What I'm reading since my ALS diagnosis...
Perhaps I should be focusing on books about ALS, about those who've also fought this disease, those who've overcome it, those who've surrendered. But the sad days are sad enough without filling my imagination with too many potential outcomes. Instead, I'm reveling in fiction, memoir, poetry, nonfiction, my favorite worlds to inhabit.
Here are the books I'm escaping into now.
Here are the books I'm escaping into now.
The Wild Dark by Craig Childs (I was reminded of a night from my college days when I sat atop my Pontiac Grand Am and soaked in the stars; I bathed in them, the sky was so vast, the light pollution so minimal; maybe as Childs writes, we can get back the night sky still)
Sandwich by Catherine Newman (fun and moving story of a woman going off the edge; but what I like most is a modern take on a beach read)
The Bonobo and the Atheist by Frans de Waal (it has been many years since I've believed in an omnipotent father figure in the sky, but I do believe in the power of faith and prayer, no matter who we pray to; this book helped me understand that human morality preceded religion and is rooted in our ape ancestors, can be understood by watching modern primate communities as well; really thoughtful, well-researched book)
Bonneville Blue by Joan Chase (a collection of stories about struggling people, which is what normally draws me to fiction, but the melancholy nature of the title permeates each story to such a depth that I was left feeling sad and somewhat bereft at the end)
The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley (Foley's stories are pure entertainment, pure guilty pleasures; this one involves a group of college friends in the Scottish highlands; I figured out the villain fairly early in the tale but enjoyed it nonetheless)
The Cay by Theodore Taylor (I missed this one in middle school, but a friend included it in a book stack and I sped through it; tale of shipwreck, hardship, and heart; as my youngest would say, Timothy is a king)
The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamant (this story was inspired by a pamphlet the author discovered in a New England bookstore, which made me smile--I often find the germs for story in "real" life too; each chapter follows a resident of Dogtown as they live their day-to-day with a throughline of characters connecting them all; interesting and heartfelt)
Disgrace by J.M Coetzee (glimpse into post-apartheid South Africa with all its racial and class challenges; very readable but the main character left a sour taste in my mouth; true to the title, I suppose)
The Guest List by Lucy Foley (while waiting for a book delivery from a friend, I jumped on Hoopla and downloaded another audio book by Foley; macabre and mysterious with wonderfully developed characters and solid plot twists; highly recommend)
The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley (making my way through Foley's catalog, this novel is much darker than the others I've read up to this point though just as finely paced and tightly suspenseful; I listened to an audio recording and enjoyed it immensely)
How to Love a Country by Richard Blanco (a collection of poems given to me by a former student and talented poet on one of my final days as an instructor; we'd heard Blanco read years ago at the Sanibel Island Writers Conference; his poems are timely, relevant, and moving, wrestling with the shootings and racism, homophobia and class disparities of our troubled nation, the idea that despite these failings, the love for our country runs deep)
She's Not Sorry by Mary Kubica (another first person story, this time a thriller, that my mom grabbed from the library's 'hot new titles' shelves; much like The Silent Patient, it relies on a manipulation of the timeline and tense for the big reveal; feels like a cheat and isn't something I'd let my students get away with, so it's disappointing that publishers and editors give the writers a pass)
Roxanna Slade by Reynolds Price (I'm not normally drawn to first person accounts, but Roxanna's voice was unique and compelling, her dialect true to the south and the early 1900s; not a joyful story though one of grit and endurance)
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (a surprising story of one doctor's journey into the jungles of Brazil to rescue her colleague and friend; a lot of beautiful writing and quite memorable scenes)
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (as the cover blurbs say, "an indelible heroine" and "The Catch-22 of early feminism," but I most enjoyed the relationships between Elizabeth Zott and those she cared about, from her dog and her daughter to her rowing coach, neighbor, and boss at the television station; most of all, the ending, while not entirely unpredictable, was extremely satisfying)
Shakespeare Was a Woman and Other Heresies, How Doubting the Bard Became the Biggest Taboo in Literature by Elizabeth Winkler (wow, what a thought-provoking read! not only does Winkler provide an extensive and well-researched look into the number of candidates who may have actually been Shakespeare, but she also gives readers a lot to ponder regarding knowledge and belief, and how these are created, passed down, and entrenched)
Old Babes in the Woods by Margaret Atwood (her stories of Tig and Nell, a long-married couple navigating their elderly years, and then of Nell, outliving Tig, his absence large and looming, were compelling and detailed and reminded me that we all our destined to die, and those we leave behind must carry on; her experimental stories between the Tig and Nell bookends were intellectually interesting, yet I missed the emotional connection I had with old Tig and Nell)
The Smallest Lights in the Universe by Sara Seager (a memoir that mixes loss and recovery with astrophysics and the search for life beyond Earth; it gave me a lot to contemplate should I lose this ALS battle and leave my hubby and kids behind)
The Invitation by Lucy Foley (not as riveting as Midnight Feast but beautifully written; the last 75 pages were especially rich)
The Lady and Her Monsters, a Tale of Dissections, Real-Life Dr. Frankensteins, and the Creation of Mary Shelley's Masterpiece by Roseanne Montillo (found this one while searching my library shelves for another title; gripping history of the literary classic and the culture of body-snatching and electrical experimentation on corpses that existed during that time period; feels like the roots of the electrical acupuncture therapy I'm using to treat my ALS)
Big Gay Wedding by Byron Lane (his second novel, still full of heart and humor about two men wanting to marry in rural Louisiana)
The Strange Case of The Alchemist's Daughter by Theodora Goss (engaging mystery bringing together the daughters of classic lit characters)
The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley (page-turner mystery that definitely helped me forget about ALS for a couple days)
The Queen of Dirt Island by Donal Ryan (a story of women, family, strength, mistakes, and ultimately, love. my favorite)
A Star is Bored by Byron Lane (entertaining peek behind the Hollywood curtain with a lot of laughter and heart)
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (I knew there was a reason I didn't like the narrator...)
