What We’re Reading, Vol. 15

As expected, December is rushing by faster than our cozy, sparkly shoes can keep up. It’s the end of a year, a decade, and perhaps more for some of us, as we look forward to the ever looming holiday responsibilities at the forefront of our minds. But that doesn’t leave us entirely away from our reads. Whether short and quick or slow and engulfing, December is a time for all sorts of reads. Comforting holiday tales, atmospheric classics, that last priority on our yearly TBR list, whether we’re bracing the rush and trying to get through as many as possible or simply settling into one at a time, here’s what we’re reading this month…

Raquel Reyes

Oh gosh, I don’t think I got anywhere near my reading goals for 2019, but I’m not too upset about it. I do however, have a small pile (is ten small?) of things I’d like to get to now that it’s finally settling into cold weather in my corner of the world; recent titles I started at some point but never finished, Christmassy reads to get me in the season, and traditional rereads for this time of year like my forever favorite Rules of Civility. Working on an upcoming list for the end of the year, I did manage to shorten the pile by one, another refresher for this time of year in The Collected Works of Zelda Fitzgerald. I’ll share more on that soon but suffice to say Zelda is perfect at any time of year.

I find that lately every finished book leaves me with a major hangover, or as I wrote on Twitter earlier this week, feeling positively bereft. I’m starting to think this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, so much as a deep emotional dive into my reads and for that I am really glad because it feels like I can honestly recommend any of them. Earlier in the month I followed a reread of Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House with Kevin Wilson’s Nothing to See Here. Similar to The Dutch House, it follows a brother and sister, though this time as children under the watch of a makeshift nanny. Wilson and Patchett are actually friends, so it didn’t surprise me to find similar themes between the two titles, but these are also two completely different yet utterly flawless tales. I think the two will always stay together in my mind and I have to admit that makes me love both even more.

On the holiday front, I’ve just finished Josie Silver’s 2018 debut, One Day in December. I sort of picked it up on a whim but once again was knocked sideways. Following friends Laurie, Sarah, and Jack over the course of almost ten years, the story takes inspiration from romantic comedy films set around Christmas, and sees our leads through the ups and downs of life, love, and friendship in that truly gruesome period known as one’s twenties (I particularly loved how much it focused on not only the budding friendship between each romantic pairing but also the sisterly bond between Laurie and Sarah that sees the entire timeline through). It reminded me constantly of this year’s Four Weddings and a Funeral miniseries and for anyone who enjoyed that I would highly recommend One Day… as a Christmas read.

Olivia Gündüz-Willemin

This month has been about finding joy in reading again after unintentionally hitting the breaks in October. I finally read Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House at the end of November, and it was everything I had hoped it would be and more. A heart-wrenching delight I would wish on any of you. I wasn’t ready to put dysfunctional New England siblings aside once I finished reading it, so I did what I’ve been too afraid to do for years and re-read J.D. Salinger’s Franny and Zooey. Finding it to be just as good as I remembered a decade on was a relief and just what my mind needed. Currently, I’m relishing every single word of Helen Oyeyemi’s Gingerbread. It’s a delightful read and I’m thrilled to have found another contemporary author whose way with writing makes my heart sing.

Sam Cohen

Much like Raquel, I’ve found myself being emotionally exhausted after reading a few select books in 2019. As someone who generally suffers from empathy-induced depression, I struggle to pull myself out of the fog that lingers after reading a book that deals with particularly dark subjects. I am still inherently drawn to these books and intend to read them indefinitely, but I’ve learned to pace myself instead of consuming the stories back to back. To interject a bit of brightness into my reading schedule, I recently sat down with The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. I cannot recommend this book enough. I absolutely devoured it over the course of two days, and I have not stopped thinking about it since.

Considered a children’s novel, The Westing Game is a mystery involving sixteen eccentric but loveable characters. Raskin, a great talent lost all too soon, artfully crafted a story that was enthralling for readers of all ages. As an author, Raskin did not want to write down for a younger audience and instead believed that her books should appeal to anyone who wanted to read them. She believed that children were smarter, and more intuitive, than many people give them credit for. The Westing Game is a testament to this belief, as I was more engaged in the plot of this story than I have been when reading numerous literary classics.

When it begins to get cold and snowy in my neck of the New England woods, I resort to reading books that get my heart racing. I’ve found that mysteries and thrillers tend to be comfort genres for me as I enjoy using my brain to have an interactive reading experience. Currently, I’m in the process of reading two books that have really expanded my mind: Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow and The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier. For those who aren’t familiar, Ronan Farrow is an investigative reporter for The New Yorker who broke the story on the Harvey Weinstein scandal—along with two brilliant, notable reporters from the New York Times, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey. In Catch and Kill, Farrow recounts the events that led to his investigation and the absolute battle he had to wage against NBC to prove that these women’s stories were worth telling. He writes this nonfiction account in the vein of an expert mystery writer, leaving you wanting to find out what happens next, even if you’ve been following the story closely in the news. Catch and Kill is a book comprised of truth telling, morality, and the importance of listening to those who have something to say.

The House on the Strand is quickly becoming one of my favorite books, which I expected considering I am the biggest fan of Daphne du Maurier. I tore through Rebecca several years ago and so I thought it was time to finally pick up another book by this incredibly talented writer. The House on the Strand follows Dick Young as he becomes the test subject for a drug one of his university friends has been developing. Upon taking the drug, Young is transported to the 14th century where he is free to roam, listen in on important conversations, and lose himself in the myth and mystics of a forgotten era. If you’re a fan of Outlander who often finds themselves thinking, “What would this be like if Claire Randall were present in 1743 but no one could see her, hear her, or know she was there?” then The House on the Strand is right up your alley.

M.A. McCuen

After a reading slump that seemed to last for all of autumn, the last month has truly been a comeback for my reading life. It definitely helped that I attended the national conference for English teachers last month. It was a truly magnificent experience where publishing companies and authors were continuously pushing free books into my hands. I ended up walking away with 30 new books and, of course, I’ve already dove into reading many of them. I breezed through Lisa Allen-Agostini’s Home, Home a novella about a Trinidadian teen who spends the summer with her lesbian aunts in Canada after a mental breakdown. It’s a really lovely meditation on mental health, family, and migration. I’m almost finished with an ARC of Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed’s new novel called Yes No Maybe So. It’s a YA set between a Jewish boy and a Muslim girl who are canvassing together for a campaign. It is seriously the most adorable book filled with Target runs, Instagram-famous dogs, and the joys of first love. It also includes a lot of details about the political and campaign process, which has been really interesting to learn about.

I’ve also done a good bit of serious reading. After the release of some early photos from the mini-series of Sally Rooney’s Normal People, I decided on a third reread of the novel. Honestly, it’s still just as wonderful and intimate on the third read as it was the first. What a joy it is to always have a book you return to and feel so understood. While at a bookshop opening in Baltimore last month, I picked up a copy of Know My Name by Chanel Miller. This memoir should absolutely be mandatory reading. Listening to the story of the “Emily Doe” in her own words was equal parts spellbinding and horrifying. I had to put the book down at moments because I was so frustrated with the way that Miller was treated and society that allowed this. Miller’s writing is really beautiful and I hope she continues to write. After finishing the book, I really enjoyed visiting her Instagram and seeing some of the videos and comics she’s created since publishing her memoir. Finally, I started Bernadine Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other while on a flight last month. I devoured the first hundred pages and then promptly, accidentally left it at my parents house in Michigan. I’m excited to be going home for Christmas next week so that I can finish reading it.