Hi. How is everyone doing? Boiling yet? We could use some rain here. It’s still smoky and gray from the 257 wildfires in neighboring British Columbia. I think it could last the rest of the summer. This past weekend I was outside officiating a junior tennis tournament and it was tough on the sinuses. Headaches are pretty common if you’re outside for long periods in the smoke. Still the petunias and geraniums are able to handle it … as long as they are watered. My hat goes off to all the firefighters battling these blazes and the heat. They’re heroes out there.
Now I have the windows closed and the fans on … and I’m watching the Tokyo Olympics, yea. I like seeing all the different sports, so far: skateboarding, beach volleyball, swimming, soccer, triathlon, gymnastics, and cycling … with plenty more to come. Track and field is a favorite. What do you think? Are you into the Games?
I just wish they wouldn’t switch a sport right in the middle of a competition. That’s all I ask. One minute I was watching the men’s triathlon then a few minutes later they switched to the women’s gymnastics. I was like wait whaaa? If you can stream it without the ads, that’s a big plus. By the end of the two weeks I’ll probably have OD’d on it, but for now it’s a lovely diversion. Ha, it might even motivate me to get into the lap pool. Now I’ll leave you with a review of what I finished lately.
Who Is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews / Little Brown/ 336 pages / 2021
Synopsis: This novel is about a lowly editorial assistant in New York — Florence Darrow — who gets the break of her career when she is hired as an assistant to a bestselling author who writes under the pseudonym Maud Dixon. Dixon’s debut Mississippi Foxtrot was a big literary hit, but no one really knows who the Southern author is (she’s a bit similar in that regard to today’s Elena Ferrante).
But then when Florence comes to work for her, she finds out she’s the prickly but estimable Helen Wilcox and falls a bit under her spell, learning all she can from the smart and charismatic writer. All seems good until they embark on a research trip for Helen’s next novel to Morocco and later wind up in a car accident. Then things get switched and much mayhem and calamity ensue.
My Thoughts: This debut novel, which came out in March, turned out to be the perfect summer plot for me. It has all the elements. It’s clever, has some funny lines, plot twists, and the characters are at times diabolical. Florence and author Helen Wilcox make quite the match for one another; they are equally ambitious and out for their own self-interests. And while they’re not exactly likable, you keep thinking there’ll be a humane side to root for. Towards the end, there’s various plot turns and twists, and though I could tell what would happen at certain points, I still found it pretty entertaining. I listened to the novel as an audiobook performed by Therese Plummer, who seems to nail the characters, and it gave me a few laughs along the way.
Who Is Maud Dixon? is quite a fun spoof of the publishing/writing world and I found it clever enough to wonder who the author Alexandra Andrews is. Apparently she’s been a journalist and copywriter before writing this debut. This novel was on my summer reading list and so far is my favorite of the ones I’ve finished. We will see if it stays there. I also have two other novels on my summer list that involve the publishing/writing world — Jean Hanff Korelitz’s novel The Plot and Zakiya Dalila Harris’s novel The Other Black Girl. Will they be as good? It seems I often fall for these settings and literary plotlines, which can make for some good devious satires.
That’s all this week. What about you — have you read any of these novels and how is your summer going?
That smoke made it all the way to CT! It has been unbelievably hazy and a few days ago there were air quality warnings, too. This all makes me so sad…
Glad you enjoyed Maud Dixon. That sounds like a great summer read. I just finished Count the Ways by Joyce Maynard and LOVED it. Might just be my favorite novel so far this year. I’m going to need to read her entire backlist.
Hi JoAnn: thanks for the word on the new Maynard novel. I put my name on the library wait list for it. It appears many are really loving it. I thought Maud Dixon was good fun especially as a summer listen.
It’s hard to believe the smoke is on the East Coast now … wow. I wonder too if you are getting smoke from Ontario as I hear they have 130+ wildfires going on there. Yikes Canada is burning in many places. It’s been really dry here out West. Enjoy your time in Connecticut.
I’ve read all three of the books about writers that you mention and thoroughly enjoyed them all. I believe they were all four-star reads for me. You’ve got some good reading ahead of you.
I confess I am not into the Olympics. I’ve never been that great a fan of the event but I think this year’s is absolutely a mistake. I only hope it doesn’t become an Olympic pandemic event.
The smoke and haze from the western wildfires are spreading all across the continent. It threatens to be a hazy summer everywhere. Stay safe.
