April has found me more than a bit distracted, and I’ve had a hard time sinking into any one book. So consider this list one of “halfsies,” because I’m about halfway through everything stacked here. Short stories are a great way to dip in here and there, so Hunger Moon, Music for Wartime, and Deleted Scenes have been perfect in that regard; and Strawberry Fields is a novel, though fragmented, so it’s just right for picking up and putting down, as the mood strikes.
I’ll be on a social media sabbatical for the month of May, and plan to finish everything here, as well as dive in to a new round of stories.
Hope you’re all safe and sane (at least halfsies)!
*
Music for Wartime: Stories by Rebecca Makkai (Bookshop | Amazon) Lyrical and haunting, these stories theme on the human search for meaning, with music and war as defining aspects.
Strawberry Fields by Hilary Plum (Bookshop | Amazon) This novel, written in short, fragmented chapters, which follow a disenchanted reporter as she investigates the murders of five veterans in a state hospital. Plum is a remarkable writer (and former colleague of mine) and though the subject matter is grim, Strawberry Fields is a stunning portrayal of contemporary global life, where every action sets off a political ripple. Highly recommended.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Bookshop | Amazon) Every year I try to tackle one classic that I somehow missed in my education – usually I abandon ship partway through, but To Kill a Mockingbird had me riveted from start to finish. I see now it’s a classic for a reason, and wish I’d read it earlier.
To Limn / Lying In by J’Lyn Chapman (Bookshop | Amazon) I’ll have a review of this short collection of lyric essays over the Colorado Review soonish.
Hunger Moon: Stories by Traci Skuce (Bookshop | Amazon) I haven’t had a story collection resonate with me this much in ages. These stories are gorgeous, skillfully exploring the coordinates of being a woman, a mother, a human. Smart, poignant, charming, slyly funny, and utterly devastating – I can’t say enough good things about this book! Skuce and I were MFA colleagues and her debut is an absolute delight to read. Highly recommended.
Deleted Scenes and Other Bonus Features by Kevin Catalano (Bookshop | Amazon) Catalano’s stories are riveting in their strange darkness – many of them play with form and all reveal the underbelly of human longing.
April Reading List: The “Halfsies” Edition
April has found me more than a bit distracted, and I’ve had a hard time sinking into any one book. So consider this list one of “halfsies,” because I’m about halfway through everything stacked here. Short stories are a great way to dip in here and there, so Hunger Moon, Music for Wartime, and Deleted Scenes have been perfect in that regard; and Strawberry Fields is a novel, though fragmented, so it’s just right for picking up and putting down, as the mood strikes.
I’ll be on a social media sabbatical for the month of May, and plan to finish everything here, as well as dive in to a new round of stories.
Hope you’re all safe and sane (at least halfsies)!
*
Music for Wartime: Stories by Rebecca Makkai (Bookshop | Amazon)
Lyrical and haunting, these stories theme on the human search for meaning, with music and war as defining aspects.
Strawberry Fields by Hilary Plum (Bookshop | Amazon)
This novel, written in short, fragmented chapters, which follow a disenchanted reporter as she investigates the murders of five veterans in a state hospital. Plum is a remarkable writer (and former colleague of mine) and though the subject matter is grim, Strawberry Fields is a stunning portrayal of contemporary global life, where every action sets off a political ripple. Highly recommended.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Bookshop | Amazon)
Every year I try to tackle one classic that I somehow missed in my education – usually I abandon ship partway through, but To Kill a Mockingbird had me riveted from start to finish. I see now it’s a classic for a reason, and wish I’d read it earlier.
To Limn / Lying In by J’Lyn Chapman (Bookshop | Amazon)
I’ll have a review of this short collection of lyric essays over the Colorado Review soonish.
Hunger Moon: Stories by Traci Skuce (Bookshop | Amazon)
I haven’t had a story collection resonate with me this much in ages. These stories are gorgeous, skillfully exploring the coordinates of being a woman, a mother, a human. Smart, poignant, charming, slyly funny, and utterly devastating – I can’t say enough good things about this book! Skuce and I were MFA colleagues and her debut is an absolute delight to read. Highly recommended.
Deleted Scenes and Other Bonus Features by Kevin Catalano (Bookshop | Amazon)
Catalano’s stories are riveting in their strange darkness – many of them play with form and all reveal the underbelly of human longing.
*
What are you reading right now?
*
Want more book recommendations delivered directly to your inbox? Sign up for my biweekly TinyLetter: https://tinyletter.com/SaraRauchWrites