Jane Eyre and Lana Del Rey In One Book
Amanda and Jenn discuss guides to having feelings at work, books about queer families, unsatisfying endings, and more in this week’s episode of Get Booked.
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The Last One by Alexandra Oliva (rec’d by Andie)
The Outermost House by Henry Beston and The Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard (rec’d by Kristi)
The Best Kind of Beautiful by Francis Whiting (rec’d by Rebecca)
Questions
1. My friends are beginning a book club and they don’t read that much nonfiction, which means that they will choose a lot of fiction picks. I like fiction, but their tastes in fiction usually differ drastically from mine. I’m the only person in the group who reads nonfiction constantly, so I will be the one picking our nonfiction reads.
They did say that they wanted to read more nonfiction after I said we should read Big Friendship. Therefore, we have decided that they will do 2 fiction picks and then I will have one nonfiction pick, and the pattern will repeat.
I am trying to find short (less than 300 pages), easy to read, not depressing nonfiction. I’m actually trying to pick at least one book that relates to each of our interests so that we all get some background information on what we like! I’m having trouble finding these two picks, so if you can help me they would be great!
One friend is getting her PhD in English with a focus on Victorian literature. I’d really like a rec on Victorian culture/society.
The other friend I need a rec for has degrees in Sign Language Studies and TESOL and loves linguistics!
I already have books related to my one friend who has an MA in English and likes conservation/environmental science and the two of us (including me) who have MLIS degrees.
Any recommendations related to those two topics would be greatly appreciated!
-A Lonely Nonfiction Friend
2. I am in my early 40’s, and most of my work life has been spent within a non-hierarchical and unconventional environment, that was very open to messy human emotions (for better and worse:). Now I find myself in a fairly standard hierarchical environment where “professional” communication/conduct is expected, and open, honest sharing is done in a much more tempered manner. While I generally understand the context clues of my workplace’s culture, I still don’t totally get it. And I also miss some of the dynamics of my previous work place, namely the benefits a less rigidly hierarchical/authoritative structure can have on human interactions/behavior, and the psyche. I’m interested in reading something that will help me understand various healthy/successful hierarchical work culture strategies/concepts and I would much prefer to read something that is: 1. introductory, 2.written by someone other than a white male, and 3. considers humanistic approaches, challenges white supremacist concepts, and/or traditional capitalist workplace norms. I also need something that is a fairly engrossing read – as engaging with nonfiction can be difficult for me – or something that is available as an audiobook – I can generally get through books that i find challenging if I can listen to them. Thank you!
-Diane
3. I’m writing in search of a recommendation for a friend. She is moving to Bonn, Germany and I’d like to gift her a book that is set in or around the area. My friend has traveled extensively, living in the US, East Asia, and South America. She’s a dedicated yogi and educational professional. She is passionate about social justice and equity and is a champion for young females of color. Previous books she enjoyed include The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, Girl Woman Other, The Warmth of Other Suns, If I had Your Face, Ties that Tether, First Comes Like, and A Night Divided. It’d be great if the book is available as an e-book (Kindle), audiobooks and graphic novels are a pass.
Thanks for the great show; I love listening to other people’s requests and adding piles to my TBR and to my library’s shelves!
-Stephanie
4. Hi!!
First of all, love the show!! I’m fairly new to it, but it is already one of my favorites!
I’m looking for books with queer families. There are plenty with queer characters coming out, dealing with acceptance, finding love, and all that, which is great, don’t get me wrong! But what I wanted is a book with LGBT parents (lesbians would be great), aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc., they don’t even need to be the main character.
I prefer fiction, I love graphic novels, romance, fantasy, sci-fi, wouldn’t mind biographies either, but I’m not really into YA.
Thank you!! Love from Brazil!
-Silvia
5. I’m looking for good mystery/thrillers that have layered, believable main characters and surprising twists. This genre is my go-to when I hit a reading slump but lately I keep picking up books with 1 dimensional characters, expected plot twists & are just overall disappointing. Books in this area I’ve loved are anything by Ruth Ware, The Wife Upstairs (I devoured this book) & The Magpie & Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz (these last 2 are cozies but he writes very strong capable female leads with lots of plot twists). Tana French has been hit & miss for me in the past but I haven’t read anything outside the Dublin Murder Squad books. Love the show, thank you so much.
-Kathryn
6. Hi i’m 31 years old and I have recently been diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder, I’m beginning treatment for it but it has been difficult to learn that I’ve had it all my life and just now having to learn to cope with it as an adult. I’m looking for a book that has an adult with autistic spectrum disorder as the main character, preferably a woman. It can be fiction or non fiction and it can be any genre.
Thank you,
-Alejandra
7. In terms of my reading tastes, I gravitate towards books that give readers what they need, not what they want. More specifically, I enjoy books with unsatisfactory endings because they’re the ones that resonate with me the most – I often come away with an important lesson that leaves me deep in thought for days.
I also appreciate a good redemption arc, because I like my characters to have layers to their personalities and live between shades of grey. They are the ones that I develop the strongest emotional connections with.
-Stephanie
Books Discussed
Too Much by Rachel Vorona Cote
Because Internet by Gretchen McCulloch
Radical Candor by Kim Scott
No Hard Feelings by Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy
High as the Waters Rise by Anja Kampmann (transl. Anne Posten)
A Small Town in Germany by John Le Carre
Courting the Countess by Jenny Frame
Weekend by Jane Eaton Hamilton (cw: racism, transphobia, infertility and miscarriage, discussion of intimate partner violence, discussion of death by suicide, ableism, hospitalization for chronic illness, deadnaming)
The Conductors by Nicole Glover
A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh (cw: harm to animals, violence towards women and children including rape, domestic violence)
The Suicide House by Charlie Donlea (tw: suicide)
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
What’s Left of Me is Yours by Stephanie Scott
