Unabridged: Our Most Anticipated Books of 2024 with Cree Myles and Sara Hildreth - Transcript
For today’s Unabridged, book lovers Cree Myles (All Ways Black) and Sara Hildreth (Fiction Matters) join us to reveal their most anticipated reads for the first half of 2024. We talk about our reading goals for the year, list a few 2024 books we’ve already liked, and get into the books we’re most looking forward to.
TRANSCRIPT
Traci Thomas 0:00
Hi everybody, it's me Traci Thomas host of The Stacks with another episode of The Stacks Unabridged, which is our Patreon exclusive monthly bonus episode. I am so excited to kick off 2024 with a very fun episode with two of my favorite literary icons Cree Myles who is the creator of All Ways Black, a black literature focused vertical at Penguin Random House and Sarah Hildreth, who is the reader behind Fiction Matters as well as a co host of the Novel Pairings podcast. The three of us joined forces today to talk about the books we are most excited about in 2024. Okay, now it is time for my conversation with Cree Myles and Sarah Hildreth about our most anticipated books of the first half of 2024.
All right, everybody I am so excited is another episode of The Stacks Unabridged Patreon exclusive episode. You all begged me to do more of these episodes and who am I to deny you what you want? This is a 2020 for most anticipated books episode, what to look out for and I brought back Well, I brought back one of my favorite people Cree Myles she is the human behind curating and creating always black which is Panda Penguin, Random House's black as fuck vertical. Cree. Welcome back.
Cree Myles 1:28
Hey, I'm happy to be here.
Traci Thomas 1:30
I'm so happy and then I brought him for the first time one of my friends and someone that I talked to you about books a bunch, but I've never actually had on the show, which I kind of can't believe the creator behind Fiction Matters also the co host of the Novel Pairings podcast Sara Hildreth. Sara, welcome.
Sara Hildreth 1:48
Thank you for having me. I am so excited to be here.
Traci Thomas 1:51
I'm really excited. I told you both just now the reason I wanted to bring us all together is because you're both people that I go to and look to for book recommendations. But we all have sort of different tastes and books and we sort of read different things. So I'm hoping between the three of us we can come up with like the definitive books to look out for in 2024 list. So no pressure is the most pressure of your entire life. Yeah, um, so just before we kind of dive in, I guess since I've said we all have different tastes and books, people know my taste in books, but would you each sort of define for the readers how you see your tastes and books? Or like what kind of books you're drawn to? Sara, you can go first?
Sara Hildreth 2:32
Ok, I mean, generally, I would say that I tend to read literary fiction. But more specifically, I often like books that are driven by interesting structures that people always talk about, are you a plot driven reader or a character driven, I think I'm often a structure driven reader. I like books that are doing innovative things with how they're telling their stories. I taught high school English for many years. And as you mentioned, I co host a podcast about the classics. And so I also love books that play with literary conventions. So like, they're kind of fracturing the idea of what a novel can be. Or last year, I loved books that were kind of like fresh spins on big Victorian Tomes, anything that's like reaching back and commenting on the classics. And how we've told stories over time are things that I tend to really enjoy.
Traci Thomas 3:27
Okay, follow up question. How do you know if something is playing with a structure before you read it? Because I feel like you might know like, oh, based on this, this thing, but how would you know if something's like doing weird shit? Like to even put it on your list?
Sara Hildreth 3:41
I don't always and I think that's part of what I enjoy about these books is they surprise me like i I'm surprised when it takes an interesting structural turn. But you know, there are anytime a blurb says that it's like questioning what a novel can be. Or like, you know, I'm like, Okay, I'll probably, I'll probably like that. Or at least be interested in it. Okay, I love this.
Cree Myles 4:04
Are you a Zadie reader?
Sara Hildreth 4:06
Oh my gosh, yeah.
Cree Myles 4:07
So did you like NW?
Sara Hildreth 4:10
Yes. I love NW and I did you read The Fraud this year, Cree?
Cree Myles 4:14
Yes. Yeah. Yeah.
Sara Hildreth 4:15
I loved The Fraud. She's one of my favorites.
Cree Myles 4:21
Oh, that's great. I did not like The Fraud.
Sara Hildreth 4:24
You know, I think it was very polarizing. I ended up reading it twice. The first time. I liked it. Yeah. And then I read it with my book club. And when I read it the second time, I was like, I think this is brilliant.
Cree Myles 4:38
So I might need a circle back moment.
