I’ve read 13 books so far this year, which is slightly more than 1/4 of the way to the 50 I’ve set as my resolution. I wanted to take a little minute here to go over some observations about what I’ve read so far:
- five outta thirteen are authored by women, and maybe a half, if you count Lydia Davis’ translation of Madame Bovary.
- Four of these are translated books: Three from French, one from Italian. None of the translated works were originally written by women.
- Four of these books are autobiographical or memoir, as opposed to novels. I think it’s fair to count How Should A Person Be? in this category.
- Three, actually call it three and a half, of these include main plots or subplots that feature characters dealing with their own identities as Jews in American, Canadian, and European contexts. (The half refers to Tassie Keltjin’s fascination with her Jewish mother and goyish secular father in A Gate at the Stairs.)
- Of the thirteen books, I only read two that I wouldn’t gladly read again (American Pastoral and My Cousin, My Gastroenterologist).
- One of these books was about the reproductive system of a dog.
My top five so far, in order of first remembrance:
2. How Should A Person Be?, by Sheila Heti
3.The Mystery Guest, by Grégoire Boullier
4. The Mezzanine, by Nicholson Baker
5. Pinocchio, by Carlo Collodi
Although honestly I really want to put Madame Bovary and A Gate at the Stairs, and To the Lighthouse and My Dog Tulip on that list. I guess that’s ’cause I’m not really one for playing favorites. Plus, I’ve been lucky enough to have chosen, for the most part, pretty damn good books so far.
I’m always on the lookout for good books.
If you’ve got any rad recomendations, drop me a line in the comments, or even send me an e-mail at see.emily.read[at]gmail.com.
Bookside Table 