Books I Read and Liked This Summer
Buckle up for this speed round of 2-sentence synopsis + review.
Huh, well that was quick. Summer blinked by and I feel like I pretty much missed it. I have grievances to take up with the Michigan weather this year, specifically the rain that would. not. stop in June, but that’s a complaint for another day. Indeed, it’s the work and the chores that consume my time in this season of life, and I’ve largely resigned myself to accept the glimmers and be patient for easier days ahead. I know that it’s not popular right now - the punting of joy to retirement - but I think it’s reality, tbh. These are the hardworking years of my life and I’m planting a GD garden, if you will.
ANYWAY. Summer was not without it’s joys and reading is pretty high on that list. I am also willing to consider that summer flies by when one has their nose stuffed in a book and that does describe me, so let’s get into it. A non-exhaustive look at what I read and liked recently.
Family and friends gather in Mallorca for a late summer vacation, while each festers with neurosis and other things they should probably be discussing with a therapist.
Five stars - I reread this masterpiece every couple of years and enjoy the puzzle in which all the characters interact (and behave badly) with each other every time.
Unsurprisingly, this details Britney’s early life and rise to fame before losing her freedom to a decade long conservatorship, handled by her father in a startling example of a conflict of interest.
Four stars with the caveat that this is not something you read because it’s particularly well written, but because it’s someone’s real life and it’s truly a one-in-a-million life experience from start to finish (but frankly did nothing to assuage concerns about her mental health.)
A sweeping and relatively unbiased overview of the man as heir apparent and Prince of Wales, through the Diana years and into how he spent his looooong pregame to the kingship.
Five stars for non-fiction and memoir lovers because he has led an interesting life and the narrative moves swiftly enough to not feel stiff or boring.
Imagine any one of Sedaris’ many essays and then imagine it broken into snack size bites - that is this book - a publication of obviously edited diary entries that will make you laugh just as much of the longer form publications.
Five stars because David Sedaris has never disappointed me.
A family matriarch with small town fame for being part owner of a beloved tennis academy suddenly goes missing and her four adult children, each with weird issues of their own, come together to find her (and side eye their dad who is behaving positively sus).
Three and a half stars because I was hooked right up until the end because I just wanted to know where the heck she was, although the ending was anticlimactic IMO.
*Bonus half point for already having been adapted to screen, which I’m watching on Peacock now.