Ann Patchett's Blog, page 21

How Can It Possibly Be March Again? 19 New Books To Read Anyway

CW: It’s March.

So, we’re just going to just do the whole month of March thing again, as if a year ago Nashville wasn’t hit by multiple tornadoes, and then a global pandemic? OK, fine. If we can’t skip March 2021, we might as well have good books to read while we’re here still processing March 2020, right? Right. And luckily, the books are good, folks. They’re really good. Without further ado…

FICTIONRecommended by Karen Writers & Lovers

By Lily King

What would you sacrifice to pursue your dreams? Casey is a writer, but life keeps getting in the way of this calling. She is grieving the loss of her mother, living in a converted garage while waiting tables in Harvard Square, when she meets two men who send her life in a different direction.

Watch our event with Lily King in conversation with Ann Patchett!

Recommended by Lindsay No One Is Talking About This: A Novel

By Patricia Lockwood

I don’t know how to describe this novel in the same way that I don’t really know to describe the Internet — a collective stream of consciousness? A primal scream into a void? What I do know is that Patricia Lockwood has created a beautiful, strange book about being online. Lockwood’s poetic debut novel is a perfect read for fans of Jenny Offill and Sigrid Nunez.

Recommended by Elyse My Year Abroad: A Novel

By Chang-rae Lee

A wild, page-turning adventure. Beautifully written and complex about love, heartbreak, family and loss. Literary fiction at its best.

Watch our event with Chang-rae Lee in conversation with Ann Patchett!

Recommended by Sarah Bride of the Sea

By Eman Quotah

I’m always looking for novels that pull me into cultures I know little about. This simmering family saga tells the story of two Saudi Americans negotiating issues of family, tradition, loss, and hope after their daughter is born and their marriage falls apart. It tenderly addresses the beauty and the struggles of being an expat from a widely misunderstood place. I read it in two sittings and loved every minute.

Recommended by Sissy The Postscript Murders

By Elly Griffiths

I love thrillers about books, and in the darkest days of 2020 I needed a few laughs alongside my murder. I had missed DS Harbinder Kaur and was so excited to see her in another novel. Fans of Anthony Horowitz will love this.

Recommended by Heather Sorrow and Bliss: A Novel

By Meg Mason

An engaging, heartbreaking and hopeful story of a life of promise that isn’t turning out as expected. Something is wrong with Martha and no one can figure out what it is. The misinformation that is the basis for her actions and decisions is crushing. But truth, and the freedoms that come with it, prevails. This is in my top five books for the last year!

Recommended by Kathy Vera: A Novel

By Carol Edgarian

A young girl has to come to terms with her mother who runs a whore house and the San Francisco earthquake of 1906.This is an adventure story with a wild cast of characters including the city of San Francisco itself. If you like unusual historical fiction, this is your book.

Recommended by Kay Honey Girl

By Morgan Rogers

Grace Porter’s carefully planned life is interrupted when she wakes up in Vegas married to a late-night radio host she’s never met. As Grace explores what a life with her new wife might mean, she runs up against the sharp edges of her strict life plan and ambitious career goals. What unfolds is a lyrical exploration of love, chosen family, and anxiety that sinks straight into your soul.

Recommended by Heather The Survivors: A Novel

By Jane Harper

The perfect book to curl up with on a cold winter day: a beach town in Tasmania at the end of summer, wonderfully interesting characters that you connect with, great dialogue and a plot that draws you in and twists and turns like tunnels in a dark cave. I finished the book at 5 in the morning because I just could not stop reading. All thumbs up!

Recommended by Marcia The House Uptown: A Novel

By Melissa Ginsburg

Ava moves from Iowa to New Orleans to live with her artist grandmother (who has memory problems) after her mother dies. Not having been in each other’s lives, this is a beautiful story about family, finding out who they are, and forging a path together.

Recommended by Erin Band of Sisters: A Novel

By Lauren Willig

At the height of World War I, a group of Smith College alumnae sailed to France. In a countryside decimated by war and under constant shelling by the Germans, the Smithies helped war-weary civilians rebuild shattered lives and homes. Based on a true story, Willig’s novel is a moving account of friendship, forgiveness, and self-discovery in a rapidly changing world.

Recommended by Ben That Old Country Music: Stories

By Kevin Barry

While this book came out in January, it’s always a good time for a quality short story collection! Imagistic without being overwritten, Barry’s prose invokes the damp melancholy of rural Ireland, the atmosphere of gloaming, the country’s collision of old and new. Each character carries a unique desperation, desiring love (and sex) and connection throughout these finely wrought stories.

Recommended by Rae Ann The Lost Apothecary

By Sarah Penner

On a trip to London, a woman stumbles upon the story of an 18th century apothecary who only served women seeking revenge. This historical mystery tucked into a modern-day story is an immersive, atmospheric read.

Recommended by Kathy
The Four Winds: A Novel

By Kristin Hannah

Magnificent rendering of the Great Depression from a woman trying everything to save her family. Must-read if you liked Grapes of Wrath.

Recommended by Chelsea Finlay Donovan Is Killing It: A Mystery

By Elle Cosimano

Finlay is a recently divorced author suffering from writer’s block and stressed from overdue bills. When a meeting with her agent is overhead and misinterpreted, she finds herself with a lucrative offer to “get rid of” another woman’s husband. Cosimano’s adult debut is a wild, hilarious ride about Finlay’s choices and the consequences of her actions.

NONFICTIONRecommended by Ann Let Me Tell You What I Mean

By Joan Didion

These are previously published but uncollected essays which go to show that Joan Didion’s cast offs are still better than other people’s first rate work. Don’t skip the fantastic introduction by Hilton Als.

Recommended by Ann Mike Nichols: A Life

By Mark Harris

I read this because I was such a fan of Mark Harris’s first two books and wound up being fascinated by Mike Nichols. I found the book incredibly relaxing, in the same way going to the movies can be relaxing. I felt entertained and taken care of. It was an enormous treat.

Recommended by Steve Raceless: In Search of Family, Identity, and the Truth About Where I Belong

By Georgina Lawton

When Georgina Lawton gets the results of a DNA test, it doesn’t so much turn her identity upside down as offer objective evidence that it had been upside down up to this point. Her brown skin and curly hair finally have an origin that makes sense — but one that had been kept from her. A frank, briskly written and thoroughly engaging investigation of race and family.

Recommended by Patsy The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together

By Heather McGhee

McGhee posits that both Black and white people are economic losers when racism is in play, demonstrating with example after example: public pools, public parks, unions, public schools. She debunks the widely held theory of a zero-sum game — that is, if some gain from investing in the public good, others must lose — and shows a timely way forward when people of all races engage together to solve problems.

First Editions Club: March Selection Infinite Country: A Novel

By Patricia Engel

I often wonder if we are living the wrong life in the wrong country.

Talia is being held at a correctional facility for adolescent girls in the forested mountains of Colombia after committing an impulsive act of violence that may or may not have been warranted. She urgently needs to get out and get back home to Bogotá, where her father and a plane ticket to the United States are waiting for her. If she misses her flight, she might also miss her chance to finally be reunited with her family in the north.How this family came to occupy two different countries, two different worlds, comes into focus like twists of a kaleidoscope. We see Talia’s parents, Mauro and Elena, fall in love in a market stall as teenagers against a backdrop of civil war and social unrest. We see them leave Bogotá with their firstborn, Karina, in pursuit of safety and opportunity in the United States on a temporary visa, and we see the births of two more children, Nando and Talia, on American soil. We witness the decisions and indecisions that lead to Mauro’s deportation and the family’s splintering — the costs they’ve all been living with ever since.

