Finally, some good reads

Not only has my year gotten off to a busy start (aren’t January and February supposed to be a bit slow? Mine weren’t!), but I haven’t read that many books that were worth sharing, until recently. Since there’s been a bit of a gap since my last newsletter, I’m jumping right in with my recommendations:

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
I’m late to The Correspondent party, and really, what can I say about this book that hasn’t already been said—except read it, read it, read it. You will cry. You will laugh. And you’ll likely fall a little in love with Sybil Van Antwerp. Quite possibly, you’ll also be inspired to write “real” letters to your friends, at which point you’ll realize your handwriting has seriously degenerated and start wondering if you could survive in an analog world.

All her life, Sybil has written letters as a way to anchor herself in the world. She writes to her brother, her best friend, the president of a local university, Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry (who both write back), and more. Like all the best epistolary novels, the structure grounds and enhances the narrative rather than interrupting the flow. The Correspondent is charming and moving. It’s a lovely reminder that it’s never too late to make amends, or for life to surprise you with new friends or a new romance.

It was also just announced that it’s being made into a movie starring Jane Fonda. Who, I must admit, wasn’t my dream casting for Sybil, so I’m reserving judgment.

Wreck by Catherine Newman
What a delight to be reunited with Rocky and her family in Wreck. She feels like a friend you haven’t seen for a while, but who you’re always happy to hang out with. Also, how does Newman write almost exactly like I think? Or is it a Gen X thing? 

Wreck captures a slice of time in Rocky’s life where things are both ticking along in an everyday sort of way, while a health scare and an accident shake things up and surface the kind of questions that keep us awake at three am. If you enjoyed Newman’s Sandwich, which I recommended in September 2024, I suspect you'll also love being reconnected with Rocky and co. If you haven’t read it, I’d recommend starting there. You won’t regret it. I say confidently. 

Newman also has a Substack that I like to dip into from time to time. And if you’d like to go on a Newman kick, I’d also recommend her first book for adults, We All Want Impossible Things (it will also make you cry). 

A little something extra: If you’re looking for some fun books to listen to, which is still reading, I know, but also listening, I highly recommend Alison Goodman’s The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies and the sequel, The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin. Aside from their excellent titles, this series features high-society “old maids” Augusta and Julia Colebrook, who solve mysteries, go on adventures, and fall for unsuitable yet admirable men. All of which are hindered by the expectations of the ton, their meddling brother, and the generally limited agency of women in the Regency era.