Hooray, we’ve made it to June and the full summer is ahead of us. It’s the best time of year here if only it could last longer (the northern summers are too short!). Still it’s enough just to make every day you can count. This year we have special plans to visit WWI and WWII sites in northern France for our summer break, which we are taking in mid-June instead of July or August, so we only have two weeks left to get ready: Oh my.
I’m still assessing which books to take on the trip but perhaps it will be something epic like Mark Helprin’s “A Soldier of the Great War” or Pat Barker’s “Regeneration” trilogy, or Barbara Tuchman’s “The Guns of August,” although it all seems so bleak. Do you have something you’d recommend set around that time period? Until next time, I’ll leave you with some picks of new releases this month.
Wow June is stuffed with a lot of notable novels coming out. For those who don’t mind short fiction there’s new collections from such big authors as Lauren Groff, Lydia Millet, and Joyce Carol Oates … as well as follow-up novels by Thrity Umrigar (a sequel to her 2009 novel “The Space Between Us”) and Rachel Cusk (the last one in her trilogy, which started with Outline”). I have read “Outline” but not “Transit” so I will hold off on her new one “Kudos” for the time being. There’s much anticipation too about debut author Fatima Farheen Mirza’s domestic novel “A Place for Us” — which is about an American Muslim family struggling between tradition and modernity — but since I’m midway through reading it, I will hold off on writing about it until my review. So my picks this month are as follows ….
Yeah Tommy Orange’s debut novel “There There” seems to be making a big splash at BookExpo 2018 and other places and he seems (from everything I’ve seen) too important a new voice to miss. Apparently Orange wrote the novel because he couldn’t find other stories about the urban indigenous experience, like the one he had growing up in Oakland, Calif.
According to Kirkus Reviews, “There There” offers a kaleidoscopic look at Native American life in Oakland, California, through the experiences and perspectives of 12 characters as their lives collide in the days leading up to the city’s inaugural Big Oakland Powwow. Hmm, it sounds intense and quite dark and gritty, but one I will likely need to check out.
Next up, Tara Isabella Burton’s debut crime thriller “Social Creature” seems to be furiously making the rounds. Readers either seem to love it or hate it. It’s another one that’s been compared to Patricia Highsmith’s novel “The Talented Mr. Ripley.” Uh-oh. I recently finished Christine Mangan’s debut novel “Tangerine,” which was similarly compared, but “Social Creature” seems to be much more scathing and nightmarish.
It’s about an insecure 29-year-old female would-be writer who meets a 23-year-old socialite girl who takes her around the Manhattan party scene …. and according to the publisher “the two spiral into an intimate, intense, and possibly toxic friendship.” Uh-oh, another friendship gone awry story that should make for perfect summer deck reading …. so long as the characters aren’t too horrendous?
Another debut thriller that’s on my radar is James A. McLaughlin’s “Bearskin,” which is about a fugitive from a Mexican cartel who takes refuge in a forest preserve in the Appalachian wilderness of Virginia. All is nice and quiet for the troubled protagonist for awhile until his plan to expose bear poachers in the area risks revealing his whereabouts from those he’s running from.
Uh-oh. Then it’s game on I guess. Apparently “Bearskin” is a slow-burn of a novel that brings the beauty and danger of Appalachia to life and has a suspenseful ending. Hmm, it might be just the right thing for back deck reading #2.
Another wilderness story I’m curious to check out is Australian author Tim Winton’s latest novel “The Shepherd’s Hut” about a teenager who sets out on a trek across the saltlands of Western Australia to return to the only person who’s ever loved him.
Along the way he meets an Irish Catholic priest who he must decide whether he can trust. “They fall into a rhythm,” according to Publishers Weekly, “…until they discover something dangerous in the desert that threatens their safety.”
Uh-oh. It’s a novel that’s said to be both violent and tender, a page-turner that uses a colloquial Aussie voice … and which most of all is about “what it takes to keep hope alive in a parched and brutal world.” For Tim Winton fans like me, you pretty much have no choice but to ultimately find a copy of it. He’s said to be one of Australia’s best writers today.