Award-winning, internationally acclaimed author Patricia Engel, herself a dual citizen and the daughter of Colombian immigrants, gives voice to all five family members as they navigate the particulars of their respective circumstances. And all the while, the metronome ticks: Will Talia make it to Bogotá in time? And if she does, can she bring herself to trade the solid facts of her father and life in Colombia for the distant vision of her mother and siblings in America?Rich with Bogotá urban life, steeped in Andean myth, and tense with the daily reality of the undocumented in America, Infinite Countryis the story of two countries and one mixed-status family — for whom every triumph is stitched with regret, and every dream pursued bears the weight of a dream deferred.

More about our First Editions Club: Every member receives a first edition of the selected book of the month, signed by the author. Books are carefully chosen by our staff of readers, and our picks have gone on to earn major recognition including the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the PEN/Faulkner Award. Plus, there’s no membership fee or premium charge for these books. Build a treasured library of signed first editions and always have something great to read! Makes a FABULOUS gift, too.

Just Like That: 15 Lovely New Reads for the Young and Young at Heart

It’s always a good time for a great read, and we’re thrilled to be back with more hand-picked selections for our young readers out there! We’ve got cozy read-alongs, funny read-alouds, adventure, intrigue and more. And whether it’s loving your new home, loving your favorite sport or loving yourself, there is a bit of a theme here. It is February, after all. Enjoy!

PICTURE BOOKSRecommended by Rae Ann Eyes That Kiss in the Corners

By Joanna Ho & Dung Ho (Illustrator)

A girl notices her eyes look different from her friends’ at school, but they do look like those of the ones she loves the most. This is a beautiful picture book about self-confidence and loving yourself.

Recommended by Becca C Is for Country

By Lil Nas X & Theodore Taylor (Illustrator)

Join Lil Nas X and his pony, Panini, as they explore the alphabet in their signature joyful and creative style.

Recommended by Kay Trying

By Kobi Yamada & Elise Hurst (Illustrator)

As a frustrated young sculptor tries and tries to emulate a master, his failures unfold in a series of soft black-and-white illustrations. A tribute to perseverance that teaches us all that failure is a natural, beautiful part of learning any new skill.

Recommended by Heather Oona

By Kelly DiPucchio & Raissa Figueroa (Illustrator)

Oona is a mermaid, and her best friend is an otter. Together they explore the challenging and murky ocean depths, so beautifully illustrated by Raissa Figueroa, to search for treasure. Even when things get tough, the pair find that by working together and continuing to try, they can find success. Take a trip to the sea with Oona.

Recommended by Shop Dog Marlee Champ and Major: First Dogs

By Joy McCullough & Sheyda Abvabi Best (Illustrator)

I love books about dogs with special jobs, and Champ and Major are the best! They live in the White House with their people because their dad is the president. Champ and Major help everyone to remember to have fun and keep family first!.

INDEPENDENT READERSRecommended by Rae Ann Just Like That

By Gary D. Schmidt

An 8th grade girl is sent to boarding school after a tragedy. A boy whose life has been nothing but tragedy gets a second chance. Their friendship teaches them to move forward and speak up in this layered, charming story.

Recommended by Kay Baseball’s Leading Lady: Effa Manley and the Rise and Fall of the Negro Leagues

By Andrea Williams

Andrea Williams artfully weaves the wider history of the Negro Leagues around the fascinating central story of Effa Manley, the only woman inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. A must read for any baseball fan, young or old.

Watch our event with Andrea Williams here!

Recommended by Madeline Alone

By Megan E. Freeman

A beautiful story written in poetry about a girl finding herself abandoned in her town. She must survive all sorts of dangers while finding the courage to face something far worse: loneliness. Perfect for readers who love Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.

Recommended by Gavin, age 10
Lola Benko, Treasure Hunter

By Beth McMullen

If you’re looking for an exciting adventure, pick up this book! I promise that you will LOL and won’t want to put the book down.

Recommended by Gavin, age 10
Hard-Boiled Bugs for Breakfast: And Other Tasty Poems

By Jack Prelutsky & Ruth Chan (Illustrator)

This is a poetry book that you will want to read out loud with friends! You will laugh!

YOUNG ADULTRecommended by Chelsea The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre

By Robin Talley

Melody is so pumped when she lands the stage manager role for the spring musical that she’ll swear off romance at the urging of her castmates to ensure a perfect run. Her plans get a little more complicated when local actress Odile Rose decides to audition, especially when Odile is funny, smart and sweet.This is a delightful rom-com for anyone who loves the theater arts!

Recommended by Becca Anna and the French Kiss Collector’s Edition

By Stephanie Perkins

This lovely gift edition of this great classic YA romance story, features a beautiful cover, patterned edges and end papers, a satin bookmark, and bonus content. Whether you’re falling in love with Anna and Etienne for the first time, or just re-discovering them in this beautiful new package, this book would make for an absolutely perfect Valentine’s Day gift to yourself.

Recommended by Chelsea The Project: A Novel

By Courtney Summers

Lo Denham hasn’t seen her sister since Bea joined the Unity Project, a local religious organization that Lo swears is a cult. As Lo slowly wedges herself into the group’s ranks, she faces way more than she expected. A twisty, suspenseful read that explores the bond between siblings and the psychology behind cults, this one kept me holding my breath until the very end.

Spark Book Club: February Selection Bump

By Matt Wallace

MJ loves the luchadores of professional wrestling. A chance meeting with a new neighbor gives her the opportunity to start training in the world she’s admired from afar. A viral video catapults her into the ring’s spotlight and straight into a mystery.

Early Sparks for the novel:

“This touching story of grit and luchadores wrestles with themes of loss and chosen family.” —Kirkus Reviews

“I love kids with big dreams, and MJ is a heroine to root for. Bump introduces readers to the world of professional wrestling while also telling a story about grief, friends that become family, and finding your voice. An entertaining and heartwarming read!” —Janae Marks, author of From the Desk of Zoe Washington

Spark Book Club is the first editions club for middle grade readers. Every month members will receive a first edition middle grade novel — plus a letter written by the author especially for club members. Makes a great gift for the independent reader! Sign ups are available for 3, 6, or 12 months.

ParnassusNext February Selection The Electric Kingdom

By David Arnold

In a future New England, the Fly Flu has ravaged the earth. People live in small communities for protection until fate intervenes. Three travelers begin a quest, a girl and her dog, a boy who’s lived in an abandoned cinema all his life, and The Deliverer, repeating life after life. Lives converge in an unexpected way on an unforgettable journey in this immersive read.

Join us for a virtual event with David Arnold on Thursday, Feb. 11 at 6pm! He’ll be joined in conversation by Jeff Zentner.

Early praise for The Electric Kingdom:

“Well executed and resonant… this is not a simple post-apocalyptic novel but instead a quiet, philosophical exploration of humanity with a touch of science fiction around the edges. Defying strict genre categories, Arnold leaves readers wondering and unbalanced until the final page.” —Kirkus Reviews

“With a haunting, deliberately paced tale of postapocalyptic survival, Arnold creates a devastated world held together by myth and memory.” —Publishers Weekly

ParnassusNext is the book subscription box for YA lovers. Every member of ParnassusNext receives a first edition hardcover of each month’s selected book, signed by the author. There is no membership fee to join — and no line to stand in for the autograph. Not only will you have one of the best YA books of the month when it comes out, you’ll have it straight from the author’s hands, with an original, authentic signature! Set up a subscription for yourself or buy a gift membership for your favorite YA reader for 3, 6, or 12 months.

 

Book Love in the Air: 18 Bookseller Favorites for February

Were back from our yearly January hiatus with a fresh selection of book recommendations and suffice it to say, there are heavy hitters in every direction. Starting with our two most recent First Editions Club pick, all the way through to new novels, world history, humor and more. We’re sure you’ll find something to scratch that reading itch. And if you’re looking for a Valentine’s Day gift, think about bundling up — available in $50 or $100 options! Take care and happy reading!

