Books Relevant to Our Interests

[Michelle]

I'm starting this thread as a place where Toasties can recommend and talk about books that they've seen recommended on The Toast, either by our illustrious overlords or in comment threads, or about books that you think would be perfect for Toasties to read.

The first one that springs to mind for me is The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy. I saw it recommended on Mallory's wonderful "Everything Like White Elephants" post, read it, and thought, "yes, this is a perfect Toastie book." I'd also like to suggest Elaine Ferrante's Neapolitan series as relevant to our interests, as well as The Ten Thousand Things by Maria Dermout.

So, anyone want to talk about the above books, or suggest any more? I need more books to add to the every-growing pile on my bedside table.

[Sduff222]

Though it was written by A MAN, I think Toasties would love Icelander by Dustin Long.

[Andrea]

I actually note when a book I add to Goodreads is because of a Toast (or Hairpin) person, whether in a post or in the comments. It's not a comprehensive shelf, but there's a good number of books here!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

[Egh]

Elaine Dundy also wrote The Old Man and Me which was tremendous as well.

Although I'm sorry to admit it, I'm on the Jo Walton fence, although I suspect Jo Walton is canon Toast author. However, of her books, Tooth and Claw is a comedy of manners based on regency books, but featuring actual dragons. Uptight dragons. And it's good.

[Elitza]

GUUUYS. The Least of All Possible Mistakes is on here for rating.

just FYI, no reason, no reason at all

<3 houblonchouffe

[Elitza]

GUUUYS. The Least of All Possible Mistakes is on here for rating.

just FYI, no reason, no reason at all

<3 houblonchouffe

[xenu01]

Egh wrote: "Although I'm sorry to admit it, I'm on the Jo Walton fence, although I suspect Jo Walton is canon Toast author. However, of her books, Tooth and Claw is a comedy of manners based on regency books, but featuring actual dragons. Uptight dragons. And it's good."

I am right there with you! LOVED Tooth and Claw, have been very mixed on the rest of the things I've tried. Among Others was pretty good, I thought, but then My Real Children, though it had an excellent concept, felt flat in execution. Was slogging through The Just City and then there was a rape and I was like fuggetaboutit.

[Cate]

xenu01 wrote: "My Real Children, though it had an excellent concept, felt flat in execution..."
I'm so sorry you felt that way. I thought it was great in concept and execution. She has a series of 2-3 books loosely based on the Arthur cycle that I want to like but can't for some reason.

[Emily]

Cate wrote: "xenu01 wrote: "My Real Children, though it had an excellent concept, felt flat in execution..."


Weirdly, it felt flat to me too, but then at the end I was completely into it and weeping over the ending. I was surprised to find that a story told like a simple biographical sketch worked that well for me.

[Lauren]

My Real Children was the first Jo Walton I read, and I totally loved it. I then read Among Others and liked parts of it, but didn't really like the listing of all the SF books. Also the whole time I just wanted to know whether the fairies were real or not, although I realize that's probably the point.

[Egh]

Among Others was tough for me. I didn't get all the books she was reading and I felt that the "action" parts of the book made very little sense As I would be reading I'd be thinking, "but what is happening? Is she climbing a fence? Is a stick talking to her? I don't get it. The mom part too.

[Cate]

Rainbow Rowell gave a shout out to Among Others in her feature in The Toast today. Woot!

[Lily]

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
I watched the movie, which I adored (naturally, I mean, it has a young Maggie Smith!). But I finally just got around to reading the book! It was definitely different, and I think I might have to read it again to really appreciate it.

[Sita]

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is my all time favourite book. She is SO DAMN UNDERRATED, which isn't surprising at all, because apparently women can't be Great Writers. Try reading The Driver's Seat if you liked The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - it's a lot more wicked and funny in a horrifying way.

[Sduff222]

The Driver's Seat is one of my favorite books of all time! And Tilda Swinton agrees: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/28/t-m...

But seriously, that book is so good, and so bizarre. Everything Muriel Spark does is so good. I think Prime of Miss Jean Brodie gets a bad rap because people who haven't read it just assume it's another story about an inspiring teacher. (Which is, in itself, a whole other basket of issues).

[Lily]

Sduff222 wrote: "The Driver's Seat is one of my favorite books of all time! And Tilda Swinton agrees: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/28/t-m......"

I hate the sappy inspirational teacher stories and I LOVED Jean Brodie because she was so different, and I think it is so rarely mentioned that people can have a massive effect on you and it can be hard to parse if that was a good or a bad thing.

[Sduff222]

So true! And terribly realistic.

I also highly recommend you guys check out A Far Cry from Kensington as it is hilarious.

[Lizzy]

Baring Witness is a new collection of essays by Mormon women writing about sexuality, both in and out of the church. It's not as cishet as you'd expect. http://www.press.uillinois.edu/wordpr...

[Kristin]

Lizzy, that sounds very neat. I'll have to pass it along to a very good former Mormon friend of mine, I think she'd be interested in it.