It must be that time of year. Everywhere I turn, someone seems to be battling a cold, cough, or whatever bug is making the rounds. While I don’t recommend getting sick as a reading strategy, there is something comforting about slowing down with a good book, a warm blanket, and nowhere you need to be.
Our friend Anne Deneen knows the feeling. After returning from a trip to the Florida Keys, she found herself under the weather and reaching for familiar stories.
“I love the narrator and the stories and have just been kind of out of it,” she said of the John Grisham audiobooks she’s been revisiting.
While in Florida, Deneen picked up a history book about Henry Flagler and railroad history, but comfort reads seemed to be winning out while she recovered. She also returned to the story of Dorothy Molter, the famed “Root Beer Lady” of the Boundary Waters, after seeing a one-woman play about her.
“I’ve read books about her and other history accounts of the BWCA,” Deneen said. “I picked up a different one about her that I’m reading this week.”
After getting bumped up on a library hold list, Deneen also dove into The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, a title that has been mentioned more than once in this column.
Drury Lane Books manager Gwen Danfelt previously described it as a “feel-good epistolary novel.” Barb Kinny admitted she wasn’t sure what to expect after reading mixed reviews but ended up loving it, awarding it one of her rare five-star ratings. Deneen wasn’t immediately sold.
“I’ve read or listened to books before where they start every chapter, paragraph, or idea with a complete email address,” she said. “I think that is just filler, but what do I know?”
She also struggled with the main character at first, finding her somewhat self-absorbed. As the story progressed, however, her opinion softened.
“Once she started getting out of her box, I began to like her more,” she said.
In the end, Deneen thought the novel was good, though not quite as good as she’d hoped.
“It didn’t thrill me as much as friends had recommended,” she said.
I’ll have to eventually bump The Correspondent further up my own reading pile so I can weigh in with my two cents. In the meantime, I’ve been busy contributing a few cents on other books.
Recently, our friend Bea Rose sent me quite the care package of books. I decided to pick out A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost.
I was looking for something lighter, and as a longtime Saturday Night Live fan, it seemed like the perfect choice. I’ve always enjoyed reading about cast members and writers, learning how sketches come together, and getting a peek behind the curtain of a show that has somehow remained relevant for more than 50 years.
For years, I thought I had a lot in common with Jost. We’re the same age. We’re both writers. And I’ve always thought it would be fun to write for Saturday Night Live.
After reading A Very Punchable Face, I’ve concluded that’s probably where most of the similarities end.
Jost writes with the same rapid-fire rhythm he brings to the “Weekend Update” desk. One joke leads to another, which leads to a footnote, which somehow becomes its own joke. It took me a few chapters to settle into the cadence, but once I did, I found myself enjoying the ride.
What surprised me most was how self-deprecating and vulnerable he could be. While he offers readers a few glimpses behind the scenes at SNL, he never gives away so much that the magic disappears.
As for my dream of writing for the show, it would probably have to wait until another lifetime. I’m far too sensitive, and after spending time in New York, I can confidently say it’s not a place I’d want to live full time.
At least my mother will get to enjoy the book next. I planned to pass it to my brother, but Mom called dibs. She’s hip like that.
I’m also nearly finished with Remain by Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan. Yes, you read that correctly.
Without venturing into spoiler territory, I’ll say it starts a little slowly, which feels on brand for both authors. Still, it made for a fitting Halloween-season read. I think I know where the story is headed, but Shyamalan has made a career out of proving people wrong. Sparks, perhaps not quite as often.
I’ve also been kicking myself over a book I never got around to reading.
Months ago, Danfelt described Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary as “hilarious” and “page-turning.” Unfortunately, I committed one of the cardinal sins of book lovers everywhere: I watched the movie first.
For shame! And the worst part is that I loved the movie.
Science fiction isn’t always my first choice, and space, as vast as it is, somehow makes me feel claustrophobic. If the end of the world were nigh and the only way out was off the planet, I’d stay right here and wave at y’all from the ground.
But the storytelling was so strong in the movie that it left me wishing I had experienced the book first.
My dad said he flew through the novel, and he’s not always the fastest reader, which only reinforces Danfelt’s “page-turning” assessment. Meanwhile, a good friend of mine in Florida described the movie as “okay” but the book as “AMAZE AMAZE AMAZE.”
If you know, you know.
As the days get shorter and more of us find ourselves hiding from gloomy weather, early sunsets, and whatever cold is currently making the rounds, I’d love to hear what’s keeping you company.
What books are on your nightstand? Have you discovered a comfort read you return to when you’re under the weather? What memoir taught you something surprising about a person you thought you already knew?
Send your recommendations and bookish thoughts to sarahwritesnsj@yahoo.com. As always, the best part of this column is hearing what you’re reading!
