Announcing the Tag for August

[Anita]

First of all, how is it August already?

Second of all, so sorry scifi fans . . .for August, we will be reading:

family drama

Please share your reading plans and recommendations below.

Remember, for the regular monthly reads, the book can be shelved as "family drama" 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!!!

[LibraryCin]

Oh, good! A bit broader than I like, but I wsn't super-excited about sci-fi, either!

That all being said, because it's so broad, it will be easy to find something to fit.

[Olivermagnus]

Apparently I read this genre all the time. I only looked at the first five pages and 75% of each page was either Read or To Read.

I'm planning to read Rabbit Cake, Broken Country and/or The Names.

[Jason]

On my TBR for Family Drama:
1) The Vanishing Half - Brit Bennett
2) The Push - Ashley Audrain
3) Winter Garden - Kristin Hannah
4) Still Alice - Lisa Genova
5) The Prince of Tides - Pat Conroy
6) Wild Dark Shore - Charlotte McConaghy

[NancyJ]

I’m very happy with this. There are a few longer books I’m eager to get to, that didn’t fit any tags so far this year.

[Joy D]

I am considering:
Bug Hollow - Michelle Huneven
The Correspondent - Virginia Evans
Beautiful Ruins - Jess Walter
As Bright As Heaven - Susan Meissner
Good Dirt - Charmaine Wilkerson

I can recommend:
Tom Lake - Ann Patchett
Homegoing - Yaa Gyasi
The Immortalists - Chloe Benjamin
Sing, Unburied, Sing - Jesmyn Ward
Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
The Covenant of Water - Abraham Verghese
Atonement - Ian McEwan
Hamnet - Maggie O'Farrell
Three Days in June - Anne Tyler

[Book Concierge]

Most likely one (or more) of my F2F book club reads for August will fit this tag.

[Karin]

I like Scifi, but since we're having Alternative now which includes some scifi, I'm happy to have a switch.

[Theresa]

I have no doubt that I will find plenty to read for the tag, and even some for other challenges will certainly fit. I think the Feminerdy Book Club read for August fits though it also fits Speculative Fiction (and SFF for that matter). Though I hope to read it now.

It is funny how many books I've read this month that would fit!

[Book Concierge]

Theresa wrote: "It is funny how many books I've read this month that would fit! "

The "Christmas in July" book I'm reading now DEFINITELY qualifies as family drama! (Just sayin' ...)

[Theresa]

That is SO TRUE! Most of mine have as well.

[Lyn]

I just moved Homegoing and Black Cake from my bookshelf to my bedside table stack. Just to get started :)

[NancyJ]

Olivermagnus wrote: "Apparently I read this genre all the time. I only looked at the first five pages and 75% of each page was either Read or To Read.

I'm planning to read Rabbit Cake, [book:Broken Cou..."

Lynda I hope you like Rabbit Cake as much as I did. (It’s not for everyone.) I was hoping to get to The Names this month, but it’s great to know it fits next month too!

[NancyJ]

Jason wrote: "On my TBR for Family Drama:
1) The Vanishing Half - Brit Bennett
2) The Push - Ashley Audrain
3) Winter Garden -

Wild Dark Shore will be in my top ten this year. I hope you like it too. Thanks for the reminder of Lisa Genova. I loved the books I read by her, and she has a new one.

[NancyJ]

Joy D wrote: "I am considering:
Bug Hollow - Michelle Huneven …
Me too!

Your recommendations include some of my all time favorites. I still need to read Middlesex (it fits a play harder prompt too) and Covenant.

This is the perfect time of year to read Tom Lake.

[Booknblues]

There are so many books which could be labeled Family Drama that I'm leaving what to read blank.

I will give a few recommendations:
Foster
How to Say Babylon
Maame
Love After Love
The History of a Difficult Child
Swimming Back to Trout River
What We Lose
The Art of Falling
The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters
Razorblade Tears
Florence Adler Swims Forever
China Room
Lost Children Archive
American Princess
Educated
The Caregiver
The President's Gardens
North of Dawn
America for Beginners

I had these all in my family relationship shelf, but I feel they fit family drama as well and they were all 4 or 5 star reads for me.

[Saorsa]

I am trying to focus on books from the 1970s, ‘80s, and ‘90s for the remainder of the year in order to try complete my Birth of a Reader Challenge. If you have favorites from that era that fit the tag, I’d love some recommendations. If I get suggestions for a year I’ve already read, I’ll shelve them for completing the challenge in upcoming years. I love character driven narratives, so family dynamics are a favorite genre of mine.