FICTIONRecommended by Ann The Uncollected Stories of Allan Gurganus

By Allan Gurganus

Gurganus was and is my most important teacher. He writes with a deep and joyful expansiveness that is completely his own. Every story comes with a novel’s worth of heft and insight. This is such a beautiful book. Don’t miss it.

Recommended by Rae Ann Nick

By Michael Farris Smith

Michael Farris Smith imagines the pre-Gatsby life of Nick Carraway. This sweeping novel takes readers from the trenches of WWI to the New Orleans French Quarter before landing on a pier at dawn with the hope of a new start.

Recommended by Kathy Mystery of Mrs. Christie

By Marie Benedict

What happened to Agatha Christie in December 1926 that caused her to go missing for 11 days and unleash one of the biggest searches in English history? Marie Benedict examines the role her unfaithful husband and unhappy home life might have played in this still-unsolved mystery. Another of Marie Benedict’s absorbing, page-turning hidden stories of famous women — so good.

Recommended by Kay A Thousand Ships: A Novel

By Natalie Haynes

Told in a series of largely non-chronological vignettes highlighting the women of the Trojan War, A Thousand Ships is perfect for fans of Madeline Miller or Greek mythology in general. The interlocking stories of tragedy and courage examine what it truly costs to wage a war and the ways women are asked to bear that cost in silence.

Recommended by Rae Ann The Fortunate Ones

By Ed Tarkington

The Fortunate Ones is an examination of class told through the lives of two boys, one born in privilege and one scholarship student, beginning at an elite boys school in Nashville to political aspirations and beyond. An engrossing story of family and secrets.

Watch our virtual event with Ed Tarkington, in conversation with Mary Laura Philpott!

Recommended by Sarah Milk Blood Heat

By Dantiel W. Moniz

If you’re anything like me, your attention span has been lacking these days, to put it lightly. I turned to this debut collection to pick up and put down as my brain allowed, and it was exactly what I needed. The stories are engrossing, dark, and rich, and each one packs a punch in 25 pages or less. Though by no means light in themes, this collection provides short retreats from these hectic times.

Recommended by Jordan We Can Only Save Ourselves: A Novel

By Alison Wisdom

Alice Lange is a perfect emblem of a charming neighborhood. She is a suburban angel, cherished daughter, and anticipating the title of homecoming queen. When the youthful girl disappears, following mysterious stranger Wesley to a new way of living, she becomes the talk of the enclave. Fans of Little Fires Everywhere and A Good Neighborhood will devour this literary debut.

Recommended by Ben The Prophets

By Robert Jones, Jr.

Centered around the blossoming love between Samuel and Isaiah, two enslaved men on a Mississippi plantation called Empty, this tour-de-force debut unfurls a narrative of tremendous range, with startling clarity. Magical realism is in play — the ancestors are searingly near — as characters’ internal lives are explored. This is a wholly original imagining of suffering and salvation, humanity and defiance, sacrifice and love.

Recommended by Ben The Center of Everything

By Jamie Harrison

Alternating between Montana in 2002, after Polly has banged her head pretty badly and a local girl has disappeared on the Yellowstone River, and the consequential 1968 of Polly’s lush, swirling childhood on Long Island, this novel shows us how the past and present intertwine and mirror each other. The stories and secrets tucked throughout generations emerge, reminding us how the loyal bonds of family are often inexpressible and revelatory.

NONFICTIONRecommended by Ann A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life

By George Saunders

Saunders discusses seven Russian stories in order to help us become better readers, better writers, and (amazingly) better people. The seven stories are included. This book is pure joy on paper.

Recommended by Andy Land: How the Hunger for Ownership Shaped the Modern World

By Simon Winchester

From establishing borders in the Bronze Age to his purchase of a farm in Western Massachusetts, Winchester explores the relationship between humans and the land they occupy with an unquenchable curiosity and riveting storytelling.

Recommended by Patsy Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019

By Ibram X. Kendi (Editor), Keisha N. Blain (Editor)

This compelling collection by 90 authors offers insights into the people, laws, traditions, places, ideas and events that make up 400 years of African American history from 1619 to 2019. The variety of these voices and narratives lends richness — in the form of essays, letters, vignettes, short stories and poems. This is required reading to understand history and the present moment.

Recommended by Steve Made in China: A Prisoner, an SOS Letter, and the Hidden Cost of America’s Cheap Goods

By Amelia Pang

A political prisoner in China slips a desperate letter into the packaging of a Halloween decoration that he and others are forced to produce on a grueling schedule. A woman in Oregon discovers it. This book follows Sun Yi, who was tortured nearly to death for his beliefs, and paints a sobering picture of “reeducation through labor camps” and the international supply chain as a whole.

Recommended by Sissy Let the Lord Sort Them: The Rise and Fall of the Death Penalty

By Maurice Chammah

Chammah traces the past 50 years of the death penalty, focusing on Texas. While capital punishment was falling out of favor by the early ’70s, a rise in crime reinvigorated America’s desire for it until the turn of the millennium. Fascinating stories of the people involved in the institution show the fight to end it for good.

Recommended by Steve Craft in the Real World: Rethinking Fiction Writing and Workshopping

By Matthew Salesses

Books aren’t made in a vacuum, and writers aren’t trained in one, either. Even if you don’t teach writing, this book deftly unravels the underlying ideologies that prop up “craft” as some kind of natural or inevitable set of practices. Simply put: Craft in the Real World will make you a better and more informed reader.

Recommended by Becca You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism

By Amber Ruffin, Lacey Lamar

Amber Ruffin and her sister Lacey Lamar recount the horrifying and hilarious things that white people do and say to Lacey in her hometown of Omaha. Ruffin was the first Black woman to write for a late night talk show, and recently debuted her own talk show on NBC. This is a book that you’re going to want to share with everyone you meet.

Watch our virtual event with Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar!

Recommended by Jordan Do Better: Spiritual Activism for Fighting and Healing from White Supremacy

By Rachel Ricketts

Racial justice educator and leader Rachel Ricketts is not here to make you feel comfortable. She’s here to challenge you through spiritual and transformative work, leaning into whatever the word “spiritual” means to you. This book should be required reading for all white women.

Recommended by Andy A House in the Mountains: The Women Who Liberated Italy from Fascism (The Resistance Quartet #4)

By Caroline Moorehead

This is the fourth and final book in a series Caroline Moorehead has written about the resistance. Now out in paperback, A House in the Mountains is an incredible story of four brave women who fought the German invaders and their fascist collaborators.

First Editions Club: February Selection My Year Abroad: A Novel

By Chang-rae Lee

Maybe, at some point in our lives, we’ve all fallen under the spell of a charismatic go-getter. But even if that isn’t the case, reading My Year Abroad makes it all but impossible not to do so — though part of the book’s brilliance lies in the fact that you’re never quite sure which charismatic go-getter has you under their spell.

Is it Pong Lou, the globe-trotting entrepreneur who lives in a multilevel mansion and seems to have perfected — or is in the process of perfecting — everything from ice cream parlors to herbal energy drinks? Tiller, our twentysomething narrator and Pong acolyte, ends up under his wing and is subsequently whisked off on one of the unlikeliest adventures in recent literary memory. Is it Constance, the beautiful, commanding daughter of the eccentric guru Drum Kappagoda? Is it Drum? Or is it Tiller himself, who’s telling us these stories from the other side of the world, a year removed, as he starts a new life with a woman named Val, who is living under witness protection?

The fact that you can carry all these questions while reading the novel and not feel one bit confused is simply because My Year Abroad does just what Pong does for Tiller. It sweeps you up and brings you along with it — one beautiful string of sentences after another, one heart-stopping scene after another, until you realize whose spell you’re really under: Chang-rae Lee’s.

