Play Book Tag discussion
September 2023: Literary Fiction
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Announcing the Tag for September
For those not thrilled by this tag, lots of books that might be considered genre fiction probably will show up here. Much historical fiction is also tagged literary, for instance.
Yeah, not surprised. Sigh...I know there will be lots to choose from (even from my tbr). I just don't like the broad tags as much.
Buddy Read Alert:A few of the books some of us have been talking about qualify for literary fiction those are:
1) Covenant of Water
2) The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store
3) The House of Doors
4) Deacon King Kong.
5) Demon Copperhead
I for one will be reading the Candy House and listening to Deacon King Kong. Although any one of the top three are on my list as well, so if people organize a buddy read, I just might be in.
As for Covenant of Water, its the next book up for my IRL Book Club. So depending on the date we choose for it, will know by Thursday night and I am 140 pages left (%25), then perhaps if the timing works, I will join you..... I certainly cannot read them all, but if a buddy read happens on a book I am excited about, I will catch up with you/it at some point. As always, remind me to keep track of books that possibly a few people are keeping eyes out for... I will note them on the Trim thread and pull them out when they seem to apply, just to be helpful. Definitely remind me if its one I didn't track because it didn't catch my attention. I think personally this could be a great month. i would have been just as happy with twins, but for me those were all quick mysteries.... So this worked.
I read literary fiction every month so it isn't a great stretch, but I do enjoy reading them. What I have coming up on my list and hope to read soon is:Hello Beautiful
Old God's Time
Pearl
Literary Fiction which I have read recently and can recommend:
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
The Covenant of Water
The History of a Difficult Child
Swimming Back to Trout River
The House Is on Fire
Hamnet
The Island of Missing Trees
I'm relieved that this tag won because I feel the need to do some mood reading, and literary fiction has a lot of choices. Lately I've been treating my TBR like a buffet - or a tasting menu. I'm not sure what I'll finish, but I want to spend some time with:Demon Copperhead - bookclub (August or Sept)
The Marriage Portrait - bookclub
Hello Beautiful
Tsar of Love and Techno OR Constellations...
Tom Lake
Novellas:
Foster
Too Loud a Solitude
Waiting for the Barbarians
Chess Story
The Invention of Morel
Elena Knows
I've had these on my list forever:
God of Small Things
The Snow Child
Peace like a RIver
Tale of two cities
Half of a Yellow Sun
Secret History
Tomorrow x 3
Elegance of the Hedgehog
Grapes of Wrath or East of Eden
Housekeeping by Marilyn Robinson
August books that might carryover
Demon Copperhead
Deacon King Kong, or another McBride book
Trees or something else by Percival Everett
NancyJ wrote: "I'm relieved that this tag won because I feel the need to do some mood reading, and literary fiction has a lot of choices. Lately I've been treating my TBR like a buffet - or a tasting menu. I'm no..."Ditto.....I've been mood reading all this year tbh. Started a fair few books and totally stalled due to my head wandering off without my consent. If I'm not in the right mood for a book this year I can't keep my head under control.
I am quite excited for this tag! I have some books that just haven’t made it to the top of the TBR yet and this is the perfect excuse to get to them. My top two priorities:
The Covenant of Water
Tom Lake
I have started The Covenant of Water, but at 800 pages, I will likely read the bulk of it next month.
I cannot wait to listen to Tom Lake!
If I get to a third, it will be August Blue.
I’m so relieved. I was really scratching my head about finding something for twins! But this one’s easy, whether I feel in the mood for something light or something heavier. Plus I’ve just been sorting my books and so many of my unread ones fit this tag! … Horse, Demon Copperhead, There There, Bring Up The Bodies … the list goes on for ever
I will read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.
I love literary fiction, and I have the entire Booker prize list to work on. https://thereadersroom.org/2023/08/01...
I think this is the first time I haven't read a single one of the books on the list. First I need to finish my moral dilemmas book not to mention this long ARC from the author of The Nix. But that's literary fiction too! In fact, The Nix would be a great option.
In terms of recommendations, omg, I feel this is so broad with so many possibilities. In general I love Jonathan Franzen and Elizabeth Strout and John Steinbeck and Deborah Levy.
Here's a few five star reads that are a little off the beaten path so to speak.
Hallucinating Foucault - short!
The Imperfectionists
Vaclav & Lena
Girl, Woman, Other
The Colony
The Book of Goose
Where the Dead Sit Talking
OH! Surpise-😅. eh Cindy?I am happy to let Anita have this one, she deserves a break-
I actually have 4 of them on my TBR-Amy, I will watch for the Deacon King Kong buddy read and join if I can-It all dpends on my mood.
