3 minute read
BOOks aBOut BOOks
The Plot
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Jean Hanff Korelitz
I mean, a psychological thriller set in the publishing world involving a stolen plot? Right up my alley! I really liked this one and tore through it in a day. It’s smart and wellwritten and all of the nods to the publishing industry were perfect! I had a suspicion about the big twist about halfway through, but I still really liked seeing how it all came together! I don’t think I would necessarily call this one a thriller though — it’s suspenseful and there’s an air of mystery throughout the whole thing, but it’s more of a mystery that takes on a psychological bent if anything.
Three Martini Lunch
Suzanne Rindell
This one is basically Mad Men with a publishing twist. In 1950s Manhattan, three twenty-somethings attempt to make their mark: Cliff, the son of a prominent editor, who longs to publish a novel; Eden, a transplant from smalltown Indiana who dreams of being an editor in the male-dominated publishing world and Miles, an AfricanAmerican Columbia grad, who is on a quest to uncover his late father’s wartime journal, a goldmine of literary inspiration. Each of their stories intertwine and connect as they try and make it in publishing and come of age in post-war Manhattan.
Beach Read
Emily Henry
January and Gus are polar opposites: she writes romance novels and he pens serious literary fiction. The only commonality between the pair is the fact that they just so happen to be living in neighboring houses on Lake Michigan, both broke and suffering from serious cases of writers’ block. When they cross paths one night, they decide to make a bet that will pull them out of their creative ruts and back into literary stardom. January will write a book with no happy endings, while Augustus will pen a happy and hopeful novel. They’ll guide each other through the process and they just might fall in love. So much depth and heart in this one!
BOOKS ABOUT BOOKS BOOKS ABOUT BOOKS BOOKS ABOUT BOOKS A bit self-explanatory, no? Whether it’s a work place story diving deep into the publishing process or a thriller trying to track a plagiarist, I can’t get enough of the books about books phenomenon?
So We Read On
Maureen Corrigan
If I could pick any classic novel to read and reread over and over, it’s The Great Gastby. Orginal, no? I get something new out of it every time I reread it, so I was thrilled to stumble upon Corrigan’s So We Read On, a nonfiction pick that dissects the classic and picks out why it remains one of the most long-enduring American classics. It feels like a memoir at times and never feels too academic, making it perfect for summer reading.
Who Is Maud Dixon?
Alexandra Andrews
Florence scores a new job as the assistant to Maud Dixon, aka Helen, a novelist who writes under a pseudonym. Helen takes the pair to Morocco for a research trip for her newest novel, during which Helen disappears. Unsure of what to do, Florence decides to assume Helen’s identity, which turns out to be more complicated than she thought.
A Ladder to the Sky
John Boyne
Maurice Swift dreams of becoming a writer. He has a way with words but lacks the finesse to come up with smart plots. After befriending an old German novelist, Maurice learns his WWII secret and uses it as his first plot, setting him up on a path of stolen stories, deceit and even murder. Maurice is horrible, but you won’t be able to stop turning the pages to see how he’ll manipulate next.
UPCOMING PICKS
Looks like the publishing world is all in on books about books too!
The Other Black Girl Zakiya Dalila Harris
SO excited for this workplace novel that examines race at a NYC publishing company.
June 1 Hell of a Book
Jason Mott
A Black author on tour finds his latest book making waves across the country.
June 29 Kill All Your Darlings
David Bell
A little ironic how this one has the same er... plot as THE PLOT. Will be investigating.