Traci Thomas 4:45
Is this a safe space? I have never read a Zadie Smith book.
Cree Myles 4:47
This has to be safe because I just said I didn't like a Zadie Smith book. And I won't say that in public.
Traci Thomas 4:52
I feel like I went way further. I feel like I took it to the next. That's like on my list of people I just have to read but here's the thing. I have a feeling I'm not gonna like her stuff.
Sara Hildreth 5:05
Have you read her nonfiction?
Cree Myles 5:09
Do the nonfiction, Traci!
Traci Thomas 5:10
I have her nonfiction. I have Intimations and then I have like the big blue, what is it Feel Free? Yeah, I have both of those. And then I have a bunch of her novels. And I'm like, I'm gonna do it. And then I'm like, I don't know.
Cree Myles 5:25
Have you like read her, like New Yorker essay? Just start there. Just like crawling- a slow crawl.
Traci Thomas 5:31
Okay. 2024. One of my goals is to read something- at least start I'm not committing to finishing anything in 2024. Okay, Cree, what's your reading? How would you define your reading tastes?
Cree Myles 5:47
I'm very, very character driven. Like that is just, it bodes completely with how I like see the world and why I think why I love literature is I'm always like, when I'm interacting with people, I'm trying to like, be like, what do they have hanging up in their house? Or like, what do they talk about? What like, no one can hear them. And so that's why that is literally why I love books, because it gives me what they do have hanging up in their house and what they talk about when no one can hear them. So that's it's really that and I do. I love love literary fiction as well, because I think that's who does it the best? Like, I mean, I know we try and like romance novels and mysteries, etc. But I really, I just love the quiet like, internal really, like minute interpersonal stuff. I'm obsessed.
Traci Thomas 6:41
And who for you is doing that the best right now? Like, who are you most excited about right now?
Cree Myles 6:45
This doesn't include books coming out?
Traci Thomas 6:50
Yeah just in general. Like Like, what who's writing what you like?
Cree Myles 6:52
So I always might always go to is like Brandon Taylor, because I love Real Life. But like that's really heavy, you know, all the time. And so I did not read such a fun age. But I did read come and get it. And I was like this bitch be writing. I did. I had like, oh my god. I loved it.
Traci Thomas 7:14
Oh my God, you loved it too! Maybe you guys have the same taste in books? I haven't read it yet. But I was mid on Such a Fun Age.
Cree Myles 7:22
Yeah, that's why I didn't read it. Because everybody was telling me it was mid. But I was like, I'll read such I'll read this new one. I guess just because I don't know why I probably the cover because the cover is great. And I was like, do I need to circle back and read the debut? Because these characters are everything I need and more.
Sara Hildreth 7:40
I think the new one is better. And they're they're a little bit different. In a great way, But I think she like really doubled down on what she's great at, like you said the interiority and creating these characters who? They both feel so real. And you're just like, I can't believe you're doing that right now. How can a real person do that? It's awesome.
Traci Thomas 8:04
Ok, fine. I'll read it. She's extremely readable. Such a Fun Age was such an enjoyable reading experience. Even though when I got to the end, I was like, No, I don't like this. I don't care. Like I'm out on this book. Like I don't like but I was like, I'm having a great time. And then at the book ended, and I was like, Let me think about what happened to me.
Cree Myles 8:27
Couldn't look at yourself in the mirror for a bit.
Traci Thomas 8:30
Yeah. I'm sort of obsessed because Sara, you said your structure person, Cree you're a character person. And as you all know, I am plotty plotty mc fiction with nonfiction. But I think what I've really discovered it's less that I like plot. And it's more that I like when people do things, which I know sounds similar, but it's different to me, like, I don't need like 1000 things to happen. But I do need your person to go outside of their home and interact with another person. Do you know what I mean? Like, I can't just have it be like reflecting on something that happened in the family. Like it's gotta be there's gotta be I like conflict. I like like disagreement. So it could be two people talking but I do need you to like have something happen. That feels challenging, okay, okay. Because I was I don't really like like mystery or like thriller that much and that's like heavy pot, but I do prefer that to like super, super character based stuff. But well, let's start with our goals. Do you all have any reading goals or reading related goals for yourself this year? Or do you even set goals?
