and identity through conversations that are sometimes somber and painful, sometimes hilarious, and often filled with moments of perfect connection… and disconnection.

Why you might like it: While Jacob addresses serious issues, she introduces moments of humor and infuses her writing with love for her family. (Some charming elements: her son likes to moonwalk like his idol Michael Jackson, and her parents comment on each other’s foibles in a humorous, affectionate way.)

Book buzz: Named one of the ten best books of the year by the Chicago Tribune, Publishers Weekly, and the New York Public Library.

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