What books should the country read right now?
Kerri Miller's Must-Read
"Not Just Jane"by Shelley DeWees
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Mary Robinson was in her second go-round on the London stage in 1779 when she caught the eye of Prince George. “Robinson,” he wrote, “is the greatest and most perfect beauty of her sex.”
And although Robinson would become a courtesan to the future king, she was no one-trick pony. (Pun intended.)
She was smart and well-read and would go on to publish novels that rivaled Jane Austen’s in social commentary, elegant language and reader demand.
Writer Shelley DeWees discovered that Robinson’s first novel, “Vancenza; or the Dangers of Credulity,” became a bestseller in a single day. It's set in a decaying castle — complete with sinister fogs and ghostlike appearances — and it's a mashup of suspense, feminism and romance.
So why doesn’t Robinson command the kind of fangirl adulation that Austen does? DeWees believes the seven writers she profiles in "Not Just Jane" were lost to obscurity because, although many women were publishing at the time, they were viewed as unnatural and unfeminine. Robinson writes that they were “forever engaged in an uphill battle against those who would besmirch” their reputations as women and writers.
If you listen to my show, you know that one of my favorite novels is “Jane Eyre.” But DeWees has persuaded me that my bookshelves have room for more than just the big names of the era.
-K.M.
How bookstores can bring us together In a divided country, bookstores can play an important role in sparking conversation, and providing a safe space for discussion.
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For Tippi Hedren, Hitchcock's scares came off-screen"Tippi" by Tippi Hedren
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In her new memoir, "Tippi," the actress speaks frankly about Hollywood, her career, and her complicated relationship with Alfred Hitchcock — who made her a star, but also made her life hell.
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Would you learn a second language for love?"When in French" by Lauren Collins
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When Lauren Collins fell for a Frenchman, she didn't speak French. They could communicate in English, but she couldn't help but wonder: What was she missing?
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Make America bake again: A history of cake in the U.S."American Cake" by Anne Byrn
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From the waste-not ethos behind Angel Food Cake, to the science fads that sparked chocolate cake, "American Cake" tells a story of immigration and ingenuity.
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Minneapolis felon tries to trace his life's path in new memoir"This is Where I Am" by Zeke Caligiuri
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Zeke Caligiuri grew up in Minneapolis just as the city was earning the nickname "Murderapolis." He wrote his memoir behind bars, where he is serving a 34-year sentence for robbery and murder.
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A chronicle of grief barely survived"Fish in Exile" by Vi Khi Nao
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In Vi Khi Nao's new novel, a husband and wife are falling apart after losing their two children in a terrible accident. Nao's poetic chops are on full display in this immersive, difficult book.
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A hospice chaplain shares what dying taught her about living"On Living" by Kerry Egan
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Kerry Egan has sat at the bedside of many patients at the end of their lives, and she shares what she's learned in her new book, "On Living."
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This author will make you realize "how lazy most writing is""Pieces of Soap" by Stanley Elkin
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Elkin, who died in 1995, was known for his satirical takes on American culture. Critic Maureen Corrigan reviews a new collection of essays that showcases the freshness of Elkin's work.
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When the Mississippi Delta was "untameable wilderness""Trials of the Earth" by Mary Mann Hamilton
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Cody Morrison of Square Books in Oxford, Miss., was transfixed by Hamilton's account of life on the frontier: "She survived tornadoes, bears, panthers, snakes, floods. ... It was a very hard life, but she's a beautiful writer."
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