Katherine Center, author of this year’s juggernaut novel Things You Save In A Fire, joins Gayle and Nicole to look back on their 2019 reading and share some book superlatives. They also discuss the merits (or not) of re-reading and plan to make the genre “bittersweet comedies” a thing.
Books mentioned in this episode:
Things You Save In A Fire by Katherine Center (Gayle’s review)
How To Walk Away by Katherine Center (Gayle’s review)
The Best Skin Of Your Life Starts Here by Paula Begoun (Gayle’s review)
Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer (Gayle’s review)
The Only Plane In The Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett Graff (Gayle’s review)
Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid
The Witches Are Coming by Lindy West
Shrill by Lindy West
In The Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Ulysses by James Joyce
Here are the superlatives discussed collectively on the show:
Books We Most Want To Reread: Daisy Jones & The Six, Taylor Jenkins Reid; Black Is the Body by Emily Bernard; Thick by Tressie McMillan Cottom
Most Distressing Books: Patsy by Nicole Dennis-Benn; The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead; Golden Child by Claire Adam; My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell; There There by Tommy Orange
Best Memoirs: Becoming by Michelle Obama; Sisters First by Jenna and Barbara Bush; Inheritance by Dani Shapiro; In The Pleasure Groove by John Taylor
Books We Couldn’t Put Down: Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes; The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Most Unique Storyline: Cygnet by Season Butler; The Need by Helen Philips: Time Was by Ian McDonald
Best Time Travel Historical Spy Romance: The River Of No Return by Bee Ridgway
Best Graphic Novel: Good Talk by Mira Jacob
Most Overrated Book: Trust Exercise by Susan Choi
Best Malcolm Gladwell Book: David and Goliath
Most Curious Narrative Structure: A Good Neighborhood by Therese Ann Fowler; American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson
Best Parenting Books: Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be by Frank Bruni; How To Raise An Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims
Overall Best Reads Of 2019: The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai; Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane; The Dutch House by Ann Patchett; Becoming by Michelle Obama; The Great Alone by Kristen Hannah
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