Author: Emily Agnew
Though for a time it felt as though summer would never actually arrive, the school year is starting to come to a close. As the year wraps up, it is nice to reflect on some of the great books that have been published this school year. Here are six great reading suggestions from 2015-2016:
1. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
This is a great read for anyone who loves a thriller. This British author published her novel in February, and it has been an immediate hit,named #1 on the New York Times Fiction Best Sellers of 2015. The story is told from the point of view of three women, whose narratives intertwine and overlap in surprising ways. Filled with murder, manipulation, and lies, Hawkins’s book will keep you on your toes.
2. Purity by Jonathan Franzen
I know what you’re thinking and no, this story is not related to everyone’s favorite Ithaca ice cream spot. Franzen’s new book tells the story of Pip Tyler, a young girl who doesn’t know who she is. What she does know is that her real name is Purity, she owes $130,000 in student debt, she is staying with anarchists in Oakland, and her relationship with her mother is harmful. With this information in hand, Pip travels to South America with the hopes of understanding her identity. Franzen’s book is a thrilling tale of youthful idealism, murder, and loyalty, full of vivid and interesting characters.
3. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
The beloved author, Harper Lee, produced a much anticipated sequel to her famous To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout, the main character of To Kill a Mockingbird returns home to Maycomb, Alabama, to visit her aging father Atticus. Set in the midst of civil rights tensions in the South, Scout discovers disturbing truths about her family and town. This book gives the reader a further understanding and appreciation for Lee, as she shows themes of wisdom, humanity, passion and humor as Scout reminisces about her childhood.
4. My Kitchen Year by Ruth Reichl
My Kitchen Year is a perfect read for foodies. Reichl, the former editor in chief of Gourmet Magazine, writes about the difficult transition she faced when the magazine abruptly went under. Broken up by the four different seasons, Reichl talks about food as the mechanism for her rebirth. She describes the “136 recipes that saved my life,” detailing delicious grilled cheeses to sweet rhubarb sundaes. Reichl’s novel exposes the unearthing power of food to heal the soul.
5. My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
Written by Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Strout, My Name is Lucy Barton is a thought-provoking story about the tender relationship between mother and daughter. Perfect for upcoming Mother’s Day, this book details the complexities of their relationship through one simple hospital visit. Barton’s powerful narrative will not disappoint.
6. Eligible by Curtis Sittenfield
Sittenfield’s novel is a modern retelling of Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice. The story follows Liza, a magazine writer in her late 30s, who lives in New York City with her older sister Jane. When their father has a health scare, the sisters return to Cincinnati to help, and realize their mother’s one goal: to marry off her four daughters. The sisters meet Chip Bingley, a handsome new doctor and the the modern equivalent of Mr. Darcy. Sittenfield’s book is a fun and fresh read, even if you are not an Austen fan yourself.
Over the past year many, many great new books have been published, and these six are just a taste of the wonderful literature produced in 2015-2016. As the year comes to a close, it is nice to reflect on all that has been accomplished – such as the literature created this year.
