Ann Patchett's Blog, page 4

Long Winter’s Night: 23 Reads for the Young & Young at Heart

It’s time for staff picks to go into hibernation for the winter. Hunker down with one of these great reads until our recommendations pick back up in 2025! In the meantime, don’t forget to check out our bookseller-curated holiday catalog. It features all of our most favorite books of the year! Until next year, friends. Happy reading!

PICTURE BOOKSRecommended by Chelsea Knight Owl and Early Bird

By Christopher Denise

Early Bird wants to be just like Knight Owl, but Early Bird loves staying up all day and sleeping all night, the complete opposite of Knight Owl! How will these two keep the castle safe? Will they become friends? Endearing and heartwarming, this sequel to my favorite Knight Owl is perfect for all readers, regardless of their bedtime!

Recommended by Rachel Huck and Loona

By Emily Kilgore, Florence Weiser (Illustrator)

Huck and Loona are a pair of unlikely friends whose interests don’t always align, but they learn how to compromise and forge an even deeper bond! The cutest duo of the year!

Recommended by Chelsea I Quit

By Kristen Tracy, Federico Fabiani (Illustrator)

A new house cat decides to quit after being told to follow the rules (which is a feeling many readers can relate to). Will they be able to leave their favorite things behind and make it in the great outdoors? This book has perfectly captured the sweet-and-sour nature of cats, and I laughed out loud at the bold illustrations.

Recommended by Rae Ann Wake Up, Moon!

By Lita Judge

This is a delightful picture book about a moonlight romp through the snow.

Recommended by Aly Umami

By Jacob Grant

Umami is tired of fish. Being a penguin, that is all there is to eat! So, Umami sets out on an adventure to travel far and wide to discover some new foods and new flavors to bring back to his friends. How will they feel about trying something new?

Recommended by Madeline The Prince of Yorsha Doon

By Andrew Peterson, Kristina Kister (Illustrator)

In this majestically illustrated picture book comes the infamous tale of Yorsha Doon, referenced in Andrew Peterson’s Wingfeather Saga. This is perfect for little ones struggling to make friends by showing the strength of working together and the power of what kindness can do. Also great for those who love search and find books!

Recommended by Rachel The Bakery Dragon

By Devin Elle Kurtz

This little dragon isn’t great at stealing gold. He’s a bit too small and a bit too cute! Luckily, he stumbles upon a new sort of gold in the village: golden, buttery bread! With a new job and his new chef friend, he recruits all the dragons to the bread-loving life!

Recommended by Sarah Drawn Onward

By Daniel Nayeri, Matt Rockefeller (Illustrator)

This is, perhaps, the most gorgeous and moving picture book I have ever encountered. It’s not an exaggeration when I say tears were shed by multiple Parnassus booksellers upon first reading. If you know a young person — or honestly anyone, regardless of age — experiencing loss, this is the book for them.

Recommended by Chelsea A Cozy Winter Day

By Eliza Wheeler

This beautiful picture book is just like a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter day: warming, sweet, and soothing. Eliza Wheeler illustrates some of my very favorite picture books, and this is the perfect read for the upcoming chilly season.

INDEPENDENT READERSRecommended by Aly Slouch

By Christina Wyman

Stevie is in the 7th grade and nearly 6 feet tall. Why is that such a big deal to everyone? To her parents’ friends, to the creepy men on the subway, and even to her best friend. When she decides to join the school debate club, she thinks she might have found the perfect fit. But is it? Time for Stevie to find her voice.

Recommended by Cheryl The Bletchley Riddle

By Ruta Sepetys, Steve Sheinkin

What a team: Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin! By using the real history of Bletchley Park and its value to the winning of the war against the Nazis, the authors give exciting intrigue and smarts to the characters.

Recommended by Hannah P. Bog Myrtle

By Sid Sharp

A charming, humorous, twisty tale with something to appreciate for every age. You’ll laugh out loud, you’ll awe over the brilliant illustrations, and yes, you’ll even learn important lessons on sustainability and labor rights. #solidarityforspiders

Recommended by Rae Ann Rolling On

By Jamie Sumner

Ellie wants to freeze time while her friends can’t wait for high school. She has a crush on her BFF Bert and she’s not the only one. What will happen if she actually tells him? This final book in the Roll with It series is the perfect 8th grade chapter for Ellie and her friends.

Recommended by Aly Bye Forever, I Guess

By Jodi Meadows

Ingrid has a secret. While most people know her as the quiet kid in class who plays video games and helps her mom with her knitting business, she secretly runs an incredibly popular blog that everyone reads! Things get complicated when a new friend and a new crush(?) enter the picture.

YOUNG ADULTRecommended by Ashby Where the Library Hides

By Isabel Ibañez

Couldn’t put this sequel down! What the River Knows was my favorite book of last year. The whole year! Full of twists and turns. No one is who you think or who Inez, the main character, thinks. This book kept me on the edge of my seat, turning pages until it was the middle of the night and the end of the book. Love. Betrayal. Treasure. Adventure.

Recommended by Rachel Don’t Let the Forest In

By CG Drews

You can absolutely judge this book by the cover. Twisted. Beautiful. Ethereal. Ominous. Bewitching.

Recommended by Hannah P. Sunderworld, Vol. I: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry

By Ransom Riggs

Ransom Riggs is BACK and his new book is as vibrant, strange, and nostalgic as ever. When Larry sees strange happenings on the streets of LA, he’s not sure what to think. Because these chilling moments are all straight from Sunder Hill—the world of a forgotten 90s fantasy show, and one of his last connections to his dead mother. When a door to Sunder seems to open, Larry and his best friend know what they have to do.

Recommended by Katie Twenty-Four Seconds from Now . . .: A LOVE Story

By Jason Reynolds

Neon and Aria are relationship goals and if every young person could have a first time like these two they would be so so lucky. In the spirit of Judy Blume’s Forever, Twenty-Four Seconds From Now… follows two young people in the seconds, minutes, days, weeks and months before they make the decision to have sex. A funny, loving, wonderful book that takes great care with its leads. I want so many people to read this book.

Recommended by Raegyn Inferno’s Heir

By Tiffany Wang

Enemies-to-lovers? Check. Found family? Check. Heists and morally gray characters? Check. Check. Check. What more do you need to know? Inferno’s Heir is the Six of Crows and Avatar: The Last Air Bender mashup I didn’t think I needed. Teia will do anything to survive her brother King Jura’s reign, even if that means joining the rebellion. But what if the rebels are right, and it’s time for the monarchy to fall?

CLASSICS & BACKLISTRecommended by Ellis, age 6 The Complete Brambly Hedge

By Jill Barklem

I really love this book. The pictures are so cozy and beautiful and I love how the characters solve their problems. I wish I lived in Brambly Hedge

Sprout Book Club: November Selection The Helping Sweater

By Rachel Más Davidson

The November 2024 Sprout Book Club selection is The Helping Sweater by Rachel Más Davidson. It’s finally sweater weather and Maya is excited to wear her favorite sweater to school. When her cat pulls a thread loose, it begins to unravel. Throughout her day, Maya uses the sweater to help people she encounters in this uplifting picture book.

Early praise for the book:

“A positive and uplifting book with a generous circular ending that young readers will love.”—School Library Journal

Sprout Book Club is the book subscription box for picture book lovers. Every month members will receive a first edition picture book.  Set up a subscription for yourself or buy a gift membership for your favorite picture book lover for 3, 6, or 12 months. 

Spark Book Club: November Selection Pied

By Avione Lee

The November 2024 Spark Book Club selection is Pied by Avione Lee. Rim Wickford is a rule follower, until one day when he plays a musical pipe causing his entire school to fall asleep. The secret his family kept from him is revealed – he’s a Piper, a person who can turn melody into magic! He’s also a Pied Piper, the most feared Pipers in the land, a secret he must keep for his own safety.

Early Sparks for the novel:

“Readers motivated by worldbuilding will savor the details.” – Kirkus

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: November Selection A Queen’s Game

By Katharine McGee

The November 2024 ParnassusNext selection is A Queen’s Game by Katharine McGee. It’s 1889 and the world is on the brink of change. Three princesses are vying to be the next Queen of England. From ballrooms to stables, there’s plenty of intrigue, romance, and drama in this story about three real-life princesses.

Early praise for the novel:

“May entice fans of royal dramas.” – Kirkus

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.

Last Call: 27 Reads for November

Here it is, part one of our last roundup of staff picks for 2024! Our booksellers have recommended over 350 books for adults this year — how wild is that?! We hope that among the hundreds of great books picked by our staff, you’ve found a handful of reads that have generated curiosity, comforted you in times of need, transported you to places you’ve never been, and inspired meaningful conversations. Of course, 350 books is quite a bit to sift through. If you’re looking for a collection of the best of the best, the books our staff loved the most this year, check out our holiday catalog. Treat yo’ shelf, and give the gift of books this holiday season!

FICTIONRecommended by the whole Parnassus staff! Bel Canto Annotated Edition: A Novel

By Ann Patchett

Ann takes a critical look at one of her best-known works and highlights everything she loves — and everything she doesn’t love — about it, all in her own handwriting. Perfect for every writer wanting to perfect their craft and every reader who wants to take a look behind the curtain of Ann’s writing process.

Recommended by Paige Like Mother, Like Mother: A Novel

By Susan Rieger

You may not always agree with the choices made by the women in this novel, but you’ll be fascinated with the complex characters and family dynamics. Rieger writes unapologetic, strong-willed females with humor and tenderness. A fresh take on a multi-generational family narrative, and an exploration of how the stories we choose to tell ourselves and others can impact us from one generation to the next.

Recommended by Rachel The Wood at Midwinter

By Susanna Clarke

Like a magical picture book for adults, with hidden meaning in the snowy woods. I particularly loved the author’s note in the end, which was more like an essay on the connections between old and new stories.

