[title subtitle=”WORDS Sara Putman”][/title]
Enjoy these must-read books from our friends at Bookish, Fort Smith, Arkansas’s only independently-owned bookstore. Shop hours: Monday 11am-4pm, Tuesday – Friday 10am-6pm and Saturday 10am-4pm. Need curbside delivery? Call 479.434.2917 or email orders@bookishfs.com.
Death in Her Hands
by Ottessa Moshfegh
This stunning novel is a blend of horror, suspense, and the darkest of comedy. It begs us to look at the stories we tell ourselves and how those stories reflect the truth or simply our truth. Moshfegh’s story begins as a woman takes a daily walk in the woods with her dog and finds a note claiming “Magda is dead.” There is no body, but the mystery becomes her obsession, and strange occurrences highlighting possible suspects start to occur in her everyday life. The unreliability of the narrator adds to the suspense while simultaneously forcing readers to question the soundness of their own stories.
Mexican Gothic
by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Noemi receives a frantic letter from her cousin who married over a year ago and moved to the Mexican countryside. When Noemi goes to check-in on her cousin, she finds herself in a creepy English haunted mansion straight out of a Bronte novel. There is a nearby graveyard and servants who don’t speak, and Noemi is constantly admonished by the aging maid for smoking. The longer Noemi stays, the stranger her dreams become, and soon, Noemi finds that everything she feared was nothing compared to her new reality. Haunting and beautiful, Mexican Gothic blends the atmospheric descriptions we love in classic gothic novels with the gritty social commentary we expect from modern domestic noirs.
The Brownsville Texas Incident of 1906
by Lieutenant Colonel William Baker
In his remarkable memoir, Lt. Col. Baker tells the story of how he worked to exonerate the one hundred sixty-seven black soldiers of the 25th infantry. In 1906, President Roosevelt discharged them without honor and without due process. Their lives were changed forever and they often had trouble navigating a system that frowned upon dishonorably discharged service men. Through conversations with the lone survivor, Dorsie Willis, Baker forces readers to look at the systems in place that would allow such atrocities to occur, he forces us to look at the truth and recognize the effects of a terribly broken justice system. He is inspiring in his determination to let justice prevail even though the odds were stacked against him.
Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close
by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman
This is a dual memoir that chronicles the journey of getting and keeping mature, adult, female friendships. The timing of this release is perfect; as we strive to salvage our health and sanity, Sow and Friedman remind us that friendships are valuable but complex. As we get older and our circumstances evolve, do we have what it takes to continue our friendships through geographical and emotional changes? What type of friendship is worth fighting for? The duo offer personal experiences and bring in experts throughout to offer a fresh look at the importance of genuine, mature female friendships.