I hope you love this book as much as I did.

Yours in Reading,
Steve Haruch
Marketing and Communications Manager

Don’t miss our virtual event with Chang-rae Lee on Friday, Feb. 19. He’ll be joined in conversation by Ann Patchett — click here for more information.

More about our First Editions Club: Every member receives a first edition of the selected book of the month, signed by the author. Books are carefully chosen by our staff of readers, and our picks have gone on to earn major recognition including the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the PEN/Faulkner Award. Plus, there’s no membership fee or premium charge for these books. Build a treasured library of signed first editions and always have something great to read! Makes a FABULOUS gift, too.

 

Looking Back on 2020: Virtual Events, Laydown Diaries, Bestsellers & More

It has been a crazy year, and all we can really think to say is: Thank you. Thank you for supporting us, thank you for staying safe, thank you for ordering books and letting us carry books out to your car and ship them to you all over the country and beyond.

2020 felt like one long improvisation where sometimes we had no audience, sometimes we had no instruments, and sometimes we had no conductor. And sometimes if felt like we were missing all three. Still, there were some highlights, we think, so “enjoy” this look back at a year unlike any other, in the life of one independent bookstore.

Abby Wambach, Glennon Doyle and a gaggle of Parnassus booksellers at Tennessee Performing Arts Center.

On March 11, a little more than a week after a tornado devastated parts of Nashville, we hosted Glennon Doyle for the release of Untamed. We had already had some event cancellations but we really had no idea what was coming. From there, the cancellations rolled in one after the next until the rest of March was wiped out completely. Then the same for April, though we participated in our first virtual event, via Zoom, with author Ariel Lawhon.

The pandemic was fully upon us with no end in sight. Our doors were closed. We re-arranged the store for better physical distancing and worked to fill online orders.

We missed being able to talk to customers about all the new books each Tuesday, so Ann, Cat and Rae Ann decided to take it to the Internet — and thus, The Laydown Diaries were born. As it happened, the debut installment featured what would be some of our favorite books of the year — The Dragons, the Giant, the Women; A Burning; The Vanishing Half; and a new Deckawoo Drive book by perennial favorite, the life-changing Kate DiCamillo. One of the few things we want to take with us into 2021!

(Yes, that means we’ll keep the Laydown Diaries going.)

Watch them all on our YouTube channel!

In June, after much planning, training and set up, we launched our virtual events program on Facebook Live with YA author Patrick Ness, whose novel Burn was our ParnassusNext selection for that month. (Learn more about our subscription box for YA readers here.) That was the first Facebook Live author event of many to come. Here are just a few favorites:

Aimee Nezukhumatahil, discussing World of Wonders with Margaret Renkl.
Destiny Birdsong discussing Negotiations with Jenna Wortham.
Alice Randall presenting Black Bottom Saints.
Kwame Alexander discussing Light for the World to See with Charlane Oliver.
Molly Secours discussing White Privilege Pop Quiz with LaTonya Turner.

Visit our Facebook Live page to watch any of this year’s events, and click here to see what’s coming up!

Then some more good news: In September, we introduced a new subscription box for middle-grade — also known as “independent readers,” roughly ages 8-12. Spark Book Club made its debut with Tune It Out, by Nashville writer Jamie Sumner! (Click here to read an excerpt.) Learn more about Spark Book Club and sign up here!

When we finally did re-open for limited browsing, we wanted to make sure everyone knew about the new procedures in place. So we made a little movie starring Ann Patchett, in the style of another decade ending in “20.”

Through it all, our customers have been amazing. Thank you!

And what would an end-of-year post be without a list? Here are the top 10 bestselling books of the year.

No. 10
Clean Getaway

By Nic Stone

No. 9
All Adults Here: A Novel

By Emma Straub

No. 8
Black Bottom Saints: A Novel

By Alice Randall

No. 7
Transcendent Kingdom: A novel

By Yaa Gyasi

No. 6
The Night Watchman

By Louise Erdrich

No. 5
American Dirt

By Jeanine Cummins

No. 4
The Dutch House: A Novel

By Ann Patchett

No. 3
His Truth Is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope

By Jon Meacham, John Lewis (Afterword)

No. 2
Untamed

By Glennon Doyle

No. 1
The Good Fight: Wanting to Leave, Choosing to Stay, and the Powerful Practice for Loving Faithfully

By Jana Kramer & Michael Caussin

See all 100 of our 2020 bestsellers here!

***

Parnassus Books is closed Dec. 31 and Jan. 1

Happy New Year!

Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing: 26 Nonfiction Books to Give for the Holidays

This is part of our 2020 Gift Guide — see previous entries for kids and YA, memoirs and gift books! Maybe it’s because it so often feels like truth is at a premium these days, but looking back over the year’s Staff Picks, it seems like we recommended more nonfiction than usual. Whatever the reason, we’ve rounded up the Best of 2020 along with some new favorites, for your gift-giving (or -keeping) pleasure.

New Books


Recommended by Steve
How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America: Essays

By Kiese Laymon

Listen, Kiese Laymon is one of our best writers, full stop. This revised edition features new essays, an updated introduction and, in addition to his powerful words, a message about reclaiming your own worth along the way.

Recommended by Becca
HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style

By Elizabeth Holmes

Even before The Crown Season 4 became the talk of Twitter, we all knew at least one person obsessed with the royals. New and old royal watchers alike will delight in Elizabeth Holmes’ “so many thoughts” — an examination of the messages and hidden histories behind the sartorial choices of the four most influential women of British royalty.

Recommended by Ben
The Ancient Way: Discoveries on the Path of Celtic Christianity

By River Jordan

In this jaunty fusion of travel writing and spiritual odyssey, River and an old friend take a pilgrimage to the Isle of Iona, encountering plenty of adventures, setbacks, and epiphanies along the way. Writing in her down-to-earth, quirky, self-deprecating style, she seeks the sublime alongside new friends and kind strangers, discovering the thin places where the mundane and divine brush, merge, become one and the same.

Read two short excerpts here on Musing!

Recommended by Becca
Time to Eat: Delicious Meals for Busy Lives: A Cookbook

By Nadiya Hussain

You may know her from the Great British Baking Show, but if you haven’t watched Season 6 champion Nadiya Hussain’s new Netflix series (of the same name as this book), you are missing out. Go watch, then try to resist buying this cookbook. It will be impossible, because Nadiya Hussain is the most charming person on Earth. Almost charming enough to make me want to make the “fish bake” with the SpaghettiOs.

Best of 2020



His Truth Is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope

By Jon Meacham, with an afterword by John Lewis

A moving biography of the late John Lewis, whose tireless work to better this country endures. Tracing Lewis’ life from the farm to the halls of Congress, Meacham delivers what might be his most stirring work yet. Includes an afterword by Lewis himself.

Signed copies —read an excerpt here on Musing!

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents

By Isabel Wilkerson

This was an incredibly timely book to arrive this year — a look at how racism in the United States resembles the caste system in India — and one that will reverberate for long after.

The Undocumented Americans

By Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

Sometimes the truth is not just stranger but also more fraught, piercing and raw than fiction. Karla Cornejo Villavicencio’s account of immigrants living in America — and working, often in backbreaking thankless jobs — makes space for the real stories of people who often go unseen and unappreciated.

Cursed Objects: Strange but True Stories of the World’s Most Infamous Items

By J. W. Ocker

A book full of cursed things, for a cursed year! Seriously, though, this one is fascinating, creepy, funny collection of tales.

Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America

By Candacy Taylor

This overview of the Green Book, published from 1936 to 1966, which Black travelers used to negotiate safe restaurants, lodging and other businesses, is thoroughly researched and thoughtfully presented.