Lastly in June books, I’m a bit torn between picking Peng Shepherd’s dystopian debut novel “The Book of M” or long-time journalist Seymour Hersh’s memoir “Reporter.” I know, I know, two vastly different kinds of books.
But right when I think I’m post-apocalypticked-out along comes another enticing novel that’s favorably compared to “Station Eleven.” Hmm. Will it be anywhere near that caliber? Apparently “The Book of M” is about an epidemic called the Forgetting that robs large swaths of the world’s population of their shadows and memories causing them to work dangerous magic. Hmm.
Whereas Hersh’s memoir promises to offer a juicy look at the stories behind the stories, such as his news scoops into My Lai and Abu Ghraib and asides on all sorts of politicians and journalists. Author John le Carre calls it “essential reading for every journalist and aspiring journalist the world over.” Being once apart of that world, I’ve already put my name on the library’s wait list for it.
As for movies in June, there’s an all-star female cast in the upcoming “Ocean’s 8” and a raptor called Blue in the latest “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” that should take a big bite out of the box office. Hmph. But a few smaller movies look more appealing to me. There’s the drama “Leave No Trace” starring Ben Foster and a young star who play a father and teenage daughter living off the grid in a vast park in Portland, Oregon.
The premise reminds me slightly of Viggo Mortensen’s “Captain Fantastic,” but this one apparently is less comic or quaint in the way that one was. It’s about what happens to them when social services gets involved and they struggle to adapt to their new surroundings, then apparently make a journey back to the wild. Hmm.
Also the movie “Hearts Beat Loud,” which features another father-daughter story, looks to be endearing as well. It stars Nick Offerman as a father who starts up a band with his teenage daughter in the summer before she leaves for college. When they score a hit, he has trouble letting go of his dreams and allowing his daughter to find her own path in life.
Hmm it sounds pretty fun but I’m probably more curious about the movie adaptation of Tim Winton’s novel “Breath” about two teenage boys growing up in a remote part of Western Australia who form a friendship with an older surfer (played by Simon Baker) who urges them to take risks that will have a lasting impact on their lives. Winton’s moving, coming of age novel had a lot of compelling surfing scenes in it — I’ll be interested to see if the movie will be able to match the book.
Lastly in albums for June, there’s new ones by Neko Case, Sugarland, and Florence and the Machine among others. Neko Case is a unique island onto herself with a voice to match. I still occasionally listen to songs from her albums “Fox Confessor Brings the Flood” from 2006 and “Middle Cyclone” from 2009. So I will pick her album “Hell-On” as my pick this month and see what it’s about, though Florence + the Machine’s “High as Hope” looks pretty good too. That’s all for now.
What about you — which releases this month — are you most looking forward to?
Wow! Your trip to France sounds wonderful. I’ve spent a lot of time in Paris, but never have gone to the WW sites. I’m sure it will be a mazing.
Not surprising that we have some books in common for June. I’ll be really curious to hear your thoughts on A Place for Us. I think it’s a DNF fo me. (Unless someone convinces me to go back.) It was too much of a character study for me right now. Social Creature is DARK and a little slow in the first half, but it really gets going in the second part.
The Book of M is one I might give a try. If it’s anywhere close to Station Eleven it would be a must read. Happy June reading!
Hi Susie, thx for your comments. Yeah I was thinking A Place for Us would have more happening in it but alas it seems just family gripes & stuff. I need to finish it for an ARC review. I probably will read Social Creature but it does sound Dark, thx for the warning; it’s got me scared ha. I’ll let you know how France goes … I think I have 10 days left. Much to do.
I’ve read raves about Social Creature, and The Book of M sounds good too. This June I will be reading a book released in March: Tomorrow by Damien Dibben; I already read a favorable review, so I’m curious to see if I like it. I’m about to finish Love and Ruin by Paula McLain; I’m disappointed. I was expecting another female heroine of the class of Beryl Markhan in Circling the Sun, but McLain has managed to depict Martha Gellhorn as terribly insecure and afraid of the large shadow cast by Hemingway. More details to come in my review…
Hi Carmen, I hadn’t heard of the Tomorrow novel but now I see it has a dog on the cover — how great. Anything with a dog seems great to me. Too bad about the McLain book — I’ve started it too but haven’t gotten too into it yet. I will see it through … but you & another blogger said it turned out disappointing. Ugh! I don’t know Gellhorn like I know Markham. I look forward to your reviews.