Thanks Dorothy, the smoke spread is pretty unreal … I guess it’s burning in so many different places. I have my Air Quality app telling me which days are worse than others. And I can understand not wanting to have the Olympics during this pandemic. It is a risk … and crazy that the IOC didn’t make being vaccinated a requirement for the athletes, though there is a lot of testing. Still I’m all for requiring vaccinations to be allowed into places & events … even in the States.
I’m glad you liked all three of these novels with publishing/author plots this year. Much to read. Enjoy your week.
So sorry to read about the fire, smoke and lack of rain in your area. I wish we could have sent some our 12+” of July rain your way.
Who is Maud Dixon is in my library book bag but, I haven’t had a chance to start it unfortunately. Glad you loved it so much. I really need to get on it. I am happy you pretty flowers are surviving the draught conditions.
Stay well Susan
Hi Diane, I hope you like Maud Dixon as well; it was a bit of sleeper hit with me. It seems the East Coast got all the rain this summer … we usually get storms here but not this year … it’s dry as a bone now. But I’m still enjoying being in the yard … our tomato plants are about to burst with fruit … we will see if it’s a good crop. Enjoy your reading.
I am an Olympics fan, for sure. I like the triathlon, swimming, diving, rowing, gymnastics, and track/field the most, but will really watch almost anything. I love the underdog stories, the tales of many attempts to win gold, and pretty much any human interest story.
Oh good Helen. Yeah I feel the same. I get caught up in the Games. And there’s been some good underdog stories this year. Did you see the Alaska swimmer Jacoby’s race? Oh my. Also we watched the Women’s Cycling race with the Austrian woman Kisenhofer who won surprising all. Then the Woman from Bermuda who won the country’s first Gold medal ever – in the triathlon event. Wow. Some good upsets so far. I’d like to see more rowing & sailing & water events. We’ll see … Have a great week.
Thank you for pointing me back to this review. I am curious to see what the members of my book group think of it.
Yep, it’s boiling here. Smoky too. Enjoy the Olympics! I think I’m going to miss most of the events because of work, but I did watch a diving board thing yesterday.
Thanks AJ. Yeah I caught a little of the diving. Some of the events have been good so far. Stay out of the heat & smoke there!
Are there really that many fires in BC?!?! Yikes! I look at InciWeb (https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/) every morning and the fire situation in the U.S. is terrible. We’ve been lucky and don’t have any smoke over here on the coast since the winds have been blowing to the east. Yes, the firefighters are true heroes, aren’t they?
I haven’t heard of Maud Dixon, but it sounds wonderful! I’ll add it to my audio TBR list. The Other Black Girl sounds interesting, too, but it isn’t calling to me.
Have a good week, Susan. We’re enjoying another visit from family and are happy the sun finally came out this morning! It’s been in the 50s and very foggy for several days.
Nice Lesley — Enjoy your company & sun in your cove! That web site you mention really shows how terrible the fires are around the West. Yikes it worse than even I thought. I have a flight to LAX in about 10 days … it will be nice to go for a swim at the beach and perhaps be out of the smoke there. Enjoy your days.
I have been watching the Olympics too. If one network cuts over to something else mid way through, I can usually find the continuation on another network. Plus, some of the stuff isn’t live so although I am totally into it I hop onto my phone to see who won. LOL.
The fires and all that smoke sound just horrible. I’ve been there with fires and you kind of get used to it which is sad in and of itself.
Maud Dixon sounds pretty good. I am measuring everything against the new Maynard novel now because it was just too good. Currently reading The Paper Palace which is good too but grittier but also family driven.
Hi Ti, yeah we’re flipping channels a lot for the Olympics … the ads are pretty constant. It’s nice to see a bit of this & that of the various sports.
It seems we are getting used to the haze here. I have an Air App that tells me which days are terrible & to avoid. Some areas in BC are much worse than us.
I’m curious about The Paper Palace so will need to hear what you think of it. I heard others didn’t like the ending. Uh oh. Enjoy your week.
I liked the plot and your impressions of this novel. Just as you gravitate towards the publishing world in your reading, I seem to gravitate towards the lives of artists (historical fiction), be it authors or painters. I hope you enjoy the next novels you read as much as this one. This year most of my readings have been four stars but none terribly memorable. I re-started Malibu Rising two days ago and it sure is dish-y.
Hi Carmen, I hope Malibu Rising holds up. It was on my summer list but I haven’t gotten to it yet. I have enjoyed historical fiction more these past couple of years … and recently liked Petra, Hamnet, and Becoming Mrs. Lewis from that genre. I’m glad you’re liking historical fiction. I’m just starting The Other Black Girl … a bit of dark humor so far that seems good. We’ll see. Happy reading to you. I’m still stuck in the summer stuff for now. Cheers.