Recommended by Jennifer Januaries: Stories of Love, Magic & Betrayal

By Olivie Blake

This collection of short stories are for those who are interested in quick and powerful doses of dark whimsy, often fused with dark academia. Enchanting and evocative, this collection contains familiar stories and brand new ones to fuel your Olivie Blake addiction.

Recommended by Ashby The Restaurant of Lost Recipes

By Hisashi Kashiwai, Jesse Kirkwood (Translated by)

Seconds anyone? The Kamogawa Food Detectives made me smile out loud. Yes, smile out loud. Koishi and her father Nagare recreate meals to spark memories. People come wanting the meal but there is always more to it. Part chef, part therapist, part historian, part researcher, and part detective, Chef Nagare prepares dishes, taking clients back in time to figure things out about past, present, and future.

Recommended by Rae Ann The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern: A Novel

By Lynda Cohen Loigman

Augusta Stern studies the science of pharmacy while learning secret remedies from her great-aunt. When she breaks an unforgivable rule by administering an elixir without permission, she changes her life forever. Years later, Augusta meets her past and must decide how to move forward. The twin story lines glimmer with magical hope in this novel.

Recommended by Katie Frequent Fliers

By Noué Kirwan

What if the next time you hopped on a plane to plan your crush’s wedding to your cousin, the hot, surly guy sitting next to you was your actual Person. And what if you kept sitting next to him every time you flew? Lanie finds herself in just this predicament. What a sexy conundrum to find yourself in! And while it takes them a minute to figure it all out, we get to witness all the sizzling chemistry. How lucky are we?

Recommended by A.J. The Ancients: A Novel

By John Larison

A pair of siblings find that they’ve fallen through time into a world entirely foreign to their own. I read this book months ago, and I’ve thought about it almost every day since.

Recommended by Cheryl The Secret War of Julia Child: A Novel

By Diana R. Chambers

There is no cooking in this historical novel. Instead, it focuses on her intelligence posting with the OSS during WWII in Asia. However, it does include her meeting Paul Child.

Recommended by Jennifer Blood Over Bright Haven: A Novel

By M. L. Wang

Sciona is cutthroat in pursuit of her magical ambitions, and she has to be. As the first female High Mage, she has a lot to prove. However, when she meets a mysterious Outsider from beyond the boundaries of her city, she realizes that all magic comes with a price. A powerful page-turner, Blood Over Bright Haven begs the question of what true power is and what– or who– we are willing to sacrifice to get it.

Recommended by Rae Ann Echoes of Us

By Joy Jordan-Lake

Hidden secrets abound on St. Simons Island in Echoes of Us. The stories of its inhabitants during WWII, including a compelling storyline of a WASP pilot, reverberate through the ages to two women who visit the island for the first time present day. An immersive novel with intriguing characters.

Recommended by Jenness The Blue Hour: A Novel

By Paula Hawkins

Human bones are discovered in a disputed sculpture from a recently-deceased artist (on her remote private island) – are they related to the disappearance of her estranged ex-husband? An eerie, slow-burn thriller told from various points of view, The Blue Hour is so good.

Recommended by Ashby Pride and Prejudice in Space

By Alexis Lampley

Elizabeth Bennett designs spaceships? Yes! For those of us that love Austen, this is a fun retelling. If you haven’t read Austen, this is a fun first. Lampley is a writer and illustrator, so there are 60 illustrations throughout. You know the ending, but do you know how it is told? Sci-fi romance!

Recommended by Lauren Lost and Lassoed

By Lyla Sage

Enemies to lovers, cowboys in chaps, and heartwarming friendships. What more could you want?

Recommended by Aly Pony Confidential

By Christina Lynch

If you grew up on movies like Homeward Bound and The Brave Little Toaster, this book is for you. Pony has been abandoned by his favorite owner, or at least that’s what he’s thought for the past 25 years. Meanwhile, his little girl Penny is arrested for murder. What happened in the woods all those years ago? Read this book and get the story straight from the pony’s mouth.

NONFICTION & POETRYRecommended by Ashby Ottolenghi Comfort: A Cookbook

By Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh (With)

I am an Ottolenghi groupie. I use all of his cookbooks, but this is my favorite since Jerusalem. Take out all words or recipes and the photographs would speak. He shares stories alongside recipes as well as 3 chefs whose influence makes the experience richer. Top picks? Butter beans (Rancho Gordo of course) with cherry tomatoes, Dutch baby with tomatoes, and cheeseball lemon rice with chili butter.

Recommended by Sarah The Indian Card: Who Gets to Be Native in America

By Carrie Lowry Schuettpelz

A tribal enrollment card, a group, a culture, an identity. Claims of Native heritage and identity in the US have grown exponentially in recent years. But who gets to belong? Carrie Lowry Schuettpelz unpacks hundreds of years of Native history, colonialism, and recordkeeping using hard data and personal anecdotes to help us understand where Native identity stands today. This is what we should have been learning in school.

Recommended by Cat Baking in the American South: 200 Recipes and Their Untold Stories (a Definitive Guide to Southern Baking)

By Anne Byrn, Rinne Allen (Photographer)

I love a cookbook that is just as fascinating to read as it is to cook from, and this completely fits the bill! The combination of baking and history is delightful- not to mention the chance to try every single biscuit recipe.

Recommended by Katie What I Ate in One Year: (and related thoughts)

By Stanley Tucci

How do I love Stanley Tucci? Let me count the ways…the first being that I listened to an entire book that is literally just him telling you in varying degrees of detail what he ate that day. And it’s all as delicious as he is.

Recommended by Jordan Lifeform

By Jenny Slate

Comedian and author Jenny Slate recounts her life in five sections; Single, True Love, Pregnancy, Baby, and Ongoing. This weird little book of essays is a fun and emotional read.

Recommended by Lauren The Price: What It Takes to Win in College Football’s Era of Chaos

By Armen Keteyian, John Talty

An in-depth probe of the ever changing world of college football. Perfect read for fall!

Recommended by Jake Dream: The Life and Legacy of Hakeem Olajuwon

By Mirin Fader

The definitive biography of Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon, Dream is a fascinating clarification of the many myths that surround the man. Though hardly the first international NBA player, Fader compellingly argues that Olajuwon set the stage for basketball becoming the international game it is today. Written with skill and precision, reading Fader’s book is just as mesmerizing as watching the man himself play.

Recommended by Katie What Goes with What: 100 Recipes, 20 Charts, Endless Possibilities

By Julia Turshen

Julia Turshen’s cookbooks are an automatic buy for me and I adore her Sunday afternoon cooking classes. In her most recent cookbook, Turshen has done the heavy lifting for you by telling you exactly what goes with what. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that. The Lentil and Sweet Potato Shepard’s Pie with the Kale Caesar will be in heavy rotation this cold season.

Recommended by Jordan Disney High: The Untold Story of the Rise and Fall of Disney Channel’s Tween Empire

By Ashley Spencer

If you are a millennial who loves pop culture and nostalgia this is a must read for you! Take a look into the good, the bad, and the ugly of Disney Channel’s peak era.

CLASSICS & BACKLISTRecommended by Ester The Starless Sea: A Novel

By Erin Morgenstern

I fear an era of my life ended when I finished this book. My organs no longer feel like my own — it’s as if my being’s only purpose was to read this book. All of this to say, I liked it very much and I compel you to give The Starless Sea a shot.

Recommended by A.J. The Dictionary People: The Unsung Heroes Who Created the Oxford English Dictionary

By Sarah Ogilvie

Have you ever wondered how the dictionary was written? Until I saw this on the hot nonfiction table a few weeks ago, me either! The best description I can give is an even nerdier, saucier version of The Canterbury Tales. Funny, informative, and engaging. (Alternate lede: Cannibals, Manslaughterers, and Pornographers–oh my!)

First Editions Club: November Selection Water, Water: Poems

By Billy Collins

Years ago, I suggested that the Nashville Library Foundation honor Billy Collins. The initial response was, A poet? Oh, no. Too many people have problems with poetry. But I persisted, I leaned, and in the end, Billy Collins was honored. He was brilliant, warm, funny, accessible. We were thrilled. As it turned out, no one had any problems with poetry at all.

Of course, Billy Collins is not just any poet. He was the two-time Poet Laureate and the Poet Laureate of New York State. He is the author of twelve collections of poetry, several of them New York Times bestsellers. Bestselling poets are a bit like flying penguins. You don’t expect it to happen. In his writing, his readings and talks (have you seen his TED talk? It’s the best) he extends a hand to readers everywhere. He shows us that poetry is nothing to be afraid of. In fact, poetry can be the thing that fills the hole we never knew we were carrying inside us.

And let’s face it, this has been a hard time, and in hard times poetry can be just the thing.

I took so much pleasure in Water, Water, reading a poem and then just sitting with it for awhile before going onto the next, letting it fill me up. This collection turned out to be exactly what I needed.

Enjoy.

Ann

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.

Love, Parnassus: November Selection Duchess Material

By Emily Sullivan

Phoebe Atkinson is what society might call unconventional. Instead of marrying well like other women born to wealth, she chose to be a schoolteacher. Not to mention she lives in a leaky flat in an unfashionable part of town rather than stay in her parents’ mansion. But when her most promising pupil goes missing she has only one option: beg her sister’s best friend, the powerful Duke of Ellis, for help.

The last thing William Margrave ever expected was to inherit a dukedom. But now that he has it, he’s determined to act the part perfectly—and that includes marrying the perfect duchess. A bluestocking Bohemian schoolteacher is decidedly not duchess material. But he can’t resist her plea for help regarding her missing student.

As they fall further into the mystery, William discovers that he never got over his childhood crush on Phoebe, and he doesn’t really want to.

