5 Books I Will Never NOT Recommend
Ok maybe more like 10
Hey Cutie,
I’ve been extraordinarily lucky with books lately. Two very smart wonderful women gifted me A Fine Balance and The House of Spirits - two sweeping, multi-generational novels about love, survival, corruption of power, family, mundane yet life-altering decisions, and historical events in India and Chile that I knew nothing about before reading.
Somewhere between those I also devoured Demon Copperhead, which deservingly won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize and taught me so much about life in Appalachia, the opioid epidemic, and the foster care system that I thought my heart and brain might explode. I discovered Natalie Haynes and listened to her read both of her novels, A Thousand Ships and Stone Blind — retellings of Greek myths dripping in humor and white hot feminine rage. I loved them and I love her reading voice.
And like a freaking cherry on top, I reread Middlesex, another P. P. winner (is that a fun way to shorten Pulitzer Prize or should I never do that again?), and simply may never recover from how brilliant it was. That book gives me the same feeling as when you see a really cute animal and it almost makes you angry. It’s called cute aggression, but in this case it’s amazing writing aggression.
To be honest, those aren’t even the books I sat down to recommend!
I guess every time I finish an incredible book, I can’t help but think of so many other ones that felt like miracles in my life. Here are five that I recently recommended to my doctor, who for the record is super cool, drinks tea out of a mason jar, and told me to take herbs for my covid lungs so is obviously a witch.
1. From Here to Eternity by Caitlin Doughty
Somehow funny, touching, and educational, this book takes you around the world to see the extremely different ways cultures view, mourn, and celebrate death (and therefore life). This blew my little Catholic-raised mind and has helped me cope with loss in a new way. Also, sorry, this is a reminder to write a will. Tell people how you want your funeral, okay? It’s really important. Read this book for inspiration if you need to. But write your will. Go.
2. Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
This is billed as a “tragicomic” and I can’t think of a better way to describe it. Without giving too much away, this graphic memoir follows the author as she unravels the mystery of her dad’s death, the secrets he kept, and her own journey as an (iconic) queer artist. Once you finish this, please listen to the musical. And then call me so we can do Fun Home karaoke.
3. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Just thinking about this book makes my heart ache. If you’re okay with spoilers, I suggest reading a quick Wiki synopsis of the Greek myth of Achilles before cracking this open. The author breathes so much life into such an ancient, crinkly old story … it is extraordinary.
4. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Okay, this one is an epic. I don’t understand how it’s possible to be in and out of so many different minds and points of view and countries and timelines and still somehow care about every single character. But Min Jin Lee figured it out, and we are lucky she did.
5. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
Do you know the story about Joseph — the one of technicolor dreamcoat fame? This book is about his half-sister, Dinah, who really no one knows about because she’s mentioned so briefly in the Bible, it’s easy to miss her. But here is her story, rich in detail and fuller than any three hour musical starring Donny Osmond (no offense). The red tent refers to the tent women were sent during their periods — a “punishment” that in actuality provided a sacred space away from a world where women held no power. It’s just … really good.
Oh no, now my brain is being flooded by so many other beloved books I want to recommend. The passive aggressive “your Oscar speech is too long” music is playing, so I will quickly leave you with The Year of Magical Thinking and Elena Ferrante’s four book series that starts with My Brilliant Friend.
Please tell me your favorite books in the comments!!
Love Always,
Christina
P.S. I guess I should also recommend my own, upcoming book F*cking Deal With It, which I can, on full authority, promise has many words in it.