Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
‘Stay at Home’ reading suggestions
With a “Stay at Home” order in effect in Chester County, residents may unexpectedly find themselves indoors with little to keep their minds occupied. Binge-watching can only go so far, after all.
So we asked the proprietors of two local independent bookstores, Reads & Company in Phoenixville and Wellington Square Bookshop
in Uwchlan, to offer some suggestions to those who would like to escape the coronavirus circumstances that have beset them.
We also reached out to the Chester County Library, which provided us with a host of resources available to those residents who have library cards.
Said Angella Meanix, co-manager of Wellington Books, “There are so many books that can be recommended at a time like this, but we wanted to focus on a variety that would keep you company, inspire, tie you into the lives of others, make you think, escape and hopefully give you a good laugh.
“If you have to stay home, switch on a favorite lamp and let go of the constraints we must observe by reading a few of these selections,” she said.
“The Authenticity Project” (fiction) by Clare Pooley. People Magazine called it “A warm, charming tale about the rewards of revealing oneself, warts and all.” It is the story of a solitary green notebook that brings together six strangers and leads to unexpected friendship, and even love. This book is admittedly a light read and even a little bit fluff, but we loved it. If you want to escape into the lives of a few people who connect and rediscover themselves after one simple act by an eccentric old painter, this book will deliver.
“The Splendid and the Vile” (history) by Erik Larson. Kirkus Review said, “Get it! A captivating history of Churchill’s heroic year, with more than the usual emphasis on his intimates.” The Nazis began the Blitz, their concentrated aerial bombing of London, on September 7, 1940. The Luftwaffe attacked the city for 56 straight days and nights. Larson describes how both the city and Churchill and his family endured and fought back against this assault.
“The Most Fun We Ever Had (fiction book-to-movieseries HBO) by Claire Lombardo. This is a multigenerational novel in which the four adult daughters of a Chicago couple still madly in love after forty years recklessly ignite old rivalries until a long-buried secret threatens to shatter the lives they’ve built. If you are looking for a book to draw you and make you care for each character and come away still thinking of them, this is the book. A rich and sprawling novel at 544pages it will surely keep you engrossed during these tenuous times.
“Circe” (fiction/mythical) by Madeline Miller. Writing in the New York Times, Alexandra Alter called this, “A bold and subversive retelling of the goddess’s story, both epic and intimate in its scope, recasting the most infamous female figure from the Odyssey as a hero in her own right.” Circe is a beautifully written story for any of us into gods and goddesses and the rise of an underdog in the mythical realm. It’s strangely familiar in its tone and yet a total fantasy. You’ll want to get lost in this story.
“Life As A Mini Hero” (children’s book ages 6-9, but all ages really because it’s hysterical) by Oliver Tallec, translated from French by Claudia Zoe Bedrick
Being a hero is hard! Check-out these mini heroes as they ride the emotional roller coaster of life. From the very first page of this book, we were giggling. Suggested as a book for 6to 9-year-olds, we would argue that people of all ages will get a kick out of this humor. Simple illustrations and simple words are chosen wisely to create a clever little read.
Books from Wellington Book are available for order at https://wellingtonsquarebooks.indielite.org.
Jason Hafer, a veteran of the Phoenixville book scene, along with his partner, author Robb Cadigan, opened Reads & Company in 2019. He offered these suggestions for good reading material in the coming weeks.
“The Glass Hotel” by Emily St. John Mandel. Emily St. John Mandel’s long- awaited follow up to “Station Eleven,” this is atmospheric, nuanced and expertly plotted, worth the wait, and confirms that Mandel is one of the most exciting American novelists working today. While “The Glass Hotel” stands side by side with “Station Eleven” as a novel, the new book is (in the words of the author), “100 percent pandemic free.” Works for us!
“Such a Fun Age” by Kiley Reid. Provocative, intricately structured, and flat out fresh, Kiley Reid’s “Such a Fun Age” marks the debut of an excellent new author. Set in Philadelphia, Reid’s novel takes a deep dive into race, class, privilege and our expectations and assumptions for all of the above. It will make you squirm right after it makes you laugh, but for all of its insight, the work never preaches. An important and timely novel that’s a staff favorite.
“Untamed” by Glennon Doyle. This is far and away our most requested book during shelter in place (talk about things we never thought we would say when we opened last May), and it seems like the momentum has just begun. Filled with hope and encouragement, it’s the perfect, uplifting read for uncertain times. Compassion and honesty drip from every page, and it doesn’t hurt that Doyle is an excellent storyteller...with incredible stories to tell. A worthy successor to books like “East, Pray, Love” and “Wild”, though very much of our moment.
“How to Cook Everything” by Mark Bittman. A classic of home cooking, Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything” has just been reissued for its 20th anniversary. Bittman’s recipes are famously straight forward and accessible, so they work for the seasoned home chef but also families looking to incorporate cooking together into their extended time at home. In many cases, these recipes are a starting point for us to develop our own styles and techniques, which is very much in the Bittman spirit. He also provides extensive variations, which is helpful if the grocery store is out of a specific ingredient.
“The Name of the Wind” by Patrick Rothfuss. “This one has been around for a little while, but if you’re looking for an epic fantasy style escape (and are up to date on George R.R. Martin), this is an excellent place to start. We think this series will be on par with “A Song of Ice and Fire” once both are complete, but there’s an intimacy and familiarity to Rothfuss’s work that is truly incredible, as if you’re sitting around a fire (or country inn) listening to a hero recount the epic life he has lived. Another great thing? It’s long, and you probably have the time.
Books from Reads & Company are available at https://bookshop.org/shop/ readsandcompany.
While the county’s two main and several local libraries are closed, you can find reading material on OverDrive. We offer free eBooks and eAudiobooks. You can access our OverDrive site at https://chester.overdrive.com or via the Libby app (available from Google Play or the Apple Store). You will need a library card to check out titles.
We have created curated collections of eBooks and eAudiobooks arranged by themes. There are plenty of titles in each collection, so you should be able to find titles available to borrow right away. You can always place holds on titles that have wait lists.
Some of our current collections are:
Librarian Likes: A mix of fiction and nonfiction librarian favorites
Library Reads: A monthly compilation of new titles from library staff across the country
Craft-a-palooza: A mix of fiction and nonfiction books related to crafting
Best of 2019: A selection of the best books of 2019
We also have some collections with no wait lists:
No Holds Audiobooks: A mix of classics, mystery, romance, young adult, science fiction, historical fiction, general fiction, and nonfiction titles
No Holds Classic eBooks: A selection of fifty classic titles
OverDrive is currently hosting its Big Library Read, a digital book club. The current selection is Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic by Michael McCreary, an #OwnVoices memoir about life with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This selection is available as an eBook and eAudiobook without any holds until April 13. There is also an online book discussion available here: https://biglibraryread.com/ join-the-discussion/.
In addition to our OverDrive collection, we have online magazines to access from home via Flipster. There are over 80 magazine titles (both current and back issues), including food, home/gardening, news, and much more. You can find Flipster at https://chescolibraries.org/downloads.
Finally, our staff is sharing library resources and other helpful websites and events to keep our customers informed during this time on our new blog, Stay Connected with Chescolibraries. Find it at stayconnectedwithchescholibraries.wordpress.com.