Agent Sonya: Moscow’s Most Daring Wartime Spy

By Ben Macintyre

“Sonya” was the code name of Ursula Burton, a Soviet spy who in the course of a fascinating career was hunted by the Nazis, MI5, MI6 and the FBI — and eluded all of them. A riveting, page-turning work of narrative history.

World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments

By Aimee Nezhukumatathil & Fumi Nakamura

Combining personal narrative, beautiful writing about the natural world and its countless marvels, and equally beautiful illustrations, this makes a great gift. And if you loved Late Migrations, this is the perfect book for you.

Fight of the Century: Writers Reflect on 100 Years of Landmark ACLU Cases

By Michael Chabon (Editor) & Ayelet Waldman (Editor)

A collection of essays by some of the best writers working — including Marlon James, George Saunders, Geraldine Brooks, William Finnegan and Ann Patchett — each addressing a different landmark case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Read an excerpt here on Musing!

A Measure of Belonging: Twenty-One Writers of Color on the New American South

By Cinelle Barnes (Editor)

A staff favorite, this anthology features a diverse cast of writers, including Kiese Laymon, Osayi Endolyn and Nashville poet Tiana Clark, to name just three. AMOB grapples with the question of who belongs in the South by asserting — in many ways, through many lenses — we do.

Read an interview with editor Cinelle Barnes!

The Road from Raqqa: A Story of Brotherhood, Borders, and Belonging

By Jordan Ritter Conn

A story of brothers, an ancient city and the promise of America, The Road From Raqqa is a book about finding connection — to place, to people, and to purpose. We especially love it because Riyad Alkasem’s restaurant, Cafe Rakka, is just outside Nashville, but we’d recommend this read no matter what.

Read an excerpt here on Musing!

More nonfiction we loved:

Greetings From New Nashville by Steve Haruch — signed copies!
Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh
Ex Libris: 100+ Books to Read and Re-Read by Michiko Kakutani
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Stuff You Should Know by Josh Clark & Chuck Bryant
Love is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubled Times by Bishop Michael Curry
Dying of Whiteness by Jonathan Metzl
Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong
The Quiet Americans: Four CIA Spies at the Dawn of the Cold War—a Tragedy in Three Acts by Scott Anderson
In Bibi’s Kitchen by Hawa Hassan
The Best of Me by David Sedaris
Having and Being Had by Eula Biss

Speaking of stuff you should know. … Looking to get a gift shipment off in time for the holidays? As Ann said the other day, the supply chain is strained, everything is unpredictable, and there are delays in every direction. It’s an unpredictable end to an unpredictable year! That said, in order to have a chance, we’ll need your order right away and you’ll need to select Priority Mail as your shipping method.

There’s Gold in These Here Holiday Picks: 49 Great Reads for the Young and Young at Heart

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This has been a different kind of year, but some of the change has been good — like our new middle-grade subscription box, Spark Book Club! Scroll down for more information about this month’s selection. Along the way, we continue with our 2020 gift guide — see also gift books and memoirs — full of bookseller-recommended picture books, graphic novels, tales for independent readers, and young adult novels galore. Check ’em out and get your orders in ASAP!

PICTURE BOOKS


New Books


Recommended by Rae Ann
Counting Creatures

By Julia Donaldson & Sharon King-Chai

This beautiful lift-the-flap counting book takes readers on a journey of discovery. Rhyming text paired with the animal’s scientific names make this a fun read-aloud.


Recommended by Kay

Frog and Toad Are Friends 50th Anniversary Commemorative Edition

By Arnold Lobel

This anniversary edition of the beloved classic is a great gift for anyone wanting to share a heartwarming classic with a young reader — or a great friend!


Recommended by Everyone

Escape Goat

By Ann Patchett & Robin Preiss Glasser

Ann Patchett’s new picture book with illustrator Robin Preiss Glasser takes us back to the farm — this time for an irrepressible goat an a lesson in taking responsibility for our actions.

Signed copies!


Holiday & Best of 2020



Mistletoe: A Christmas Story

By Tad Hills

A wonderful story of friendship between a mouse named Mistletoe, who loves everything about Christmas, and her elephant pal Norwell, who’s afraid of the cold. A sweet story that’s pitch-perfect for the season.



Christmas Parade

By Sandra Boynton

Chickens with bassoons, ducks with trombones, mice with piccolos — oh my! This uproariously fun board book from Parnassus favorite Sandra Boynton is sure to delight and makes a perfect stocking stuffer.



A Tuba Christmas

By Helen L. Wilbur & Mary Reaves Uhles

Speaking of music, this is the charming story of a girl named Ava who, when given her choice of instrument, goes with the tuba. With a little encouragement, she finds joy in the challenge. A great seasonal story!

Signed copies!



Jack and Santa (A Jack Book #7)

By Mac Barnett & Greg Pizzoli

From Parnassus favorites Mac Barnett and Greg Pizzoli comes the seventh installment in the Jack series. This time, Jack has to prove to Santa that he’s not so bad after all. Sound like someone on your list?



Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

By Robert Frost & Susan Jeffers

This beautifully illustrated edition of Robert Frost’s indelible poem is a timeless favorite, and makes a great gift for the holidays.



If You Come to Earth

By Sophie Blackall

What a great way to celebrate all we have and share on this planet of ours! Great for reading to curious future travelers!



The Barnabus Project

By Terry Fan, Eric Fan, Devin Fan

Barnabus lives with the other “failed projects” below a store full of “perfect pets.” He longs to be free, and he’ll need his friends if they’re ever to escape. Another wonderful picture book from the Fan brothers!



I Am Every Good Thing

By Derrick Barnes & Gordon C. James

A book bursting with Black boy joy from the author of King of Kindergarten and the writer-illustrator team of Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut. An uplifting, empowering read!


More picture books we loved this year:

Maud and Grand-Maud by Sara O’Leary & Kenard Pak
A Wish Is a Seed by Jessica Young & Maria Cristina Pritelli
Madeline Finn and the Therapy Dog by Lisa Papp
This Way, Charlie, by Caron Levis & Charles Santoso







INDEPENDENT READERS


New Books


Recommended by Ann
Kate DiCamillo: Six Classic Novels

By Kate DiCamillo

No kidding, all six of these books are classics. Buy them for children of any age. Buy them for yourself. Open your heart to wonder. I love these books so much.

Read Ann’s essay about Kate DiCamillo here!


Recommended by Rae Ann

50 Adventures in the 50 States

By Kate Siber & Lydia HIll

This book highlights an amazing adventure in every state, including Tennessee’s fabulous firefly light show!


Recommended by Chelsea

Curious Lists for Kids – Human Body

By Rachel Delahaye & Isabel Munoz

Perfect for a kid who loves facts, lists, and/or science! This cool illustrated book is full of neat info about the human body.


Recommended by Patsy

Modern Art Explorer: Discover the Stories Behind Famous Artworks

By Alice Harman & Serge Bloch

A great book to inspire young imaginations while we’re not traveling. This one offers a visit to the Pompidou Center’s collection in Paris


Best of 2020



No Ordinary Thing

By G. Z. Schmidt

In our Spark Book Club selection for March, a stranger shows up at the bakery where Adam works and shows him a mysterious snow globe. Soon a time-travel adventure full of magic and mystery is under way.

Curious? Read an excerpt here on Musing!



Snapdragon

By Kat Leyh

A town witch, a litter of orphaned possums, and bit of magic shape this story of Snap, a girl who, as bookseller Kay put it in her Staff Pick, learns a lot about “the power of being a strange kid in a sometimes scary world.”



The Magic Fish

By Trung Le Nguyen

This is a wonderfully illustrated graphic novel about a boy named Tiến who reads books from the library with his parents, who are learning English. He uses fairy tales as a way to connect with them, making for a beautiful and heartfelt story about communicating across differences.



