This summer was terrific. Maine and NYC. I didn't read as much as I expected, though. Usually I read on the beach, but I did a lot of swimming, oddly enough. Take One Candle Light a Room by Susan Straight This book is break-your-heart lovely. The images! The language!
Up High In The Trees by Kiara Brinkman I don't generally like novels written from the POV of children, but this book is terrific.
School for Love by Olivia Manning Completely unexpected. A part of history I had very little familiarity with.
Room by Emma Donoghue Why why why didn't I write this book? It's incredibly compelling. Stayed up all night!
The False Friend by Myla Goldberg Oh the horrors of preteen girls. Brought me right back.
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell One of my very favorite writers. Fabulous book.
Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orenstein Chilling. You'll never look at a tutu the same way again.
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender It's about time Aimee Bender got the popular following she deserves!
The Long Song by Andrea Levy Quick read.
The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman Super fun.
Spies of the Balkans by Alan Furst I don't care if he keeps writing the same book over and over. I like them.
Night Soldiers by Alan Furst One of his first. Good.
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan I have exactly zero interest in the music business, but I still loved this book.
The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman I'm too competitive with Allegra -- great writer, mother of 4 -- to write fairly about her. But I read all her books!
One Day by David Nicholls Gobbled this up.
First Love Last Rites by Ian McEwan Creepy! But great.
Private Life by Jane Smiley Such a great writer!
Only Children by Rafael Yglesias Love the writer, love the book.
A Happy Marriage by Rafael Yglesias Loved the book so much I read it twice.
Villette by Charlotte Bronte This book is marvelous.
Persuasion by Jane Austen Every summer I reread Jane Austen. Because she's the best writer in the universe.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Hitch 22 by Christopher Hitchens A mixed bag for me, but when it's good, it's really good.
A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again by David Foster Wallace I could just keep rereading this again and again.