Phil Coba RECOMMENDED READS

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

Job: Library Technician III, 4S Ranch Branch, San Diego County Library

He recommends: “The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet” by Becky Chambers (Harper Voyager, 2016; 443 pages)

Why? This debut novel follows Rosemary Harper as she joins the Wayfarer, a spaceship whose crew members “punch wormholes” into space to make galactic highways around the universe. While the plot follows the Wayfarer getting from point A to point B, the space in between is peppered with discussions about the ethics and fair treatment of artificial intelligence, inclusive multi-species language for bodies outside of our planet, and a constant reminder that in an infinite universe, the human idea of normal isn’t shared with other species. Becky Chambers rockets sci-fi into the modern era, transforming it into a more accurate representation of what a melting pot infinite universe could look like where humans are the ones late to the intergalactic party.

Mimi Hannan

Job: Book buyer, La Playa Books

She recommends: “The Swimmers” by Julie Otsuka (Knopf, 2022; 192 pages)

Why? “The Swimmers” unfolds in three sections, the first told from the collective perspective of members of a public pool, the second from the corporate viewpoint of one of the swimmers’ memory care facilities, and the third from the former swimmer’s daughter. Alice’s memory loss is echoed in the shifting narrative as it moves from the collective belonging of “we,” to the alienating corporate-speak “you” of her care facility, to the distance of the third-person “she” of her daughter as she reckons with the loss of the mother she knew. This slow-paced, thoughtful, stylized novel captures the sadness and unease of our moment without becoming topical. I appreciated the contemplative, quiet mood this book evoked, and the writing craftsmanship is truly excellent.