Here’s a round-up of most of the books I’ve read or listened to in the last little while. If you have any questions, let me know
1.The Men in My Country by Marilyn Abildskov. This one was recommended by a friend who thought I could relate to the story. It is a story of a 30-year old woman who packs up and heads to Japan for a fresh start (yes, I can relate). She falls in love with the country (yes, I can relate). While there, she dates a trio of men (yes, I can relate). That’s a very simple explanation of the story. The book is beautifully written.
2. The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami. Yes, I’m still making my way through this Japanese author’s book list. The Strange Library is a short story. I normally don’t like short stories, but the beauty of them is that they’re quick to read. Murakami’s stories are fantastical and sometimes hard to explain. That said, they’re unlike other books I’ve read, and I enjoy his storytelling, so I keep getting drawn into his stories. If you’ve read them, you’ll know what I mean.
3. Maid by Stephanie Land. After seeing this on so many reading lists, I picked it up at the library when I was in Florida. It was a touching story of a woman’s determination for a better life. She becomes a maid, then starts her own business, meeting kind people along the way and pushing herself through school. Her determination was impressive. I’m sure many similar stories go untold.
4. Start Over, Finish Rich by David Bach. This book was published in 2010, but I think the principles of saving smart and spending wisely remain the same today. I flipped through this pretty quickly and skipped all the sections that were US-focused (hello 401K). There were a few good tips that I have adopted since reading the book.
5. The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin. This book has been on several reading lists, and although I found it a bit hard to get into, I really enjoyed this book. It follows the story of four children over five decades. In their adolescence, they visit a psychic who tells them about their deaths. I liked the characters, their interactions, and their bond throughout the book.
6. Lush Life by Richard Price. This isn’t a book that I would normally be drawn to, but, again, I think it was on a recommended reading list, so I listened to it. It is set in New York City, so I liked that the audiobook version had readers who spoke like New Yorkers. The story depicts the rough, gritty, and violent side of city living.
7. Stay with Me by Ayobami Adebayo. I loved this story of Yejide and Akin, their marriage, their challenges with fertility, and the sacrifices they make. The book is set in Nigeria, so we get a glimpse into life and customs there. It was an easy book to get into and read.
8. Hum if You Don’t Know the Words by Bianca Marais. I have just started this book, but I am enjoying it so far. One of the reasons is that it is set in Apartheid-era South Africa, so it’s interesting to learn a bit about what was going on then. Family is a theme in this story (like it seems to be in other books on this round-up list).
In other book news, did you hear that Elene Ferrante (of the My Brilliant Friend series) is releasing a new novel in November? I’m going to pick it up forsure.
If you’re looking for more book recommendations, search books on my site.
