RECOMMENDED READING
Enjoy these October recommendations from our friends at Bookish, Fort Smith, Arkansas’ only independently owned bookstore.
Tell Me Everything
Elizabeth Strout
The novel weaves together the lives of familiar characters, focusing on their simple yet profound interactions. At the center – as always – is Lucy Barton, who has returned to the town of Crosby with her ex-husband, William. Her frequent walks with Bob Burgess, the town lawyer nearing retirement, form the heart of the narrative. Although a murder investigation involving a son accused of killing his mother unfolds, it serves more as a backdrop. The real focus is on the evolving relationship between Lucy and Bob, who finds respite in her company.
While Bob is content in his marriage, his connection with Lucy awakens something within him. The story explores ordinary lives and quiet moments, prompting readers to reflect on the complexity of human connections. Though little happens on the surface, there’s a sense that so much is always happening, which seems to be the Strout way of doing things.
The Life Impossible
Matt Haig
In his follow-up to The Midnight Library, Haig introduces another depressed heroine, this time much older, continuing his exploration of self-help fiction. The Life Impossible is a thoughtful look of finding joy, aging, and deciphering grief, all while exploring new places and meeting new people. While it may not be the next great American novel, Haig’s readers will appreciate his well-intentioned counsel.
Creation Lake
Rachel Kushner
This novel, set in rural France, is a grittier depiction than the romanticized version from travel guides. Sadie Smith, a cold and calculating American spy-for-hire, infiltrates a radical farming commune, Le Moulin. The novel explores Sadie’s complex and detached character, as she befriends key members of the group, their leader, Pascal, and mentor, Bruno. The novel is a meditation on politics, character, and betrayal.
Bone of the Bone
Sarah Smarsh
Smarsh’s essays explore the lives and struggles of rural, working-class Americans. Her style blends personal and political, capturing the humanity of those overlooked by society. Drawing from experiences, she delves into America’s costly dental care system, growing up poor, and the harsh realities of pursuing higher education without financial support or connections. It’s a call to recognize the true costs of poverty – an essential read in short-form nonfiction.
