20 #MustRead books for National Book Lovers Day 📚
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Happy National Book Lovers Day, Columbia. (Yes; there’s a fake holiday for everyone – including BookWorms.) 📖
While there’s no exact origin date of National Book Lovers Day, it’s been widely celebrated on August 9 since 2012 as a “a day for all those who love to read, which encourages you to find your favorite reading place, a good book (whether it be fiction or non-fiction) and read the day away.”
To celebrate the Cola way, we’ve compiled two reading lists for you:
1️⃣ 10 books by local authors recommended by the team at Deckle Edge Literary Festival
2️⃣ 10 books that the staff of Richland Library is reading now (or wants to read next).
Talk about #protips straight from the source.
10 must-read books by local authors from the administrators of Deckle Edge Literary Festival:
- The New and Improved Romie Futch by Julia Elliott | Borrow | Buy
- Theologies of Terrain by Tim Conroy | Borrow | Buy
- My Father’s House by Ed Madden | Buy
- The Stone Necklace by Carla Damron | Borrow | Buy
- Minnow by James McTeer | Borrow | Buy
- State of the Heart, volumes 1 – 3, edited by Aida Rogers | Borrow | Buy
- Head Off & Split by Nikky Finney | Buy
- Driving through the Country Before You are Born by Ray McManus | Borrow | Buy
- Jacob Jump by Eric Morris | Buy
- On Living by Kerry Egan | Buy
10 must-reads from the staff of Richland Library:
Why Kill the Innocent by C.S. Harris
“I have been re-reading a historical mystery series that I have on my bookshelves at home and have reached the 13th and latest book in the Sebastian St. Cyr series. Harris, a historian, always delivers an intricately plotted mystery with rich historical Regency detail. It’s a satisfying whodunit with action, thrills and a touch of romance. I love, love this series!”
–Chantal Wilson, Richland Library Research & Readers’ Advisory
O Albany!: Improbable City of Political Wizards, Fearless Ethnics, Spectacular Aristocrats, Splendid Nobodies, and Underrated Scoundrels by William Kennedy
“I loved Kennedy’s “Albany trilogy” of novels (Legs, Billy Phelan’s Greatest Game, and Ironweed), and I wanted to learn more about the author’s native city. O Albany! was first published at the height of his popularity in 1983. (Ironweed won the Pulitzer Prize in fiction the following year.)
O Albany! weaves together the stories that Kennedy reported on for the Times Union, personal reminiscences and interviews with longtime “Albanians” (as he dubs them) to make a deep dive into history of the city—its colorful neighborhoods, ethnic enclaves, political bosses, etc. The novels are Kennedy’s greatest achievement as a writer, but this nonfiction collection makes a great supplement to those literary classics.”
–Bland Lawson, Richland Library Business and Careers
Born a Crime: Stories of a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
“I’m reading this to fulfill the ‘read a celebrity memoir’ prompt for the Book Riot Read Harder 2018 challenge. I don’t read a lot of celebrity memoirs, but I’m really enjoying his book. I’ve read a few books on earlier eras in South African apartheid, notably The World That Was Ours by Hilda Bernstein, but Noah’s story deals more personally with the experience of growing up a mixed race child in the immediate aftermath of Mandela’s release. Noah draws a vivid picture of South Africa from Soweto to downtown Johannesburg, all from the perspective of a smart, perceptive kid. It’s funny, sad and full of life and personality; I’m only about halfway through, but so far, I highly recommend it. I may have to read Long Walk to Freedom when I’m done.”
–Sara McBride, Richland Library Research & Readers’ Advisory
Turn Right at Machu Picchu by Mark Adams
“I’ve been meaning to read this title for a long time because I would love to visit Machu Picchu someday, and it has a great cover (check out all the llamas!). Plus, it fulfills the ‘read a travel memoir’ prompt for Richland Library’s #BroaderBookshelf challenge. Also, I recently read The Lost City of Z by David Grann, so I guess I’m on an exploring South America kick.”
–Megan Mathis, Richland Library Research & Readers’ Advisory
Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage
“I’m not usually one for modern day thrillers, but I do always look for books that have an edge to them. I found this one, simply by the cover, as I am a sucker for clean aesthetics as well as creepy child characters, à la The Bad Seed.”
– Jennifer Thompson, Richland Library Studio Services
The Zhivago Affair: The Kremlin, the CIA, and the Battle Over a Forbidden Book by Peter Finn & Petra Couvée
“The premise of this book makes me swoon. Boris Pasternak risked his life to smuggle his book, Dr. Zhivago, out of Stalin’s Soviet Union. Censorship tends to only encourage people to read the removed material, and this is a case of a rogue book becoming so popular that the CIA translated it to send back into the Soviet Union. I look forward to learning more about the cultural impact one book can have, especially when that book speaks inconvenient truth to abusive power.”
–Thomas Maluck, Richland Library Teen Center
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See
“I’ve been a big fan of See’s books since Peony in Love was released back in 2007. Her historical research into eras of Chinese and Japanese history are fascinating. Her characters are always well-developed, and the female relationships are always deeply moving. This story, about a woman in a remote tea-farming village, promises all of See’s signature exploration of traditional women’s roles in family and society, contrasted with their inner desires and conflicts.”
–Jennifer Naimzadeh, Richland Library Teen Center
Who We Are and How We Got Here: Ancient DNA and the New Science of the Human Past by David Reich
“I chose this book for several reason: I was a biology major in college, and I like to keep up with the latest developments; this book has gotten great reviews; and it was recommended to me by a family member. I’m looking forward to stretching my brain a bit on National Book Lovers Day!”
–Julie Ellis, Richland Library Community Outreach
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
“Spinning Silver is a full novel, but I enjoyed it first as a short story Novik had published in “The Starlit Wood;" it was terribly exciting to learn there was going to be more of it. I love Novik’s storytelling style: her prose is beautiful, and she always has something interesting to say about the world, even when she’s writing fantasy. I’ve been waiting to have a suitable stretch of time to binge-read the whole thing, and I can’t wait to see what gold she’s spun out of retelling Rumpelstiltskin.”
–Ellen Dowdell, Richland Library Learning Engagement
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
“Fantasy is my go-to. Reading it is like wrapping up in my favorite blanket. So, I always keep an eye out for new, promising titles. Children of Blood and Bone has been on my radar since it was published earlier this year. My husband actually bought a copy for me, and I have been savoring each page. Fantasy is all about world-building, and so far, Children of Blood and Bone doesn’t disappoint.”
–Heather McCue, Richland Library Children’s Room
To be honest, I don’t read nearly as much as I should – but I’m trying to change that. After reading these book suggestions, I think it’ll be pretty doable. (Chloe and Beth also both recommended Little Fires Everywhere as a #MustRead for me. So I’ve got a little catching up to do in the literary world.)
What are you reading? Post a pic to social media, tag @COLAtoday + use the hashtag #NationalBookLoversDay so we can add it to our reading list.
–Sam
