Summer is busy, is it not? It seems Canadians try to fit everything they can do into a short summer season — and now I’m guilty of this too. I’ve got too many things in the frying pan so to speak, and I’m way behind on reading and posting. Who would’ve guessed my back deck reading has taken a back seat to regular life. Gracious. It’s usually the best time of year for cracking the spines of page-turners while sipping a cold beverage and being oblivious to the world passing by. Unfortunately this summer I haven’t gotten there yet — been a bit preoccupied with other things (and I’m still thinking about Normandy, see the lovely photo above of Juno Beach). Nor have I put together my fun-filled summer reading list yet. And now July is halfway over and I’m just now picking through this month’s new releases. Ahh well, it’s still better late than never.
There’s such a vast sea of promising books out this month I’m having a bit of trouble deciding which ones to grab. First off there’s the latest ones by such popular authors as Caitlin Moran, Megan Abbott, Robyn Harding, and Suzanne Rindell. Lord knows, I probably could use the irreverence of a Caitlin Moran book right about now considering our crazy times, but what about Anne Tyler’s latest novel “Clock Dance”? Apparently the master of Baltimore is back with a new novel …. only this time Washington Post critic Ron Charles tells me it’s not as good as her usual novels. Huh? Are you kidding me? Still I feel I should check it out: The story is about a woman who gets a call that her son’s ex-girlfriend has been shot and needs help. She drops everything and flies cross-country to be there for this woman and her 9-year-old daughter and their dog. There, in her new surroundings, she apparently finds solace and fulfillment in unexpected places. Hmm, sounds appealing. So what’s not to like, right? It’s Tyler. Gotta be there.
Next up, a lot of buzz has preceded both Ottessa Moshfegh’s novel “My Year of Rest and Relaxation” and R.O. Kwon’s debut novel “The Incendiaries.” Wow these two books seem to be everywhere and there’s much praise about the writing of both. I probably will need to find out if they live up to all the hype. Ottessa’s title and book cover seem comically funny and enticing. Though as Chris Schluep of Amazon concedes: “Not a whole lot happens” in her story — which is about a Columbia graduate with an easy job at an art gallery who decides to take a year off just to sleep. The goal for the unnamed protagonist is basically to hibernate, which she writes about in the smallest of details, ha. It’s not said to be a happy tale — far from it — but instead apparently manages to be insightful and darkly funny.
Hmm. Not sure whether that will make my summer reading list, but perhaps R.O. Kwon’s novel “The Incendiaries” will? It is said to be an intriguing cult story about three students looking for something to believe in while attending an elite American university. Apparently one of them is a young woman who is drawn into acts of domestic terrorism by a cult tied to North Korea. In addition to exploring the minds of extremist terrorists, Publishers Weekly says “The Incendiaries” addresses “questions about faith and identity while managing to be formally inventive in its construction (the stream-of-consciousness style, complete with leaps between characters, amplifies the subject matter).” Hmm sometimes I like stream of consciousness narratives, other times not so much. Kirkus Reviews says the novel is “aesthetically pleasing but narratively underwhelming.” Ouch. Still Post critic Ron Charles tells me it’s a fascinating book. Hmm, I remain intrigued to get my hands on a copy of it.
Meanwhile Beck Dorey-Stein’s memoir “From the Corner of the Oval” looks to be a quick read that could spur me out of my distracted summer slump. It’s about the author’s years working as a stenographer for President Barak Obama, who she has a lot of praise for. It looks to be a gossipy book with plenty of workplace and love-life drama. Half of it takes a look at the inner workings at the White House, while apparently the other half is consumed by this young woman’s messy love life, hankering for one of her coworkers, who’s a senior staffer.
Uh-oh. Judging by some on Goodreads, they didn’t care too much for these parts about her personal drama, but despite that, many still liked it. I guess if you’re an Obama supporter, then you might enjoy this breezy, behind-the-scenes read.
Next up, A.J. Pearce’s novel “Dear Mrs. Bird” looks to be a warm-hearted story set during the London Blitz about a plucky 22-year-old girl who yearns to be a wartime correspondent, but turns out instead making her mark as a junior secretary to an advice columnist, secretly writing back to readers and offering them the support they need.
