What I read this month
This month, I achieved a perfect balance between fiction and nonfiction – seven books each. However, fiction won big in terms of my ratings, aided by a reread of a favorite series (the Complete Earthsea), two new-to-me books from a favorite author (see below), and a forthcoming short-story collection by an author who seems set to become a new favorite (my review soon to come on Shiny New Books).
- Chalice by Robin McKinley
- Inventing the Truth, edited by William Zinsser
- Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb – Reread
- On Writing by Stephen King
- Motherland by Elissa Altman
- Jane Austen’s Bookshelf by Rebecca Romney
- The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths
- The Complete Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin – Reread (mostly)
- The Professor’s House by Willa Cather
- Mending Lost Dreams at the Highland Repair Shop by Kiley Dunbar
- Letters from an Imaginary Country by Theodora Goss
- Chasing Bright Medusas by Benjamin Taylor
- Trust in the Future by Bastiaan Baan
- Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
Returning to Willa Cather
The 1925 Club got me reading my Library of America edition of the complete novels of Willa Cather, and after finishing my book for that challenge, The Professor’s House, I didn’t want to stop. So I kept going, and now I just want to reread them all. They are thoughtful and haunting and beautiful, books to live in, and that live on in the heart. Though they are often sad, I don’t find them depressing. I think Cather is one of the best writers at capturing both inner and outer landscapes, giving words to something ineffable.
Are you also a Cather fan? What are your favorites?
Not what I expected
Sometimes a book isn’t exactly disappointing, not bad of its kind, just not what I thought it would be. I’d long heard Stephen King’s On Writing praised as one of the best books on the craft of writing, and though I did find it an interesting read, I wouldn’t call it a writing manual. I’ve never actually read King’s fiction, not being drawn to horror stories in general, but I liked his sense of humor, his inquisitive mind, and his humility, plus his success story as a writer is one of the most dramatic out there. However, there was very little actual writing advice. I think at one point it boiled down more or less to “Do what feels right to you,” which may be true, but doesn’t need a whole book to get it across.
King also enjoins aspiring writers to read a lot, which would seem obvious, but apparently a surprising number of people want to write without being avid readers. It was fun to read the included reading lists — several of them, since the book has gone through a few editions and they kept getting updated. King is a voracious and eclectic reader, another thing I admire about him.
Another book that wasn’t what I expected was Chasing Bright Medusas, supposedly a new biography of Willa Cather. I found it consisted mostly of the author’s opinions on Cather’s novels and some of her stories, with a certain amount of biographical information to fill it out. It was very short — I read it one day, on my phone, before I even had a chance to download it only my e-reader. It was a pleasant enough read, but not what I’d call a biography, more like an annotated bibliography.
Currently reading
Next weekend, I am planning to go to the Geneva Writers Group conference, a biannual event. I went two years ago, on the tail end of the pandemic, and it was so wonderful to meet with other writers, some of whom I’m in contact with to this day. It will be especially fun this year as my son, an excellent writer himself, is coming along as well!
Anyway, I belatedly realized I ought to read some books by the authors who will be presenting. I have these in the pipeline, and we’ll see how many I get through in a week. Do you know any of them? Which authors would you be most interested in as a speaker or workshop leader?
On the blog
- I shared images from my latest vacation in Postcards from Switzerland: Lower Engadin
- Again, I celebrated Willa Cather’s genius in 1925 Club: The Professor’s House
What’s on your shelf this month?
Linked at The Sunday Post at Caffeinated Book Reviewer, the Sunday Salon at Readerbuzz, and the Monthly Wrap-up Round-up at Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Going to that Writers Conference will be fun and a good way to make new acquaintances! My mother’s book group just finished The Paris Library (some liked and some did not). I read another book of hers set in France. I liked it overall but found parts of it unconvincing. I thought I had read something by Dorothy Koomson but it looks like I just put a few on my TBR and did not follow up, so I will be interested to hear what you think.
I love the Ruth Galloway series and my friend who is an archeologist thinks it is well done. I have read many of her other books and think this series is the best at depicting even minor characters.
My grandmother loved Willa Cather and there is a family story that she read one book after her confirmation and was so upset that it was too late to pick that heroine’s name as her confirmation name that she bullied her younger sister into choosing it. I assume it was Antonia, which I have always liked as a name as well.
I am so looking forward to the conference! I’ll share some impressions after.
A busy but enjoyable literary month for you, then, Lory, congrats! I’ve not tried any Cather yet as I’m trying to make a sizable dent on books by female authors already on my TBR pile, but I’m finding it difficult to ignore those siren calls …
I encourage you to put something by Cather in the overstuffed pile. She offers something special. But we have to make our difficult choices, unable to read all the books!
Good to know about King’s book, I also always heard it was supposed to be excellent!
I loved this book by Cather
It was excellent as a memoir. I just wouldn’t call it a writing craft book.
I enjoyed King’s book, but more as a memoir than a guide to writing. I also read most of his earliest books, so I was more interested in how he wrote those. I also was interested in his recovery from being hit by a car (I had a somewhat similar experience). Is Theodora Goss your new favorite? I wasn’t blown away by her first book but this new one looks good.
I enjoyed it very much—he has a great story and tells it well. For writing craft advice I’d look elsewhere, but perhaps the most important thing really is to read a lot and to take joy in what you do. That’s what I’ll take away.
I didn’t love Goss’s first novel , but I was more impressed by her work in short forms. As a fairy tale and fantasy inspired writer of stories, she strongly reminds me of other favorites like E Nesbit and Joan Aiken, but with her own Eastern European twist. I will look forward to more in this vein.
Happy Sunday!
Congrats on a great month of reading.
The lineup for your conference is impressive, I’ve heard of all the authors and read The Paris Library. Have a wonderful time!
Thanks! I plan to make the most of the weekend. 😀
My RL friend, Elke, is visiting Switzerland right now. I need to take a look at your post about your trip. Somehow I missed seeing that.
I will be watching for your thoughts about Willa Cather books. I have added Professor’s House to my list of books to read before I die.
Welcome to Switzerland, Elke! I hope your friend has a wonderful time.
The Professor’s House was good, but now that I’ve read all her novels, I think Shadows on the Rock is still my favorite Cather, perhaps followed by My Antonia. Though I need to reread them all to be sure.
I always love your review of the month. I have to look into Jane Austen’s Booshelf, sounds interesting. Thanks.
It was extremely interesting, though I wasn’t so enamored of the author’s style – too informal for me. But the information was fascinating.
I read Sara Nisha Adams’ first book and have that one somewhere TBR! I don’t know the others. I hope you enjoy the conference. I do like Willa Cather and have read quite a few by her, plus one of our cats is (partly) named after her – really two Willas in novels (a Barbara Kingsolver, Unsheltered, and an Anne Tyler) but also Willa Cat-Her. Anyway. Did you enjoy the Kiley Dunbar? I’ve read both of the repair cafe books and have a bookshop series stashed in my Kindle – I really like her casual diversity and inclusion.
Willa Cat-her, haha! I enjoyed Kiley Dunbar’s book – saw it on your blog, and when I saw it was available on Netgalley I requested it. A sweet, inclusive romance was very welcome!
I’m a Willa Cather fan too although I’ve only read a couple of her books. That collected in the picture looks very inviting. It’s interesting what you say about the Stephen King ‘On Writing’. I don’t read his books for the same reason and somehow was never drawn to the writing one either. I feel I haven’t missed anything now.
I wouldn’t say it’s a must read, unless you’re a fan, but I did find it interesting nonetheless.