I’ve been watching a lot of Olympics, too. I love the diving, gymnastics and equestrian events. But even BMX racing is fun. And Who Is Maud Dixon sounds like a great read. I’ll have to add it to my TBR list. Have a great weekend! 🙂
Thanks Lark. Yeah the Olympics have been great so far. I’m a sucker for them. And the 2nd week track & field will be the focus. Much to watch! Maud Dixon was a fun, devilish kind of read. Enjoy your reading.
Oh, yes, Who is Maud Dixon? sounds like a book I’d love to read soon. I’m ready to read some non-Paris books as I approach the end of Paris in July, and this is one I’m putting at the top of my list.
Hi Deb, I’ll be curious what you think of Maud Dixon … it’s a bit of a devilish read as the protagonists are both out for themselves, sort of anti-heroes. Still I thought it was a clever & fun debut. Your Paris reading month looked great. Enjoy your weekend.
I’ve been having headaches lately, too. Mine seems to be coming from the Saharan dust that’s drifting our way.
I’d really like to see some of the Olympics, but we do not have regular tv.
Deb, sorry to hear of your headaches too. Are you really getting Saharan dust? I admit the Olympics have been great — some of the upsets & athletic performances have been awesome. If you can, catch some of the highlights on YouTube or elsewhere online. Even Canada got 2 big medals lately in the Decathlon and 200 meters sprint.
All that smoke is down by us too. We just had a storm over the last couple days to clear some of it out but I’m sure more will be back.
Love those flowers! Glad they’re hanging on in this heat.
We’ve been watching the Olympics too. Not ad-free unfortunately but we DVR quite a bit so we can fast-forward through them.
That books looks pretty good. I’ll have to check it out soon. Glad it was up your alley for the summer.
Stay smoke-free and cool this weekend!
Hey Heather / thanks. You actually got a storm there? We haven’t had any since June I think. Very dry & smoky still. It’s the new normal I guess. The flowers in our yard make me smile … I am getting addicted to the Olympics … the swimming events were all so close! And now track & field to watch. Enjoy!
It seems the fires get worse every year. So far, my area hasn’t been bad, but last summer wee had SO much smoke. That and the crazy heat have to be signs of global warming which so many people just want to deny.
I’ve been watching some of the Olympics, but sort of between doing other things. Being on the west coast, I’ve often heard the results already and that can be frustrating.
You review has me wanting to read Who is Maud Dixon? I think it sounds like a perfect book to read this fall when things slow down a bit. I’m going to put in a Libby hold right now, so thanks!
Good Susie, I’ll be curious what you think of Who Is Maud Dixon … the audiobook seemed entertaining to me. Glad you havent had too much smoke where you are … it’s been bad here … but I’m heading to SoCal on Saturday so it’ll be a good escape. Enjoy your week.
It has been hot and hazy in CO for awhile now, but today is glorious–a cold front swept in with lots of rain last night, and it’s been in the mid-70s all day. I gardened until I dropped! Hope you guys up northwest get a break soon–it’s a rough year.
Not into the Olympics at all this time around–to much drama for me at the moment.
Who is Maud Dixon is so intriguing–love the premise and the settings! Will have to put it on the list.
Great Jane, I hope you enjoy Maud Dixon. I’m glad to hear Colorado still gets some beautiful days … thanks to the rain. We are hoping for a rain sprinkle today to alleviate the smoke but will cross our fingers it comes. Hope you are having a great summer there. Cheers.
One of the elderly gentlemen in my pulmonary rehab class said that he can smell the smoke from the fires when he’s out in his yard. I’m in Kansas City so I’m not sure if that’s what he’s actually smelling. Maybe his neighbor is grilling. LOL Seems like that’s a little far for the smoke to travel, but what do I know?
Maud Dixon is on my TBR list for sure. I’m about halfway through The Other Black Girl and I’m not sure how I feel about it yet. There is a lot of foreshadowing that something big is going to happen but it hasn’t happened yet. I’m getting a little impatient with it!
Ha Rachel, who knows what fire he’s smelling. But apparently the smoke has been blowing across the country so perhaps it’s possible. I have a phone App on Air Quality that tells me the pollutant levels of places … so I checked KC and you’re in the moderate level right now. Just don’t go to breathe on Pacific Ave there, ha it’s a bit higher levels.
I just finished & reviewed The Other Black Girl … so we can compare notes. Some parts threw me for a loop but I liked some of the writing. Enjoy your week.