I hope everyone is having a good Memorial Day / Bank Holiday weekend. It’s far too hot here in southern England!
Thanks so much to Eleanor, Marcie, and Skai for posting about their recent library reading!
Here’s Audre Lorde on the importance libraries had in her life (from Zami): “I learned how to read from Mrs. Augusta Baker, the children’s librarian at the old 135th Street branch library. … If that was the only good deed that lady ever did in her life, may she rest in peace. Because that deed saved my life, if not sooner, then later, when sometimes the only thing I had to hold on to was knowing I could read, and that that could get me through.” In a neat echo of her early life, the Epilogue then has Lorde graduating from library school.
My library use over the last month:
(links are to any book reviews not already featured on the blog)
My library system has bought the whole Jhalak Prize for Poetry shortlist, so I’ll be working my way through that. (The Howe was the first.)
I’m also proceeding through the Women’s Prize shortlist; I’m only awaiting one more title that’s on order. I predict The Correspondent will win, and that would suit me just fine as I am loving it.
READ
- A Beautiful Loan by Mary Costello
- The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (a reread)
- Almost Life by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
- Foretokens by Sarah Howe
- My Year in Paris with Gertrude Stein: A Fiction by Deborah Levy
- Zami by Audre Lorde
- Nonesuch by Francis Spufford
- The Murderer’s Ape by Jakob Wegelius (a reread)
SKIMMED
- Wise: Finding Purpose, Meaning and Wisdom Beyond the Midpoint of Life by Frank Tallis
CURRENTLY READING
- Pathfinding: On Walking, Motherhood and Freedom by Kerri Andrews
- The Heart of Christianity by Marcus Borg (a reread)
- The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
- Kingfisher by Rozie Kelly
- Carrie by Stephen King
- The Spirituality Gap by Abi Millar
- A Hymn to Life: Shame Has to Change Sides by Gisèle Pelicot
- Greenwild by Pari Thomson
- Women Talking by Miriam Toews
CHECKED OUT, TO BE READ
- My Dearest Friend by Lady Red Ego
- Poems that Make Grown Women Cry: 100 Women on the Words that Move Them, ed. Anthony and Ben Holden
- The New Carthaginians by Nick Makoha
- Crossing the Water by Sylvia Plath
- Saving Graces: Images of Women in European Cemeteries by David Robinson
- The Queen’s Gambit by Walter Tevis
ON HOLD, TO BE COLLECTED
- Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash
- I Sing to the Greenhearts by Maggie Harris
- Holy Boys by Andrés N. Ordorica
IN THE RESERVATION QUEUE
- Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
- Dominion by Addie E. Citchens
- Come What May: Life-Changing Lessons for Coping with Crisis by Lucy Easthope
- Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett
- Hunger and Thirst by Claire Fuller
- Honour & Other People’s Children by Helen Garner
- The Shock of the Light by Lori Inglis Hall
- Why I Am Not a Bus Driver by Ashley Hickson-Lovence
- Alice with a Why by Anna James
- Dogs, Boys and Other Things I’ve Cried About by Isabel Klee
- The Book of Birds by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris
- Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy
- The Original by Nell Stevens
- The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout
RETURNED UNFINISHED
- Service by John Tottenham – I read the first 25 pages and found the grumpy bookseller narrator’s perspective amusing (but potentially quite tiresome after another 300). I loved this skewering of the trend for publishing short stories in individual volumes: “At sixty-three pages this recently published book was no more than a short story, but it was presented in the form of a novel; it was the sort of book that people who wanted to be thought of as ‘well-read’ felt they were supposed to like, and it was presented with a classic red-on-black design with bold lettering.”
- Nowhere Burning by Catriona Ward – This wasn’t gripping me in the first few pages, but I might try it again one day.
RETURNED UNREAD
- The Swell by Kat Gordon – Will borrow another time.
- The Careful Surgeon: Finding Light, Courage and Compassion in the Face of Life and Death by Shehan Hettiaratchy – Seemed twee and not notably well written.
- Skylark by Paula McLain – I’ve enjoyed her other novels and this seems like it should be perfect for Tracy Chevalier fans, but it’s so long and with such small type that I have attempted it twice and made no headway.
- Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange – Will borrow another time.
- Carrion Crow by Heather Parry – Will borrow another time.
What have you been reading or reviewing from the library recently?
Share a link to your own post in the comments. Feel free to use the above image. The hashtag is #LoveYourLibrary.
Bookish Beck = Rebecca Foster. American transplant to England. Freelance proofreader and book reviewer.