It sounds like Tom Lake isn't that far from "chick lit", it just has a "literary" author. And the audio is read by Meryl Streep!And Tomorrow x3 is tagged sci-fi by quite a few people.
Although there are many tomes in this category, there are also quite a few short books, like Foster or On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous.
Anita wrote: "By a significant margin, we selectedliterary fiction
Please share your reading plans and recommendations below.
I am going to read The Testaments next month. I read The Handmaid’s Tale last year and am currently watching it on Hulu.
Robin P wrote: "It sounds like Tom Lake isn't that far from "chick lit", it just has a "literary" author. And the audio is read by Meryl Streep!And Tomorrow x3 is tagged sci-fi by quite a few people.
Although ..."
According to those in my Feminerdy Book Club, Tomorrowx3 is decidedly NOT SciFi and they don't understand how it is being tagged such.
One more example of how arbitrary and capricious tagging is.
I am very unhappy with this tag. Not because I dislike the tag. I actually have a pretty steady diet of lit fic reads without any effort. My problem is what I am reading next month that needs to be read by specific dates, combined my busy work schedule limiting reading time, are decidedly not literary fiction. 2 or 3 of them are over 600 pages each, 2 are NF.I have 2 options: finish Les Miz in September which isn't likely, or hope I have some extra time at the end of the month to squeeze in another book that fits tag (I have plenty in the TBR). That could happen given the Jewish holidays start in mid-Sept. And that always slows down my work schedule as so many New Yorkers are observant.
This was NOT the broad tag choice for me this month. Violence tag was the broad one, would have been easy as just about every book I need to read, even NF, fit that tag.
I'm in the love it camp for Tomorrow X3 but it is definitely not sci-fi. I'm planning on reading Malibu Rising which I can also use to fulfill the buddy read candle.
I love broad tags and I cannot lie... also love literary fiction.My book club is reading Bunny for September. A re-read for me, but that is my literary fiction pick.
If we’re talking about potential buddy, read books to keep our eyes on, it feels like tomorrow x3 should be on that list, and that might be happening naturally… And also Weyward for October. Again, happy to sort of try to keep somewhat of an eye out, and maybe hopefully marriage some of that through the trim, thread, and pull them out for consideration when they match the tag like this. As far as Deacon, King Kong, I think I might try to listen to it next on audio, and I think Nancy was interested in it. Possibly Joanne, I wonder if there was anybody else he was considering that for this month ….
I just received notice from the library that my hold for Stone Blind is available and I have A Fine Balance on my list for possible Birthday reads so i will add those to my Literary fiction choices for September.
Since I nominated Catch-22 by Joseph Heller for another book discussion group, I will probably be reading this, if it is chosen.
I have so many books I could read for this one. I almost feel that I could just read at random and lots of what I read would fit. These are books that I definitely want to get to next month, and if there are any buddy reads for them, then I would join in:A Brief History of Seven Killings
Lady Tan's Circle of Women
The House of Doors
Trust
Demon Copperhead
Deacon King Kong
The Wind Knows My Name
Horse
@ Hannah - Meli and I read A Brief History of Seven Killings as a buddy read a couple years ago --- I think we did it officially here too as it is listed as one of the possible Buddy Reads for PBT Birthday. I reviewed it in March 2021 so the Buddy read started in January 2021. I'll see if I can find a link.Here's my review.
You might want to read along with that buddy read -- we had fun and shared info. I'd happily jump back in on discussions. It is one of my top 15 in 15.
One last bit of advice: unless you have a high tolerance for ugly brutal obscene language, you do not want to do this in audio. Both Meli and I read it in print, but even I who is pretty tolerant around all kinds of bad language would likely not tolerate it.
Hannah, I would be interested in every single one of those books for a buddy read, except the first and the last. Definitely reading Deacon King Kong, and the Mistress of Rome in September. Plus I own a copy of Lady Tan.
@Hannah - here's link for our A Brief History of Seven Killings buddy read!
If any Booker fans have NOT read this -- which was a unanimous winner voted in one round of voting the year it was up -- you should all join in. Brilliant work. Dark and brutal, but also breathtaking.
Theresa wrote: "@ Hannah - Meli and I read A Brief History of Seven Killings as a buddy read a couple years ago --- I think we did it officially here too as it is listed as one of the possible Budd..."Thanks Theresa - I will check out the Buddy Read thread, and maybe add to it as I'm reading. I will be listening to this on audio as I bought it in an Audible sale earlier this year. It might be one that spread out into lots of small parts if the language gets too much though as a Brit, I'll hope that the specific words may have a different strength for me than for you and Meli.
