James by Percival Everett
Huckleberry Finn's adventure as experienced by Jim. Original, profound, and unsentimental. Pretty much a must read. A
A Very Private School by Charles Spencer
Heartbreaking and disturbing memoir by Spencer recounting the abuse of boys in his boarding school from age 8- 13. Not an easy story to tell, but I respect his ability to face it and his use of therapy to cope with the aftermath.
Highly recommend the Audible version. A
If You Can't Stand the Heat by Geraldine DeRuiter
A collection of essays from this James Beard Award winning food blogger. Sometimes she goes on a rant and you may need to skip ahead, but the piece on a Michelin-starred restaurant is so hilarious and horrifying, it is worth the price of admission. And the above mentioned award winning piece on Mario Batali. A-
Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon
400B.C. Sicily during the Peloponnesian War. Two unemployed bros decide to stage a play using the Athenians incarcerated in an abandoned quarry. See the googly eyes on the book cover? It sounds so crazy, but the story is full of angst, love, bravado, courage, and humor. A
Matterhorn by Christopher Reich
A spy novel set in Switzerland that moves at breakneck speed. For fans of Mission Impossible and 007. Fun on Audible, too. A
Help Wanted by Adelle Waldman
How a big box store runs- the people, the management, the logistics. Good choice for a book club- topics of capitalism, low-wage workers, personal responsibility, class mobility. A lot to unpack. A
Also for consideration:
A Great Country by Shilpi Somaya Gowda. The 12 year-old son of upwardly mobile immigrants is arrested in a confusing situation.
The Body in Question by Jill Ciment. A shocking courtroom drama with an illicit relationship thrown in.
Wolf at the Table by Adam Rapp. A dark family saga by the Pulitzer Prize finalist playwright.