Some “family” books that lean into the “drama” aspect that I recommend:
The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan
The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
Prophet Song by Paul Lynch
The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah (as a historian, I hated The Nightingale, but, as an Alaskan, I really enjoyed this one — Hannah’s The Women is also outstanding and fits the tag)
Educated by Tara Westover
Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate (tissues a must)
Beartown by Fredrik Backman
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (loving this book is a family thing — I have a granddaughter named Scout)
The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne

As a Medievalist, my most commonly recommended historical fiction works that fit this tag are:
The Lost Queen by Signe Pike (loads of liberties taken with the scanty facts available, but it is a stellar series)
The Forever Queen by Helen Hollick
Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman

And, of course, that most famous Medieval epic of a mother and her son:
Beowulf by Seamus Heaney (absolutely the best translation out there)
Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary, together with Sellic Spell by J.R.R. Tolkien (already read Heaney’s version? Give this unique version a read)

[Algernon (Darth Anyan)]

Next month will be a good chance to pick Rich Man, Poor Man by Irwin Shaw, a book I have already loaded on my e-reader but keep dancing around and delaying. I remember loving the original TV series back in the seventies.

I think John Irving is a great choice for the theme, for those who are not yet familiar with his books, like The Hotel New Hampshire, The World According to Garp
Another easy choice is The Brothers K by David James Duncan. This one also has a lot of baseball in it.

From the books I've read in July, Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor and The Black Loch by Peter May are also focused on family drama. The whole series about the Hebrides by May is very good and each book can be read as a stand alone. Mentioning Peter May reminded me of Tana French whose crime stories are always exploring family trauma leading to present conflict.

[Book Concierge]

Saorse wrote: "I am trying to focus on books from the 1970s, ‘80s, and ‘90s for the remainder of the year in order to try complete my Birth of a Reader Challenge. If you have favorites from that era that fit the ..."

Herman Wouk's The Winds of War and War and Remembrance would definitely fit. Both published in the '70s.

And another epic from the '70s ... The Thorn Birds should fit the "family drama" tag as well.

[Saorsa]

Saorse wrote: "I am trying to focus on books from the 1970s, ‘80s, and ‘90s for the remainder of the year in order to try complete my Birth of a Reader Challenge. If you have favorites from that era that fit the ..."

Thanks for mentioning Irwin Shaw and John Irving. I have a couple Irving books, but the reminder of these two great writers is very appreciated. I added several to my shelves. The Brothers K looks outstanding. I have never heard of it before, and I still need to read a book published that year, so I put it on my order list.

The Peter May series intrigues me. My Dad is from the Isle of Skye (the Lykins are septs of the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan — the castle in my avatar). About four years ago, I took a huge academic pivot from specializing in the history of militant Islam, primarily during the Middle Ages, to something more aligned with my heritage: the lore of Highland Scots in the Middle Ages and how its trickle down effects still affect the belief systems of the people of the Outer Hebrides today. Those were the bedtime tales of my childhood. So, as you might imagine, the premise of the first Peter May book definitely caught my attention!

[Saorsa]

Algernon (Darth Anyan) wrote: "Next month will be a good chance to pick Rich Man, Poor Man by Irwin Shaw, a book I have already loaded on my e-reader but keep dancing around and delaying. I remember loving the orig..."

I replied to the wrong post. 🤦‍♀️ My reply to myself was meant to be for you.

[Saorsa]

Book Concierge wrote: "Saorse wrote: "I am trying to focus on books from the 1970s, ‘80s, and ‘90s for the remainder of the year in order to try complete my Birth of a Reader Challenge. If you have favorites from that er..."

These are excellent suggestions. I read Thorn Birds ages ago and recently bought another copy for a reread. Can you believe I don’t think I’ve ever read Herman Wouk’s books? Whenever the titles pop up, I wrack my brain trying to remember, but I don’t think I have. All three of these are right up my alley and all published in different years, so that’s a plus.

[Jen]

Joy D wrote: "I am considering:
Bug Hollow - Michelle Huneven
The Correspondent - Virginia Evans
Beautiful Ruins - Jess Walter
As Bright As Heaven - Susan Meissner
Good Dirt - Charmaine Wilkerson

I can recommen..."

I'll be curious how you find Atonement. So many people I know love it and I just didn't like it at all despite being in a great mood when I read it (yes I'm human and I can be harsh when life is sucky but it was genuinely pretty good at that point in time).

[Jen]

Saorse wrote: "I am trying to focus on books from the 1970s, ‘80s, and ‘90s for the remainder of the year in order to try complete my Birth of a Reader Challenge. If you have favorites from that era that fit the ..."

Not that it fits this month's tag but one of the best tear-jerkers I've ever read was The Green Mile. I've read it several times and every time it reminds me that we must not judge others on superficial stuff and that the gentlest, kindest people are often those who you would not expect. Not sure if you have read it but it was originally released as a serial novel when I first read it and then later as a whole novel together (1996 ish)....Not the normal King book and still IMHO his very best work because it kicks me in the guts every time.

[NancyJ]

Does anyone have any favorite books involving mother-daughter relationships? I think that’s what I loved best about Tom Lake. I have a play harder prompt for this (which I might have submitted myself because I like it).