A “rising historical romance star.” –Booklist, starred review

The Love, Parnassus box is a monthly subscription box for romance readers curated by the experts at Parnassus Books. Each month you will receive a first edition book (which is sometimes signed), a letter from the author, a custom sticker, and a bookmark to track your reading. The Love, Parnassus selection will focus on debut and new-to-you romance authors. Set up a subscription for yourself or buy a gift membership for your favorite romance reader for 3, 6, or 12 months.

A Sort-of-Ghost Story: An Interview with Kate van der Borgh

When I started the first page of And He Shall Appear, I had to jump up and search my house for a pen, because the words needed to be underlined. The writing drew me in like a spell, and five hours later, I’d reached the end, staring at my wall, overcome with dark, obsessive love and music. I still cannot get over it. Thank you to the author, Kate van der Borgh, for being willing to answer my questions about her incredible debut novel!

— Rachel Randolph, Parnassus bookseller

Kate van der Borgh

Rachel Randolph:  And He Shall Appear is told in a dual timeline, alternating between our narrator’s past and present. This structure is integral to the reader’s experience of the novel, but I am curious what your, the writer’s, experience of it was? Did you write chronologically or jump around in time?

Kate van der Borgh: Oh, I jumped around all over the place! I didn’t even write chronologically within the past and the present timelines themselves. Which is maybe why I ended up redrafting so many times…

In the beginning, all I knew was that this was probably a story in two halves. First, the narrator would strive to build a friendship with Bryn. Then, that friendship would fall disastrously apart. That very structure demanded certain plot points – for instance, I knew the past timeline would have to feature some kind of confrontation at that midpoint, where the friendship seems to turn. And I knew that, in the present day timeline, the narrator would end up facing this old friendship one last time. For a while at least, I tended to write those ‘essential’ scenes and afterwards fill in the gaps in between.

Saying that, one of the very first scenes I wrote was the one at the auditions, when the narrator is handed a page featuring Bryn’s photograph – just because I knew this would be a soul-shaking moment. Sometimes you start writing a scene because you think it will be dramatic or emotionally powerful, and only later do you find out whether it has a place in the story or not! I had to kill more than a few darlings by working that way.

Rachel Randolph: The narrator of the story is an unnamed outsider, longing to be a part of something, finally. What was it like to balance distance and detail within his perspective?

Kate van der Borgh: That’s a really interesting question. The thing is, the narrator has an eye for detail, even for the things that to him feel painfully out of reach. So, he notices things from his own world, like Tim’s cheap, supermarket shirt. But he also notices the smallest things about Bryn’s behavior, his expressions, his possessions, right down to the smell of the different rooms in Bryn’s home. And it’s some of these details that show just how distant he is from this person he essentially worships.

It’s a kind of hypervigilance, I think. The narrator is terrified of tripping up – of using the wrong phrase, wearing the wrong thing – and confirming what he believes is everyone else’s view that he doesn’t belong. So he’s constantly looking to learn the right ways of doing things, or spot the sleight of hand that everyone else is able to carry off. He lives in this world of minutiae, so that’s where I had to live in the writing.

When it comes to the distance, though, the narrator tends to avoid thinking about painful things at all. So, without giving too much away, over the course of the story he’s confronted with some ideas about Bryn that he finds uncomfortable. And his inclination is to ignore them completely. He never actively misleads us about who Bryn is, but he avoids being completely honest with himself and therefore with us. It becomes hard to tell the difference between the things the narrator doesn’t actually know about Bryn and the things he simply doesn’t want to acknowledge.

Rachel Randolph: In contrast with the narrator is Bryn Cavendish, an epic and almost mythical figure who brings forth the utmost longing from the narrator. What was it like to create such differing characters? What do you think draws them to each other and what does their relationship say about class?

Kate van der Borgh: It was a lot of fun to create someone like Bryn! In some ways, he needs to be the opposite of the narrator, because his unattainable qualities are partly what draw the narrator in. At the same time, there needs to be enough overlap in the Venn diagram of their characters for them to click. But part of the fun of writing Bryn is that he only ever appears through the narrator’s eyes. You see him in jigsaw pieces that don’t fit easily together. And, while the narrator expresses at least some of his neuroses quite frankly, we never truly get to see Bryn’s inner life. So, he’s as inscrutable as he is charming.

Thinking about what draws them to one another, I think it’s fairly straightforward from the narrator’s point of view. Bryn is, as we’ve said, everything the narrator is not. And, more than that, Bryn represents an escape from the narrator’s imperfect past, a door to another, rarefied world. For me, the narrator’s ultimate fear is that he’s destined to live a particular life in a particular place, tied very tightly to a particular personal history – and his only way out is to become close to Bryn, or to become a person like Bryn.

As for what Bryn sees in the narrator, it could be many things. It’s possible that, as a very privileged person, he sees the working class as faintly exotic and is intrigued by the narrator and his ways. There has long been a trend of well-off people glamorizing working class culture – so, streetwear becomes almost gentrified – and it could be that Bryn is aiming to soak up what he sees as street cred. But, again, this is all through the narrator’s eyes. Just to muddy the waters here, Bryn calls on the narrator twice in the story, for the weekend away and for the visit to Trinity, and he does so with very specific reasons. It’s no coincidence that the narrator ends up playing the piano more than once for his friend…

Which leads us onto the big class question. It’s too simplistic to say that the narrator is attracted to Bryn simply because he’s posh. Not everyone aspires to that label! For me, it’s more that the narrator is in a strange in-between position – his friends from home make fun of his new ‘Cambridge’ accent, while his Cambridge peers make fun of his broad Northern tones. I don’t think people talk enough about the very destabilizing side effect of social mobility, which can leave people feeling uprooted – the writer Lynsey Hanley has written brilliantly about this in her book Respectable: Crossing the Class Divide.

So, the narrator is adrift. And in Bryn he sees someone in total control of their identity and their surroundings. Which is absolutely a class thing, because Bryn’s privilege is the source of this control. His whole life, Bryn has been surrounded by family and friends who all speak a certain way, who know certain people and ways of being. He’s been born to the Cambridge life that the narrator finds so perplexing. It’s not that Bryn is cheating anybody or doing anything wrong – but he’s built for this world, and the world is built for him, which means he’s much more likely to navigate it successfully than our narrator.

Rachel Randolph: The story delves into the supernatural and magical, but walks the line of reality as well, causing the reader to question everything happening on and off the page. How did you balance revealing and withholding truths from the reader?

Kate van der Borgh: Ha, with difficulty! I wanted there to be lots of ambiguity – so it was important that, throughout, elements of the story could be explained both as ‘real’ and also as supernatural. Which wasn’t always easy to pull off. It’s like having two stories running in parallel, where the same actions have different meanings. (Ultimately, though, there are clues that might encourage you to lean more towards one interpretation than the other.)

Funnily enough, one thing that helped with the writing was learning a bit about how magic works. I read a brilliant book by Gustav Kuhn called Experiencing the Impossible: The Science of Magic, which is full of fascinating ideas about how our brains work to experience magic. For example, if you see a magician taking something out of their pocket, you’ll find it almost impossible to conceive that the magician could be sneaking something into that pocket at the same time. Your brain sees the action is either taking or putting, but never both, and magicians exploit this little blind spot all the time.

The book made me think about different kind of misdirection – how, if you want to hide something with your left hand, you might draw the viewer’s attention with your right. Also, how you might trick audiences with a false ‘solution’ to a puzzle before pulling the rug. Thinking how this might work in writing, say you’ve got a character whose identity you want to keep secret for a while. Instead of leaving the identity a wide open mystery – which only sets readers’ minds racing and encourages them to search for answers – subtly drop hints that will quietly put the wrong identity in readers’ minds. That way, readers relax and stop looking for answers at all, so are perfectly primed to be surprised. Ta da.

Rachel Randolph: The novel cast a spell on me, one of obsession, fascination, betrayal, pain, and finally, acceptance. The characters, plot, and writing all work together to mesmerize the reader. What effect do you hope this book will have on its readers?

Kate van der Borgh: Ah I’m so grateful to you for those words. I mean, I couldn’t have hoped for much more of an effect than that. It sounds simple, but one of my hopes is that readers will be a little bit spooked. This is a sort-of-ghost story, and in my view ghost stories should always give you a shiver. I absolutely love being scared by stories (I still remember what is essentially a jump scare in Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, when I nearly threw the book across the room) so if a reader finds themselves slightly chilled, that’ll be nice. I also hope that the reader will feel a little bit wrong-footed in places, because who doesn’t love to be fooled?

At the same time, the adjective I often use to describe this book is sad. Ultimately, it’s the story of a man who is absolutely trapped in the past – a man returning and returning to a moment in time, as if he might replay it and change the outcome. And, while he’s busy reminiscing, time is rumbling on. By fixating on the past, he’s wasting his life away. This for me is the real horror: to be so trapped by the past that you end up without a future.

Rachel Randolph: The fantastic comparable titles initially drew me to And He Shall Appear, such as Bunny by Mona Awad, If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio, and Babel by R.F. Kuang. What books do you associate with this project? Were there books that you read and though “that’s the effect I want to create?”

Kate van der Borgh: I absolutely love all the titles you mention there, and it’s hugely flattering even to be mentioned in the same sentence. Readers often – very understandably – see this book in the context of other dark academia titles. But my biggest book inspiration was something very different. In my very wildest dreams, I wanted to create an effect similar to that in Julian Barnes’ The Sense of an Ending, a story about a sixty-something man named Tony, who receives a strange inheritance from an ex-girlfriend’s mother and ends up revisiting and rethinking the relationships of his youth. The revelations of the story completely upend what Tony has always believed about himself and his life – and I was blown away by these ideas about the precariousness of memory, the power of self-deception. It’s such a slim book, but it’s packed with the biggest and most profound ideas about human experience. I adore it.

