August might just pass me by if I’m not careful. The days are whizzing by and our area has been in the midst of a heat wave this past week. It just reached the hottest temperature ever on record here at 36.4C or 97.5F, which makes Canadians in general melt. People aren’t used to that in these parts, especially without A/C. What’s worse though is all the smoke from the many wildfires in neighboring British Columbia that is contaminating the air. It’s totally gray outside and rather stifling. Luckily the heat is supposed to break over the weekend, hallelujah, but what about the air? Instead of a gray scene, I’ll post this photo from years past … of a happier summer day. Such fields of hay bales in the countryside usually seem to lift my spirits.
Also last weekend we saw the neat little movie “Leave No Trace,” which I ended up really liking. It’s a drama that sort of crept up on me and by the end I was sort of filled with wonder. It’s about a troubled father (a war vet) and his close teenage daughter who live off the grid in a large forested park in Portland, Oregon … whose world is changed when social services gets involved and moves them into an apartment. But eventually the two make a trek back to the wild.
It’s a bit of a quiet, beautiful film by the same director of the 2010 movie “Winter’s Bone,” which was similarly about down-on-your-luck kind of characters. Though I liked this one a bit better. It has some heart-rendering scenes of the father and daughter and quite a few with animals and nature in them. The performances too — by Ben Foster and the young New Zealand actress Thomasin McKenzie — are quite excellent. See it, if you’re into these small-time dramas.
Meanwhile I’ve been checking out what’s new that’s releasing this month and it’s been hard to whittle my list down to five books that I hope to get to. There’s new novels by such popular authors as: Julie Schumacher, Fiona Davis, Kate Walbert, Laura Van Den Berg, and Jon McGregor among others, though I’ve selected a few alternate releases for my picks.
First off, I’m keen to read a nonfiction book called “Lands of Lost Borders: Out of Bounds on the Silk Road” by debut author Kate Harris. She’s a Canadian who’s a nature writer and adventurer — an Oxford Rhodes Scholar and MIT student who dropped it all to journey by bicycle along the Silk Road in Asia. Apparently her book about it — part travelogue and memoir — has been highly praised by the likes of Pico Iyer and Barry Lopez among other notable writers. She’ll be speaking about the book and nature/adventure writing when she comes to the Banff Centre this fall, which I’d like to catch, so I hope to read it by then.
Next up, is a rough, bleak debut novel called “Cherry” by Nico Walker, a 33-year-old war hero, medic in Iraq, who’s serving an 11-year sentence in federal prison for robbing 11 banks around the Cleveland area to fuel his drug addiction. I know, I know … I’m not sure exactly why I want to read it, but it’s received quite a bit of buzz about it. Apparently “Cherry” traces the arc of the author’s descent into addiction and crime after he returns home shattered from the war in Iraq. It’s said to be a raw coming-of-age story told in reverse, according to the NYT.
New York Magazine has called it “the first great novel of the opioid epidemic.” Uh-oh. Who knows if it will be for me, but it’s one in the same genre of fiction by vets who have come back from Iraq and Afghanistan that explores the trauma of war and its aftermath. Perhaps it’s one you should read at your own risk.
I think I’m looking a bit more forward to Ling Ma’s debut novel “Severance,” which is said to be a post-apocalyptic novel that is quite clever and wryly funny. It follows a couple women who continue to show up to their publishing jobs in Manhattan even though they’re among the last people in the city. Apparently people are contracting a “mysterious disease that impels them to continuously reenact a common routine from their life” as they waste away, so says Amazon’s Katy Ball.
Candace Chen is the winsome protagonist who eventually joins a band of survivors run by a ruthless leader that takes her on a pilgrimage to an Illinois shopping mall. I’m not sure what happens there, but my curiosity is piqued by this debut, which is said to be a satire of late-stage capitalism that touches on immigrants, displacement and motherhood. Hmm count me in.