Amy wrote: "Hannah, I would be interested in every single one of those books for a buddy read, except the first and the last. Definitely reading Deacon King Kong, and the Mistress of Rome in September. Plus I ..."Yay! Maybe we need to see if other people are interested in joining us, and work out which ones you are most interested in reading, and an idea of when to read them. Have you got any other books you need to read in September that we should work around?
I own Mistress of Rome, Horse, Seven Killings and Deacon King Kong, so I can read them whenever works best for you. The rest will be coming from the library.
You've just finished Demon, so I'll read that as soon as I get my copy - I'm 8th in line with 4 copies being used, so I'll get it at some stage next month.
I have The Wind Knows My Name checked out already as I was hoping to get to it in August - it's due back on the 12th, so I will need to read that one near the start of the month.
My holds on Lady Tan and House of Doors are due in on the 18th at the latest, but they are ebooks, so I might get them earlier depending on whenever has them now returns them.
Trust I will be getting as an audiobook, and I'm 8th in line with 5 copies being used, so I'll hopefully get that in about 2 weeks.
Hannah wrote: "I have so many books I could read for this one. I almost feel that I could just read at random and lots of what I read would fit. These are books that I definitely want to get to next month, and if..."I found over 150 books already on my TBR that fit the tag. This almost feels like a bonus month to get to some books I've been wanting to read.
@ Hannah, will be interested in what you think of The Wind Knows My Name. I have not read it yet, but in another group it was a group read this month and the thoughts on it are all over the place. I have a love it/did not relationship with Allende's books, so it is on my list but not near the top.
So I also have the wind knows my name checked out from the library. And I have a funny story about the book trust, which I also happened to own a copy of. It’s just that I am not gonna be able to knock off as many books as you in as timely a way, so I won’t be able to get to them all. So while I’m interested in the house of doors, and I think others are too, I’d rather see if people are interested in reading that one a little bit later. I put myself on the library list for covenant of water, but I’m not gonna be able to get it in time. As I might have mentioned, my book group, which is doing Demon Copperhead on Thursday night is also doing covenant of water next, so I’ll have to see what I have to read it by and the likelihood is that I will get a quick speed read from the library, or I will just go out and buy it from my friendly independent bookstores. So I have a funny story about what happened to me with the book Trust. But since I’m on my phone, I’m gonna have to press send and tell you guys in my second missive.
Hannah wrote: "Theresa wrote: "@ Hannah - Meli and I read A Brief History of Seven Killings as a buddy read a couple years ago --- I think we did it officially here too as it is listed as one of t..."I also believe that being forwarned helps. Note: this book would have been top of the list if the tag picked were 'violence', LOL.
So there I am at the pool at the JCC, minding, my own business, except that I never mind my own business. When especially it comes to books, I’m always curious about what other people are reading and I have quite a few friends were readers so I get to see what they’re up to. Even if you of the ladies from my book club are there at the JCC and they were all laughing to see me try to knock off demon copperhead in time for Thursday. Anyway, there’s this interesting woman who has a granddaughter with special needs, and a bunch of times. I’ve been really helpful to her in the locker room, being kind an offering to help with the granddaughter which I gather, she isn’t easy to manage. I’ve interested with the staff when she has trouble following directions, and if kindly helped in the shower, etc.. anyway, there was this one day, where the woman was alone, and not with the granddaughter, and she was thanking me for having helped in the past, and simply being kind, and for what she was reading, and she was finishing the last 10 pages of the book trust which she had told me was on the bestseller list in the top 10 but oddly enough with all of my Goodreads connections, I had never heard of it. Anyway, she offered it to me and it seemed she really wanted me to take it.. So I did and I put it in the seat of my car with my library books.
The phone made me make a third post. Hopefully this isn’t garble. Well, as I was returning a library book or two I realize that I had taken the summer library challenge, and it slipped into the front cover of one of the books. When I pulled it out, I realize that I had completed all of the five or six or seven challenges, except one. I needed a book that was translated. And of course it had to be from my TBR or why was I bothering? Anyway, crazily enough I will look up a list of translated books and there was trust right there! Like within the hour that I had received it, it was right there on the list. Remarkable. But I also saw that there were a number of Isabell Alende books, including soul of a woman, and the wind knows my name. Apparently she is her own translator, but that counts. Also, the secret life of sunflowers. So I ordered them all and they landed in my library collection, and that is why I have all of these books, including the now owned copy of trust, waiting for me in a pile. So it’s funny that we’re talking about the wind knows my name. But the challenge Hass to be completed by September 5, so I might just go with soul of a woman because it’s fairly short and quick. I’d like to do it by September 1 because as you can see I’ve got a busy September. And now you’ve heard my remarkable Tale.
