The hectic holiday season is upon us and already my reading has suffered. At least that’s my excuse for the slowdown. Currently I’m reading Camilla Gibb’s 2010 novel “The Beauty of Humanity Movement” for my book club’s discussion next week. It’s a novel set in contemporary Hanoi, Vietnam but touches on the past as well. I’m enjoying it so far and will review it next week. Have you read any of Camilla Gibb’s novels?
For December, the only books coming out that sort of drew a pulse out of me are Michael Lewis’s new one “The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Minds” and Will Schwalbe’s “Books for Living.” Granted, I’ve never actually read a Michael Lewis book, but I’ve enjoyed the adapted movies of his books quite a bit, namely “Moneyball,” “The Blind Side,” and “The Big Short,” which were all excellent, and this book looks good as well. Will Schwalbe’s latest work is another for those who like to read about books. His first one “The End of Your Life Book Club” was poignant, and this one similarly entails a personal journey through a life of reading. If you like book lists, or adding to them, then you might want to check it out.
But as far as notable literary fiction goes, there’s very little that comes out in December, so it’s a good time to try to catch up on novels over the past year. I’m hoping to get a few read before the year’s end that I’ve heard good things about, notably: Imbolo Mbue’s “Behold the Dreamers,” Karan Mahajan’s “The Association of Small Bombs,” and Colson Whitehead’s “The Underground Railroad.” They’re all awaiting me. It’s just a matter of sitting down in one place for a certain amount of time, and focusing.
Meanwhile a number of publications have made their Best Books of 2016 lists, which I always find interesting once they narrow it down to 10 or so. If you like these, below are the links:
The Washington Post
The New York Times
Amazon
Publishers Weekly
Please note that Colson Whitehead’s novel “The Underground Railroad” is the only novel that made all four of these lists! He had a great year with his novel, which I nabbed in May at the BookExpo in Chicago and plan to get to soon. I hope to make my own Best Of list sometime at the end of this month. So stay tuned.
As usual for December, there’s a lot of movies coming out, but I’m not sure the looks of any of them have really grabbed me yet. I’m usually not too into musicals, but “La La Land,” with Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, has received a lot of praise so I will likely see it. It apparently pays homage to the musicals of the 1950s and the Golden Age of Hollywood. So we will see. Also, Natalie Portman’s portrayal of Jacqueline Kennedy in “Jackie” looks like it might be one to get an Oscar nomination, so I should go see that as well. It’s set in the period directly after President Kennedy’s assassination while Jackie is grieving.
Other than that I’m thinking perhaps “Gold” with Matthew McConaughey is a movie to see. Does anyone remember the Bre-X mining scandal of 1993 — or only my husband? This movie is based on that, about an unlikely pair that journey into the Indonesian jungle in search of gold. It’s probably best not to know any more than that, or else it might give it away — only to say it seems their gold did quite a number on the Canadian market. McConaughey apparently gained 40 pounds for the role along with acquiring a receding hairline, so he’ll be far removed from his romantic-comedy days.
Other than that, I’m thinking a lot of the notable movies came out in November this year. I still need to see “Loving,” “Manchester by the Sea,” “Moonlight,” and “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk.” And maybe even “Allied.” So that’s plenty for the holidays. Though there’s also Martin Scorsese’s upcoming movie “Silence,” about two Jesuit priests in the 17th century who travel to Japan to spread the word. Hmm. And if you like foreign films, there’s “Things to Come” (French), “Neruda” (Spanish), and “Toni Erdmann,” (German) which all look pretty interesting as well. So perhaps there’s more than I thought worth seeing.
Lastly in albums for this month, there’s new ones by John Legend, Neil Young, The Rolling Stones, and Pete Doherty among others. All of these are fine artists, but their new tunes haven’t hooked me, so I think I will opt for some holiday music instead to get me into the Christmas spirit. I have a few albums I turn to every year, but if you know of any great holiday albums, let me know.
So what about you — which books, movies, or albums are you looking forward to this month?
I read Camilla Gibb’s Sweetness in the Belly a few years ago, and would love to hear what you think of this one after you’re done. I’d like to read more of hers – I just haven’t done it yet!
Thanks Naomi. I’ll let you know how this Camilla book goes. So far I’m liking it and I think I want to read Sweetness in the Belly too.
The Beauty of Humanity Movement sounds good. It seems that there are few novels that are available in the United States that are set in modern day Vietnam.
I would think a book like this, given its history, would almost have to touch on the past.
Yeah Brian, I’ve read some novels about Saigon but I think this might be my first one set in Hanoi, so I’m finding it interesting. Will let you know how it goes.
I love Camilla Gibb. Beauty of Humanity made me so hungry for pho the whole time i was reading it.
Thanks Tanya. Yeah I’m glad my book club suggested Camilla Gibb’s novel. I think I would like to read more of her books. I don’t think I’ve eaten much pho but I will go to our local Vietnamese restaurant to change that!
I saw “Loving” yesterday with my best friend, another raging liberal white girl. It was so very good. We were crying. Very sparse dialogue made it a truly cinematic experience: the acting, the scenery, like a series of vignettes that brought the story right to my heart.
Also thanks for reminding me that I want to read The Beauty of Humanity Movement.