It also does something else I love: it creates soul-shaking drama without huge peaks of action. So, people’s lives are turned upside down not by a massive, dramatic event, like a car crash or a fight scene, but by a conversation. A character delivers a line of dialogue, and the whole world starts falling in. I feel like The Remains of the Day does a similar thing. Again, I won’t go in to too much detail, but there’s at least one moment where I’m striving to create that kind of effect. (This answer reveals that I am, quite hilariously, trying to emulate novels that have both Booker and Nobel prizes between them, but I guess we’ve all got to aim high, right?!)

Rachel Randolph: And lastly, here’s a fun bookstore question: What is your fondest memory of an
independent bookstore?

Kate van der Borgh: I have desperately fond memories of a bookstore that no longer exists. It was called All You Read is Love, and it was in Leytonstone, East London, where I live now. They had a gorgeous selection of secondhand books, as well as brilliant taste in background music, and they served cocktails named after fictional characters. It was actually one of the places where I worked on the first draft of And He Shall Appear – I used to go after work, get my laptop out, and order a Winston Smith (basically a negroni). These days, I’m a huge fan of another local bookstore called Phlox, whose owner gives the best book recommendations. If you’re ever in town, I’ll show you around!

And He Shall Appear is on our shelves now! Grab your copy today.

Reading the Classics Against the Grain: An Interview with Stephanie McCarter

Women In Power is an anthology of ancient sources regarding just that — powerful women. Under the guiding hand of Prof. Stephanie McCarter, recent translator of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, rich, primary texts with all of their stories, mythologizing, and often misinformation, reveal to readers how the ancient world saw women, and how we still live in those perceptions today. McCarter wrestles directly with these texts to examine how women threatened and continue to threaten western patriarchal systems. I was delighted to have the chance to ask her about this fascinating anthology.

— Mac Chamberlain, Parnassus bookseller

Prof. Stephanie McCarter

Mac Chamberlain: I am so excited for this anthology! I know from your previous work how thoughtfully you create notes and offer perspectives to readers in an approachable, but elevated way. I am excited for you to extend that grasp into so many new texts that many of us might otherwise never encounter. Can you explain a little bit the process of collecting an anthology? Readers have come to know and love you as a translator, but what was it like identifying texts and deciding which ones had a place in this anthology?

Stephanie McCarter: Thank you for the kind words! The process was very similar to choosing texts for my classes. For many years I have been teaching courses on women, gender, and sexuality in Greco-Roman antiquity at the University of the South in Sewanee, and each semester I have to pick works that speak to the themes I want to emphasize.

This book in fact was motivated entirely by that process. The first time I taught my Women and Gender in Classical Antiquity course (17 years ago!), I wanted to spend a day on the Amazons to get students thinking about the relationship between gender and power, but I couldn’t find a book that assembled readings about these famous mythical figures in an accessible way. There are some great works on Amazons out there (shout out especially to Adrienne Mayor’s fabulous book The Amazons), but none I could find that collected primary sources—and this is true for many of these women. I would have to order many books to make all these texts accessible to my students, so I just decided to put together a volume that general readers would enjoy as well.

It was also really important to me that these stories all be from ancient sources. This means they are all authored by Greek and Roman men, and their perspectives continue to color how we think about these women. This is especially true for someone like Cleopatra, who still intrigues us two millennia after her death. Yet the portrait we have of her is almost entirely from Roman propaganda! I want readers to see more clearly how the stories told about her (and almost all of these women) were tailored to serve male political agendas.

MC: Looking at the names of translators in this anthology, I see that so much of it was a great collaborative effort with colleagues from your university and even drawing from older translations, such as those of Fagles. In addition to the texts themselves, what was the process like of picking translations? Are there any translators featured in the anthology that you want to shout out?

SM: The first step was determining which texts I wanted to include, then I looked to see what translations were already out there. I was thrilled to be able to use some of my favorite existing translations, including Fagles’ edition of Vergil’s Aeneid and Aaron Poochigian’s edition of Apollonius’ Argonautica. Other works needed new translations. I did quite a few of these myself – I’m especially excited about the complete translation of Aristophanes’ Assemblywomen I wrote for the book. It is a comedy in which the wives of Athens disguise themselves as men, infiltrate the Assembly, and vote to give themselves power—with lots of obscene jokes along the way.

For other selections I enlisted the help of colleagues both at Sewanee and elsewhere. The first person to whom I reached out was Erika Zimmermann Damer, a phenomenal scholar of Latin poetry who I knew was interested in translation, and she penned a really lovely rendering of Ovid’s Heroides 7 (a letter purportedly written by Dido to Aeneas). My colleague (and husband!) Daniel Holmes was a stalwart contributor who translated as much as I could throw at him, including some works that simply had no good modern English translation. I’d particularly like to shout out to Paige Graf, an exceptional former Classics student at Sewanee who worked with another of my colleagues, Chris McDonough, to produce a powerful translation Boudicca’s famous speech from Tacitus’s Annales.

MC: You say in the introduction to the anthology that speech is a means of empowerment for women. How do you navigate elevating and empowering the feminine voice in written texts recorded entirely by men?

SM: That’s a fabulous question, especially in the case of this book. The fact is that none of these stories of ancient women in power were written by women—and they all in one way or another strive to discredit the very idea of powerful women. A major part of my motivation was simply to expose the misogyny of these stories and to enable readers to scrutinize why and how they were told. I feel like highlighting the original motives behind these stories can indeed be empowering for women. We can see the narrative strategies that have historically kept women from power, and so we can better combat them.

At the same time, these stories expose the very arenas in which women must strive for power. As you point out, one of these is public speech—these women speak in the Assembly, exhort troops, and practice diplomacy. Other key arenas these women take charge of include sex, the military, and the treasury. It speaks volumes that these continue to be spheres largely controlled by men. These stories also expose potential ways in which women can succeed in acquiring power. In the Assemblywomen, for instance, it takes a group effort of women working together to empower women. There are many lessons for feminist readers if we read these tales with care and largely against the grain of what initially motivated them to be told.

MC: My slightly unfair question that I must ask is who among the women represented is your favorite? Or whose story interests you the most? 

SM: At the moment I am the most interested in Amanirenas, who was the queen of Kush (roughly modern Sudan) at the same time Cleopatra was defeated to her north. But very few people know about her! We only have one ancient Roman source for her, in which the writer Strabo tells how her troops attacked Roman settlements to stop Roman expansion into the African continent. She was not defeated, the conflict was settled diplomatically, and Kush never became subject to Roman power or taxation. Amanirenas was hugely successful! But we know so little about her because her success did not serve Roman propaganda in the same way that Cleopatra’s defeat did. Some readers might be frustrated that Strabo’s account takes up a mere page and a half of the book, but that is kind of the point!

One of my favorite aspects of the cover (which was designed by the wonderful Greek-American artist Evangelia Philippidis) is that Amanirenas is restored to her rightful place among the powerful women of the past. She sits alongside the mythical Lydian queen Dido and the historical British queen Boudicca, with Aristophanes’ Assemblywomen in the background. All of these women are brought into alliance.

MC: The final question, one we always ask: what is your favorite thing about indie bookstores?

SM: My favorite thing is how indie bookstores are key hubs for creating literary communities of readers and authors, especially by hosting local writers and stocking their books. It can be so hard to find such community in our increasingly disconnected world. I am so grateful to the indie bookstores that have enabled me to discuss my books with the readers for whom I have written them. Writing can be a lonely business, and indie bookstores are vital points of connection.

Women in Power is on our shelves now. Grab a copy today!

Finding the Time for Unrequired Reading

School is back in full swing and the required reading is stacking up. But what about reading for just for the pleasure of it? Booksellers Tara and Ester have the answer — Unrequired Reading, a new book club just for teens. Their number one priority? Picking books that are FUN! Selections will range widely within the young adult genre, and meetings will be planned around breaks during the school year, so you can make time to read. Since fall is the perfect time to cozy up with a good book, Tara and Ester are here to introduce you to some of our favorite fall YA picks to tide you over until the next Unrequired Reading meeting in January!

PLEASE NOTE: This group is intended for those 13-18. This club is meant to be a safe space for teens to discuss books and come together to build community. 

For the Mystery Lovers The Naturals

By Jennifer Lynn Barnes

A group of teenagers with a unique skill set are recruited to help the FBI solve cold cases in an elite school. I could not put this book down or predict the ending. 

For an Escape What the River Knows: A Novel (Secrets of the Nile #1)

By Isabel Ibañez

A fast-paced adventure novel set in 19th century Egypt. Inez is on a quest to discover the mystery behind her parents disappearance and this book also has some of the biggest plot twists of all time. 

For Summer Vibes One True Loves

By Elise Bryant

If you are already feeling nostalgic for summer, this should be your next read. Lenore is a recent high school graduate about to embark on a Mediterranean cruise with her family for the summer. One True Loves makes references throughout to some classic YA romances and takes the reader on a journey across Greece and Italy.

For the Fantasy Lovers An Ember in the Ashes

By Sabaa Tahir

Three people on opposite sides of a war– One who wants to gain power at all costs, one forced to fight for the wrong side, and one just trying to survive. With romantic tension just as high-stakes as the plot, you will be on the edge of your seat!

For the Romantasy Lovers Divine Rivals: A Novel (Letters of Enchantment #1)

By Rebecca Ross

A war between gods. Magical typewriters. Two writers competing for a promotion. What else could you want? This is one of my top reads of 2024… maybe even of all time. With dreamy prose and a romance to die for, you must add this to your to-read pile!

For a Dose of Magic Sorcery of Thorns

By Margaret Rogerson

Sorcery of Thorns follows Elisabeth and her journey in becoming a warden of magical grimoires. Tangled in a crime she didn’t commit, Elisabeth has to work with Sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn and his demonic servant. This is perfect for fans of whimsical, Studio Ghibli-esque stories– full of banter and found family, this fantasy standalone checks every box!

