RECOMMENDED READS

Welcome to our literary circle, in which San Diegans pass the (printed) word on books

Mimi Hannan

Job: Book buyer, La Playa Books

She recommends: “The Midnight Bargain” by C.L. Polk (Erewhon, 2020; 384 pages)

Why? A new fantasy from an award-winning author for fans of “The Ten Thousand Doors of January” and “Spinning Silver.” In this world, both men and women may possess magical abilities, but most societies require women to suppress their magic when they marry due to its effects on unborn children. Beatrice’s family expects her to follow the rules and find a successful husband during her debutante season, but she is studying in secret to become a more powerful magician and hopes to elevate her family’s prospects by developing her talents. Through the high society parties, she meets eligible bachelors and ladies from other cultures and countries, making friends and enemies as she tries to balance loyalty to her family and following her dreams. Complex characters draw you into an absorbing world with hints of a Jane Austen novel mixed with contemporary feminist themes.

Missy Solis

Job: Adult Services Manager, San Diego County Library

She recommends: “They Called Us Enemy” by George Takei, Justin Eisinger and Steven Scott (Top Shelf Productions, 2019; 204 pages)

Why? George Takei’s “They Called Us Enemy” is a necessary and important coming-of-age story and work of art. This graphic memoir follows Takei’s childhood experience as one of 120,000 Japanese Americans imprisoned during World War II. Takei writes: “Childhood memories are especially slippery. Sweet and so full of joy, they can often be a misrendering of the truth.” The book takes a long view — of trauma, racism and the need for truth and reconciliation. As the author re-examines his past, he shares lessons about why it is so important to tell one’s own story. The fight against injustice and racism in American society carries on.