Sara Hildreth 9:47
I like to set intentions. I don't like to call them goals because then if I don't meet them, I don't feel bad about it. But I I really have enjoyed over the last last couple of years. So last year, for example, I read all three of Eleanor cantons books, she came out with a new one Birnam Wood last year, which I loved. And then I read her other two. And I loved that practice of like seeing how an author evolved over the course of her three books. So I'm not looking to like read an entire author's back list this year. But I definitely want to have more experiences of reading multiple books by the same author in a shorter time span, because I like that. And then I also my other reading goal, or intention this year is to do some rereading. I have been on Bookstagram for this is for 10 years.
Traci Thomas 10:43
Wow, real OG, that's dope.
Sara Hildreth 10:47
And so I'm gonna use that marker as like, an excuse, and a reason to read some of the books that I loved before I even started sharing my books publicly, or books that I loved, kind of at the beginning of that, and so yeah, I think now. Those are my my goals intentions.
Cree Myles 11:11
Oh man, I this is such an interesting question to me. Because, you know, Tracy, we talk about all the time our professional readers and so a lot of my goals were connected to like, my career this year, but not like to the like to read it like to like the thing. So I really would need it to curate this wonderful list for like later in the year for a project that I'm doing, which is so funny that you stopped us at June because all of the books that I've like deep in our July through like September, so I was like, Okay, I get to know what's coming out at the beginning of the year. But I'm definitely it's Baldwin centennial. So I really want to I am like calling this the year of Baldwin in sorts, and then I turned 34 in October and so I also am calling this my Hansberry year, because it's not a year that she passed. So I have been like, she's just been like, in the back of my head like thinking about her and reflections. I'll probably pick up Imani Karis book. But really more than anything, I just want to love what I'm reading most of the time, like, you know, when it becomes a job, you just like trudging through stuff that you're like, What the heck. And I put this on both threads, I really want to, like, take apart the meat and potatoes of actually critiquing literary work. So like when I don't like a book, I want to be able to be like, here are the reasons why I don't like it. And when I love one, I want to be able to do the same thing.
Traci Thomas 12:41
We should all started group chat, because that's all Sara and I talk about.
Sara Hildreth 12:45
Yeah, we really should.
Cree Myles 12:46
I would love that.
Traci Thomas 12:48
I'll set that up. Okay, so I am extremely goal oriented, I love a goal, I need a goal. Even if I don't hit a goal, I don't feel bad. I'm just like, these are the things I want to do. And usually I at least work toward them. Last year, or 2023, I had a particularly bad year of hitting my reading goals, because I was asked to judge a book prize. So in the middle of the year, my entire reading life changed. You know, like, I looked back at all my stats from 2022. And then 2023. And it was like, I read so many more books by white men than I have since I started on Bookstagram. But like it was just that was just gonna happen. And like, I'm not gonna beat myself up about it, you know. But some of my goals for this year, I want to read 100 books this year. That's usually my goal. Some years I read less seminars, I read more. But that's just like a nice round number to me. I would like to read more things that I like, of course, because I read I do and I have so many books last year because of the prize. Because like it's just the virtue of the job you have to do. And I want to read more genre fiction this year. I want to read more romance. I want to read more thriller, I want to be a more well rounded reader. Yeah, because I want to be able, like I feel like if someone asked me for a nonfiction recommendation, I can give them 100 And a second. But if someone asked me about romance, I'm just like, I don't know. And I feel weird being like I'm a book person and being like, I don't know. So I do want to try to do more of that. And then we're doing like a reading challenge for the Stax podcast. It's like a 52 book mega challenge. So I'm going to do that and it's pretty open ended. So I'm kind of filling it in as I as I go. Those are some of my goals, I guess. I don't know I have a whole list but they're mostly just like, like what you read and like just have a good time this year. Because last year was really hard on my reading life. Create since you brought it up really quickly. It wasn't really going to go to into this but what is your professional public approach to talking about books? How far will you go talking bad about a book? Or like saying things you didn't like? Why do you want to talk about what you read after you read it? Like publicly? What are you hoping to do by talking publicly about a book?
