Not only do I have a list two miles long of classic books that I want to read, and not only do I hear about new books and new-to-me authors every day that I want to check out, I keep hearing about favorite authors who now have a new book out, either a stand-alone volume or a sequel, that I must read. For example:
Brett Lott, author of Jewel (Semicolon review here) and A Song I Knew By Heart (Semicolon review here), has a new book, Ancient Highway.. It’s about “the hopes and regrets of three characters from three generations as they reconcile who they are and who they might have been.” And the grandfather is from Texas. How could I not read that one?
Gina at The Point says that “Marilynne Robinson has a sequel to her Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel Gilead coming out in September.” (Semicolon review of Gilead here.)
I still haven’t read Leif Enger’s new book, So Brave Young and Handsome, although I plan to do it soon.
And what’s more, I just discovered Wendell Berry’s novels of Port William, Kentucky. I read Hannah Coulter, and now I’m reading Jayber Crow. And soon I must read every one of the five or ten nvels he’s written.
Sherry, I did not like Leif Enger’s new book as well as the first one, though it had moments where his poetic prose was still very satisfying. I found the premise amusing and wondered how autobiographical it was. The quirky characters were still fun, but a little too contrived this time.
I love, love, love Wendell Berry’s books. Hannah Coulter, especially, was so moving and so beautiful and sad. Berry’s people seem so real, and not contrived at all, even though they can be quirky, too.
I haven’t read any of Berry’s books (gasp!). Looks like that is my next author to get to know.
This summer just seems to be flying by, I can’t believe we’re this far into July already.