It’s taking me much longer than I’d expected to get back into the rhythm of daily life back home after our five weeks in Italy. Catching up with the family (baby-sitting, dinners, baby showers) and with friends (last week — individual visit with seven different friends — a wonderful way to tire oneself!). All those self-care appointments: visits to the dentist; optician fittings for new glasses; re-stocking of filters for my hearing aids; sessions with my trainer. My Italian classes.
And reading. . . Because as busy as I get, I always make time for a book or two during the day, at the very least a chapter before I fall asleep. I’m behind again in my Reading Journal (have only jotted down titles and authors of the books I’ve read in June and we’re already halfway through the month). . . but somehow I’d managed to keep up during May. The entries below, as usual, comprise transcriptions of the handwritten notes in that journal, numbered as they are there (for ease of retrieval) for their place in my 2022 Reading List.
So after we’ve peeked through the doorway of La Stanza di Carta in Palermo — right near the Quattro Canti, if you get to Sicily. I never did manage to get into this bookstore / small art gallery. . . next time, I’m promising myself. . .
But as I was saying, after we’ve craned our necks to look inside (oh, okay, we’ll just wait here for those of you who couldn’t resist stepping up to those bookshelves) . . .
here’s what I read while I was in Sicily (but not, sadly, entering bookstores) . . . Mostly lighter books this month, entertaining escape reading for trains and planes. . . All of these would also be perfect for the hammock or chaise longue for those of you lucky enough to be living in sunshine. And effective distraction for those of us trying to ignore the rainy grey days outside our windows . . .
26. The House on the Cerulean Sea, T. J. Klune. Contemporary Fantasy Fiction; LGBTQ; Bestseller.
Linus Baker works for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth as a case-worker. 40 years old, single, only a cranky cat for company, he’s overweight, tired of his work and his life when it all gets upended by Extremely Upper Management. Chosen because of his punctilious attention to rules, he’s sent to check out an orphanage on an island — where he discovers much to fear, mnuch that he hasn’t been told by E.U.M.
Determined to report responsibly, according to Rules and Regulations, he begins to see past the Department’s view of the magical youth and to perceive each one’s lovability, as a child. And as he begins to fight for them, he’s also aware of an undeniable attraction to the orphanage’s head, Arthur, whose past and identity are intriguingly veiled.
Cover blurb by fantasy writer V.E. Schwab describes the novel as “a big gay hug.” Not sure about that description, but this novel is delightful and affirming, funny and heart-warming. Not something I would have picked up normally, but so pleased with the serendipity that presented it as available to upload to my e-reader before a long train ride! I suspect it would be just as pleasing in your armchair or on the beach or in the hammock under your favourite oak tree.
27. In Five Years. Rebecca Searle. Romance Novel; Time Travel; Domestic Fiction; Fantasy Romance; Best-seller.
Both this and The House in the Cerulean Sea were chosen in a hurry for availability as library ebook downloads before we took the train from Rome to Siracusa. House was a happier choice than In Five Years, but I found this well-written and entertaining enough, if filled with a plethora of “chicklit” clichés. A very ambitious mid-20s lawyer has been with her equally ambitious and successful boyfriend for five years or so, and both are pleased with their lives, on track with their five-year plans.
But the night he proposes and she accepts, she has a strange dream — which she knows isn’t a dream but some inexplicable phenomenon, a manifestation of a parallel life in which she lives with another man in another apartment. Guilty about the passionate and very satisfying sex with the dream man, she recovers her old life the next day, but continues to be “too busy” to plan a wedding.
And then she meets him, the new love of her best friend, the man of her dream. . . Complications ensue. . . .
28. The Great Circle, Maggie Shipstead. Literary fiction; historical (20th-century) fiction; female protagonists; women’s lives; female aviator; WWII
A young woman, orphaned as a child and raised by an uncle who lives in Hollywood. Encouraged by him to act, as a child, in advertisements and then various small roles, she drifts into acting as a career, trapped when she lands a starring role in a fantasy-romance series whose fans’ expectations are dictatorial, invasive, unreasonable. . . Acting out, she finds herself out of work and to rehabilitate her career, takes a chance on an independent film, a biopic, about a female aviator who mysteriously disappeared in Antartica after flying for the Allies in WWII. The coincidence that both women were orphaned very young and then raised by a bachelor uncle compels Hadley not only to accept the role but also to try to find out more about the aviator Marian’s life.
