Welcome to the first installment of Friday Book Debrief!
Every week we’ll be sharing what some of our writers are currently reading. Please join in the chorus and tell us what you’ve been enjoying or slogging through in the comments!
Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino - Maggie
A piece of critical analysis that makes you both squirm and sigh. She has been called a modern day Joan Didion for her observant and sharp writing, but she’s a unique force to be reckoned with.
Buy it here.
Run River by Joan Didion - Karla
Working my way through (and thoroughly enjoying) Didion’s first novel which is so quintessentially California. So many themes that are present in her later work are introduced in the novel.
Buy it here.
Summer of ’69 by Elin Hilderbrand - Aleesha
I’ve been having a hard time committing to a book recently, doing the old read 20 pages and start a new book until every book on my shelf is 15% finished sort of thing thing. Finding something easy and entertaining seemed like the best way back to actually finishing a book. Somewhat predictable, but in the most comforting way, Summer of ’69 is a quick and enjoyable read.
Buy it here.
All the Rage: Mothers, Fathers, and the Myth of Equal Parenting by Darcy Lockman - Victoria
This is the best kind of nonfiction: truly riveting and teaching you something on every page. The topic is aggravating, to say the least, so brace yourself for a fresh wave of anger at *society.*
Buy it here.
Yellow Notebook: Diaries Volume I 1978-1986 by Helen Garner - Michaela
While my first instinct is to inhale Yellow Notebook in one greedy gulp, every ounce of willpower is helping me to savor each and every page. I'm entranced by Garner's astute and candid observations and am slightly surprised at how compelling decades-old diary entries can be.
Buy it here.
What is Missing by Michael Frank - Mel
I read the first 20 pages over lunch, unsure of what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised by the slow, intricate & contemplative style which reminded me of Celeste Ng’s Everything I Never Told You.
Buy it here.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo - Courtney
I am re-reading this beauty for book club, (The Crooked Bookclub, hit me up Sydney siders), and again I find myself savouring every moment. It is not often that I don't want to continue reading a book for the sake of being able to make the journey last longer, and yet here we are.
Buy it here.
Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko - Jessica
Reading slowly and ruminating on the way Silko is building her intense and tragic story centered on a Native American man back from WWII. Her writing is a marvel and similar to Cormac McCarthy so far.
Buy it here.
The Furies by Katie Lowe - Nikki
All the rich, broody detail and creepy, witchy vibes you could ask for. This new release is billed as Emma Cline's The Girls meets Donna Tartt's The Secret History — and as an ardent fan of both,
I concur.
Buy it here.