1. The Kites
— Romain Gary
My second book by this author, after loving the remarkable blend of pathos and bathos in The Life Before Us. The Kites is a little darker, including the humor. And it’s my book of the month. “The Kites is Romain Gary’s poetic call for resistance in whatever form it takes.”
2. The White Album
— Joan Didion
I dread the day I’ve finished reading everything Joan Didion ever wrote.
3. On the Calculation of Volume: III
— Solvej Balle
The third installment in this series. I enjoyed this one and am looking forward to the next, out April 14.
4. Little Fires Everywhere
— Celeste ng
Effortless storytelling and memorable characters. Will surely read more by Ng. “Little Fires Everywhere explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, and the ferocious pull of motherhood — and the danger of believing that following the rules can avert disaster.”
5. Killing Stella
— Marlen Haushofer
Haushofer’s The Wall is in my all-time top-ten favorite novels. Killing Stella is a claustrophobic novella, “a domestic horror story that builds to an apocalyptic ending.” On Haushofer see this New York Times piece.
6. Salammbo
— Gustave Flaubert
A tad overwrought for my taste. Trying to recall if I’ve read Madame Bovary…
Books on my March TBR include The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles, The Formation of the Biblical Canon, Vol. 1: The Old Testament, and Zola’s L’Assommoir.
Remarkable Renaissance Books
My new book Remarkable Renaissance Books is now available at all good bookstores. Alternatively, but it online at Bookshop.org or Amazon.com.