Lastly in books, there’s two more debut novels that I’m drawn to. Who knew this would be the month for notable first-time authors? First off, Crystal Hana Kim’s novel “If You Leave Me” has not only an alluring cover but also apparently an engrossing story to match. It’s a tale, according to the publisher: of war, family, and forbidden love — the saga of two ill-fated lovers in Korea and the heartbreaking choices they’re forced to make in the years surrounding the civil war. Uh-oh.
From all I’ve read about it — the novel sounds like quite a moving and immersive experience told from the perspectives of five characters. Noted for its lyricism, it’s receiving high marks on Goodreads and even such authors as Richard Ford and Gary Shteyngart are singing its praises.
There’s also been a lot of love on Goodreads for Delia Owen’s debut “Where the Crawdads Sing,” which makes me a bit curious to check it out. Part coming-of-age tale-infused with nature, and part mystery, it’s a story set in rural North Carolina about a 23-year-old dirt-poor girl, known as the Marsh Girl who was abandoned at a young age and comes to find solace in her natural surroundings.
But then when a man’s body is found in the marsh she’s apparently suspected of murder. The ensuing small-town drama and courtroom case are said to be compellingly done — as well as the depiction of its North Carolina setting. With all these components, what more do you want?
As for movies in August, there’s quite a few coming out that are adaptations of recent novels. I usually love to see these ones, especially if I’ve read the book beforehand.
You’ll probably recognize “Juliet, Naked” from the Nick Hornsby novel, which is coming out with Ethan Hawke and Rose Byrne. There’s also “The Wife” — Meg Wolitzer’s novel — that stars Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce in the movie version. As well as “The Little Stranger,” with Domhnall Gleeson, which was a Sarah Waters novel back in 2009.
And don’t forget “Crazy Rich Asians” from the wildly popular Kevin Kwan novel — about New Yorker Rachel Chu who flies off to Singapore to meet her boyfriend’s family … though unbeknownst to her they’re just a wee bit crazy … rich. Ha, if it’s anything like the book, it should be quite a hoot and take home the biggest box office haul of these adaptations.
All in all, they should make for a good month of movies. I’m a bit curious too to see Spike Lee’s new movie “Black KKlansman,” which I guess is also based on a book — a true story by Ron Stallworth, who was an African-American police officer in Colorado who infiltrated the ranks of the Ku Klux Klan and became the head of the local chapter.
How whacked is that? It seems you can’t make this stuff up. In the hands of Spike Lee, this should be pretty entertaining to say the least. Part crime biography and part comedy, “Black KKlansman” I’m sure will have plenty to say about race and the times we’re living in. As bold as some of his early work, the film is apparently among one of Spike’s best.
Lastly, in albums for August there’s new ones by such artists as Jason Mraz, Amos Lee, Passenger, and the band Death Cab for Cutie among others, but I’ll pick the soon-to-be-out album by the Canadian folk rock band Great Lake Swimmers, which is called “The Waves, the Wake.” I usually like the band’s music so I’ll be sure to get it … as I hope to see them in concert when they come to town in September.
One more thing: I saw the “Guernsey” movie last night on Netflix, which I talked about in the last post, and they did a good job with it. I might have liked it just as much as the novel if not more? Hooray for Dawsey played by Michiel Huisman and Lily James was good too as the incomparable Juliet Ashton.
That’s all for now. What about you — which releases are you looking forward to this month?
Wow, so many releases! I’d say August is hot! 😉 That pic of a hay field looks straight out of a Monet painting, or van Gogh perhaps. Leave No Trace sounds good. I’ll put it on my list. Cherry, Severance, and Where the Crawdads Sing were chosen among August’s Best Books by Amazon editors. Cherry sounds powerful. I’ve been hearing a lot of buzz for Where the Crawdads Sing. I’ll be reading Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley, a favorite author of mine.
Movie-wise, I have The Wife, Crazy Rich Asians, and BlackKklansman on my wishlist. I also included the Guernsey movie–per your recommendation. I read a powerful review of BlackKklansman yesterday. It seems that Spike Lee is back to top form. I hadn’t heard of Little Stranger. I’ll keep it in mind as I like Domhnall Gleeson.