Cree Myles 15:07
Well I talk publicly about books. My husband says that I'm a professional fan. So if I love something, I just can't like, I can't not tell. Cuz I, like we said, I've been telling every, like, random people on the street, have you read this new book by Kyler? Murray, like, I just get, I can't stop. So that's how it started. I just overzealous, and I get extremely creative when I'm excited. So that people are like, oh, you should do this for all of these other things. And then I start and I'm like, Oh, these aren't inspiring me. They're daring. That I think that's really why I want to hone in on the art of criticism this year, so that when I do not like a book, I can, it's not like this. Even though this is probably steeped in misogyny somewhere like it's not, like steeped in this emotional response, or like, whatever, like, here are the actual facts why this book is bad. And like, these are the receipts. And also, I really am going to take more care into my personal platform this year. So that like, that's because that's where I'm going to put those like, I'm like, in my personal spheres. Um, but I do want to do it, like within a frame. So because I'm still sensitive to the fact that even if it's bad, like, I know, you put a lot of like thought and effort into this, and I want to respect that. But like, you deserve a fair. You deserve fair feedback to like I wouldn't want so I have this friend who like lives in Japan, and he was testing out his Japanese. And he said, every time he asked me, he's like, it's great. It's great. It's great. He's like, No, it's not you're lying helped me. And I was like, Yeah, that's what I'm doing. I feel like that's what I'm doing. I don't want to keep doing that.
Traci Thomas 16:50
Have you read Monsters by Claire Dieter?
Cree Myles 16:53
No.
Traci Thomas 16:54
Okay. It's a book that I love, Sara did you?
Sara Hildreth 16:55
Yeah. I really liked it.
Traci Thomas 16:58
I loved it. A lot of people hated it. We did a book club. I don't have to rehash why people hated it, but I loved it. That's what matters. It's my there's my podcast. I fucking loved it. Read it twice. But she talks a bunch about emotional like responses versus like, like thoughts and feelings, thoughts versus feelings or whatever. And it's interesting because she does this whole thing about like the difference but there's like, literally no fucking difference between a thought and a feeling. Oh my god. Like, it's just it is like all misogyny. But she doesn't go that far to say that. But it that's what it is like, yeah, it's just like a bunch of straight white dudes used to fucking critique things. And so they were the authority. And now when other people do it, it's like, oh, she's too emotional. Like she's too. Yeah, isn't it? Or like, yeah, she only feels that way because she's black or whatever. But you should read the book because it's an interesting, at least the first half is really interesting. Like talking about art and stuff. I remember that. The covers Yeah, favorites from last year. Sarah, what about you? Same questions. I can refresh? Because I know I asked a lot. And I then we went off on the Monsters tangent.
Sara Hildreth 18:03
I think I think I remember. I, I review publicly, because I can't like quiet that like, critical, deep reader voice in my head, I think because I was an English major. went to grad school for English, like, taught and it just, I can't people ask me like, do you ever just read a book, like, just for fun, and I'm like, this is fun. For me, it is fun for me to read this book and think about what it's doing well, and what it's not doing well, and then try to articulate that I love thinking about what the book is trying to do. And and I mean, it's, I enjoy just thinking about that. But I enjoy even more talking about it or writing about it. And then I like to engage in those conversations, I think especially because, like, like you were saying, Tracy there is no difference between like, the thoughts and the feelings and the emotional reaction and the kind of, I don't know, intellectual reaction to a book. But I do like kind of being in the Bookstagram space and like, pushing beyond just I liked it or I didn't and getting that the the Why am thinking about the way cultural constructs have shaped what I think is good fiction and then pushing myself past that. Yeah. Traci, when we talked last time, I told you about craft in the real world by Matthew selfies, which is another book that similar it's a very different structure than monsters, but it's getting at some of those same questions of like, how what we think of as just objectively good or bad craft is a set of values that were created by a certain group of people and then just pass down in academia and the literary canon for years and years. And we can get out of that if we like, understand what's happening and And so I think sharing my reviews publicly and then having some pushback on what I'm saying, pushing back against what other people are saying, has allowed me to expand my understanding of what is good craft, and like even more books that I read, and that's awesome.
Traci Thomas 20:17
Sara referenced a conversation we had on her Substack, about negative reviews. And she she interviewed me about why I'm such an asshole online.
Sara Hildreth 20:27
What a great subtitle for that.
