Loading...
| Have you heard of Marlon Bundo? |
| The Thread's Must-Read |
| "The Maze at Windermere" by Gregory Blake Smith Buy this book “The Maze at Windermere” weaves together the stories of five characters who all live in what is now the city of Newport, R.I. The book cycles among the tales of a contemporary tennis pro; a Gilded Age bachelor looking to marry well; the novelist Henry James; an Englishman trying to escape a past scandal and his own desires; and a Quaker teen who is forced into adulthood by a dual tragedy. It doesn’t take long to settle into the psychology, language and social constraints of each time period. And while Gregory Blake Smith makes each character’s story read completely differently than the others, similar longings and shortcomings of human nature echo through the centuries. Don’t wait for the paperback to discover this wonderful, intricate and gripping novel. -Stephanie Curtis |
| This Week on The Thread |
| A spoof picture book about Mike Pence's family rabbit is a No. 1 Amazon best-seller John Oliver's spoof of a new picture book by the wife and daughter of Vice President Mike Pence was No. 1 on Amazon.com this week. The real book sits several spots lower on the list. More |
| Whiting Awards announce 10 winners, aiming to honor future bookshelf staples Since it began in 1985, the annual prize has recognized emerging writers. And while you may not know the winners announced Wednesday, their futures are bright — if previous winners are any indication. More |
| A lyrical, powerful coming-of-age story "Let's No One Get Hurt" by Jon Pineda Buy this book Jon Pineda's new novel follows a young girl living with her father in an old boathouse, somewhere in the southern United States. It's a well-written book that manages to be both honest and poetic. More |
| A powerful look at black girls' path through the education system "Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools" by Monique Morris Buy this book Bookseller Clarrissa Cropper said "Pushout" traces how factors at home affect students' "ability to be at school, and be surrounded by the pressures of classmates, teachers, homework." More |
| Where the magical meets the harrowing "All the Names They Used for God" by Anjali Sachdeva Buy this book Author Anjali Sachdeva spins captivating short stories around kernels of the otherworldly. She says it can be a way to overcome the impulse to look away from that which is unsettling or traumatic. More |
| Kerri Miller on "Beartown": What happens when you change your mind about a book? On the eve of the Super Bowl in Minneapolis, I wrote about the novel “Beartown” for this newsletter. The timing wasn’t accidental. I’m one of those people who puzzles over the fierce loyalty that a team can elicit and who has tossed off remarks like, “It’s just a game, you know." Frederik Backman’s novel — translated from Swedish by Neil Smith — returns again and again to team sports as a vehicle to understand community and ethics and justice and love. And in the end, that’s the problem for me. Since I finished the novel, I’ve found myself drifting back to ruminate on Backman’s writing style. Here's what bugs me: He is often sentimental and never subtle, hammering a point home every which way from Sunday. He tells more than shows us, over and over again, about the complicated friendship between a hockey star and his closest friend. About the sweet protectiveness of two teen-age girls. About the fierceness of a mother’s love. About the complexity of a small insular town and the possessive pride they take in owning that town. Here’s an example: Kira, who comes from the big city, has never felt at ease in Beartown. To complicate that, her daughter becomes the victim of a crime that divides the town. Then Kira walks into a bar full of black-jacketed oafs who never gave her the time of day. “You don’t have to offer me a beer,” Kira gasps apologetically. “It’s not from me,” Ramona [the bartender] says and pats her hand. This is where Kira realizes the oafs are seeing the light. And in case we’ve missed that, Backman bonks us on the head with it: “As she drinks she hears men in black jackets drink a silent toast behind her. People don’t often say thank you in Beartown. Nor sorry. But this is their way of showing that some people in this town can actually carry more than one thought in their head at the same time.” Right. I get it. In fact, through the whole second half of this novel, I was thinking: “Yes! I’m with you. I get it! I don’t need to be told six times.” And that’s why I’ve reconsidered “Beartown.” I want Mr. Backman to trust me more as an astute, intuitive reader. If you’ve read “Beartown” and want to talk about it, check out the Books & Bars event series in the Twin Cities, hosted by Jeff Kamin. They're discussing the book in early April. -K.M. |
| Preference Center ❘ Unsubscribe This email was sent by: Minnesota Public Radio |
Loading...
Loading...
