Where'd You Go, Bernadette, by Maria Semple, read by Kathleen Wilhoite was completely wonderful: weird, interesting, funny, challenging, expansive, bright. Totally loved it. Wilhoite did a really lovely job narrating and voicing the book. I was taken aback (in a good way) when she sang "O Holy Night" as part of the novel; she's got a spectacular singing voice. It's a book I would love to reread with my eyes someday.
Book #37: Laurie Notaro, in a
Set in the late-1930's in pastoral England, it's the story of a Viola, a shopgirl who married up. After less than a year of marriage, her husband has passed away, and she's been summoned to live with the Withers, her in-laws, at their country estate. Life is dull, with her spinster sisters-in-law, snobbish mother-in-law, and stingy father-in-law.
Gah, I hate summarizing books. There's a perfectly serviceable summary on the amazon link above. The point is, I really loved it.
I've heard of two of the books that Laurie Notaro recommends in her article, but not the others. Time to make a list so next time I'm somewhere with a bookstore I can sally forth and conquer!
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'll make this year a year of reading books that other people I know recommend/recommend to me. I need some sort of literary challenge to get me over the hump of decade switching. Your blog has just sparked an excellent idea! Thanks.