Monthly book post: September

September list:
Literacy and Longing in L.A. - Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mack
This book's protagonist is a self-described "book binger" who is refreshingly not mousy or socially awkward, but attractive and well-dressed, as appropriate for the book's L.A. setting. Her enthusiasm for reading is infectious, making you want embark on a multi-day wine/bath/bookfest of your own. When she's not reading, Dora is navigating a messy relationship with the hip clerk of her favorite bookstore and figuring out what to about her nearly-ex-husband.

Bento Box in the Heartland: My Japanese Girlhood in Whitebread America - Linda Furiya. This memoir starts out with the childlike ignorance of a young girl, then deepens in complexity as Furiya grows up and realizes that her life is different not just because her family is Japanese, but also because of the way her parents have raised her. Find out why her parents laughed when she complained about an old WWII GI pawing at her at a potluck, and what her teacher did when a classmate made his finger into a gun and shot at her during a lecture on Hiroshima. A food writer at heart, Furiya ends each chapter with a recipe from her youth.

Fourth Comings - Megan McCafferty
Although McCafferty's tetralogy (Sloppy Firsts, Second Helpings, and Charmed Thirds) is often shelved in the adult section, they're really well-written young adult novels. If say, your husband or boyfriend is out of town and you want to curl up with a fun yet indulgent book and some artichoke brie dip, you might choose these books. You could start with this one (post-college), if you wanted something more adult than the first one (her junior or senior year of high school).

The Discomfort Zone - Jonathan Franzen
Follow Jonathan from his youth as a church group attending-school prankster geek through his post college romantic foibles to his unexpected transformation into a bird watching devotee, all framed within the context of his strange relationship with his parents, brought about by reflections on his mother's death. (Memoir).

Also read:
I checked out Ann M. Martin's new youth series, The Main Street books, as well as new graphic novel adaptations of her Babysitter's Club classics. I've also been following a new graphic novel imprint aimed at teen girls, unfortunately titled Minx. The latest title, Good as Lily, would be great for junior high girls.

Still Life with Chickens: Starting Over in a House by the Sea - Catherine Goldhamme
The Lost: The Search for Six of Six Million - Daniel Mendelsson
The Best of Friends: Two women, two continents, and one enduring friendship - Sara James and Ginger Mauney
Women, Water, Wisdom: Voices from the Upper Mississippi - Nancy Scheibe
Mary Reilly - Valerie Martin
Why Do Men Fall Asleep After Sex?: More Questions You'd Only Ask a Doctor After Your Third Whiskey Sour - Mark Leyner