The last few days I have been rereading A Prayer For Owen Meany, for a reading group tonight. I first read it 17 years ago, loved it then, but boy, it is turning out to mean all kinds of different things to me now. I guess because of how much I and the world have changed at the same time that both have remained so much the same.
Happy holiday season. I for one, rather resent the ripping off of my reading time.
Thanks Judy, love your comments. Glad you saw the movie “Loving” and I hope to see it soon too. Sounds heart-wrenching and well done. (I’m also interested in finding & seeing the 2012 HBO documentary that the movie is based called “The Loving Story.” I hear it’s wonderful.)
You know somehow I have never read Owen Meany but I wonder what I would think of it too. It’s sort of interesting to see how our perspectives in life change about the books we read. And I agree about the holiday season wrecking reading time!
I recently saw the movie Arrival with Amy Adams and was so intrigued by the story that I am now reading the book of short stories by Ted Chiang from which the movie was taken. All of the stories so far have been fascinating and challenging. Check out “Stories of your life and others ” by Ted Chiang if you enjoy well written science fiction.
Oh thanks Susan. Sometimes I like sci fi. I will keep Chiang’s book in mind. The movie Arrival was a bit different. The focus on language was interesting to me.
We recently saw the film “Sully” with Tom Hanks, it was so very good.
Have a great week ahead 🙂
Oh good RT, glad you enjoyed it. It’s pretty hair-raising to see them landing on the Hudson. The film captures the investigation over the crash well.
I haven’t finished a book in nearly two months; I keep jumping from book to book without focus. This year has been very good for me movie-wise. I started my “best of the year” lists. The reading one was short and sweet. The movies’ one is longer and more challenging since it will only include movies that were available for rent before award season.
Yeah Carmen, my focus on my readings these days has also been really scattered. Sometimes I think I just have to slow down and not be busy with other things.
I look forward to your best of the year lists. So far it hasn’t totally sunk in for me that it’s December.
I am always so irritated with the end of the year “Best Books” lists when they completely ignore YA titles. Even the list on the Washington Post said best Children’s and YA titles of the year and then listed no books for teenagers. Sigh.
I see what you mean Anne. I had to go to Publishers Weekly to find a good list of Best YA books of 2016. You’re right, the genre should get better treatment and recognition on year end lists.
My son has been raving about La La Land since the trailer has come out. He loves the look of it, the sound of it, you name it. Of course, he is a musical theatre/ admin major so I guess I can’t blame him. It’s the one movie he is really looking forward to.
My reading is okay. Not great but I am okay with it. All I want to do is read stuff I want to read without any pressure so I am doing just that. Feels wonderful.
Hi Ti, yeah I can imagine your son will be into the movie La La Land. I’ll be interested to hear what he thinks about it. I’m finding reading a bit of a struggle this month with other things going on & my mind scattered. Hope yours goes better.
I still want to read The Underground Railroad….and I definitely want to see some of those movies, especially Loving, Manchester by the Sea, and Jackie.
Thanks for sharing…and for visiting my blog. Hope you get to all the books and movies you want to enjoy.
Thanks Laurel. Yeah Underground Railroad definitely got a lot of recognition this year! We’ll have to compare notes on it — if we ever get to it LOL. Some of these movies look good. Enjoy your holiday season.
After watching The Big Short, I tried the book but just couldn’t get into it. I’ll be interested to hear what you think of this one. Surprisingly, the Stones’ album is pretty good if you like straight-ahead blues. On that front, it succeeds…all covers of blues songs.
Oh thanks Bryan. I might try the Stones album again. I’m not too into straight blues but I would like to check and see. And I wonder too if I could get into the Michael Lewis books; they are out of my zone of what I usually read, but I did find the movies good. Thx for stopping by.
I have been wanting to read some older 2016 releases as well, but I just don’t think I am going to be able to do so. There are just not enough hours in the day to get everything done right now, and by the time I get home, I can barely see straight let alone find the mental energy to read. I think I need that post-holiday slump to truly get into a good reading pace again.
I hear what you’re saying Michelle. Right now is sort of a busy time. Take a break and then post-holiday things might get better. Thx for stopping by.
I’m feeling really out of touch with western culture while in Japan so I appreciated this round up. Thanks! I loved Colson Whitehead’s Sag Harbor and was pleased to hear his latest is on so many lists and winning awards.
Thanks Sarah for letting me know about Colson Whitehead’s Sag Harbor. If I like this one, I’ll likely check out that one as well. I hope you have enjoyed your stay in Japan, which it seems like you really have. What a great opportunity!
This is the second time I have seen Books For Living this weekend, and before then I wasn’t familiar with it. My library has put this in their ebook offerings, so I may give it a try.
Frankly, I am surprised that the Underground Railroad made all of the ‘best of’ lists that you mentioned here. I like his writing, and the story was amazing in some aspects, but I was disappointed in what I saw as inconsistencies in some of the characters, and I could have done without the magical realism. It was lost on me.
Thanks Toady, I’m usually not a fan of magical realism so that worries me some about reading The Underground Railroad. But I know I will. I realize that top book picks of the year by other publications can sometimes not be our favorites. I usually have totally different picks than they do. So I agree it can be surprising at times what they choose.