Amy wrote: "So there I am at the pool at the JCC, minding, my own business, except that I never mind my own business. When especially it comes to books, I’m always curious about what other people are reading a..."What a nice story! It shows also that she noticed your reading and the quality of books.
Yes, I appreciate the gift, but it’s so funny that I found that I needed it an hour later and then checked out these other four books that now it turns out we might be having a additional buddy read…. I feel so freed now having finished demon copperhead. I’m onto my next subdue book.
Amy wrote: "Yes, I appreciate the gift, but it’s so funny that I found that I needed it an hour later and then checked out these other four books that now it turns out we might be having a additional buddy rea..."I really enjoyed Trust. It's confusing at first, but I think you might appreciate the over all message. It's four related books, and it helps to have a bit of an outline - or even some spoilers - to enjoy the ironies are they are building, rather than all at the end. Just my opinion. If I ever reread it, I'll start with the last book first.
Based on other books I read around the same time - one key message that I got was how easy it is for history to write someone out of a story - most notably women. Also translations, biographies and fiction written about real people - can all be twisted in all sorts of ways to support a particular point of view.
Joanne wrote: "OH! Surpise-😅. eh Cindy?..."LOL!
Rachel N. wrote: "I'm planning on reading Malibu Rising which I can also use to fulfill the buddy read candle."This one's on my tbr, so it's a possibility. I have a few, just need to pick! (Or compare to what else I'm already planning to read to see if anything there fits.)
Theresa wrote: "Hannah wrote: "Theresa wrote: "@ Hannah - Meli and I read A Brief History of Seven Killings as a buddy read a couple years ago --- I think we did it officially here too as it is lis..."I think warnings for certain things are always a good thing. If you are warned you make an informed choice, gird your loins and likely get to enjoy it. If the unpleasantness comes as a shock it can ruin the story or even be a trigger which prevents being able to finish the book.
I don't read litfic much these days, so I'm hoping this will nudge me to read from that part of my Top 100 tbr :) The two I'm looking at right now are:Three Daughters of Eve
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
I'm also looking at There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job. I'm about to attempt to rejoin the workforce after a long illness/recovery, so it's calling to me
Jen wrote: "If you are warned you make an informed choice, gird your loins and likely get to enjoy it. If the unpleasantness comes as a shock it can ruin the story or even be a trigger which prevents being able to finish the book."So true. There are some things I can handle if I'm prepared for them but could ruin a book for me if I'm not
Amy wrote: "So there I am at the pool at the JCC, minding, my own business, except that I never mind my own business. When especially it comes to books, I’m always curious about what other people are reading a..."This is such a lovely story!
Robin P wrote: "For those not thrilled by this tag, lots of books that might be considered genre fiction probably will show up here. Much historical fiction is also tagged literary, for instance."I'm not thrilled although I've read quite a few and have some marked want to read. I think I put this as an alternative. However, it may be that I already have something in my suspended holds that fits; I'll take a look at that when I'm back home on my body friendly computer.
Amy wrote: "I loved the three daughters of Eve!"Amy I'm planning on that for September, but would it also fit for Moral Dilemma? I'm in the mood for a book like this now.
I’m sure that it would fit moral dilemmas, but I cannot remember why.
Definitely slowed down again this month.....Have read about 100 pages of 2 books but the marking has picked up again so only 30 mins before bed to read now. Might get a little more time at the end of Sept then it will go mad again with multiple marking jobs for the exam board as soon as my seniors finish.Never mind when I'm stacking shelves next year I won't have any marking.
I’m going to be reading Writers and Lovers! I know Anita and Amy both loved this one plus reading a book set in Boston just feels right to welcome in Autumn!
Play Book Tag
Books mentioned in this topic
The Swimmers (other topics)There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job (other topics)
Three Daughters of Eve (other topics)
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine (other topics)
A Brief History of Seven Killings (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Jonathan Franzen (other topics)Elizabeth Strout (other topics)
John Steinbeck (other topics)
Deborah Levy (other topics)
literary fiction
Please share your reading plans and recommendations below.
Remember, for the regular monthly reads, the book can be shelved as "literary fiction" on Goodreads, or be a book that is not yet shelved that way but you feel should be.
One way to find books to read for this tag is to please visit:
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
We encourage people to link to additional lists below if they find them.
Happy Reading!!!