Quarantine Reading List
When we've had our fill of doom-scrolling or watching the dark, dark TV fare on Netflix or Hulu, we turn to books. Curling up with a good book is a great way to escape the monotony of the pandemic. And taking a very long walk or bike ride (on a trail) with a beautifully written and recorded audiobook transports us in a way that makes up for the current lack of travel. Here are some of our recent favorites:
Timely/Issue-Based:
As Bright As Heaven, by Susan Meissner (Julie)
Follows a Philadelphia family as they navigate the twin tragedies of the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 and WW1.
The Vanishing Half, by Brit Bennett (Julie)
tells the story of African American twins, one of whom lives as black and the other as white. It’s a new angle from which to think about the artificiality of the construct of race.
On the Come Up, by Angie Thomas (Meg)
Fantastic story about a young woman navigating her place in the world as her family struggles with poverty, violence and racism, all while balancing a budding rap career. Thomas wrote The Hate U Give, and this is a great follow up. The audiobook is the way to go with this one to experience the lyrical stylings of the main character.
Know My Name, by Chanel Miller (Meg)
Chanel Miller took a horrifying experience and used her strength and beautiful writing style to pen a victim’s impact statement that reverberated around the world. This is her story of her ordeal and how she persevered against a system that favored her privileged attacker.
Fun "Beach Reads" (these aren't literary masterpieces, but are great for an afternoon on a raft):
The Rosie Project, by Graeme Simsion (Julie)
is a lighthearted glimpse into the mind of a man who is seriously socially challenged. Simsion uses comedic situations to depict what it would be like to be so brilliant, yet so puzzled by those around you.
I Liked My Life, by Abby Fabiaschi (Julie)
This mystery speaks to my “mom” sensibilities. It depicts situations and feelings that we can all relate to and makes us wonder what people would assume about us if we were suddenly gone and unable to say why.
Confession Club, by Elizabeth Berg (Julie)
I literally did finish this in a single afternoon while floating on a raft. It follows the members of a small town book club that dispenses with all pretense of discussing books and decides to use each monthly meeting for a single member to confess things that she’s never told anyone. It’s a beautiful depiction of the ways women can support one another.
Valley of the Dolls, by Jacqueline Susanne (Meg)
The story of 3 friends coming up on Broadway and in Hollywood in the 1930s, ‘40s and 50s, this is a juicy story of ambition, love, back-stabbing, drugs and everything between. Excellent, fun read that was NOT done justice by the 1970 film version. Read it, it’s a delicious bite.
Other Favorites:
The Book of Longings, by Sue Monk Kidd (Julie)
A beautiful depiction of what real life may have been like for women in Nazareth and the surrounding area during the time of Jesus. The book imagines that Jesus had a wife who was written out of the official narrative.
The Water Dancer, by Ta'nehisi Coates (Julie)
Ta’nehisi Coates combines historical fact with magical realism to give us a personal look at what it meant to be enslaved.
And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie (Meg)
If you are into a good, old fashioned British mystery, Agatha Christie never disappoints. This is a cleverly told story about 10 people mysteriously invited to a private island, only to be killed one by one by their invisible host. Excellent and quick read.
Just Kids, by Patti Smith (Meg)
The most beautiful true story of love and friendship during the 1960’s and ‘70s explosive music and art scene in lower Manhattan and the famed Chelsea Hotel. The story of the friendship of Smith and famed photographer Robert Mapplethorpe is beautiful, heartbreaking, charming and intensely creative.