Traci Thomas 20:32
Yeah, yeah, I have to read that I want to I do want to read more stuff on like, criticism, because it is its own actual, like art form. I feel like a lot of people, myself included, sometimes were like, Oh, I'm a critic or whatever. But like, I'm not really a critic. I'm just a person with opinions. I mean, I am and I'm in awe, in some ways, you know, like, I feel like I I part of it is like balancing the constructs of like, what we're told makes, like a real a real critic, or real journalist, and also respecting the form of journalism and criticism, you know, it's like, yeah, I feel like, in some ways, I am those things. But in other ways, I'm definitely not. And I'm not, I'm not in the practice of those things. And I'm just a person with a microphone and an Instagram, you know. So I do want to read more about about that stuff. Because I wouldn't I don't think was for the podcast thing was for a live show. But I was talking to Danielle Smith, who wrote shine bright, and she was saying, like, journalism is a thing. And there are rules and ethics that go along with that. And like, we used to be taught that when we worked in newsrooms, and when we worked at publications, and now people aren't taught that they're discovered online for something that they've written, but they don't necessarily, they can't necessarily recreate that, because they don't actually have the correct tools. They just wrote a great thing that worked. But the next time they tried to do it, they can't always because they didn't have mentorship, and they didn't have teachers, and they didn't have oh my god, understanding of like, what the craft is that makes like a good critic, or like a good she was talking about like, profiles, I believe, or something like that. But anyway, I just so like I, I'm sort of in between of like, of like, I want to be better at this thing that I do. And I want to know, I want to understand what I do better by reading other people tell me how I'm supposed to do it. But I also don't want to lose some of the things that I do naturally, that are outside the bounds of like the rules and ethics of criticism and journalism, because that's all steeped in white supremacy, supremacy, and patriarchy and all of us. Yeah, happy new year. With that being said, we're gonna dive in to our most anticipated books of 2024. And since we are all professional readers, and we're recording this on January 8, but I think we've all read at least one or 220 24 books this year, because we're ahead of the curve. Look at us. Go us. So we'll start with any 2024 books. You've read one or two, that you've thought were really good. And like you're you've already read in been like we're off to a good start. Cree, why don't you go first?
Cree Myles 23:06
Okay, the hill that I am dying on this year, seven times, which I don't have to die, because if you I, it's to the point where if I love something, this is my toxic trait, and you don't love it. I'm just like, You're wrong. Like we can argue, taste and minus. So it's James by Percival Everett. It's what, what? What-
Traci Thomas 23:36
Have you read his other stuff?
Cree Myles 23:38
I've dabbled in Erasure. And then my friend David read, like the one right before James. Because we both read it or no, yeah. And he was like, you don't actually have to do it because James is the masterpiece, but like, it was good. Like, he's a good writer. So no, I haven't read anything else by him.
Sara Hildreth 24:03
He's so brilliant. He has like 28 books or something.
Traci Thomas 24:08
In since in the last like, 35 years or 40 years. His first book was 1983. Yeah, so 40 years. He has 28 books. But he also like has years where he really just releases two books. I mean, you're like, I'm just like, who are you?
Sara Hildreth 24:22
And he's like a professor.
Cree Myles 24:23
He's a professor. He's been shortlisted for all the big ones. It's just like-
Traci Thomas 24:27
But he's never won a big one.
Cree Myles 24:29
I claim that this is his year. He's got it. I mean, I feel like he should get the Pulitzer for this.
Sara Hildreth 24:37
Have you already read James, Traci? \
Traci Thomas 24:39
I haven't read it yet. Have you read it Sara?
Sara Hildreth 24:41
No, no, but I love him and I cannot wait.
Traci Thomas 24:44
That is the first book when I finish the prize, February 2, I am done with this job that is the first book. The second book, I think is his wife's new book, Colored Television by Danzy Senna.
Cree Myles 24:58
That's his wife? Percival Everett is married to Danzy?!
Traci Thomas 25:02
Yes, yes.
Cree Myles 25:07
Oh my God!
Traci Thomas 25:07
She's crying. Yes, they live here in LA in Pasadena. I got to meet them both at this very special event that a Stacks pack member took me to. He's a total weirdo. Very nice. I interviewed him and Detroit. He's, he's, He's like James McBride. If you listen to my interview with James McBride, it's the same vibe. Very weird guy. Yeah. interested in you. And your little questions. He's disgusted by the idea of publicity and press. He hates that you like his books. I was like, oh, you know, it's so nice to meet you. We did The Trees on my podcast. He's like, that's nice. I was like, No, it was nice. Thank you. Thanks so much.
Cree Myles 25:55
I come in heavy. I was like, You're brilliant. You're genius! And he said, Okay. I was like, Okay, I'll go sit until we have to talk, bye!
Traci Thomas 26:06
Like there's a green room for other people like you. We're doing Erasure right now on the podcast. And have you guys seen American Fiction?
Cree Myles 26:16
I wanna read Erasure your first.