The Silver Arrow

By Lev Grossman

Kate asks for a train for her 11th birthday and gets one. Turns out it’s a magic train that zips her and her brother on adventures all over the world! Ann called this book “incredible,” after hearing author Lev Grossman read the first chapter at a virtual event. All aboard!



On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness (The Wingfeather Saga #1)

By Andrew Peterson

The first of the Wingfeather saga (see below for more), On the Edge of the Sea of Darkness is a rollicking adventure about family and sticking together through hard times.



Baloney and Friends (Baloney & Friends #1)

By Greg Pizzoli & Greg Pizzoli

We love the first installment in this new series of graphic novels for new independent readers. As always, Greg Pizzoli’s illustrations are fun and energetic, and his tale of Baloney and his buddies is a delight.




More books for independent readers we loved this year:

North! Or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson
The Monster in the Hollows by Andrew Peterson
The Warden and the Wolf King by Andrew Peterson
The Story Seeker by Kristin O’Donnell Tubb
The Next President by Kate Messner & Adam Rex
From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake








YOUNG ADULT


New Books


Recommended by Kay

The Lunar Chronicles Boxed Set: Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, Fairest, Stars Above, Winter

By Marissa Meyer

One of my all-time favorite YA series, repackaged with a new set of gorgeous matching illustrated covers. Perfect for YA readers of all ages looking a sci-fi fairy-tale escape.


Recommended by Becca

Here the Whole Time

By Vitor Martins & Larissa Helena (Translated by)

When Felipe’s cute neighbor Caio is forced to spend two weeks sleeping over while his parents are on vacation, Felipe is prepared to spend the entire time hiding in his room. He’s not prepared for the possibility that Caio might be just as interested in him. Pop culture references abound in this beautiful story about true love hiding right behind the walls that you’ve set up to protect yourself.


Best of 2020



Burn Our Bodies Down

By Rory Power

Our ParnassusNext selection for July, Rory Wilder’s eerie, captivating follow-up to Wilder Girls follows Margot as she returns to the town her mother left behind — maybe for good reason.



We Are Not Free

By Traci Chee

A group of Nisei — second-generation Japanese American citizens — find their world turned upside down during World War II as the U.S. government forces them into internment camps. Author Traci Chee based her fantastic historical novel on a part of her own family’s story. A ParnassusNext selection and National Book Award finalist!

Signed copies!



The Enigma Game

By Elizabeth Wein

It’s true: We consider the books we choose for our ParnassusNext subscription box to be some of the best, so it’s no surprise to find The Enigma Game on this year-end list as well. A terrific thriller set against the backdrop of World War II Europe, as three unlikely collaborators work to break a code that can change the tide of history.



Grown

By Tiffany D. Jackson

A teenage singer named Enchanted Jones gets caught up in a predatory relationship with a much older celebrity named Jackson, and the result is an insightful, difficult, compassionate story about love and power.



I Killed Zoe Spanos

By Kit Frick

Anna becomes obsessed with her connection to a missing girl named Zoe, who she learns bears a strong physical resemblance. When Zoe turns up dead, Anna — who is new to town — confesses to killing her. Bookseller Chelsea calls this a “mind-bending mystery” that kept her “guessing at every turn.”


More YA books we loved this year:

The Way Back by Gavriel Savit
Fable by Adrienne Young
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
Elatsoe by Darcy Little Badger & Ravina Cai
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu — read an interview here!
The Light in Hidden Places by Sharon Cameron








Spark Book Club: December Selection
Girl Giant and the Monkey King

By Van Hoang

The Spark Book Club selection for December is Girl Giant and the Monkey King by Van Hoang.

Thom Ngho is strong. Super strong. She’s not sure why or how, but she knows she must cover it up during soccer games and at home with her mom. When the Monkey King appears to her and offers her a deal, help him with a task and he’ll take away her super strength, she agrees. When she trusts the trickster, she’s in for a wild adventure through a mythological kingdom full of dragons and jade princesses.

Early Sparks for the novel:

“A fantastic tale of adventure, humor, and mischief.” —Kirkus (starred review)

“This entertaining blend of the mundane and fantastical is packed with emotion and sure to strike a chord with readers.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Spark Book Club is the first editions club for middle grade readers. Every month members will receive a first edition middle grade novel — plus a letter written by the author especially for club members. Makes a great gift for the independent reader! Sign ups are available for 3, 6, or 12 months.






ParnassusNext December Selection

These Violent Delights

By Chloe Gong

The December ParnassusNext selection is These Violent Delights by debut author Chloe Gong. This Romeo and Juliet-inspired fantasy set in 1920’s Shanghai follows Juliette Cai and Roma Montagov as they investigate a deadly madness that’s sweeping the city. As heirs to rival criminal organizations, Juliette and Roma’s loyalties will be tested as the death toll rises and dark secrets come to light.

Early buzz for the novel:

“A must-read with a conclusion that will leave readers craving more.” —Kirkus (starred review)

“Gong’s debut is not to be missed. With a dazzling setting, a mysterious series of murders, and diverse, unapologetically criminal characters, this novel ranks with the greatest YA retellings.” —School Library Journal (starred review)

“A deliciously dark twist on Romeo and Juliet that feels vibrant, modern, and wholly exciting. Gong’s writing brims with energy. I was swept away to her dark Shanghai from the first page and never wanted to leave!” —Natasha Ngan, New York Times bestselling author of Girls of Paper and Fire

ParnassusNext is the book subscription box for YA lovers. Every member of ParnassusNext receives a first edition hardcover of each month’s selected book, signed by the author. There is no membership fee to join — and no line to stand in for the autograph. Not only will you have one of the best YA books of the month when it comes out, you’ll have it straight from the author’s hands, with an original, authentic signature! Set up a subscription for yourself or buy a gift membership for your favorite YA reader for 3, 6, or 12 months.

Our bookstore elves are working as hard as they can, but shipping and supply chain delays mean it’s more important than ever to get your order in as soon as possible!

Thanks for the Memoirs: 2020 Gift Guide No. 2

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This is part of our 2020 gift guide. Check out our previous entry on great gift books, and flip through our virtual holiday guide as well. Maybe it’s just something about this year — with all of the distancing and isolation — that had us craving more than ever that connection to another person’s story. Whatever the case may be, it seems like more memoirs than usual landed on our Staff Picks this year. Here’s the best of them, ready for gifting (or keeping) as you see fit!

A Promised Land

By Barack Obama

The biggest book of the year sold a gazillion copies in its first week, is literally quite big (768 pages!) and arguably the gift book of the season as well. Thanks, Obama.



The Dragons, the Giant, the Women: A Memoir

By Wayétu Moore

Our First Editions Club pick for June, Wayétu Moore’s beautiful memoir details her family’s remarkable tale of survival — from fleeing their home in Liberia, through a journey that takes Moore to Texas and back again. A memoir with the force and pacing of a novel.



Memorial Drive: A Daughter’s Memoir

By Natasha Trethewey

Natasha Tretheway’s masterful, heartrending book is, among other things, a love letter to her mother, who was killed by her stepfather when Tretheway was a teenager. “I’ve not read an American memoir where more happens in the assemblage of language than Memorial Drive,” Kiese Laymon wrote in his review for The New York Times. “Trethewey’s subtext has subtext.”



Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger: A Memoir

By Lisa Donovan

Before upping everyone’s pie crust game this Thanksgiving with her fun Instagram tutorials, James Beard Award winner Lisa Donovan delivered a must-read for anyone who cares about food — and, importantly, whose perspectives are often overlooked when it comes to telling the stories of how we cook.