Hi Carmen: I look forward to hearing what you think of Bellewether. Looks good. Yeah the movies seem better than usual this month – with more selection. We will try to see Spike’s film as well as a few others. I saw Domhnall Gleeson when I walking around Park City during the Sundance Film Festival. Red carrot top so not too hard to recognize. 🙂
August is going by fast for me also. It has been typically but not excessively hot here. I am enjoying it.
I would actually like to read Cherry. I have not read a lot of accounts of post war vets such as this. But I should read one or two food ones.
Hi Brian, stretch summer as long as you can. Glad you are having a good one! I plan to get to Cherry — it looks bleak but also good. I’m curious about the opioid epidemic so that’s mostly why I want to read it.
We’re used to that kind of heat but, of course, have air conditioning. I hope you get a break from it soon.
I’ve been in a non-fiction mood lately so I’ll have to check out Land of Lost Borders.
I hope to see Black KkKlansman with my son after I get back from my mom’s.
Thanks Kathy, without A/C heat in the 90s can be miserable – especially at night. Luckily it usually doesn’t last long here. I’ll be curious to hear what you think of Black Kklansman. You might get to it before we do. Enjoy your August.
Oh my gosh- Leave No Trace sounds exactly like the book My Abandonment- which is one of the first books I ever reviewed and rated 5-stars! It is the exact same subject, which is a true story.
I just finished Crawdads and recommend it. It’s 4 stars. Her writing is mesmerizing.
I’m with you on the heat .We have no a/c either and anything 80 or above feels miserable.
It sounds pathetic but Crazy Rich Asians is going to be the high point of my summer. I adored the books, met Kwan when he was here and cannot wait for the movie to open.
Hi Catherine, yes Leave No Trace is based on the 2009 Peter Rock novel. You nailed it & should see it. The movie might not be as good to you as the 5 star book but it’s quite great! Thanks for telling me Crawdads is a solid 4 stars. Great. Without A/C, hot nights can be brutal, luckily it doesn’t last too long. We have quite a few fans around the house, which helps. Crazy Rich Asians will be Big!! So cool you met Kevin Kwan & are a fan, his books seem so fun. I just know the first one, but so good.
I want to read Severance and Where the Crawdads Sing. Happy Reading.
Thanks Diane, both of these novels look good. We’ll have to compare notes once we get to them. Enjoy your August !
Leave No Trace looks like a movie I want to check out.
I also enjoyed the Guernsey movie more than the book, since I have a hard time connecting when a book is written mostly in letters…which is how I remember the book. But when I checked Goodreads, I see that I had read it in 2009 and gave it a good review. So…it was enjoyable enough, apparently.
Let’s hope that our heat waves go away soon!
Thanks for sharing, and for visiting my blog.
Hi Laurel, I’m hoping for a thunderstorm to help the conditions here. I too thought the Guernsey movie was easier to connect to than perhaps the book. They did a good job with it! I think you’d like the Leave No Trace movie — look for it. Enjoy your week!
Sorry to hear about your smoky skies. I know what that is like. We survived another heat wave last week. No it is ONLY 90 degrees, feels like relief. Summer used to be my favorite season. Loved your picture of fields of gold.
So many great books coming out and you hit on plenty of them. Trying to keep up is actually fun. And movies made from books are always great for us readers. Riches in that department this fall.
Thanks for your comments on Guernsey. I will now watch it for sure. Netflix is putting out better stuff than ever. I have been watching the series, Atypical, as a family member has recently been diagnosed as being “on the spectrum.” Also a great feat of writing, acting, etc.
Hi Judy, great to hear from you as always. I’ll have to check out the Atypical series — and perhaps Alias Grace too. I know what you mean when it’s Only 90 and a relief, that’s what my parents in the desert say, ha. The smoke to me is even worse, but we have a bit of a break today. The haystacks photo is one of my favorites I think. Hope you have a great week.
