Howdy! It’s been a month. I’ve been busy since I recently moved. The weekend before last, I felt like I needed to get out of the apartment to do something I love. So, I went to a coffee shop to write a little bit and get some other work done while drinking a coffee that I didn’t make myself, and then I went to the next-door used bookstore to browse. I promised myself I would just look; I wouldn’t buy unless I saw a book I’ve been wanting for forever. But of course, once I got in there, I proceeded to buy six books to add to my already long TBR.
It definitely wasn’t my best job thrifting, as I spent $45 on 6 books, and I usually like to spend less than that on more books, but it was still less than paying full price for new books. And I’m super excited about all the books I bought. Naturally, it’s mostly literary fiction, because who am I to stray out of my comfort zone, but I also got a short story collection and a poetry collection.
The Books
The Short Stories of Anton Tchekov, compiled by Robert Linscott
I’ve read some of Chekov’s works before for a Russian Literature course in college, but I think I’ve only read one included in this anthology: “Kashtanka.” I’m curious to see how deeply I understand the short stories without my professor’s guidance and teachings about Russian culture. We’ll see. But Chekov (I’m used to spelling Tchekov without the T at the beginning) is renowned for his mastery in short story telling.
On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan
I’ve only read one book by Ian McEwan, Atonement, and I absolutely loved it. I forget where I saw this book recommended recently, but when I recognized it in the bookstore, I grabbed it. I actually didn’t know what it was about until I brought it home and looked the book up on goodreads.
It’s set in 1962, and it’s about two newlyweds fretting over their wedding night and feeling the pressure of their future weighing on that single night.
The Red Thread by Ann Hood
This is honestly one of those books where the spine drew me in. I was picking up books whose spines caught my eye, and Jodi Picoult’s review, “Is there anyone who can write about the connections between ordinary people as well as Ann Hood does?” made me buy it.
And the lady who was checking me out said that Ann Hood writes good books, so fingers crossed that I agree.
It’s about an adoption agency that places Chinese girls with American families. It entwines the stories of Chinese mothers who had to give up their daughters and the stories of American parents seeking to adopt.
The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
I’ve read The Poisonwood Bible by Kingsolver, and I have complicated feelings about it if you want to check out my review. But long story short, I LOVED the majority of the novel so much that it was on the track to my favorites list, so I decided it was a good idea to read more of her. The Bean Trees was Kingsolver’s first novel, and I’ve heard that it isn’t as good as The Poisonwood Bible, but it’s still really good.
It’s about a young Kentuckian who wants to leave her hometown and never look back, and she wants to avoid getting pregnant. She heads out west, but finds herself with custody of a three-year-old child named Turtle. She has to learn how to navigate spontaneous motherhood and to settle down.
Fair and Tender Ladies by Lee Smith
Lee Smith was a visiting writer at my high school, so I’ve technically been in the same room as her and heard her speak, and I also read a snippet of her memoir for a class before she arrived. I remember being so impressed by that one chapter, and I remember resolving then that I would read more of Lee Smith. But I’ve just never gotten around to it. It probably would have slipped my mind if a friend hadn’t reminded me of her recently.
There were actually a lot of Lee Smith’s books in the bookstore, since Lee Smith is from my state originally and does signings in my area. But I chose Fair and Tender Ladies because it was the most recognizable to me, so I thought it might be a good place to start.
It’s about Ivy, whose talent as a writer is recognized early on in her life, but before she can go north to school, she faces unwed pregnancy and scandal. She marries a childhood friend and goes back home, hoping for happiness someday.
The Path to Fairview: New and Selected Poems by Julia Randall
I scoured the poetry section for contemporary poets I’ve seen recommended, since I’ve been trying to get into contemporary poetry recently, but couldn’t find any. All the rest seemed to be poets writing modern poetry that I don’t really consider poetry because I’m a gatekeeper and have really high standards for poetry. BUT I flipped through this one, and the poet actually seemed to be thoughtful about structure and diction and not just writing prose with line breaks, so I picked her up. Hopefully I’m not disappointed, because I really, really, really want to find one contemporary poet I like.
