BY EMILIE WEINBECK, STAFF WRITER
Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth Egan/ Books sitting on a shelf
Most often people consider summer a great time to relax with a book in hand on a warm sunny day but fall is also a great time to cozy up with a book and mug of something warm. Here are some book recommendations to check out before fall changes to winter.
The first one is “Less is Lost,” by Andrew Sean Greer. This book finds the protagonist, Arthur Less, embarking on a road trip across the United States. During his journey, he meets a few characters that help him to go through a fair amount of personal growth. These characters will give most readers a good laugh as they go through this delightful novel.
The next book is “Ducks,” by Kate Beaton. This book is set when the author spent two years working in the oil sands of Alberta, Canada so she could pay off her student loans. “Ducks” focuses on the sexism and isolation that Beaton experienced not only on the job but while living in the employee camps. It takes a look at the tough sacrifices employees make in exchange for some money and how the country is slowly being destroyed for profits by large petroleum corporations. Beaton does take the time to show sweet moments between the workers and how beautiful the land she is working on is as it is getting destroyed.
Another book is “If I Survive You,” by Jonathan Escoffery. This book has eight linked stories in one book which revolve around an immigrant family from Jamaica living in Miami. Each story looks at survival, poverty, family and human struggle. These stories are all told from a different point of view which make each issue talked about hit home even more.
The book “All This Could Be Different,” by Sarah Thankam Mathews is a book that follows a group of millennial friends who are in search of love and community amid all the pressures of societal expectations. It looks at all the demands that are put on people in their job during an unstable economy and how it affects them.
“Signal Fires,” by Dani Shapiro is a great book for fiction lovers. The book follows a family that is trying to heal and recover from a devastating accident over the course of several years. It examines what it means to be connected as a family, mourn and to keep secrets from those who are closest to us.
The last book is “A Duet for Home,” by Karina Yan Glaser, which follows the main character June and her family. They get evicted from their apartment in Chinatown after her dad is killed while they are moving in. The family meets Tyrell who has lived in the building for some time. The book alternates smoothly between June and Tyrell as they decide to team up and become activists against the housing system.
All of the books mentioned above can be found on Barnes and Noble. For a hardcover book, “Less Is Lost” costs $24.99, “Ducks” costs $34.99, “If I Survive You,” is $27.00, “All This Could Be Different” is $23.99, “Signal Fires” is $23.99 and “A Duet for Home” is $16.99.weinbeec20@bonaventure.edu