We’ve had a string of hot weather, too, though it actually rained yesterday. I’m sorry you’re dealing with so much smoke. That gets old and makes enjoying the summer more difficult.
I’m thrilled to see Cherry on your list. I want someone I trust to vet it for me, so I’ll be on the look out for a review. Severance also sounds really great. I finished Crawdads last week and loved it. Her writing is fantastic.
Like Catherine, I read My Abandonment and it sounds like the same story as Without A Trace. I’d like to see the movie…..Hope the smoke clears and you have a wonderful August, Susan.
Hi Susie — thanks, we got to make August last. Yeah we actually had a tiny bit of rain too yesterday which helped with the smoky conditions. The Leave No Trace movie is based on the novel My Abandonment so that’s why you recognize it. Check it out if you can. Thx for the word on the Crawdads book — good to know! I had to suggest our library get the Cherry novel so perhaps I’ll buy it instead of wait, though I still have a bit of a pile before it yet. Enjoy your week.
Great recommendations, as always. I saw Klansman last night and thought it was really good. Even funny at times, which I know sounds odd. I wanted to see LeaveNo Trace but it never appeared near me. I think I’ll try the Crawdads book for my upcoming xcountry flight—thanks for that tip!
Hey Molly — thanks for the feedback on the Spike Movie. I’d like to get to it. So far, readers seem to be liking the Crawdads book. Have safe travels back. We’re actually traveling to Montreal next wknd — so I’ll have to pick one for my flight too. 🙂
August is slipping away too quickly! Why is that always the case with summer? Where the Crawdads Sing has been getting rave reviews, so I’ll probably check that out at some point. Didn’t know Julie Schumacher had a new novel – and it’s a sequel to Dear Committee Members! Adding it to my list right away.
We thankfully haven’t had heat like that lately. Hope you get some relief soon… and from the smoke, too.
Hi JoAnn: the smoke has returned today with a vengeance. Yikes we are totally socked in. Unhealthful conditions. Rain would help — though it’s not supposed to come till the weekend. I’m curious about the Schumacher novel — this time it’s not written in letter format. The Crawdads book seems to be everywhere. I think I’ll have to get to it too. Enjoy your remaining August.
Definitely looking forward to Guernsey movie myself–just trying to carve out the time to watch it. Maybe this weekend.
The book about traveling the Silk Road definitely appeals to me–will have to try to get a copy of that one. History and modern trekking combined–just my kinda book.
Hi Jane, I hope you like the Guernsey movie — it’s a bit light but entertaining. The author’s travels along the Silk Road interest me too. I have a library copy of it but I think I want my own copy so I can put postmarks in it. Your treks are always great. We still plan to do Hadrian’s Wall in the next couple of years, like you did.
Leave No Trace sounds really, really good.
I am familiar with Crazy Rich Asians the book but really didn’t think much of it until the movie came out. My friends rave about both. I have yet to pick it up.
Hi Ti, yeah I’m psyched to see the movie Crazy Rich Asians – it seems like it’ll be fun. I think you’d like Leave No Trace too / it’s a quiet movie but sort of heartwarming in a way with some sadness too.
We’re going to see Crazy Rich Asians this weekend and I am so excited about it! The reviews have been so positive, and the book is a delight. It is a great, late August excuse to go to the movies.
Cool Kim. Hope you like it. You’ll likely get to the movie before I will. I agree it’s perfect for late August. Always in need for a good movie then. Thx for stopping by!
Aren’t the forest fires awful?! How is it out there now?
I’m glad you liked Leave No Trace… that one appeals to me. My husband and I are going to see Crazy Rich Asians tonight. He’s picky, but I think it’s one he’ll like.
Hi Naomi, we too hope to see Crazy Rich Asians so I hope you enjoyed it. You’d probably like Leave No Trace – outdoorsy! The smoke is finally starting to go away. Most of August was terrible air here but my fingers are crossed for September.