June! Yes, so many good books coming out. I love Tim Winton. I will look for that one. As for your France tour of war sites, the Helprin book sounds good. He is such a stupendous writer. Have you read All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr? You probably have. It is one of my favorite WWII books. For WWI, I liked Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks. I like Florence and the Machine. I will check that out. I need some new music! Have a great month!
Oh yes! I have read the Doerr book & Birdsong as well — excellent stories. Charlotte Gray is quite good too by Faulks. I think I need to read Helprin someday — he writes huge novels but I must try his writing out! Thanks for the tips. Perhaps I’ll bring one nonfiction & one novel on the France trip. Hooray for June.
I am also so glad that summer is here. It sounds as if you have a fascinating trip ahead of you. I read The Guns of August. I thought that it was excellent. I guess any book on these subjects will be at least a little bleak.
Hi Brian: yes my brother tells me The Guns of August is excellent. I definitely want to read it. I started the audio but I think I’d rather read it instead. You’re right that bleakness is going to be apart of these subjects. I’m curious about knowing more about WWI.
Your trip sounds fabulous!
I grabbed Bearskin at BEA because I was told I HAVE to read it.
Thanks Kathy. I’m getting pumped up about the trip. It’s not often at all that we get overseas. It’s very special. Glad to hear you have Bearskin. My library just told me they have a copy for me now — wow it seems before the pub date. I need to pick it up. Hope you had fun at BEA!
I hope you love your trip…and the books you are considering for your journey all look fabulous. I keep going back and forth, trying to decide what to grab next. Reporter sounds really good.
Have you started watching The Fourth Estate? So far, I’m loving it.
Thanks for the great preview…and for visiting my blog.
Hi Laurel, I got to check out The Fourth Estate. Thanks for the word on it. I haven’t seen it yet. I’ll let you know how the trip goes. Cheers.
The Book of M sounds promising but I need more feedback on that one before I decide to read it. I am so picky with my end-of-the-word fiction.
I have read so many good books lately, one right after the other that I haven’t had time to consider my summer reading in any formal way. I love a good list but truthfully, rarely stick to said list. Right now I am reading King’s new one and it’s quite good. I also want to try to tackle a classic chunkster this summer like Don Quixote which I guess many just finished as a read along.
Hi Ti, I hope you’re enjoying the King book. I got a library copy of The Book of M today but I have quite a few before it so who knows when I’ll get to it. Enjoy your summer reading!
My vote for fiction-in-France would be Pat Barker’s Regeneration trilogy….so powerful. Have a great trip! Jillann
Hi Jillann, thanks for your vote & the tip. I will request Pat Barker’s trilogy from the library. Heard it’s great. We’re excited about the trip. We’ll let you know how it goes. Enjoy your summer!
Have a wonderful trip!
Thanks for writing about Hearts Beat Loud. I hadn’t heard about it and it sounds like something I’d enjoy and maybe could even convince my husband to go see too!
Thanks Laila, the trip should be really great. So excited. Let me know if you get to see Hearts Beat Loud. I think it will be a crowd pleaser!
I love your preview posts. June doesn’t seem long enough for all these books and movies. I too like to match my reading to the location. I read Guns of August for school and loved it. My son enjoyed it too.
Thanks Sarah! Yes, I think I would really benefit (and like) Tuchman’s The Guns of August. I might be bringing a paperback copy of it on the trip. Hope you have an enjoyable June.
I didn’t know “Breath” was coming out as a movie – I will have to read the book first! I’d also like to read his new one – I’ve heard good things already.
“There, There” sounds like my kind of story… this is the first I’ve heard of it. And the movie “Leave No Trace” sounds like my kind of movie!
Have a great trip!!
Thanks, somehow I missed your comment earlier. I haven’t seen the movie “Breath” come out this way yet but I’d still like to see it — as well as Leave No Trace. I will have to keep looking. I think you would like the novel “Breath” as it the outdoors quite a bit and surfing …. and a good coming of age story as well. Check it out if you get the chance.