The novel’s structure uses the contemporary actor, Hadley,’s narration to frame a 3rd-person narration of the life of Marian Graves — with Hadley not always privy to what we, the readers, have learned. It’s a satisfying approach, although often frustrating — just enough for building tension. Besides urging us to turn pages more quickly, the interruptions caused by switching narratives focus us on the similarities, the shared goals, of the two women, despite the 70+ years between them, their different careers and financial status. Both fight to determine their own lives, choices, loves, in worlds dominated by men. And both, in various circumstances, must don different roles, hide their identities to protect them — or, at least in Hadley’s case, to find time to discover them.
As with Shipstead’s Astonish Me, which presented the world of ballet so convincingly, The Great Circle is evidently based on a wealth of research — about Prohibition, early aviation, early female aviators, about Art (Marian’s uncle and her brother are both artists), about Hollywood and film-making, about WWII flying, about mid-century flying in Alaska and then Antartica. None of the research, however, weighs down a single page. Rather, it informs and entertains and convinces; it forms a robust frame for a wonderful story. Thoroughly satisfying novel — recommended!
Instagram post on this book here.
29. The Invention of Sicily: A Mediterranean History. Jamie Mackay. Non-Fiction. History. Sicily. Italy.
Well-written, accessible, and interesting history of Sicily focusing on its fascinating blend of cultures at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, just across from Africa. The ambitious span of almost 3000 years (begins with arrival of Greeks at Ortigia 800 BC) means this is not the book on Sicilian history, but it’s a very accessible one for getting a sense of its cultural history — and I particularly appreciated the author’s attention to the consistent gap between the Sicilian population in general, the “common people” along with their local or community leaders, and the governing body of the day — which for most of Sicily’s history was imposed, invasive, often cruel and exploitative and negligent.
Exceptions such as the Norman period of relatively tolerant multiculturalism are pointed out as beacons, with some continuity through the ages, a tolerance and sometimes even a celebration of mixed cultures, that Mackay traces convincingly right to the contemporary defiance Palermo’s mayor, Leoluca Orlando, has shown to the right-wing Italian government’s response to refugees.
The chapters on the Mafia also make some compelling arguments about the vacuums, the failures of governance by external powers that allowed the establishment of Mafia control (including post-WWII actions taken by the American military).
Recommended reading for anyone planning a trip to Sicily, whether you plan to arrive via plane or by armchair and imagination.
30. The Death Chamber. Lesley Thomson. Mystery novel; Female detective; Detective’s Daughter mystery series; set in England.
6th book in the Detective’s Daughter series ( I wrote about the earlier volumes here and here), and again there’s a connection between the past of one of our regular cast and the case that partners Stella and Jack are investigating. But this connection threatens so much of the community these two have grown into, the community that feels like home and family to them.
This volume takes us out of London into a rural countryside that leaves Stella and Jack feeling more vulnerable than normal. And that brings them closer together physically — heightening their respective guardedness about their unacknowledged feelings for each other. And Jack has some startling news . . .
31. The Paris Apartment. Lucy Foley. Mystery/Thriller; Armchair Travel (set in Paris); Female protagonist.
By the author of The Guest List which I enjoyed — so, looking to fill up my Kobo with some good airplane-airport reading, I bought the e-book.
Taut, an intriguing protagonist (with a difficult past and a chip on her shoulder but also with lots of moxie — brave, foolhardy, occasionally ingenious, and generally intrepid). Her brother has disappeared just before she arrived at his apartment in a converted “hotel particulier.” With very little cash, her London job a burned bridge behind her, she stays to find out what’s happened to him, not only because she’s run out of options for food and shelter. And she soon finds that the other occupants of the converted Parisian townhouse / mansion are hiding a few dangerous secrets.
Tight plot twists, well-written, interesting switches between points-of-view — and that Paris setting! Fun!