We hope you’ll pick up these recommendations and join us next year for more great Unrequired Reading discussions. Sign up for our email list for reminders about all of our upcoming book club meetings as well as in-store YA events. And don’t forget to mark your calendars for our first couple of meetings in 2025!

Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling

By Elise Bryant

We’ll be discussing Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling by Elise Bryant on Sunday January 5, 2025 at 4 p.m. 

Friends Like These

By Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

We’ll be discussing Friends Like These by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez on Sunday, March 9 at 4 p.m. The author will be joining us as a special guest for this discussion!

Soufflés and Sonatas: An Interview with Jandy Nelson

Jandy Nelson’s new novel When the World Tips Over is the October ParnassusNext pick. I read it many months ago, and I’m still thinking about the Fall siblings and everyone in their orbit. I’m so excited that it’s in the hands and on the shelves of our ParnassusNext subscribers. The book has a beautiful cover, but it’s just a complement to what’s inside. Thank you to Jandy Nelson for taking the time to talk with me!

— Rae Ann Parker, Director of Books for Young Readers

Jandy Nelson | Photo by Sonya Sones

Rae Ann Parker: When the World Tips Over is the story of the Fall family. It’s the story of a rainbow-haired girl who may or may not be an angel. It’s the story of a family curse that filters down through the years. It’s amazing and enchanting! Which of these storylines came to you first? Or did they happen all at once?

Jandy Nelson: Thank you so much! The Fall siblings came first, but strangely, they came to me because of an old, abandoned house. For years, I’d travel north from San Francisco through wine-country, and I’d pass this big white house tucked away in the redwoods by a creek. It seemed perpetually light-struck and enchanted, and every time I’d drive by, I was compelled to stop, tromp around, peek in the windows, and soon I began imagining the Fall kids there. The front door would blow open, and I’d see nineteen-year-old human-minefield Wynton Fall, violin in hand. Or I’d catch a glimpse of seventeen-year-old Miles Fall in an upstairs window, harboring secrets. Or I’d spot through the kitchen window twelve-year-old Dizzy Fall—a wild commotion of a girl who sees spirits—pulling a soufflé out of the oven.

I began falling for these characters but still had no story. Then one day, the rainbow-haired girl showed up in my mind. I knew who she was and that’s when I knew I had a novel and began to write. I dropped the big white house into dreamy, half-magical Paradise Springs—a fictional Northern California wine town, where the sun floods out of the sky and The Devil Winds blow your reason away. And, soon after this, the previous generations of Falls who lived in the house began revealing themselves to me too, and almost a decade of writing later here we are!

But the strangest part of this origin story is that I drove north recently after finishing the novel and the old house is gone! Vanished. I’m so glad I took pictures because I might’ve thought I imagined it. I guess it left real world now that it lives on in this fictional one!

The house that inspired the Fall siblings

RAP: The Fall siblings are all named after musicians. Is music a big part of your life, and how did music influence this novel?

JN: I love music but have no musical ability whatsoever so maybe I live vicariously and aspirationally through my musician characters! I think in the story, music is an invisible thread that binds certain characters. Wynton remembers being a child in the vineyard with his father playing the trumpet, and long after his father disappears, he continues to hear this ghost-music and follows it wherever it leads him. Additionally, Wynton, a virtuoso, cries when he plays violin and has to wear sunglasses to cover it up. In my mind, the weeping is because the one person he most needs to hear his music (his father) never will. Making music for him is breath, prayer, hope, as I think creativity is for all the characters in the novel, whether it’s making music or stories or soufflés. Actually, I hadn’t thought about this before, but I think Creativity functions as this novel’s religion.

RAP: The Fall siblings’ mother is a professional chef. When we met at Children’s Institute, you mentioned you created recipes of food featured in the book. What type of food research did you do for the book?

Jandy presents her soufflé!

JN: First, I want to say it was it was so nice meeting you! Okay, I’m a research junkie, and this was the most fun research I’ve ever done! I’m quite obsessed with food and cooking (and eating!) anyway so being able to indulge in this passion while in Bernadette’s POV was a joy. I took a lot of cooking classes, three on soufflé making because soufflés—aphrodisiacal ones!—feature so prominently in the book. I also read many, many cookbooks and food memoirs and had a great time creating certain menus that are featured in the novel. Additionally, I did a deep-dive into wine-making, went on vineyard tours (such a hard life!), and read several books on enology. I do actually think I went a little overboard on this particular kind of research out of the sheer pleasure of it and could now probably open a restaurant or start a winery. It’s one of the great delights of writing fiction for me, indulging in the passions of my characters. There are method actors, I think I’m kind of a method writer.

RAP: Do you have a favorite character in the book? If you could have dinner with them, what food would be on the menu and what music would be playing?

JN: Oh my God that’s like asking me to pick a favorite child! I can’t choose! Each main character—Dizzy, Miles, Wynton, Cassidy, Bernadette, Alonso—in the novel has been my favorite at one time or another so I would really like to eat with all of them—have an epic feast out in the vineyard in the moonlight with Wynton playing violin—maybe Eugene Ysaye’s Sonata #3 like he did at his show. I think Bernadette would create the menu and Felix would be her sous chef. I’m pretty sure Bernadette would make the last meal featured in the book, which in my mind she spent ages creating: Amuse Bouche: Oysters with Sea Urchin, Lemon Pearls, and Black Pepper; Starter: A Tower of Scallops, Cucumbers, Nectarines, topped with a Cardamom and Horseradish Sauce; Main: Tender Roast Chicken Smothered in Elderberry Juice, Olives, and Capers: Dessert: Dizzy’s Pansy Petal Crêpes with Lavender Cream (of course!). Bon appétit to us!

RAP: And finally, we ask everyone… What is your favorite thing about indie bookstores?

JN: So many favorite things! I love them. I love that they are full of kindred souls who are all in on the greatest secret, the greatest magic: that reading allows you to squeeze many lives into your measly one. I love staff favorite shelves and shelf-talkers and booksellers who’ve read everything and lead you to books you’ve never heard of. I love that each indie has its own personality, its own voice. I love that anywhere in the world you go, walking into an indie bookstore feels like home. Ezra Pound said, “The book should be a ball of light in the hand.” I believe it is and that indie bookstores then are the blazing lighthouses in our communities, illuminating everything, helping us all find our way. This couldn’t be truer than in this time of terrible book bannings. I am so grateful to indie booksellers (the light-keepers, then) who do so much to get the right book into the right hands, especially young hands. It changes lives, saves lives even.

When the World Tips Over is on our shelves now! Grab your copy, then click here to learn more about our young adult subscription box, ParnassusNext.

Books Aplenty: 28 Reads for the Young & Young at Heart

No tricks here — you’re in for a real treat! Our booksellers have picked a very healthy stack of twenty-eight new reads for the young and young at heart this month. Treat your shelf to some great new stories!

PICTURE BOOKSRecommended by Rae Ann All the Books

By Hayley Rocco, John Rocco (Illustrator)

Piper Waterstone loves her books! She loves them so much, she wants to keep them with her forever. When she discovers the library, she learns the art of sharing and friendship in this beautiful picture book.

Recommended by Aly Bear in a Bathrobe

By Maddie Frost

Bear loves being inside. He loves his bathrobe. He loves being inside in his bathrobe. What happens when his friends want him to come outside on an adventure? Can he take his bathrobe??

Recommended by Hannah P. In Praise of Mystery

By Ada Limón, Peter Sís (Illustrator)

This is a book to be treasured. Limón’s luminous words + Sis’s lush artwork = a dazzling ode to the miracles of the universe and the wonders of the human heart. (PS: This poem is being sent to space! It will be engraved on NASA’s Europa Clipper and sent to Jupiter’s second moon.)

Recommended by Rachel Oak: The Littlest Leaf Girl

By Lucy Fleming

A love letter to the slow season of Fall! Oak learns that change might be scary, but it can lead to wonderful things, and Spring always comes back around.

Recommended by Chelsea Nose to Nose

By Thyra Heder

Toby is the new dog in town, but when messages get crossed, will he be able to make new friends? A sweet book about being brave, Nose to Nose is full of dogs, dogs, and more dogs. I loved every page.

Recommended by Rae Ann The Dinosaur Next Door

By David Litchfield

A girl is sure her next door neighbor isn’t just an amazing baker. He’s also a dinosaur! When scientists take him away, she realizes everyone is free to live the life they wish in this beautifully illustrated picture book.

Recommended by Aly Cookie Time

By Jessie Sima

Kat and Ari are tired of waiting. Grandpa is making cookies and they want to eat them NOW. With a little help from a time machine, they learn just how sweet waiting can be.

Recommended by Ashby Mr. Lepron’s Mystery Soup

By Giovanna Zoboli, Mariachiara Di Giorgio (Illustrator)

Stunning illustrations. Mr. Lepron is a handsome hare who makes extraordinary soup from farmers’ vegetables. He opens a factory but mass production makes people declare his soup has changed and is not extraordinary. So what’s a hare to do?

Recommended by Cheryl Surprise

By Mies Van Hout

The bird illustrations jump out of the page. Wonderful for expecting parents and simply enchanting for children with just one or two words per page.

Recommended by Everley, age 2 Ms. Rachel and the Special Surprise

By Ms. Rachel, Monique Dong (Illustrator)

Ms. Rachel is great. I love Ms. Rachel.

Recommended by Aly Good Night Thoughts

By Max Greenfield, James Serafino (Illustrator)

Sometimes it can be hard to sleep. Sometimes there are just Too Many Thoughts. This book helps illustrate that feeling in beautiful words and pictures that will send you off to bed with only sweet dreams.

INDEPENDENT READERSRecommended by Jake A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall

By Jasmine Warga

A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall follows Rami, a young boy who needs to recover a stolen painting to clear his mother’s name. With the help of a classmate, a ghost, and a turtle, Rami must navigate all of the twists and turns standing between him and the truth. A thrilling, heartfelt mystery, this is also a must-read for anyone who wants to read from the perspective of a turtle named Agatha.