It’s said to be a winning wartime romp … an English tribute to the women of the homefront. If you liked Helen Simonson’s novel “Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand,” which I did, apparently this one is said to have some of that same kind of charm, underlying the graver circumstances behind it. Hmm, I just hope the novel is not too feel-good light-y during wartime. But it appears to have garnered wide praise, so I plan to take a chance on it.
Lastly I’d probably be remiss during summertime reading not to mention spy master Daniel Silva has his latest page-turner out this month — “The Other Woman,” which is his 18th novel featuring Israeli art restorer and spy Gabriel Allon. I hear it’s his usual gripping fare. Carmen over at the blog Carmen’s Books and Movies Reviews, who has read all of the Allon books and is a big Silva fan, will be so pleased. And in this one, Gabriel Allon and his team must find the one woman who can reveal the identity of a mole who has reached the highest echelons of Britain’s MI6. The search takes him into the past — and into one of the 20th century’s worst intelligence scandals. Uh-oh. Apparently the story’s driven by the actions of real-life British intelligence agent Kim Philby, who defected to the Soviet Union in 1963. Hmm, I’m quite intrigued. Book me on the next overseas flight and I promise I’ll make a considerable dent in “The Other Woman” by sunrise.
As for July movies, there’s not much I feel I need to rush out and see. I’m not really a “Mamma Mia” or “Ant-Man” kind of girl. Though critic Ann Hornaday of the Washington Post, whose reviews I follow, seems to like the movie “Blindspotting,” which is a movie — both serious and at times humorous — about class and race set in Oakland, California.
As Hornaday says: “Just as Oakland itself is a gloriously ambiguous melting pot, nothing is precisely black or white in “Blindspotting,” a spirited, thoughtful, thoroughly entertaining valentine to a city and its still-unfolding history, and a bracing reminder that two things can be true at the same time.” Hmm, she often makes me want to see something — such as this one.
And currently my husband and I are in the midst of watching Season 7 of the TV show “Homeland” with Claire Danes continuing on as troubled agent Carrie Mathison. Only the bipolar ones can figure out the terrorist plots, right? I’ve been a bit addicted to the series over the past few years though it’s pretty over the top.
Now I’m wondering if the HBO series “Sharp Objects” is any good? Has anyone seen it — based on the novel by Gillian Flynn? With a cast that includes Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson, I definitely plan to check it out. Though Adams’s character — journalist Camille Preaker — who is sent to her hometown to cover a strange murder case — doesn’t sound too far removed from Claire Danes’s character Carrie Mathison (both have psychiatric histories that threaten to de-rail their lives and careers). I’ll probably have to sneak this one in under the radar — as my husband might well veto watching two shows starring such mentally challenged protagonists, ha.
Last but not least, in albums out this month, there’s new ones by such artists as the alt-country band the Jayhawks, country singer Lori McKenna, and Canadian band Cowboy Junkies. All three sound worth checking out, but I’ll pick the Jayhawks new one “Back Roads and Abandoned Motels” for my selection this month, which is the Minneapolis band’s 10th studio album. It features new recordings of songs that frontman Greg Louris previously co-wrote with other acts: such as the songs “Everybody Knows” and “Bitter End,” which the Dixie Chicks put on their 2006 album “Long Way Home.”
That’s all for now. Which new releases this month are you most looking forward to?
I really liked Clock Dance but it’s been a while since I’ve read Tyler’s books so maybe I was just happy to be reading her writing again. I can’t wait to read From the Corner of the Oval.
Thanks Kathy, great to know you liked Clock Dance. I too think From the Corner of the Oval will be a good read!
Gorgeous shot of Juno Beach, Susan! I can’t get over your tour. 😉 I read good things about My Year of Rest… on an Amazon newsletter. I’m not sure it’s for me though. Nor is The Incendiaries–too incendiary a topic! ;-D I read a wonderful review of Dear Mrs. Bird on Helen’s blog @ She Reads Novels (wordpress). Helen reads mostly historical fiction, and she enjoyed that one a great deal.