32. A Sicilian Odyssey. Francine Prose. Travel Memoir; Sicily; National Geographic Travel Book.
I read this as an e-book borrowed from VPL just as we were coming home and then for a few days after — a particular pleasure as I was reviewing and organizing photos (I quoted from it in this post).
Very enjoyable mix of general (researched) information about Sicily and of a personal and idiosyncratic perspective based on a trip in early 2000s (she mentions the attack on the Twin Towers a few times). She wrote it after having just visited Ortigia and Palermo, as had I when reading. She’d also visited numerous other sites I’d love to get to someday.
Adding this to my list of books I’d recommend as either armchair travel or preparatory reading for a trip to Sicily.
33. Patch Work: A Life Amongst Clothes. Claire Wilcox. Memoir; Life-Writing; Women’s Lives; Creative/Literary Non-fiction; Fashion / Style; Textiles; History of Clothing and Textiles; Museum Curation. England.
I enjoyed this so much, for structure and style almost as much as for content — in fact, the two are woven together ideally. Stitched together, better to say, given the eponymous trope of Patch Work. These fragments — patches, scraps — are beautifully written, evocative in themselves, but put together they gradually acquire the coherence of a life’s narrative. I love that the ellipses and lacunae between patches are filled in (stitched together, again) by the reader — through guesswork, imagination, or sometimes simply by a willingness to accept what we’ve learned and inferring that was has been left out has been left out deliberately, for good reason.
So much about making and curating and appreciating clothes and their contexts (social, historical). So much cultural history of women’s lives in the last half of the 20th century, especially the pop culture references, the travel, the exploration, the loves, the friendships, the confusing choices (and lack of) regarding education and career paths. . . so much that resonates with those of us who lived the 60s and 70s. And then the chance to see behind the face of a museum exhibition, the tours into the dusty storage cupboards, all the secrets they hold. A rich memoir, highly recommended. Instagram post here
That’s it, then, for my May reading. I’d love to know what you’ve been up to, book-wise. Have you read any of these? Have others to recommend? Let’s start a book chat in the comments below, please!
I have read Patchwork & really enjoyed it . At the moment I’m reading Katherine Whitehorn’s autobiography . She was a talented British journalist / columnist , dead now , who made her way through the ‘ man’s world ‘ of 1950s Britain & is described as “ Giving voice to a whole generation of women “ . I used to enjoy her columns in The Observer & can recommend her book . I do like a good , honest autobiography.
Author
And it’s still surprisingly recent that there’s been space for women to write “good, honest autobiographies” — thanks to women like Katherine Whitehorn! thanks for the recommendation!
Patch Work is such a lovely book,I’m glad you loved it
I’ve read Manzini’s Black Run and quite liked it,have the second book already-thank you for the recommendation
Jonathan Coe’s Middle England (the third in the series,but the first I’ve read)-an excellent book describing a couple of characters related by family or school/employment ties ,during the 8 years period from 2010 ,dealing with state of political and/or emotional views,changes and disruptions that have led to dividing the nation and Brexit as a result. I liked the book. It got Costa Book Award in 2019. as well
Hervé Le Tellier’s The Anomaly (Goncourt Award in 2020) is utterly interesting book,literally as well as dealing with moral dilemmas,little bit of sci-fi and math probabilities……..Highly recommend
Tom Rachman’s The Italian Teacher is a book about relationship between a father,world first-class painter and first-class narcissist,and his son Pinch (one of his 17 children). In the name of Art,father rushes through the life,leaving ruins of women,children,marriages…..devastating….I was struggling to continue sometimes ….wanting Pinch to follow with some criminal offenses…..( this is spoiler alert!)
I’ve bought The Paris Apartment last month-it will be excellent for my many waitings (my mother is going to have a minor operation next week,so,yes,fun ,mystery and Paris setting would be just fine
Bookshops are my favourite places……
Dottoressa
Author
Oh, I’m so glad you enjoyed Black Run. I just finished the second volume (La Costola di Adamo) and I’ll be curious to see what you think of Rocco Schiavone as another layer is peeled back.