Recommended by Hannah P. Stella & Marigold

By Annie Barrows, Sophie Blackall (Illustrator)

I loved this hilarious and charming book about the sweet friendship between two sisters. Stella and Marigold have big imaginations and even bigger love for each other. Together, they create adventures and magic that warm your heart, make you laugh, and make you want to go hug your own sister. Perfect for fans of Ivy & Bean and Beezus & Ramona!

Recommended by RJ The Dragonet Prophecy: Limited Edition

By Tui T. Sutherland

It’s a new edition of one of the most entertaining, adventurous, amazing middle grade series of all time! If you have a young reader who has yet to meet the dragons of Pyrrhia, there is no better time or place for them to start their journey than here.

Recommended by Lilly, age 9 The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science 

By Kate McKinnon

This is truly a hilarious and fun novel about three girls who don’t fit in at all. But when a strange etiquette school flyer appears in their backpack they know this is their last chance to fit in. But strange things happen and their tutor is not who they expected and they learn they have to embrace what makes them stand out. Danger? Definitely! More fun than I’ve ever had? No doubt!

Recommended by Jenness Give Me Something Good to Eat

By D. W. Gillespie

The town of Pearl always comes together to celebrate Halloween, unaware that each year a local witch casts her sinister spell to steal a child and harvest their energy. Only Mason and his friends see what is happening and attempt to stop the spell and set things right again. I loved this creepy, fun, and exciting book!

Recommended by Ashby The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien

By John Hendrix

With prose, images, and even a comic where C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien are depicted as lion and wizard, this book details their extraordinary friendship. While sorting out meanings of myth and epic, they challenged each other as writers and humans. Despite the strain that developed later, the influence each had on the other is striking. The fascinating details included bring their lives and friendship to life.

Recommended by Katie The Life-Changing Magic of Baking: A Beginner’s Guide

By Joy Wilson, Tatiana Kamshilina (Illustrator), Cliff Wilson

I (like many of you out there, I imagine) ADORE Joy Wilson and I am so excited she is extending her baking magic to the world of children’s book and the lovely “Life Changing” series. In this sweet biographical beginner’s guide, Joy shares some of her most treasured baking memories and tips and techniques she has learned along the way. The perfect addition to you and your kiddo’s kitchen collection.

Recommended by Jordan Out of My Dreams (The Out of My Mind Series)

By Sharon M. Draper

Melody from the Out of My Mind series is back, and this time she is traveling to London to speak at a conference for differently abled kids. Melody’s wit and her activism make this series a stunning read for all ages.

YOUNG ADULTRecommended by Jennifer Heir

By Sabaa Tahir

The world of An Ember in the Ashes is back, but this time with the descendants of our beloved characters. As the world that Laia and Elias sacrificed falls apart, a prince, a prophet, and a magical tracker must find their own paths to their destiny.

Recommended by Aly Aisle Nine

By Ian X. Cho

In a post-apocalyptic future, Jasper works at the only discount mart with a portal to hell inside. Even without the constant threat of demon attacks, this job is not the best. When visions of the apocalypse begin to plague his every thought, and interrupt his toilet paper stacking, what else can he do but try to fight back? It’s time to collect an unlikely band of heroes and save the world.

Recommended by Ester Nothing Like the Movies

By Lynn Painter

Liz and Wes are in college now, but the happily ever after we expected isn’t so happy anymore. After a falling-out, Wes is determined to win Liz back and he’s got a foolproof plan. I loved every moment of this– Lynn Painter ate and left no crumbs.

Recommended by Rachel To the Bone

By Alena Bruzas

A horror novel grounded in historical accuracy. Ellis is an indentured servant in the colonies, a little in love with her beautiful friend Jane. Her employer is not sympathetic to her desires, and the winter that approaches holds evils no one could ever imagine. Inspired by what history remembers as The Starving Time.

Recommended by Ashby Everything Glittered

By Robin Talley

1927. Wealthy young ladies were expected to graduate and marry. Miss Rose, headmistress of Gertrude, Milly and Clara’s school, is Bohemian. When she is killed, the three investigate. A coming of age in a time with limited choices for women, queerness meant life lived in the shadows. While Gertrude comes to terms with her feelings for Milly and Clara, she sees the hypocrisy of the wealthy who are flowing in liquor.

CLASSICS & BACKLISTRecommended by Elizabeth Wherever You Go

By Pat Zietlow Miller, Eliza Wheeler (Illustrator)

This is my favorite picture book to buy for baby showers and little ones’ birthdays. It is a whimsical story of a young bunny who ventures out to see the world, with the reminder that home, and the people it holds, will always be a safe place to return to.

Sprout Book Club: October Selection The Bakery Dragon

By Devin Elle Kurtz

The October 2024 Sprout Book Club selection is The Bakery Dragon by Devin Elle Kurtz. Ember has always been different from other dragons, his roar sounds like a polite sneeze and when he breathes fire, he’s not scary. He worries he may never collect a nice hoard of gold. When he meets a baker, he finds the gold you bake, and eat, is the best kind of all.

Early praise for the book:

“Chef’s kiss panels devoted to Ember’s apprenticeship and skill at breadmaking (even his hand-washing seems purposeful) are so winning that readers may well clamor to get their hands on some dough.” – Publisher’s Weekly (starred review)

“Standout visuals bring a delectable tale to life.” – Kirkus

Sprout Book Club is the book subscription box for picture book lovers. Every month members will receive a first edition picture book.  Set up a subscription for yourself or buy a gift membership for your favorite picture book lover for 3, 6, or 12 months. 

Spark Book Club: October Selection Freedom Fire: Jax Freeman and the Phantom Shriek

By Kwame Mbalia

The October 2024 Spark Book Club selection is Jax Freeman and the Phantom Shriek by Kwame Mbalia. Jax Freeman travels to Chicago to live with his distant relatives. Before he even leaves the train station, strange things begin to happen.  He’s enrolled in a new school with a class for summoners (kids who can create magic by unleashing the power of their ancestors). He mistakenly unleashes an angry spirit and is soon caught up in a war between summoning families. This is the first book in a new magic-school fantasy series.

Early Sparks for the novel:

“A fantasy world rooted in Black lore and traditions.” – Kirkus

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: October Selection When the World Tips Over

By Jandy Nelson

The October 2024 ParnassusNext selection is When the World Tips Over by Jandy Nelson. The Fall siblings live in hot Northern California where their father mysteriously disappeared years ago. A rainbow-haired girl shows up, tipping the world of the Falls over. She may be an angel, or a saint, but she is important to each of the siblings. This amazing tale is intertwined with a fairy tale story of their family’s curse.

Early praise for the novel:

“Intricately rendered . . . Profound and satisfying.” – Publisher’s Weekly, starred review

“A Technicolor fever dream offering readers a sensory feast.” – Kirkus

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.

Stories, Sequels, and Standalones: 35 Reads for October

October is arguably the biggest month in publishing this year. Just look at how many highly anticipated titles are finally hitting shelves! From cozy romances to horror novellas, blockbuster literary fiction to the classics, our booksellers are excited to share the books they’re loving with you. Happy reading!

FICTIONRecommended by Jake A Sunny Place for Shady People: Stories

By Mariana Enriquez, Megan McDowell (Translated by)

Mariana Enríquez returns with yet another excellent short story collection. Equal parts enthralling and entertaining, terrifying and terrific, A Sunny Place for Shady People is filled to the brim with stories you won’t soon forget, no matter how hard you try. A wicked blend of sacred, surreal, darkly funny and deeply depraved, this is one of the best short story collections of the year.

Recommended by Kathy The Sequel

By Jean Hanff Korelitz

No, this is not The Plot! The nearly-same covers are meant to show that this thriller picks up right after the shocking ending of The Plot. What has happened to plagiarist Jacob Finch Bonner and his stalker, now his wife?

Recommended by Cheryl By Any Other Name

By Jodi Picoult

What if Shakespeare’s works were written by a woman? This historical novel is convincing and captures the difficulty of being a female playwright even today.

Recommended by Rachel Graveyard Shift: A Novella

By M. L. Rio

M.L. Rio returns! This novella is the perfect way to spend a rainy evening. Graveyard Shift is a story made up of insomniacs and their worst imaginings. Nightmares meet reality, and it all unfolds in the span of a few sleepless hours. I could read it again and again!

See M.L. Rio in conversation with Rachel at Parnassus on October 9th!

Recommended by Ashby The Hitchcock Hotel

By Stephanie Wrobel

Would you want to stay in a Hitchcock-themed hotel room? One based on The Birds? Or Vertigo? Psycho? For the one-year anniversary of his Hitchcock Hotel, Alfred invites his college film club to come and stay. Something happened 16 years ago and a body at the hotel will bring everything back. Hitchcock lovers will have fun with the references, quotes, and information about the man himself.

Recommended by Playground

By Richard Powers

Richard Powers, you never cease to amaze me. In a tale structured somewhat reminiscent of his Pulitzer-winning The Overstory, Powers this time explores how our world is fundamentally an ocean one, and how disparate themes such as imperialism, exploitation of resources, A.I., marine biology, and pollution all relate to each other. If James doesn’t get the Pulitzer, I think this will.

Recommended by RJ The City in Glass

By Nghi Vo

The City in Glass follows an immortal demon as she oversees the cycle of destruction and rebirth her chosen city finds itself caught in. I am amazed that a story of such epic emotional and temporal scale could be contained in a book this short. It had me by the heart the entire time. Perfect for fans of This is How You Lose the Time War.

Recommended by Jennifer Buried Deep and Other Stories

By Naomi Novik

Naomi Novik is back with a collection of fantasy short stories. Spanning from a retelling of Pride and Prejudice where Elizabeth rides a dragon to spin offs of some of her most popular series, Naomi Novik doesn’t disappoint with her spellbinding worldbuilding and tough as nails characters.