Thanks for the shoutout! 🙂 I’m in the middle of The Other Woman and enjoying every bit of it. It is more page-turner(y) than a few of his most recent releases have been; it has considerably less padding and more literary flair too. I’m digging it! Coincidentally, blogger friends Dorothy @ The Nature of Things (blogspot) and Judy @ Keep the Wisdom (blogspot) reviewed the fifth installment of the Gabriel Allon saga, titled Prince of Fire, in the last two days.
Mamma Mia, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Blindspotting sound great to me; of course, I will get to them only when they come out on rental, which will be by the time the entire world has already seen them, but better late than never I say.
I’m considering renewing my HBO Now membership just to watch Sharp Objects. My TV viewing this year has suffered considerably. I start watching TV seasons and abandon them midway; it happened with To the Ends of the Earth (miniseries starring Benedict Cumberbatch), Howard’s End (STARZ miniseries starring Hayley Atwell and Matthew Macfayden), and Season 3 of Outlander–I saw it in its entirety in December, but I haven’t been able to watch it completely again for review purposes). I haven’t watched Season 6 of Homeland yet, and Season 7 is already over. I’m considering starting over the whole thing (maybe to review, but also to refresh my memory).
Hi Carmen: wonderful reply from you as always, thanks! Glad to hear both Dear Mrs. Bird and The Other Woman are going to be great — when I get to them. I look forward to your review. I agree it’s often hard to stay with long TV series; I haven’t watched many over the years: basically Homeland and The Crown and Big Little Lies. But I’m curious about Sharp Objects. Let me know if you get to it. 🙂
Well, as we often agree on books I’ll jump in and maybe save you some time. I DNFed Rest & Relaxation. I did not get the ‘dark comedy’ of it but found it to be a tedious snooze about an entitled Millennial. I’ll leave it at that.
Somehow I got sucked into intense, but extremely well-written fiction this month so am happy to relax and dive into Jo Piazza’s Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win. I loved her debut The Knock Off- spoke to my snarky, middle-aged heart.
Keep enjoying your summer with fun things- books will always be here! Especially when we go back to being overcast and rainy.
Thanks Catherine, you often save me much time in not reading certain hyped fiction! It’s too bad that Rest & Relaxation is tedious. I saw that critic Sam Sacks at the WSJ said of Rest & Relation: “Moshfegh’s dubious trademark is frank descriptions of bodily excretions . . . but there’s too much maudlin pop psychology in this novel for it to be edgy or startling.” Ouch. I’m sure Jo Piazza’s new novel will be more winsome. Thx for the tip(s) …. on all things book related.
This is an interesting bunch of new releases. Everyone does indeed seem to be talking about My Year of Rest and Relaxation. It seems like the theme of lazy young people really took off in the early 1990s and has been going strong ever since. It was my generation that it was first directed at as we were first graduating from college at the time This seemed justified at the time and it seemed that many were not getting jobs. Thus the book sounds interesting to me.
Happy summer reading!
Hi Brian: I wonder if the author of Rest & Relaxation can make a novel about doing nothing interesting? Hmm, Catherine (above) just said it was Tedious and did not find the dark humor in it. I guess the premise makes me a bit hesitant — as I’m sort of opposite of a hibernator. Still I was hoping there might be a wryness or comic part to her sensibilities.
Summer is such a busy time of year and I know you are making the most of it! I recently read A Spool of Blue Thread and loved it. Anne Tyler never disappoints and I suspect that even if Clock Dance isn’t her best, it will still be a worthy read. Hope to get to it later this year.
Hear, Hear JoAnn. A bad Anne Tyler is still probably better than most. I’d also like to get to A Spool of Blue Thread. Maybe on audio! Summer is busy but luckily still enjoyable. Always on the move, ha! That’s why I’m getting to audiobooks a bit more this summer than print versions, surprising to me but true. Enjoy your time by the lake!
SO many books to choose from this month. I have the Incendiaries. I have been skipping the rest and relaxation book because I thought it was satire or, I don’t know. That cover doesn’t do it for me at all but the blurb (now that I’ve read it) is kind of appealing. Maybe because I dream and doing absolutely nothing and can’t even come close? Perhaps.
