Happy August! I’m admittedly a bit late on this list, but as per previous posts, I would like to acquaint you with some wonderful words from wonderful writers on top-tier literature and the latest literary trends. Read on!
“Seven Mystery Novels Where The Crimes Are Motivated By Books” (Kate Carlisle, CrimeReads)
“Books are tangible relics of human history, and showcases of human creativity.”
Mystery-lovers, take note: Carlisle has given us her recommendations for riveting thrillers with books at their center. What if the possible motive for murder is a treasured first edition of a famous novel? That kind of storyline puts a refreshing spin on a genre in which so many devious plots revolve around love affairs or money matters alone. If you’re looking for a new thriller read, check this article out!
“Author Steven Petrow’s Hilarious Advice on Embracing Aging” (KCM)
“…people start to kind of self-identify as their illnesses. So that’s something you can combat. We may have various illnesses, but we are not our illnesses. Look at the amount of time you talk about pain, and then move on to other topics that will integrate you into the world.”
The truth is, aging is terrifying for everyone—whether we’re experiencing it for ourselves or gradually witnessing a loved one go through it. I had a bit of an “elderly moment” myself when I attended a concert last week and realized that most of the attendees were 18 years old (and there is a considerable gap between their age and mine, as silly as it sounds). I enjoyed reading about Petrow’s perspective because he approaches the prospect (and actual experience) of aging with humor and candor, not with pity. His book, Stupid Things I Won’t Do When I Get Old, provides readers with advice for embracing the challenges (and surprising benefits) of aging, as well as overcoming the socially-enforced limitations that people sometimes struggle with as they get older. Since he’s acquired his wisdom on this topic from an external lens (watching his parents age) and an internal lens (going through the aging process himself), he has a wealth of knowledge and encouragement for his readers to absorb.
“Climate Crisis is here; so is climate fiction. Don’t you dare call it a genre” (Lydia Millet, The Los Angeles Times)
“Climate change is many things: a physical, social and psychological condition; a landscape; a way of being; a time; a threat; a series of events; a political battlefield; a force for cultural schism.”
Should climate fiction be categorized as a reality-bending genre, much like fantasy and sci-fi? Or do the dystopic worlds and dread-inducing characteristics these books describe actually bear enough resemblance to our present existence that climate fiction should be interpreted as an offshoot of realism? Millet argues fiercely in favor of the latter; the sense of dread descending on us as we imagine a future devastated by climate change is tangible enough that climate fiction novels may actually be presenting us with ominous possibilities that will indeed take shape down the road. Whether or not you agree with Millet’s argument, you are bound to pause and think about climate fiction’s potential to bring to light our underlying anxieties about the changing environment…and just how disastrous these changes might be.