Recommended by Jordan My Vampire Plus-One

By Jenna Levine

I can’t remember the last time I fell in love with two fictional characters as much as Reggie and Amelia in this follow-up to My Roommate Is A Vampire. Get ready to laugh out loud as you root for their fauxmance to become the real deal.

Recommended by Sydney The Bog Wife

By Kay Chronister

This book is so, so weird—in a really good way. The Haddesley family has an ancient pact with the Appalachian bog they live in. With each generation, the patriarch succumbs to death, and the bog provides a new bride for the eldest son. The family line mustn’t branch off. The bog belonged to them and they to it. This is Southern gothic perfection and would make for a fantastic October read.

Recommended by Rachel And He Shall Appear

By Kate Van Der Borgh

When I started the first page, I had to jump up and search my house for a pen, because the words needed to be underlined. The writing drew me in like a spell, and five hours later, I’d reached the end, staring at my wall, overcome with dark, obsessive love and music. I still cannot get over it. A must read.

Recommended by Jenness Exposure

By Ramona Emerson

The second Rita Todacheene novel is deeper and darker than Shutter (also great), as we see not only inside the mind of Rita – coping with the stress and disconnect of her job photographing crime scenes (and being followed by the victims’ ghosts), but also that of the serial killer – a self-imagined avenging angel – whom she pursues. It’s both horrific and soulful.

Recommended by Cheryl Casket Case

By Lauren Evans

Clever rom-com about a woman who comes back to her small town in AL to sell caskets at her family’s business. She meets a handsome stranger who is kind and caring. However he travels a lot with his logistics business and somehow seems to be around people who die soon after. Can she trust him?

Recommended by Ashby Christmas at Glitter Peak Lodge

By Kjersti Herland Johnsen, Olivia Lasky (Translated by)

It’s a book advent calendar. In 24 chapters, this romantic mystery is about family and what’s right in front of us. After a climbing accident, Ingrid returns to run the lodge. Leaking pipes, a pregnant influencer, possible mold, nosy Americans, mice – everything gets resolved by Christmas…or on Christmas. Set in Norway, the book taught me about holiday customs, food, geography, and figuring out what pinnekjøtt was.

Recommended by Kathy The Wildes: A Novel in Five Acts

By Louis Bayard

Who knew that Oscar Wilde had a loving wife and children? Louis Bayard brilliantly depicts their family story as Wilde struggles to discover his true self in a time of forbidden and illegal forms of sexuality. I think this is historical fiction at its finest; it could be my favorite book of 2024 so far.

Recommended by Maddie Hard Copy

By Fien Veldman, Hester Velmans (Translated by)

This book is so fun to read, you almost forget to notice how stuffed to the brim it is with pointed commentary. Hard Copy is not just an insight into how normalized it is for workplaces to dehumanize us (although it is that), it is a look into questions of self: Who are we when we can no longer relate to the people around us? How much value can one’s inner thought life have if it’s not being shared with others?

Read Maddie’s interview with translator Hester Velmans!

Recommended by Rachel My Neighbor Totoro Film Comic: All-in-One Edition

By Hayao Miyazaki (Created by)

Beautiful and full length film comic of My Neighbor Totoro! Reading this immersed me into this cozy and magical Miyazaki story in a whole new way!

Recommended by Jenness Death at the Sign of the Rook

By Kate Atkinson

A Christie-esque country house murder mystery filled with interesting, suspicious(?) characters orbiting each other until the final reveal. And the usual, welcome Atkinson humor. A very satisfying read.

Recommended by Tara Deja Brew

By Celestine Martin

Deja Brew is like a perfect mashup of Halloweentown meets Stars Hollow. This makes for the perfect magical fall read.

Recommended by Rae Ann The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year

By Ally Carter

Reading this book felt like stepping into a Clue game. Two American mystery authors are summoned to an English estate where a famous author disappears from a locked room. This is a laugh out loud whodunit full of twists and turns, and romantic chemistry.

Recommended by Patsy The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife

By Anna Johnston

Frederick unwittingly finds himself mistaken for Bernard Greer, a nursing home resident. The fall he took on a seaside excursion has made “Bernard” kinder. This is a delightful tale of second chances and friendship. Fans of Mr Kato Plays Family and The Thursday Murder Club will love this debut novel.

NONFICTION & POETRYRecommended by Ashby The Vibrant Hong Kong Table: 88 Iconic Vegan Recipes from Dim Sum to Late-Night Snacks

By Christine Wong

A bus tour of Hong Kong. At once memoir, travel journal, photo album, gardening how-to, and vegan cookbook. I was charmed from the first pages. Want to grow bean sprouts? There’s a how-to and why. The food pictures are indeed vibrant and enticed me to try several recipes, including steamed eggs which produced the creamiest eggs I have ever eaten. Flipping through was a journey of sights, sounds, smells, and tastes.

Recommended by Tara Empresses of Seventh Avenue: World War II, New York City, and the Birth of American Fashion

By Nancy MacDonell

A great look back into the history of New York becoming a major hub for fashion. It details the period when America was cut off from the Parisian designers they relied on so heavily pre-World War II. A great book for any fashion lover.

Recommended by Sarah How Women Made Music: A Revolutionary History from NPR Music

By Inc National Public Radio, Alison Fensterstock, Ann Powers (Introduction by)

From Celia Cruz to Rihanna, Barbra Streisand to Megan Thee Stallion, How Women Made Music charts the myriad ways women have influenced the trajectory of music and popular culture. This volume combines over 50 years’ worth of work from all of your favorite music writers into one beautiful package.

Recommended by Mac Women in Power: Classical Myths and Stories, from the Amazons to Cleopatra

By Stephanie McCarter (Editor)

This wonderful new anthology from proven powerhouse translator, Stephanie McCarter, is a great place to look for anyone curious about classical womanhood (through the classical patriarchal lens). Women in Power is the fruit of wonderful collaboration by McCarter, her colleagues, and past translators. A great and focused way to approach primary texts that many readers might not think to look for.

Recommended by Rachel The Girl Who Became a Rabbit

By Emilie Menzel

This book-length lyric poem explores the creature inside all of us: the human heart. With beastly fables and lush language, these words will crawl inside you and stay forever.

Recommended by A.J. Star-Spangled Jesus: Leaving Christian Nationalism and Finding A True Faith

By April Ajoy

At times funny, at times scathing, always insightful, Ajoy tells her story of being raised in Christian nationalism without having the vocabulary to identify it as such, then distancing herself from it as she grew into maturity. If you’ve lost loved ones down the Fox News rabbit hole like I have, this is the book for you.

Recommended by Ashby Colorful Living: Simple Ways to Brighten Your World through Design, Décor, Fashion, and More

By Rachel Mae Smith

I LOVE COLOR and I loved this book. A roadmap for what and how–color theory to assembling a color palette. It made me think about which colors make me smile and surrounding myself with them. When stores and homes have moved to cream, beige, grey, and tan, this book makes you think about surrounding yourself with colors even on insides of cabinets or edges of doors. Surround yourself with colors that make it yours.

Recommended by Patsy Moving the Moon: A Night at the Acropolis Museum

By Andrea Marcolongo, Will Schutt (Translator)

Classicist Marcolongo spends the night among the relics of Greek antiquity, reflecting upon the injustices of the taking of art, Lord Elgin, and her own family life. This slim volume offers much food for thought that lovers of art history will appreciate.

CLASSICS & BACKLISTRecommended by Lindsay Tin Man

By Sarah Winman

I read this book in an afternoon and sobbed so hard I had to cancel plans that night so I could sit in a dark room while I pondered the existential weight of queer history and art as a means of survival. If that sounds like your idea of a great Saturday night, pick up Tin Man!

Recommended by Elizabeth The Library Book

By Susan Orlean

If you love niche history and identify as a bibliophile, you will love this book. Susan Orlean explores the unsolved mystery of the Los Angeles Public Library fire of 1986, considering the range of possibly guilty parties. This quirky history book will reawaken in you a love of libraries and a deep appreciation for how they support communities across the United States.

Recommended by Paige The Rules of Magic

By Alice Hoffman

Did you read or watch Practical Magic and fall in love with the story of the Owens women? The Rules of Magic is the second of four books about the Owens women (it’s my favorite but they are all great!). A prequel that is the origin story of the aunts we met in Practical Magic, this book is a beautiful tale of family and self-discovery. Grab your tea, light your candles, and fall under the spell of this magical novel.

Recommended by A.J. Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols, and Other Typographical Marks

By Keith Houston

I tore through this book in a single sitting, and I’m here to say if you think you’re immune to guffawing over punctuation—you’d be wrong. If you love words, saucy tales, bone dry humor, history, fonts, classical languages, etymology, graphic design, or any other laundry list of niche interests as much as I do, this is the book for you. Great pick for book lovers/word nerds who want to dip their toe into nonfiction.

First Editions Club: October Selection The Mighty Red

By Louise Erdrich

Okay, first things first: I think Louise Erdrich should win the Nobel Prize. This idea is not original to me but still, I want to put it out there. If you have friends in Sweden, give them a call.

Why do I think this? Well, look at The Mighty Red, the story of a young girl on the verge of making the colossal mistake of marrying someone simply because he won’t stop asking her. It’s about the physical and mental toll of a life of manual labor. It’s about the destruction of the earth through pesticides and irresponsible farming practices. It’s about the long-term effects of trauma on a community. And yet somehow, miraculously, this is a loving, funny, and, dare I say, hopeful book. How does anyone pull this off? It helps to be one of the very best writers in the world. This book flies. I couldn’t read it fast enough, and at the same time I never wanted it to end. Erdrich, who after winning the National Book Critics Circle Award and the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize (and pretty much everything else except the Nobel), might be tempted to coast a bit, but this isn’t coasting. This is re-imagining how a novel can be made. This is fully inhabiting every last character, from the loveable to the reprehensible, and meeting each one with compassion.