The image you painted of your summer deck reading really makes me happy and sad. Happy because it sounds so delightful but sad because you aren’t enjoying it right and and neither am. LOL. It’s so dusty and dry in So Cal. I would have to do a major sweep and wash of my patio nearly every day just to sit out there. And then there are the bugs that bother me. Not big bug country when it’s so dry but I seem to attract all kinds.
Back to books. Right now I am reading Florida and it’s really filling me up with feels.
Hi Ti, poor California, my beloved home state, sounds like another drought there and I worry about fires. I hope not. I’ll be interested to hear what you think about The Incendiaries. Is it compelling, or a bit of tough read? Also that’s great you’re liking Florida. I’m curious to hear what Lauren Groff is writing about. I’ll wait for your review. 🙂
Oh my, I have had summers when nothing turned out as planned. I think it is ok to just go with it!
Clock Dance yes! I always love Anne Tyler. She and I could be friends I feel. I am somewhat interested in the Moshfegh book. She is the guest on the Other People podcast this week. I will listen to what she has to say there and then decide.
Meanwhile, new releases from this spring are finally coming in at the library: The Overstory by Richard Powers awaits me as I write this. Dorothy @The Nature of Things loved it and it is about trees. I love trees.
Blindspotting sounds good. I didn’t love Sharp Objects, the book, but I love Amy Adams so that will go on my movie list.
I look forward to reading your reviews of what you decide to read!
Thanks Judy, I’m trying to go with it! Who knows what I will get to this summer … but at least I have monitored what is out on the book horizon, ha. The Overstory looks good – – I hope you enjoy it. I think Moshfegh was also on the NYT book podcast a couple weeks ago but I need to go back and listen to what she says. I’m on the fence about her book a bit just from the word from others. Hmm. But Clock Dance seems like a given.
As you already know, I didn’t love Clock Dance. Tyler is known for writing sort of everyday characters, but for me Willa just needed a bit more backbone. However, I absolutely loved From the Corner of the Oval even though it brought out a lot of longing for the past and better times!
I’ve seen some mixed reviews of The Incendiaries and now am feeling a little on the fence about it. I think I should let you vet it for me. I may need to sign up for HBO again just for Sharper Objects!
Hi Susie, Glad you liked From the Corner of the Oval. I can’t wait to get to it. Big Obama supporter here; so I’m in the dumps these days 🙁 . I might get to Clock Dance eventually but I’ll probably read her novel A Spool of Blue Thread first. I’m getting behind …. but glad you are able to vet many summer books before me! Your opinions are always very worthy to me. Enjoy your July.
I thoroughly enjoyed A Spool of Blue Thread and can recommend it. I haven’t read My Year of Rest and Relaxation, but my best friend just finished it and loved it, so I’m going to give it a go.
Hi Amy, good to hear about A Spool of Blue Thread. I usually enjoy her novels so I would like to get that one first before her latest. I look forward to what you have to say about My Year of R & R. Hmm.
I recently downloaded Clock Dance, and hope to read it soon.
From the Corner of the Oval has piqued my interest, too.
I am enjoying Sharp Objects. Thanks for visiting my blog…and have a great week.
Hi Laurel, I look forward to your thoughts on both books and thanks for the word on Sharp Objects. It looks interesting to me and I like both actresses in it. Can’t wait to get to it.
We’ve also had a busy summer – good though! You can see how far behind I am on blog visits and e-mails.
I wanted to pop in here and say that I just finished reading My Year of Rest and Relaxation. It’s definitely darkly funny (some might think not funny at all). It depends on your taste whether or not you will like this. But I was one of the ones who liked Eileen, and I liked this one too. Although, maybe not quite as much. An unusual story, though… worth the read just to experience it!
Oh I’m glad you let me know about My Year of Rest & Relaxation. I’ve heard mixed things but I am curious enough that I will probably check it out. It sounds darkly funny and I often like those. I too have been behind on visiting blogs but I hope to get to yours soon.