Riding with the Ghost: A Memoir

By Justin Taylor

Justin Taylor’s chronicle of trying to reconcile with his father, who suffered from depression, captivated readers with its unflinching exploration of loss and human connection. Sissy loved it. And despite its sometimes heavy subject matter, Lauren Groff called it “a full-throated song of joy.” Maybe the kind you need after this difficult year.



Here for It: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America

By R. Eric Thomas

Like its author, R. Eric Thomas’ Here for It was a huge hit with Parnassus booksellers (who nearly came to blows calling dibs for a Staff Pick). We love the humor, the honesty, the humanity of his columns — and all those qualities are well-represented here in this delightful memoir about growing up in Baltimore and grappling with that stubborn question: “Who am I?”



This Is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Medical Resident

By Adam Kay

What’s funny about becoming a doctor? Almost everything! At least in this book. As Ann said earlier this pandemic: “If you’re tired of everything that’s going on and you just want to laugh and double over forward, this is the book you need.” Stat.



In the Dream House: A Memoir

By Carmen Maria Machado

Carmen Maria Machado’s kaleidoscopic memoir about surviving an abusive relationship is also an exploration of genre, memory, trauma, and the power — and responsibility — of archives. Just released in paperback.



My Autobiography of Carson McCullers: A Memoir

By Jenn Shapland

As its title implies, Jenn Shapland’s witty exploration of writer Carson McCullers’ life is also an exploration of her own. Mixing memoir with biography, this is a smart read that’s like watching someone put together a puzzle — or maybe two.



Notes on a Silencing: A Memoir

By Lacy Crawford

If you loved Educated, don’t miss Notes on a Silencing. Just about every list of the year’s most important books includes Lacy Crawford’s brave, necessary chronicling of sexual assault and its aftermath. As Sissy said in her Staff Pick: “Many women will see themselves in young Lacy.”



Becoming Duchess Goldblatt

By Anonymous

The true story of an imaginary person! If you think Twitter is all disinformation and game theory threads, Becoming Duchess Goldblatt will restore your faith in social media (possibly) while delighting you with Her Grace’s signature wit and wisdom (definitely). Not sure what to make of a anonymously written memoir of an online persona? Read an excerpt here!





More memoirs we loved in 2020:

The Magical Language of Others by E.J. Koh

Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong

Recollections of My Nonexistence by Rebecca Solnit

Spirit Run by Noé Álvarez

There I Am by Ruthie Lindsey

Dirt by Bill Buford

The Chiffon Trenches by Andre Leon Talley

Stray by Stephanie Danler

The Lady’s Handbook for Her Mysterious Illness by Sarah Ramey

Eat a Peach by David Chang

In Faulkner’s Shadow by Lawrence Wells

Shipping Deadlines*

Media Mail: Tuesday, Dec. 15

Priority Mail: Thursday, Dec. 17

*Please keep in mind that shipping times have been a little unpredictable this year, so earlier is better!

Showing Up to Learn and Grow: Nashville Adult Literacy Council Pivots in the Pandemic

[image error]Reading with family — the kind of moment made possible by the work of the Nashville Adult Literacy Council!

Normally right now we’d be preparing for our busiest day of the year, the day after Thanksgiving. And we’d be getting ready for Small Business Saturday, when we ask our community to shop local and, in return, give a portion of the day’s receipts to a Nashville nonprofit. Of course, it’s not a normal year.

We can’t have crowds inside the bookstore in the middle of a pandemic. So instead, all through the holiday weekend, we’ll be adding to our tally for an organization we really believe in: Nashville Adult Literacy Council (NALC). As you’ll see, they had to think fast and learn a whole new way of helping Nashvillians, and we’re so glad to hear that not only are they continuing their important work, but expanding it, too. Here’s a Q&A with CEO Kim Karesh.

Parnassus Musing: Can you give the real quick overview of what you all do?

Kim Karesh: Our mission is really simple. We teach reading, writing and English speaking skills to adults in Nashville. And we do that so that they can have a better life, whatever that means for them, so sometimes that means getting a degree or enrolling in the next kind of schooling, but sometimes it means being able to read a book to a grandchild, or to get a driver license so they can take a better job. So we really try to meet people where they are in whatever goals they might have.

In normal times, what would your operation look like?

Normally, we would enroll a student and then we had hundreds of volunteers who would sign up to help. And we would assign that student to one volunteer, and then they could meet together face-to-face for lessons. We also had some classes where students would come and participate in a classroom setting and receive instruction from a teacher. Obviously, all of that had to change. We’re working with a population that is most likely to contract the virus, because they have front line jobs, and almost half our volunteers are over the age of 60, which are at the highest risk for negative outcomes from the virus. So mixing those populations would have been completely irresponsible. We made the decision very quickly that we needed to close down our operations.

[image error]A scene from the annual Learner and Tutor Banquet, which the NALC had to cancel this year due to the pandemic.

How did you manage that shift, and what does that look like?

Yeah, so we did a couple of things. There was the emergency response where we got surveys out to our students to say, “How are you doing? What do you need?” And we tried to help them with referrals to get to the right place for things like food and unemployment and financial aid if they needed that for rent and utilities. So really went into some front line service initially. And then once we got over that first wave of the crisis, then we started saying, “How can we transform our services?” Because the number one thing that we were hearing from students was that they wanted to continue their English lessons. And so we started researching and implementing new online curricula. We’ve been adding new online classes with instructors, and we’ve been reformatting all of our registration so that we can do those things online now.

That’s really cool. Have there been barriers for getting people online and have you been able to address those?

Yes, and no. Sometimes in different orders. So we proceeded …. we tried to take things on, we just weren’t sure how it was going to go. We really weren’t sure if it would work or not. So when we had our first online enrollment, it was hard, because you’re communicating with people who don’t speak English very well, and are learning a new digital thing. But this beautiful thing happened, too, where there would be kids in the room, and they’d be showing their parents which buttons to push. And one group of women that had been together for somebody’s birthday, and there was one teenager and five women enrolling in English class at the same time, and this child was going around and helping each person enroll. It was chaotic and just so amazing, the adaptability and the resilience — which shouldn’t surprise us. A number of our students are joining by their smartphone.

There’s still a digital divide. We know that we are missing some students because they’re not comfortable with the technology, but the exciting thing is that we’re learning how to deliver online services and so there are some people who could not have attended in person, who are now able to attend online. And I think it’s going to transform the way we deliver services in the future.

[image error]NALC’s Kim Karesh

If there’s a silver lining there it is, right?

That’s exactly the sentence I was going to say. You have to look for the positive opportunities in tragedy. And that is one of the positive things that we’re taking out of this: just how much we’re learning. Our students do that all the time, right? That is the inspiration for us, is that we are working with a group of people where life gets more difficult and they have to decide whether they are going to learn more and grow, or give up and quit. And they always show up to learn more and grow. So all we have to do is follow that model and apply it to ourselves — to say it’s our turn to learn.

Is there a particular story that stands out to you in the midst of this change to digital learning?

Yeah, one of my teachers relayed a story the other day, of a gentleman that has been in the correctional system and hadn’t been able to communicate with his children for a variety of reasons. He’s going to be meeting his grandchildren for the very first time, and he’s taking reading lessons so he can read them a book. And that was really touching. Those stories are still happening, right? We aren’t getting to see them as up close and in-person as we once were, but they’re still happening. And that’s really beautiful to think about.

***

NALC is not in need of new tutors at this time, but if you’d like to support them directly, you can click here to make a donation.

This Thanksgiving we are thankful for readers, writers, book lovers of all kinds, neighbors looking out for neighbors, and finding new ways to connect. Stay safe, everyone!