The Mighty Red is a tour de force.

Enjoy.

Ann

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.

Love, Parnassus: October Selection If I Stopped Haunting You

By Colby Wilkens

An enemies to lovers romance with a spooky twist where two feuding writers end up on a writers retreat together at a haunted castle in Scotland. Full of spooky chills and even more sexy thrills, If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens is the funny, fast-paced romp romance readers have been waiting for!

“The horror-tinged romance moves at breakneck speed, careening between moments of laugh-out-loud humor and chilling encounters.” – Publishers Weekly

“Scorchingly hot.”- Booklist

The Love, Parnassus box is a monthly subscription box for romance readers curated by the experts at Parnassus Books. Each month you will receive a first edition book (which is sometimes signed), a letter from the author, a custom sticker, and a bookmark to track your reading. The Love, Parnassus selection will focus on debut and new-to-you romance authors. Set up a subscription for yourself or buy a gift membership for your favorite romance reader for 3, 6, or 12 months.

The Art of Translation: An Interview with Hester Velmans

Hard Copy is one of those blink-and-you-might-miss-it kind of books (my favorite kind). Its premise is so deliciously weird and it story so plainly fun to read, you almost forget to notice how stuffed to the brim it is with pointed commentary. This book is not just an insight into how normalized it is for our workplaces to dehumanize us (although it is that), it is a look into questions of humanity — Who are we when we can no longer relate to the people around us? How much value can a person’s inner thought life have if it’s not being shared with anyone else? How can we define ourselves apart from our pasts? I feel like I found an absolute treasure in this book, and getting to chat with its translator, Hester Velmans, was the cherry on top.

— Maddie Grimes, Parnassus floor manager

 

Hester Velmans

Maddie Grimes: I am curious what your initial impressions were when you first read Fien Veldman’s Hard Copy? What was your experience as a reader, and what did you feel was the heart of this book that you knew you wanted to get across in the translation?

Hester Velmans: When I first picked up Hard Copy I was not sure what to expect. I thought it was going to be a comedy about navigating the pitfalls of the office universe. Although not lacking in humor (I found myself laughing out loud in some places), it’s actually a trenchant novel about inequality, exploitation and alienation. My challenge was to find a voice in English not only for the withdrawn, laconic young woman who is the main character, but also, later on in the story, for that of a machine — the inanimate object that is her closest companion.

MG: For anyone like me who is inexperienced in the art of translation, can you explain how you go about translating some of the non-literal lines or scenes in a book? For example, in Hard Copy, there is one scene where the main character is walking in slow motion through her city—moving so slowly that passersby think she is a statue or public art installation. As a reader of this scene, it was clear to me that the lines between metaphor and what was literally happening on the page were very blurry. Is it difficult to handle parts of the story like this?

HV: The aspect of translating I enjoy most is solving problems such as the one you describe — analyzing the author’s unique approach, and then, when I feel I have understood her intention, adapting it to another language without making it more puzzling or obscure than it is in the original. In this novel, for instance, there was a lot of switching between past and present tense, which is more common in Dutch than in English, so that I sometimes found myself adjusting the tense so that it wouldn’t sound jarring to the English ear — without losing the author’s intention.

MG: I would also love to know how much (if any) communication you had with Fien, the author, during your time working on this project? Do you ever consult the author for guidance, or is translating mostly an independent process?

HV: I’m lucky to have been able to communicate with every author I have translated (except one who wished to remain anonymous, but his publisher was helpful in transmitting my questions to him). I almost always work with the author closely, in person or remotely; in Fien’s case, we communicated by email in a three-way exchange with the English editor. This consultation usually happens once the translation is done, at the editing stage. That’s when the author can point out any misinterpretations on my part, or when I can explain why a certain passage can’t be translated word for word. There are many Dutch words that may sound virtually the same as in English, but contain subtle or not so subtle differences of meaning.

MG: Since you do translation work in not only Dutch, are there any differences you notice in your process when working with different languages? For this book, are there any peculiarities about English or Dutch that can make translation complicated?

HV: The only other language I translate is French, and I find French easier and faster to translate into English than Dutch. I think it may have something to do with the syntax: in English, the word order is usually a straightforward subject/verb/object, while in Dutch the sentence often ends with the verb, which means you have to shift the words around and try to not let it affect the meaning. There are lots of other differences, e.g. English likes to indicate continuity, the actual passage of time, while Dutch will use the straightforward present tense. So that if I translate a sentence literally, “I smoke a cigarette”, it will sound a bit blunt, like a stage direction; in English, “I am smoking a cigarette” sounds more normal. These linguistic quirks have to be handled carefully, otherwise the translation will sound awkward or unnatural.

MG: You are a writer as well as a translator. Do you feel that you get similar creative fulfillment out of both jobs? How is your process different between the two?

HV: That’s an interesting question. When working on my own material, I tend to let go of the reins, letting my imagination go, trying not to over-think it. When I translate, I’m turning every word and every phrase over in my mind, trying to work out what the author was thinking, and how to convey that in another language. It’s a much more deliberate process. That said, the creative fulfillment is the same — reading back what I’ve written, whether based on someone else’s ideas or my own, is always a thrill.

MG: Since we just celebrated Women in Translation Month in August, do you have any other translated fiction you love that you want to give a shout out to?

HV: The last translation I was enthusiastic about was My Heavenly Favorite by Lucas Rijneveld (translated by Michelle Hutchinson), a kind of Lolita set in a rural backwater, about an obsessed veterinarian pedophile and a motherless girl. It’s shocking, upsetting and gross, but also worth reading for the almost biblical gorgeousness of the language. Another Dutch book I’d recommend is Your Story, My Story by Connie Palmen, a brilliant retelling of the Ted Hughes-Sylvia Plath saga (translated by Eileen Stevens and Anna Asbury). And then of course there’s always Elena Ferrante…

MG: Thank you so much for answering these questions, Hester! To end, we always ask this final question: what is your favorite thing about independent bookstores?

HV: The best thing about independent bookstores is the people sitting behind the counter! The owner of my local bookstore is a dear friend, seems to know all his customers and always has an enthusiastic recommendation for what to read next. He was profiled in a documentary, Hello Bookstore.

Hard Copy is on our shelves now. Grab your copy today!

The Unspoken Beats: An Interview with Regina Porter

If you’re thinking that you’re just not ready for a pandemic novel yet, you might want to think again. Regina Porter’s The Rich People Have Gone Away brings together a diverse group of New Yorkers during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to search for a missing woman. It’s the perfect blend of rich plot and compelling characters, gripping mystery and sharp commentary. If you like stories about secrets, connection, and community, The Rich People Have Gone Away is for you. We’re thrilled that Children’s Event Manager Hannah got the chance to ask Regina some questions about her book!

HP: The Rich People Have Gone Away masterfully weaves the lives of multiple New Yorkers together to create a sweeping yet intimate map of connections and lineage. How did you organize and keep track of all those interactions, generations, and personal histories?

Regina Porter: For the most part, the chapters were introduced exactly as they unfold in the novel. This is because I follow the characters. Specifically, Theo Harper and his wife, Darla Jacobson. The novel is classically structured. There is an inciting event—Theo and Darla head upstate to Darla’s family’s country home but get in an ugly argument on a day hike. When Darla goes missing, loved ones and friends are drawn into their mess. The mess is heightened because it happens during an insane time—April 2020—the height of the pandemic. The ability to capture different perspectives and write multiple characters is rooted in my playwriting background. In plays, multiple characters are on stage at once and the audience must follow each one.

HP: This is your second novel that takes place in New York. What is it about New York that makes it such an interesting and multidimensional setting?

RP: I live here. It’s funny, you know. When I first arrived in New York as a college student and people asked where I was from, I would say, “Savannah, Georgia.” And they would say, “Oh, I love Atlanta!” Savannah was not on the map yet for most people. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil hadn’t been made into a film. I know my hometown, but I have lived here in New York long enough for it to be home too. My rituals of daily living are in place here and it’s fascinating to observe how the city reinvents itself, but certain issues stay constant. Class. Race. Education. Housing. Who owns. Who rents.

HP: You’re a fantastic playwright. How does this background shape your approach to crafting a novel?

RP: Playwriting is based on listening. How people talk. Their individual patterns of speech and rhythms. Dialogue. What’s said. How’s it said. The unspoken beats. I think that’s why I put white spaces in my novels sometimes. White spaces would be breaks or unspoken emotional beats in a play where a character exits. and another enters. And maybe the character who remains on stage is forced to take stock of what the character who left said. Some revelation. Some confrontation.

HP: A major theme in the book is how both race and class shaped the experiences and lasting effects of COVID. How does seeing society through the lens of a pandemic bring systemic issues to surface?

RP: When one is a writer of color, people often assume we go around thinking about race or class or themes and that is how our stories take shape. This mode of thinking can box us in as artists, even dehumanize our characters, put a sociological lens on our work. It’s as simple as this: I couldn’t think of an organic way to tackle the pandemic until Theo’s character came to me. He was deeply flawed and not someone inclined even remotely to think about race, class—or identify as black. There he was—polyamorous—and stuck at home with his pregnant wife during a pandemic. Nothing to do but get irritated and sit with uncomfortable thoughts he had been previously too busy or active to address head on. Like most of us.

HP: Out of all the characters in this story, was there a character you enjoyed writing the most?

RP: I can’t say. The character shocked me so much to say it might spoil a major surprise in the book.

HP: We always like to finish with this question: What is your favorite thing about indie bookstores?

RP: My favorite thing about independent bookstores is my favorite thing about writing: intimacy. Booksellers in independent bookstores talk about books like they have lived in the pages. You ask for a recommendation and they reach for a book in such a thoughtful way.

The Rich People Have Gone Away is on our shelves now. Grab your copy today!