Traci Thomas 26:18
I saw American Fiction. And it's fine and good. But baby, Cord Jefferson is not the same kind of genius as Percival Everett. So the the translation the interpretation is not as good. It's just it's any he did a great job. He did a lovely job. Like it's it's gowns, beautiful gowns, but it is not. But it's not like, anyways, um, I'm very excited about James. Did you read Huck Finn? Did you go back and read it? Sara, you read Huck Finn, I'm assuming?
Sara Hildreth 26:54
Yeah, we covered it on the podcast last year.
Traci Thomas 26:57
I gotta read it. Do I need to read Huck Finn first? No? Do I need to read James first? Does it matter which order? I know nothing about Huck Finn. I never read it in school. I've never engaged with the work at all. I know, literally, that they say the N word a lot. And I 200 times they're on a raft and they're on a raft. And it's a black man and a white child and enslaved man, a black enslaved man. Oh, I didn't even know that. I thought it was I thought it was like reconstruction. I thought it was reconstruction time, not-
Cree Myles 27:25
No, it's right before reconstruction. It's um, I mean, I guess I'm biased because I did read them out of order. The only reason I picked up Huck Finn is because of James. And I don't have the words. I don't know. But you know, I you don't have to know. I don't think so.
Sara Hildreth 27:42
You can read a little summary of Huck Finn, if you wanted to, or like a piece of literary criticism about it, and then just jump. I mean, I haven't read James. So I, but I think you're right. Huck Finn is one of those classics that I just don't, I don't think it needs to be read anymore.
Cree Myles 27:57
Honestly.
Traci Thomas 27:58
Well, the only reason I'm asking is because if I do read it, then I guess that would be the first book I read after the prize. And then, so we'll see. Okay, Sarah, what's your what's your 2024 so far book you've loved?
Sara Hildreth 28:11
Um, okay. I really loved the bullet swallower by Elizabeth comes? Oh, you did? I did. So I will say that this book has like the best first chapter I've read in years. And when that happens, it's like, you know, the rest of the book can't totally live up to the amazing first chapter because it was, I mean, literally explosive. Like, I was so hooked from the beginning, I have not felt that way about specially piece of literary fiction in a while. The book, I guess, unlike, unlike James maybe requires a little bit of a plot summary, but it's, it's going back and forth between a couple of timelines in a in a Mexican family 1860s And then 1960s I think, and this family is cursed, because there are a long line of of kind of terrible people. But the the kind of spirit figure who haunts this family and, and collects on debts and wants to give them another chance. And that leads to-
Traci Thomas 29:25
We love a benevolent spirit!
Sara Hildreth 29:30
I like I said, I like books that are like, you know, doing something structurally or and this is just a really interesting play on westerns. I think westerns are fascinating. Sure. And speaking of your genre fiction, goal, Tracy, I would say True Grit by Charles Portis, if you're going to read one Western that that would be it. And then, like drawing connections to books like this to True Grit is just so fun. So yeah, I really liked this one. There's a book within a book. I always love that.
Traci Thomas 30:03
Erasure has that!
Sara Hildreth 30:07
Oh, gotta pick that up. Yeah, I really liked it.
Traci Thomas 30:10
I'm hesitant on that. It doesn't it doesn't grip me. However, people who have read it seem to love it. Okay. So that is always a good sign to me even when I'm like, I don't know. And then someone's like, it's great. And then someone else is like, it's great. And so if you think it's great, then I feel like that is helpful to me. Okay, mine. I know Sarah, you've read this. I don't know if you have Craig but mine is martyr by Kobe Akbar. This book has been on my radar since last March, because he is, I guess, pals with Clint Smith. And when Clint came on to do poetry with us, he just casually was like, oh, you know, I'm reading poverty by America. I love it. I'm also reading this book covered by Kobe Akbar called Murder. It's fucking amazing. Like, I don't think he swore because he's Clint, but he was like, brutal murders. See, deep voice. Great. And I literally started my 2024 spreadsheet that day, I was like, okay, martyr, tada, Akbar. I waited, I waited, I waited, I finally was like, fuck this stupid prize. I gotta read this book, because people started reading it. It's really good. Okay, it's really good. He's a poet. So the sentences like, there are hundreds of sentences in this book where I was like, that's a banger. Like, they're, it's like the kind of sentence where you're like some books, maybe have one. And they're just threw out the book. Just so beautiful. It was a really enjoyable reading experience. I had some I have some issues with like, some of the character stuff for me. But for the most part, I really loved the book. Like I was really rooting for the main character. It's an unlike he's an unlikable guy with like, a heart of gold kind of, you know, like, like, he's like, kind of fucked up. But also, like, I love you to Cyrus. And the story is really sad. But it's also like a funny like, the lines are funny. It's sort of like a hero's journey a little bit like, he's going to discover this thing. And he's writing about martyrs, which I love. You know, I love death and darkness. It's about grief. It's just like, all of the things I love in a novel and I'm never like super gushy about an all or rarely super gushy about a novel. But this one just really worked for me. I I cannot imagine a world where this book isn't on lists at the end of the year isn't put on Pride. Like it's, it's, it is a book for book people. Also, there's a he's writing a book isn't the book. Just like very, it feels very 2024 this is what a book should be. I don't know. Like, I guess like how I felt when I finished chain gang. I was like, this will be on every list. Like yeah, you just know, you just know. Yeah, I did call that one. Like, I was like businesses on and then every list that came out I was like, like, what Obama's list came out and it wasn't on there. I was like, this is political. And even Jenna Bush could see it. So what's up with you, bro?