The Silence that Binds Us by Joanna Ho (YA book belonging to my daughter with some powerful themes of sibling love and loss, racism and standing up for your own story)
The Pushcart Prize XLIII: Best of the Small Presses 2019 Edition, edited by Bill Henderson and the Pushcart Prize editors (several of the essays brought tears)
Tapping Out by Nandi Comer (collection of poems by Michigan's first Poet Laureate since the 1950s!)
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard (rich and detailed portrait of humans, nature, and human nature)
Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez (clarifies the politics between mainland U.S. and Puerto Rico with a compelling mix of family drama)
The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray (intricate family tale set in southern Michigan by a Michigan writer!)
Bear Necessities by James Gould-Bourn (funny British book involving love and loss and a raggedy panda costume)
Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford (great glimpse into the light world of competition baking and the darkness of forced adoptions)
I Have the Answers by Kelly Fordon (stories by a Michigan writer and Michigan press: Wayne State University Press!)
Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships by Nina Totenberg (if you've heard Ms. Totenberg on the radio, then you'll hear her voice in your head as you read, a definite plus for me)
Sandwich by Catherine Newman (fun and moving story of a woman going off the edge; but what I like most is a modern take on a beach read)
The Bonobo and the Atheist by Frans de Waal (it has been many years since I've believed in an omnipotent father figure in the sky, but I do believe in the power of faith and prayer, no matter who we pray to; this book helped me understand that human morality preceded religion and is rooted in our ape ancestors, can be understood by watching modern primate communities as well; really thoughtful, well-researched book)
Bonneville Blue by Joan Chase (a collection of stories about struggling people, which is what normally draws me to fiction, but the melancholy nature of the title permeates each story to such a depth that I was left feeling sad and somewhat bereft at the end)
The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley (Foley's stories are pure entertainment, pure guilty pleasures; this one involves a group of college friends in the Scottish highlands; I figured out the villain fairly early in the tale but enjoyed it nonetheless)
The Cay by Theodore Taylor (I missed this one in middle school, but a friend included it in a book stack and I sped through it; tale of shipwreck, hardship, and heart; as my youngest would say, Timothy is a king)
The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamant (this story was inspired by a pamphlet the author discovered in a New England bookstore, which made me smile--I often find the germs for story in "real" life too; each chapter follows a resident of Dogtown as they live their day-to-day with a throughline of characters connecting them all; interesting and heartfelt)
Disgrace by J.M Coetzee (glimpse into post-apartheid South Africa with all its racial and class challenges; very readable but the main character left a sour taste in my mouth; true to the title, I suppose)
The Guest List by Lucy Foley (while waiting for a book delivery from a friend, I jumped on Hoopla and downloaded another audio book by Foley; macabre and mysterious with wonderfully developed characters and solid plot twists; highly recommend)
The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley (making my way through Foley's catalog, this novel is much darker than the others I've read up to this point though just as finely paced and tightly suspenseful; I listened to an audio recording and enjoyed it immensely)
How to Love a Country by Richard Blanco (a collection of poems given to me by a former student and talented poet on one of my final days as an instructor; we'd heard Blanco read years ago at the Sanibel Island Writers Conference; his poems are timely, relevant, and moving, wrestling with the shootings and racism, homophobia and class disparities of our troubled nation, the idea that despite these failings, the love for our country runs deep)
She's Not Sorry by Mary Kubica (another first person story, this time a thriller, that my mom grabbed from the library's 'hot new titles' shelves; much like The Silent Patient, it relies on a manipulation of the timeline and tense for the big reveal; feels like a cheat and isn't something I'd let my students get away with, so it's disappointing that publishers and editors give the writers a pass)
Roxanna Slade by Reynolds Price (I'm not normally drawn to first person accounts, but Roxanna's voice was unique and compelling, her dialect true to the south and the early 1900s; not a joyful story though one of grit and endurance)
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (a surprising story of one doctor's journey into the jungles of Brazil to rescue her colleague and friend; a lot of beautiful writing and quite memorable scenes)
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (as the cover blurbs say, "an indelible heroine" and "The Catch-22 of early feminism," but I most enjoyed the relationships between Elizabeth Zott and those she cared about, from her dog and her daughter to her rowing coach, neighbor, and boss at the television station; most of all, the ending, while not entirely unpredictable, was extremely satisfying)
Shakespeare Was a Woman and Other Heresies, How Doubting the Bard Became the Biggest Taboo in Literature by Elizabeth Winkler (wow, what a thought-provoking read! not only does Winkler provide an extensive and well-researched look into the number of candidates who may have actually been Shakespeare, but she also gives readers a lot to ponder regarding knowledge and belief, and how these are created, passed down, and entrenched)
