((1/Classic)) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - J.K. Rowling
Whatever one's feelings on the series (or indeed towards Rowling herself), one can't deny this is a contemporary classic that promises to withstand the generational test. I encountered this story of an orphan who finds out he's a wizard as a tween myself, and never let go of his magical world. Like unsophisticated cake with too much dulce de leche, this series is pure comfort, no matter how flawed. I highly recommend the illustrated version; Jim Kay's vision for this world is immersive and magical and the best way to revisit it time and again.
((2/Contemporary Fiction)) The Study of Animal Languages - Lindsay Stern
The book opens with Frank, the narrator's bipolar father-in-law, reflecting on having waited all of his life for things to happen to him. It had me. The narrator (Ivan) introduces Frank's close relationship with Prue, Ivan's overachieving ornithologist wife who is on track for tenure. Soon, the shadows of various tensions emerge: between Prue and Ivan, both academics, between Prue and Frank, between Ivan and Frank, between their friend-group and Ivan. Doesn't that sound promising? Well, this novel promised greatness, but delivered poorly written ridiculous plot. Overall not only a disappointment but a mess. Some points can be given for thoughtful research and an attempt at nuance.
((3/In translation/in Spanish)) The Girl who is Getting Married - Aoko Matsuda
This is a quietly disturbing and thoughtful short story/novela that still pops into my head from time to time. On the surface, the narrator is climbing the stairs to visit a childhood friend who is getting married. Yet as her memories become tangled and contradictory, one gets the impression that there is so much more lurking beneath the surface—and there is. So. Much. More.
((4/Essay Collection/Bio/Memoir)) In the Land of Men - Adrienne Miller
Like US Weekly for lovers of contemporary American fiction (you can quote me on that). Meaning, this memoir about Miller's experiences in the male-dominated literary world of magazine fiction and her various relationships (most notably with David Foster Wallace) lacks any depth, but if you (like me) want some scoop on the business, you (unlike me) should wait for the paperback or get it from the library. It's weird to describe how unfocused this narrative is because it seems like such a straightforward theme, right? But believe me, any possible insight this book outlines is ultimately snuffed under the weight of irrelevant detours. Another disappointment.
((5/Non-fiction)) Faber & Faber: The Untold Story - Toby Faber
Still on the topic of The Business we Call Books, this is a delightful oral (written?) history of one of my favorite publishers. Edited by the founder's grandson, this book showcases, through letters and memos, the struggle to take off and remain independent and lucrative throughout the decades. Look, it's not perfect: it's a weird cross between too much editorial chopping and not enough editorial contextualization, but it does the job, perhaps because the letters themselves are so interesting. I mean, almost a century of T.S. Eliot and Geoffrey Faber, with some Auden, Heaney, Kundera, and many others peppered in? Count me in!
((6/Poetry Collection/Play)) Hera Lindsay Bird - Hera Lindsay Bird
Back to disappointments... this was actually a DNF, but I tried so much with it that I consider it reviewable. In an unusually desperate attempt to enjoy this collection, I began to flick through the book in search of a poem that would make it worthwhile. Because here's the thing: Hera Lindsay Bird has a remarkable imagination, a knack for metaphor and witty observation, but the poems are mostly terrible in form and general construction. The Mary Oliver poem is good, though.
((7/Reread)) Cork Dork - Bianca Bosker
This is literally one of the best nonfiction books I've ever read. Rereading it now, I'm blown away by how Bosker weaves together her personal journey with other people's and science and social observation (although, it must be noted, not critique). Fascinated by sommelier's obsession with wine, Bosker (who previously had only a mild adult interest in wine) decides to become a sommelier herself. In one (1) year. True, this might not have such a strong appeal if you aren't interested in wine and/or people's obsessive quests. Nonetheless, it is a masterclass in how to bring together so many different elements in service of one exciting overarching narrative.
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