Also, how about favorite books with three generations of a family? I loved sagas when I was younger, and now sandwich generation and elder care issues are salient. Oh, and I love funny grandmothers. I really enjoyed the Miriam Toews books with three generations of women.

[Algernon (Darth Anyan)]

NancyJ wrote: "Does anyone have any favorite books involving mother-daughter relationships? I think that’s what I loved best about Tom Lake. I have a play harder prompt for this (which I might have submitted myse..."

If you like science-fiction, there's a very well rendered mother-daughter dynamic in The Fifth Season. You might have to read the two sequels for a resolution, but the whole series won three Hugo awards in a row: 2016, 2017, 2018

[Robin P]

NancyJ wrote: "Does anyone have any favorite books involving mother-daughter relationships? I think that’s what I loved best about Tom Lake. I have a play harder prompt for this (which I might have submitted myse..."

Bug Hollow has 3 generations even though it’s a short book. Then there’s the literal A Mother and Two Daughters, though I don’t remember if there’s a third generation in it. Some of Anne Tyler’s books show characters aging.

[Holly R W]

NancyJ wrote: "Does anyone have any favorite books involving mother-daughter relationships? I think that’s what I loved best about Tom Lake. I have a play harder prompt for this (which I might have submitted myse..."

Nancy, here are some favorite books that I can recommend:

Mother-Daughter Relationships:

Loved and Missed
Real Americans - this is also a saga with 3 generations
The Correspondent - the mother-daughter relationship is one of several story-lines.


3 Generations' Novels - Sagas

Speak to Me of Home
Real Americans

Funny Grandmothers

Nobody Will Tell You This But Me: A True (as Told to Me) Story - a memoir

[Joy D]

Here are a couple off the top of my head that have to do with mother-daughter relationships:
Heartwood by Amity Gaige
Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

And one I haven't read but is on my TBR that sounds like it would fit multigenerational :
Her Mother's Mother's Mother and Her Daughters by Maria Jose Silveira

[Holly R W]

I loved Heartwood!

[Booknblues]

NancyJ wrote: "Does anyone have any favorite books involving mother-daughter relationships? ..."

I went through my families lists and came up with these:
The first two are about mother & daughter taking a trip together After Story made my top 10
After Story
Cold Enough for Snow

Hot Milk
My Name Is Lucy Barton
What We Lose
Our Last Days in Barcelona
Maame
How to Say Babylon
Hello Beautiful
The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters
Reproduction
The Nature of Water and Air
Unless

3 generation family saga
A Kind of Freedom

[Algernon (Darth Anyan)]

Seeing a thread about Snow Falling on the Cedars made me remember a book with three generations of a family in it, a personal favorite that I read at least three times : The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy.
I looked at the posts above and I see it was already mentioned, but I don't care: I still want to sponsor it.

[John]

I'll probably read The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters, The Vegetarian by Han Kang, and The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger.

[Jen K]

Will try to tackle some chunky reads that I have been putting off:

The Covenant of Water
The Bee Sting
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois

[NancyJ]

Algernon (Darth Anyan) wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Does anyone have any favorite books involving mother-daughter relationships? I think that’s what I loved best about Tom Lake. I have a play harder prompt for this (which I might have..."

Thanks!. I haven’t read her yet, and I’ll have to bump that up my sci-fi list.

I really liked Prince of Tides too. I can’t remember any details, so I should put it back on the tbr for a reread.

[NancyJ]

Robin P wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Does anyone have any favorite books involving mother-daughter relationships? I think that’s what I loved best about Tom Lake. I have a play harder prompt for this (which I might have..."

Thanks! Bug Hollow is a must read because I liked The Search so much. Both books were discussed Monday as potential reads for my local book club.

I might have read the Gail Godwin book back in the 80’s. I know I liked her.

[NancyJ]

Holly R W wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Does anyone have any favorite books involving mother-daughter relationships? I think that’s what I loved best about Tom Lake. I have a play harder prompt for this (which I might have..."

Thanks Holly, these all sound great. The first one reminds me of women I know in real life who raised their grandkids because one or both of the parents were unable to be a parent due to drugs. It’s such a painful situation.

I’m so glad that Real Americans could fit for both. I’ve been on a wait list for a while and I’m now #1 on the list.

[NancyJ]

Joy D wrote: "Here are a couple off the top of my head that have to do with mother-daughter relationships:
Heartwood by Amity Gaige
Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

And ..."
Thanks Joy. I have the first two on hold. I’m really looking forward to Heartwood.

[NancyJ]

Booknblues wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Does anyone have any favorite books involving mother-daughter relationships? ..."

I went through my families lists and came up with these:
The first two are about mother & daughter ..."

Thanks Fran. This looks like a great list. So far I bumped up Maame and Babylon, and I’ll check out the others. After Story isn’t in audio yet.