Good Reads & Views

Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
Fiction

What it’s about: Lyrical vignettes reveal the inner life of each family member in this #ownvoices novel about three generations of an African American family. Through subtle, impressionistic character portraits, the reader gets to participate in the knitting together of this story about family traditions, love of parents for their children, and dreams for the next generation.

Why you might like it: If you enjoy reading books written from multiple perspectives and reading between the lines, this book’s structure and nuances will prove satisfying. Also, if you appreciate books that are short but powerful, this book is for you.

Reviewers say: “Woodson channels deeply true-feeling characters, all of whom readers will empathize with in turn.” (Booklist)

Visit Stacey’s My Librarian Page

The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo
Fiction

What it’s about: A loving couple, their four grown daughters, and a large dose of family dysfunction fill this big-hearted novel set in the Chicago suburbs. Alternating between past and present, the family’s story unfolds gradually as each character faces a defining crisis—an unexpected pregnancy, law school rejection, or the death of a loved one. And because their family seems almost perfect from the outside, covering up imperfections is all too tempting.

Why you might like it: If you enjoy falling deep into realistic stories about sisterhood, parenting, marriage, and other family dynamics, this book will carry you away.

You might also like: The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney is another character-driven family story that shows siblings under pressure making difficult decisions.

Visit Stacey’s My Librarian Page

I Miss You When I Blink: Essays by Mary Laura Philpott
Nonfiction

Why you might like it: If you like gaining insight into other people’s lives, Philpott’s essays are likely to delight you. She writes with warmth and striking honesty about motherhood, the unexpected ways our lives can twist, and the Type A characteristics that are the source of her greatest strengths and most significant challenges.

You might also like: If you enjoy confessional personal essays, also check out Tell Me More: Stories about the 12 Hardest Things I’m Learning to Say by Kelly Corrigan.

Reviewers say: Kirkus Reviews calls this book “Warm, candid, and wise… Delightfully bighearted reading.”

Visit Stacey’s My Librarian Page

Rules for Visiting by Jessica Francis Kane
Fiction

What it’s about: In this gently humorous novel, May, a professional gardener, visits four old friends in an effort to expand her quiet world. This is a story of friendship and of a likeable, slightly quirky character stretching outside her comfort zone. 

Why you might like it: If you like character-driven novels told through clever and observant first-person narration, this book may be right up your alley. 

You might also like: Try the novels of Elinor Lipman, especially Isabel’s Bed and On Turpentine Lane—for their wry storytelling and relatable female characters. Anne Youngson’s Meet Me at the Museum shares this novel’s everyday wisdom and calm tone.

Visit Stacey’s My Librarian Page

The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker

Who it’s for: If you ever host gatherings at your home, plan events for your organization, or hold business meetings, this thought-provoking book provides intriguing and helpful guidance on how to make those gatherings more meaningful and effective. Learn some counter-intuitive tips, such as why your guests will be more comfortable if you’re a somewhat bossy host.

What sets it apart: The author’s conversational tone and evocative examples (including a “cage match” at an architecture firm’s meeting to decide their mission) make this book both enjoyable and fascinating. Also: you’ll hear stories here that you’ll want to tell others.

You might also like: Daniel Pink’s When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing is another delightfully readable business / self-improvement book that gives insight into the way we humans work best.

Visit Stacey’s My Librarian Page

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Fiction

What it’s about: In this fast-moving, fictional oral history about the ’70s rock band Daisy Jones & the Six, you’ll meet all seven band members, who tell the story in their own words. Also interviewed: their spouses, managers, music reviewers, and others—who provide their own wry, tell-all angle on the band’s rise and fall.

Why you might like it: If you like creative, compulsively readable stories told in an unusual format, this book might be for you. Brimming with grim humor, this is a stark look at the creative life of rock stars and the relationships that grow and strain within the sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll lifestyle.

Reviewers say: “The book ’s prose is propulsive, original, and often raw. Readers will accept and appreciate why and when the narrator’s identity is finally revealed. Reid’s gift for creating imperfect characters and taut plots courses throughout this addictive novel.” (Publishers Weekly)

Visit Stacey’s My Librarian Page

Working: Researching, Interviewing, Writing by Robert A. Caro
Nonfiction

What it’s about: In his trademark, lively writing style, Robert A. Caro shares anecdotes that reveal the admittedly compulsive way he’s researched his award-winning biographies. Even more fascinating, he explains how some of his interviewing techniques prove infuriating, but effective in uncovering the details he needs to make his writing so vivid. And he reveals that he writes “SU” (“shut up”) at the top of his notepad to remind himself to stay silent during pauses.

Why you might like it: In just over 200 pages, Caro reveals many of the secrets to his success—and his self-deprecating tone makes it a pleasure to spend time with him in these pages. If you like learning the quirks and inside story of how people do their work, this book is for you.

Reviewers say: “Caro's skill as a biographer, master of compelling prose, appealing self-deprecation, and overall generous spirit shine through on every page.” (Kirkus Reviews)

Visit Stacey’s My Librarian Page

The Home Edit: A Guide to Organizing and Realizing Your Home Goals by Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin

Who it’s for: If you love organizing your home—or simply looking at beautiful home organization books—this book is a delight. Filled with practical tips and lovely photos, this guide is inspiring and friendly in tone. As an added bonus—the authors have organized several celebrities’ homes, and the book is sprinkled with photos of their bright and colorful closets, mudrooms, and pantries.

What sets it apart: This book’s cheerful, conversational tone, along with its gorgeous color photos, make reading this book a very pleasant experience. Also—this book emphasizes labeling practically everything, and the authors’ suggested label format is seriously pretty.

Further reading: If you’re into beautiful home organization books, also check out Beautifully Organized: A Guide to Function and Style in Your Home by Nikki Boyd and Simple Organizing Wisdom: 500+ Quick & Easy Clutter Cures by Laurie Jennings.

Visit Stacey’s My Librarian Page

The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America’s Enemies by Jason Fagone
Nonfiction

What it’s about: This engaging biography of pioneer codebreaker Elizebeth Smith Friedman reveals the early days of codebreaking when she and her husband literally wrote the book on the topic, tells the story of her marriage to a fellow legendary codebreaker, and explores the reasons she’s not better remembered for her genius codebreaking work before and during WWII.

What sets it apart: Learning about the Friedmans’ work at Riverbank (now the Fabyan Forest Preserve) is particularly absorbing for Fox Valley residents who are familiar with the Fabyan property—and can easily visit the grounds and museum.

Why you might like it: If you enjoy nonfiction that reads like fiction, this book is for you. The author’s journalistic style makes this book hard to put down.

Visit Stacey’s My Librarian Page

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite 
Fiction

What it’s about: Imagine you’re a responsible, upstanding, well-respected nurse. Now imagine your younger sister has a tendency to kill the men she’s dating… and guess who gets to help her deal with the aftermath. And now your murderous sister has begun flirting with the doctor you’re secretly in love with. Welcome to Korede’s world…  

Why you might like it: If you like inventive stories with a first-person narrator who keeps upping the suspense, pick up this book.  

What sets it apart: While the subject matter is a bit grisly, the tone is light. For readers who enjoy reading suspense novels bursting with grim humor. 

Visit Stacey’s My Librarian Page