Your reading lists are always so interesting — and diverse! I read The Italian Teacher a few years ago (recommended by my friend Carol, I believe) — that father was deserving of . . . well, neither of us can say anything more for fear of spoiling the very good twist. . .
Might consider Middle England and The Anomaly for my TBR list, but oh my, it’s a bit daunting at the moment!
Best wishes for your mother’s small surgery and for your waiting. . .
xo, f
Thank you!
xo
I’m currently enjoying The Debt to Pleasure and find it very amusing.
Author
I hadn’t know anything about this novel, but have just done a quick search and read a review or two — sounds very clever and amusing indeed! Thanks for recommending it here.
You’re welcome. I appreciate everyone’s recommendations and think it’s important to reciprocate.
An interesting list. I will add The Paris Apartment to my own immediate list as I will be visiting my mom and there will be waiting-around time to be filled. Patch Work also sounds fascinating and I will surely get to it, even as I have nothing much to remark upon considering my own readings or other activities.
Author
I know you’d really enjoy Patch Work, but The Paris Apartment is probably better suited to filling that “waiting-around time.”
Our book club read Klune’s “The House on the Cerulean Sea” and all were rapturous about the story…except for me! I was surprised at the love for this book as my reading left me feeling it was misogynistic, trite and juvenile. How was my interpretation so far from everybody else’s? How did I not see the charm? Why did I not appreciate the whimsy, the good hearted tale, the life affirming joy of this novel? I have enjoyed so many of your book selections, Frances, I feel I have missed the boat with this book. I, a lover of magic realism, science fiction, fantasy, totally missed the appeal of this story. “To each his own”?
Author
I’ve been equally perplexed in similar circumstances, but can only fall back on this wisdom “De gustibus non est disputandum.” Although if I have enough confidence in the discernment of those who find value where I haven’t, I will sometimes look again, especially if they can point me directly to the convincing evidence. I don’t think I’d bother for a book as light as Klune’s, to be honest.
Right now I am really having trouble reading anything. It is extremely rare that I don’t finish a book, but I have done this with the last two I began. One was a selection for my Global book club. I do not want to name them as I do not want to prejudice anyone against them when the problem is with me. I certainly hope this is a temporary situation. It is always interesting to see what others have read and recommend.
Author
You have my sympathy, Darby. I suspect the problem is only temporary and I also suspect patience with yourself is part of the solution. The problem may also be with the books, especially if you’re reading ones chosen by someone else. As Susan points out below, sometimes a book someone else (or even many someones!) bores or irritates or simply fails to engage us. And you can see that you’re in good company between Susan and Georgia. (Georgia’s solution might work for you — switching to a different genre, non-fiction perhaps or short stories. . . or just let the daydreams happen. The books will be there when you’re done, right?)
The Invention of Sicily: A Mediterranean History, requested from, the library yesterday, is now ready for pickup (a speed record, maybe it lives at my branch). So tomorrow when the temperature reaches 37c I will be lolling in my steamer chair, under an umbrella, with a cold beverage IN SICILY. Ha!
I’m having trouble reading just now, I can focus for a few pages but then my own head takes over and I fall into a daydream. I have Un Mese Con Montalbano on the go, it is short stories and I am enjoying it, but not only do the daydreams happen but the language slows me down. The obvious comprehending the Italian of course. but also pauses to review how the language is put together. A slow but sweet process. Good nonfiction is just the thing I need. Thanks for the recommendation.
Author
Well, that’s a book that very well suits being read in 37C! (Here on the Coast we’re barely managing 20, but whenever I get ready to complain (fairly often) I think nervously of last summer’s “heat dome” and prolonged drought . . .
There’s such a particular pleasure in reading an acquired language, isn’t there? And in daydreaming, for that matter. . .
I will go and find the books about Sicily you mentioned, both of them seem to be right down my alley.
As I spent great part of last month in Italy, I tried to read mostly books in Italian. As it happened, most of them were family histories.
1. Daniela Raimondi: La Casa sull’Argine. The saga of a family and their house on the banks of the river Po, spanning two centuries and containing elements of magic realism as well as of social history (the last generation leaving the house to a single aunt and moving to a village near the Swiss border in order to work in a Swiss textile factory).