Holiday Hours*

Wednesday, Nov. 25 — closing early! 10am–4pm

Thursday, Nov. 26 — Closed for Thanksgiving

Friday, Nov. 27 — 10am–6pm

Saturday, Nov. 28 – 10am–6pm

Sunday, Nov. 29 – 12 noon–6pm

*The store is currently open for limited browsing, with safety precautions in place. Curbside pickup is still available, and we ship anywhere!

Yours for the Giving: 2020 Gift Guide No. 1

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Things sure are different this holiday season, but when it comes to bookish gift ideas, we’ve still got you covered!

This year, in addition to posts like these here on Musing, we’ve put together a special catalog-style virtual gift guide — with tons of great suggestions — that you can shop online. For those in the Nashville area, a quick reminder that we are open for limited browsing, while also still offering curbside pickup if you’d prefer. And as always, we ship! Speaking of shipping, look for those holiday-sensitive deadlines below.

And now, books!

Recommended by Ann
What It’s Like to Be a Bird: From Flying to Nesting, Eating to Singing–What Birds Are Doing, and Why

By David Allen Sibley

Gather ’round the window and watch the birds! This is a beautiful book that’s also educational and fun for all.


Recommended by Karen

Lane Motor Museum: A Hobby Gone Wild

By Ken Gross

I love collecting and I love quirky. Boy, the cars featured in this book are absolutely the quirkiest, most delightful collection I’ve ever seen. And they are in town! Why have I never been there?


Recommended by Cat

Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation

By Jon Meacham & Tim McGraw

Perfect for the history and music lover, and we’ve got signed copies of this beautiful book!


Recommended by Rae Ann

Dog Mom: A Love Story

By Isabel Serna

This is the perfect gift for all the dog moms in your life! A cute little coffee table book.


Recommended by Heather

National Geographic Family Reference Atlas

By National Geographic

Even if we can’t travel, we can dream! Search out new destinations in this extraordinary family friendly atlas. Good for everyone itching to learn about their world!


Recommended by Cat

Humans

By Brandon Stanton

Stanton is the creator of the outstanding Humans of New York Instagram and this coffee table-sized book collects some fan favorites and new people from around the world. This is the perfect gift for people who can’t get enough of reading other people’s stories and treasuring human connection.


Recommended by Kathy

Greetings from New Nashville: How a Sleepy Southern Town Became It City

By Steve Haruch

This is my No. 1 gift book for anyone interested in how we got to be where we are as a city today. Treat yourself to one too!


Recommended by Sissy

The Best of Me

By David Sedaris

I promise you, if your loved one is insane over Sedaris, they will need this hard-bound collection of greatest hits. Do I have all his books, personalized? Yes, I do. Did I pre-order this months ago? Yes, I did.


Recommended by Cat

Spirited: Cocktails from Around the World

By Adrienne Stillman & Andy Sewell (photographer)

The perfect housewarming gift, this is a collection or recipes for cocktails from around the globe with a variety of ingredients!


Recommended by Patsy

Modern Comfort Food: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

By Ina Garten

The Barefoot Contessa here offers recipes that are just right for today’s world: satisfying, manageable for beginning cooks, and varied. This is the gift for anyone who needs some inspiration after preparing many home-cooked meals thus far in 2020!


Recommended by Cat

The French Laundry, Per Se (The Thomas Keller Library)

By Thomas Keller

It’s hard to think of a restaurant that matches The French Laundry in terms of iconic status — making this big, artful cookbook a necessary addition to any fan’s collection.


Recommended by Chelsea

Lives of the Stoics: The Art of Living from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius

By Ryan Holiday & Stephen Hanselman

A collection of mini-biographies about famous (and not-as-famous) Stoics from throughout history. Perfect for someone who has read all the latest biographies already.


Recommended by Steve

Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics

By Dolly Parton

Someone recently quipped (and I’m paraphrasing here) that they’re envisioning a new system in which taxes go directly to Dolly Parton and she just takes care of the rest. Put another way: You can’t go wrong with Dolly.

Shipping Deadlines*

Media Mail: Tuesday, Dec. 15

Priority Mail: Thursday, Dec. 17

*Please keep in mind that shipping times have been a little unpredictable this year, so earlier is better!

2020 Gift Guide No 1

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Things sure are different this holiday season, but when it comes to bookish gift ideas, we’ve still got you covered!

This year, in addition to posts like these here on Musing, we’ve put together a special catalog-style virtual gift guide — with tons of great suggestions — that you can shop online. For those in the Nashville area, a quick reminder that we are open for limited browsing, while also still offering curbside pickup if you’d prefer. And as always, we ship! Speaking of shipping, look for those holiday-sensitive deadlines below.

And now, books!

Recommended by Ann
What It’s Like to Be a Bird: From Flying to Nesting, Eating to Singing–What Birds Are Doing, and Why

By David Allen Sibley

Gather ’round the window and watch the birds! This is a beautiful book that’s also educational and fun for all.


Recommended by Karen

Lane Motor Museum: A Hobby Gone Wild

By Ken Gross

I love collecting and I love quirky. Boy, the cars featured in this book are absolutely the quirkiest, most delightful collection I’ve ever seen. And they are in town! Why have I never been there?


Recommended by Cat

Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation

By Jon Meacham & Tim McGraw

Perfect for the history and music lover, and we’ve got signed copies of this beautiful book!


Recommended by Rae Ann

Dog Mom: A Love Story

By Isabel Serna

This is the perfect gift for all the dog moms in your life! A cute little coffee table book.


Recommended by Heather

National Geographic Family Reference Atlas

By National Geographic

Even if we can’t travel, we can dream! Search out new destinations in this extraordinary family friendly atlas. Good for everyone itching to learn about their world!


Recommended by Cat

Humans

By Brandon Stanton

Stanton is the creator of the outstanding Humans of New York Instagram and this coffee table-sized book collects some fan favorites and new people from around the world. This is the perfect gift for people who can’t get enough of reading other people’s stories and treasuring human connection.


Recommended by Kathy

Greetings from New Nashville: How a Sleepy Southern Town Became It City

By Steve Haruch

This is my No. 1 gift book for anyone interested in how we got to be where we are as a city today. Treat yourself to one too!


Recommended by Sissy

The Best of Me

By David Sedaris

I promise you, if your loved one is insane over Sedaris, they will need this hard-bound collection of greatest hits. Do I have all his books, personalized? Yes, I do. Did I pre-order this months ago? Yes, I did.


Recommended by Cat

Spirited: Cocktails from Around the World

By Adrienne Stillman & Andy Sewell (photographer)

The perfect housewarming gift, this is a collection or recipes for cocktails from around the globe with a variety of ingredients!


Recommended by Patsy

Modern Comfort Food: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

By Ina Garten

The Barefoot Contessa here offers recipes that are just right for today’s world: satisfying, manageable for beginning cooks, and varied. This is the gift for anyone who needs some inspiration after preparing many home-cooked meals thus far in 2020!


Recommended by Cat

The French Laundry, Per Se (The Thomas Keller Library)

By Thomas Keller

It’s hard to think of a restaurant that matches The French Laundry in terms of iconic status — making this big, artful cookbook a necessary addition to any fan’s collection.


Recommended by Chelsea

Lives of the Stoics: The Art of Living from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius

By Ryan Holiday & Stephen Hanselman

A collection of mini-biographies about famous (and not-as-famous) Stoics from throughout history. Perfect for someone who has read all the latest biographies already.


Recommended by Steve

Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics

By Dolly Parton

Someone recently quipped (and I’m paraphrasing here) that they’re envisioning a new system in which taxes go directly to Dolly Parton and she just takes care of the rest. Put another way: You can’t go wrong with Dolly.

Shipping Deadlines*

Media Mail: Tuesday, Dec. 15

Priority Mail: Thursday, Dec. 17

*Please keep in mind that shipping times have been a little unpredictable this year, so earlier is better!