Old Babes in the Woods by Margaret Atwood (her stories of Tig and Nell, a long-married couple navigating their elderly years, and then of Nell, outliving Tig, his absence large and looming, were compelling and detailed and reminded me that we all our destined to die, and those we leave behind must carry on; her experimental stories between the Tig and Nell bookends were intellectually interesting, yet I missed the emotional connection I had with old Tig and Nell)
The Smallest Lights in the Universe by Sara Seager (a memoir that mixes loss and recovery with astrophysics and the search for life beyond Earth; it gave me a lot to contemplate should I lose this ALS battle and leave my hubby and kids behind)
The Invitation by Lucy Foley (not as riveting as Midnight Feast but beautifully written; the last 75 pages were especially rich)
The Lady and Her Monsters, a Tale of Dissections, Real-Life Dr. Frankensteins, and the Creation of Mary Shelley's Masterpiece by Roseanne Montillo (found this one while searching my library shelves for another title; gripping history of the literary classic and the culture of body-snatching and electrical experimentation on corpses that existed during that time period; feels like the roots of the electrical acupuncture therapy I'm using to treat my ALS)
Big Gay Wedding by Byron Lane (his second novel, still full of heart and humor about two men wanting to marry in rural Louisiana)
The Strange Case of The Alchemist's Daughter by Theodora Goss (engaging mystery bringing together the daughters of classic lit characters)
The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley (page-turner mystery that definitely helped me forget about ALS for a couple days)
The Queen of Dirt Island by Donal Ryan (a story of women, family, strength, mistakes, and ultimately, love. my favorite)
A Star is Bored by Byron Lane (entertaining peek behind the Hollywood curtain with a lot of laughter and heart)
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (I knew there was a reason I didn't like the narrator...)
The Silence that Binds Us by Joanna Ho (YA book belonging to my daughter with some powerful themes of sibling love and loss, racism and standing up for your own story)
The Pushcart Prize XLIII: Best of the Small Presses 2019 Edition, edited by Bill Henderson and the Pushcart Prize editors (several of the essays brought tears)
Tapping Out by Nandi Comer (collection of poems by Michigan's first Poet Laureate since the 1950s!)
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard (rich and detailed portrait of humans, nature, and human nature)
Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez (clarifies the politics between mainland U.S. and Puerto Rico with a compelling mix of family drama)
The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray (intricate family tale set in southern Michigan by a Michigan writer!)
Bear Necessities by James Gould-Bourn (funny British book involving love and loss and a raggedy panda costume)
Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford (great glimpse into the light world of competition baking and the darkness of forced adoptions)
I Have the Answers by Kelly Fordon (stories by a Michigan writer and Michigan press: Wayne State University Press!)
Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships by Nina Totenberg (if you've heard Ms. Totenberg on the radio, then you'll hear her voice in your head as you read, a definite plus for me)
Books I've loved in the past...
I was reminded recently about why I love fiction and creative writing generally: within those pages, I inhabit someone else's experience and expand my capacity for empathy, my understanding of what it means to be human. This happened so wonderfully as I read Lakiesha Carr's novel, An Autobiography of Skin. The women Carr writes about have had very different experiences than me and move through this world with challenges they must daily overcome, challenges I have not known, yet their strength, beauty, and audacity to claim their power is something all women can understand and hope for.
As the COVID-19 pandemic slides into its third year and the war in Ukraine continues, I find myself seeking escape. Marian Keyes' books are the perfect remedy. I'm working my way through her whole catalogue. Humor, romance, glimpses into modern Irish living: everything I need to quiet the world's noise.
As I neared the end of Jaclyn Moriarty's Gravity is the Thing, I teared up at the sweet human connection between the narrator and a stranger. It's been a tough year with the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for social distancing, especially from people outside our bubbles. Yet Moriarty's book reminded me of the joy we can find in others' company and the grace that sincere, person-to-person relationships add to our lives.
I'm not normally one for mysteries, but I really enjoyed Tana French's The Searcher for its literary depiction of complex characters, both young and old. I was transported to small-town Ireland and carried along by the story, eager to figure out what truly happened in this place and what the main character would do about it. I'm looking forward to digging into French's other works.
Finished Samantha Irby's Wow, No Thank You and laughed aloud at her very relatable tales of comfy pants and living in Michigan. Can't wait to read her first two books.
I just picked up R.L. Maizes' collection of short stories titled, We Love Anderson Cooper. Funny and human tales of teens, women, and men, some Jewish, some not, all trying to find their way in a world of social media and change.
Listened to the audio recording of Liane Moriarty's Nine Perfect Strangers (way before it was optioned for a movie). Loved the humor and distinctive voices, as well as the journeys each character undertakes during a 10 day health spa retreat.