2. Stefania Auci: L’inverno dei leoni. this was the second of two volumes about the rise and fall of the Florio family of Palermo. Not terribly well written, I think, but based on serious research and therefore interesting. I had no idea that at the end of the 19th century, Palermo was a cultural and economic hotspot, and the great industrialists (owners of ships and shipyards, traders in spices, wine, and canned tuna) were part of the European “jet set” of the era.
3. Natalia Ginzburg: Lessico famigliare. An autobiography and family history set in the Mussolini years (1930-1950), transmitted through typical phrases and figures of speech. I am not telling any more because you may want to read it some time. I liked it very much indeed.
4. Leonardo Sciascia: Il giorno della civetta. In a small town in Sicily, a man is killed on his way to the bus stop. The police officer in charge, an man from the North (Ferrara), goes about his work in a straightforward way and seems to have solved the case in no time. But it turns out that he has not taken into account the vested interests of the local elite. Not exactly a page turner, but good, solid reading.
5. Niccoló Ammaniti: Io non ho paura. Set somewhere in the South of Italy in the extremely hot summer (by the standards of the time) of 1978. A group of children, young enough to be frightened of ghosts and monsters, gets involved in a case of kidnapping. In the end, it is all about power: bullying and mobbing among the children, violence within the family, the misery of peasant families totally abandoned by state and society, and the way that crime and violence (i.e. the mafia) move into that void. A bit gruesome in places, but moving in and out of Saviano’s “Gomorra” I was not really surprised.
Author
Your Italian reading is so much more ambitious than mine! I don’t know that I’d manage any of these, but I know we have a copy of Io non ho paura in the library at Il Centro, so perhaps. . . (It’s been made into a film as well, I believe). And I keep reading about Sciascia (in the non-fiction books I read about Sicily), so perhaps I should read something by him. I will have to be careful or my Italian TBR list will grow as quickly as my English one!
Just finished Claire Tomalin’s memoir, A Life of My Own (2017). Not sure the word enjoyed is the proper descriptor of how I felt after reading this book, but it is one I would recommend. She does perfectly describe the period of time in the 1950s and 1960s when women of great intellect were effectively dismissed. She, with a First in English from Cambridge in 1954, was not even considered for employment by the BBC–even as a secretary–though she had the skills, because–of course–when she finished at university her scholar father made her go to secretarial school. Though she admits to being grateful to have learnt touch-typing. There is much to learn from this book…about grief, about relationships, about a life of one’s own. Looking forward to reading her biographies–Pepys, Austen, Dickens, Wollstonecraft and others.
Author
I imagine this would be worth reading not only for her description and retrospective analysis of those transitional times (such great changes for women’s lives), but also to see how someone who’s written so many important and critically lauded biographies structures her autobiography.
That detail about her father sending her to secretarial school hits home for me. My own father (skilled tradesman become line manager, working class background, not a scholar at all but bright and hard-working) always told me I had the brains to do anything I wanted if I worked hard also encouraged me to take Typing and basic Record-Keeping classes. Meanwhile, my mother (also from working-class background, but who’d finished Normal School and taught school for a few years) pushed for French and Latin. . .
Have you read ‘The Land Where Lemons Grow ‘ by Helena Attlee? It’s a history of citrus in which Sicily played an important part. Erudite but very readable, I think you might enjoy it, given your passion for Italy.
Author
I enjoyed that book so much! Thanks for mentioning it here for any readers who are interested in Sicily. It was exactly as you say, “erudite but very readable.”
I’ve just finished Lionel Shriver’s ‘The motion of the body through space.’ Interesting, well written, funny, insightful.
Author
Thanks for this — I haven’t read anything by Shriver for years — had no idea she’s written 15 books! Prolific . . .
I just finished listening to The Ten Thousand Doors of January. It has a “young adult” book feel, but I found the concept of moving through doors to other places interesting. Good vs. evil and a love story.
I’m entering some of your titles into my book list, which just keeps growing.
Author
Thanks, Dottie. I hadn’t heard of this, but will check it out. And yes, those growing book lists! Sigh . . .