FRIDAY BOOK DEBRIEF VOL 08

Every week we’re sharing what our some of our writers are currently reading. Please join in the chorus and tell us what you’ve been enjoying or slogging through in the comments!

On Beauty by Zadie Smith - Maggie

A captivating novel that intersects gender, class, and race in a way that makes you want to savour every moment.

Buy it here.

What the Eyes Don’t See by Mona Hanna-Attisha - Mel

This book is about the Flint water crisis through the eyes of a pediatrician who saw firsthand what the effects of lead were on the local children. The most shocking revelation so far is probably that after the change to a new water source took place, GM got a waiver to revert back to the original source because the new water had a high chloride level which proved too corrosive to automotive parts AND YET there was no “aha moment” when the local government thought that this change would have similar corrosive effects on their old lead pipes.

Buy it here.

Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner - Melissa

I love Jennifer Weiner’s work in general, and the fact that there’s a murder mystery woven into this plot only makes things better! 

Buy it here.

Good Talk by Mira Jacob - Alex B.

A graphic memoir told in conversations about tough topics like immigration and politics. I’m loving the totally unique presentation of this story and the beautiful artwork. 

Buy it here.

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki - Nikki

Been meaning to pick up some of Ozeki's work for years now, and so far I love how she's weaving this story with tender delicacy and a frank, deft handling of some darker themes. I'm also learning tons about Japanese culture.

Buy it here.

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote - Michaela

As a fan of creative non-fiction, I decided it was time to go back to the beginning where it all started. Almost halfway and I'm completely caught up in Capote's storytelling that spawned a new genre. 

Buy it here.

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell - Courtney 

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY ABOUT THIS BOOK AND I'M NOT SURE THAT'S A GOOD THING. But also, I can't stop reading.

Buy it here.

The Diary of Anaïs Nin, Vol. 2: 1934-1939 - Victoria

Reading a diary is like pushing reset on my reading life. If I'm racing through too many books or things start feeling repetitive, I go back to the one-day-at-a-time rhythm of a diary. It works every time.

Buy it here.

Migrant Souls by Arturo Islas - Karen

Influenced by one of our own, I picked up Migrant Souls to continue following the Angel family from different perspectives. Slipping back into Islas' writing feels like reuniting with an old friend. I'm only a few pages in but already we get to see how different members of the Angel family are affected by the colorism we saw glimpses of in The Rain God. It's an amazing exploration into this family and is continuing to cement by admiration for Arturo Islas. 

Buy it here.

Golden State by Ben H. Winters - Jessica Maria

Every year I try to read the 16 or so books included in the Tournament of Books ahead of the March competition. It usually provides me with a slew of reading I never would've picked up otherwise. Count this audiobook as a delight so far, about a future state of the world in which lies and untruths are illegal and our hard-boiled protagonist is a detective with the Speculative Service, with a natural talent for knowing when someone is lying or something’s awry. 

Buy it here.

Dinner with Edward by Isabel Vincent - The Book Slut

Each chapter starts with a menu. And menus in books provide me with the similar joy that intricate maps do. I started reading it waiting for a friend and got extremely annoyed when they turned up. Throwing me out of the warm, cosy and candlelit interior of 90-year-old widower Edward’s apartment on Roosevelt Island, with the soundtrack of Jazz and laughter to the slightly more confined LED-lit bustle of the inside of a London bar. I was somewhat disappointed at having to close a book in which I could practically smell soufflés wafting off the page, and instead have to converse with a human. Best devoured during a long lonesome lunch, which is how I fully intend to finish it. 

Buy it here.