Bookish Beck 
For once, there’s nothing here that I’ve either read or have on my list. But then, there ARE a lot of books around. Particularly for we -who-volunteer-in-libraries.
LikeLiked by 2 people
So many books, so little time!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had my eye on Service for obvious reasons but wondered if it might wear a bit thin, and I’m trusting you with The Correspondent! I went to see an exhibition in Oxford associated with the Macfarlane/Morris. Extraordinarily beautiful paintings. We also went to In Bloom at the Ashmolean about the history of plants and how they shaped us. Gorgeous botanical illustrations. Highly recommend both if you fancy a day out in Oxford.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Those both sound fantastic. I was in Oxford the other week to get biometrics done for my electronic visa, but we only stayed in town long enough to visit a Scandi bakery.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think In Bloom’s on until mid-August. Well worth a visit if you get the chance.
LikeLike
I’ve just finished The Tattooed Hills: Journeys to Chalk Figures by Jon Woolcott. The sort of ‘landscape’ book I love and absolutely excellent.
Wish I lived nearer to Oxford as the exhibitions above sound great.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m interested in chalk figures, so I’ll look into that one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s such a good quote from Zami. I’m delighted that you loved Nonesuch – how is Spufford so good, eh?! Shame that Catriona Ward’s latest didn’t grab you; I’ve read all her novels so far and none has ever quite matched up to The Last House on Needless Street, but I’ll still read whatever she produces.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I wasn’t keen on Light Perpetual and only C read Cahokia Jazz, but Nonesuch was delightful.
I’ve still only read The Last House on Needless Street; maybe I’ll try another of hers for R.I.P.
LikeLike
Light Perpetual is my least favourite of his, but even with my reservations I think he writes wonderfully.
I’m trying to think which Ward might tap your interests most. Maybe Little Eve, which has themes of quasi-religious cults and family (though they’re all about family to some extent).
LikeLiked by 2 people
That sounds appealing. Thanks!
LikeLike
It’s also far too hot in Arizona. Unfortunately, here it’s still going to get hotter. It will keep getting worse through August. September and October are still warm, November is when it will finally start cooling off. Here is my library reading for May. https://inspirationalskai.blogspot.com/2026/05/love-your-library-may-2026-april-28-may.html Happy Memorial Day/Bank Holiday! To those who serve their country in the armed forces, thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a very different desert climate. But as I recall from my one trip to the Southwest, it is at least usually a dry heat.
LikeLike
Your library reading is always such an inspiration!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Glad to hear it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some years ago, I heard someone passionately recommend Walter Tevis (it might have been Nancy Pearl, or maybe one of the NYT staff writers) and when I looked him up, I was shocked that he wrote The Queen’s Gambit (but the recommender had mentioned the diverse areas of interest he explores). What brought that into your stack? (I know you’re not into TV series.) I’ve not made it to one of his books yet (and didn’t really like the series of that one). I’m also curious about your interest in Women Talking (cuz I just noticed you comment somewhere recently that you haven’t seen a movie in ages, so it’s not that). But you do have a habit of noticing Canadian writers (like, also, Elizabeth Hay) that are oft overlooked overseas. (Thanks for linking to my post!)
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Tevis is for my reading my birth year project.
I’ve read several by Toews and would be happy to read all her books. This was also intended as a follow-up to I Who Have Never Known Men (not as similar as I imagined) and — though I know it’s based on a true story– is an unfortunate fictional counterpart to another book I’m reading at the moment, A Hymn to Life by Gisèle Pelicot.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I saw the Pelicot; I’ve heard her in interview and will watch for this one at the library (only one hold… it’ll be in circulation in no time). Toews’ story is hard to pinpoint, as you say, it doesn’t exactly fit with Harpman’s, but I think it might work with Pelicot’s because of the unknowingness-shift-to-knowingness element. You obviously know the story to be looking for companion stories, so I hope it’s not spoiling anything to say that, If you ever have the opportunity to see the film I would love to know what you think about the ending in each form… I feel like Sarah Polley managed something a little scrap of resolve (hope, even?) at the end of the film and I relished that. Now I’m curious if I missed that in the novel’s ending, and maybe I was just overwhelmed by the whole situation.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m only in the early pages of the Toews but I know the real story it’s based on. The film has such a great cast, I’m sure I’d like to see it after.
LikeLike
I’m always particularly interested by what you returned unfinished or unread! I did read two books from the library this month but failed to group them into a post – Meet the Newmans (totally forgettable) and Nonesuch (you know my thoughts).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Helpful if I can signpost which books to avoid, I suppose 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person