Cree Myles 33:06
I forget.
Traci Thomas 33:08
Yeah, it's impossible. Um, Sara, you read it.
Sara Hildreth 33:11
I loved I loved Martyr too, I had a feeling that you were going to talk about it so so but I would put this this this would be above Bullet Swallower for me too. I loved it. And like you, there were some things that I didn't love about it or like, maybe that's not even the way to put it. Things that typically in a book bother me. But they didn't bother me in this one. Because it works so well.
Traci Thomas 33:39
It just was such good read. It's just such a good read. Okay, yeah, that's a better way of saying it because there were things where I was like, I don't like this, but I was like, but I'm here and I don't hate it. Right. I don't like it. I do not like that. You said principles. I don't. Yes. Yes. On principle.
Sara Hildreth 33:57
Yeah. Like, it made me like it. I give him a lot of credit for that.
Traci Thomas 34:00
a lot of credit. Um, okay, let's move on to the books we haven't read. What are we most excited about? We're doing it through June. So we're gonna we'll depending on how much people like you to you might be back in May or June to do part two for the second half of the year. So this is an audition. Welcome to Hollywood baby. Hello.
Cree Myles 34:20
I'm tap dancing.
Traci Thomas 34:25
Okay, nailed it. So what are some of the books that your most well let's I'm gonna we're gonna do it in chronological order. Does anybody have any books are most excited about from January one?
Sara Hildreth 34:37
Yeah. Okay, Kiley Reid. Oh, but you read Kiley!
Cree Myles 34:41
Oh, the ones I haven't read. I'm sorry, right.
Traci Thomas 34:44
No, okay. Okay, so we're noting that on the audition card, hard to work with!
Sara Hildreth 34:54
I have one for January, and it'll be out by the time this comes out pick cubs out Jan. ninth, it's Poor Deer by Claire Ohshetsky and they wrote Chouette, which was my favorite book that I read in 2021. It is about a woman who gives birth to an owl baby. And it's for deer like a deer, a deer da er, but yes, she's playing with that.
Cree Myles 35:20
A woman gives birth to an owl like an owl-lette?
Sara Hildreth 35:24
Yes, named Chouette. And everybody else thinks the baby's name is Charlotte. But it's Chouette, which is French for owl.
Traci Thomas 35:35
That's the first book.
Sara Hildreth 35:36
That's the first.
Cree Myles 35:37
I got it. I'm here. I'm here for it.
Sara Hildreth 35:39
I had a very colicky reflux-y baby. And there was something so cathartic about reading about this woman trying to care for her our baby. Well, I was trying to care for my colicky baby. And it's a metaphor, but she goes hard like it. I mean, she leans into the weird, and I think that's what's gonna happen with poor deer. So poor deer is about a girl named Margaret. And when she's very little, she witnesses or perhaps accidentally causes the death of her friend. So there is a major trigger for child death and this which is why I have not read it yet, because I'm just not in the right headspace for it. And then, you know, everybody talks about her friend Agnes by saying that poor deer that poor deer and then the poor deer manifests into an actual deer that follows Margaret around and tries to get her to confront her trauma. And I know it's gonna be wild and weird and Olszewski is gonna lean hard into it. It sounds like it's going to have like a less zany tone and more of a you know, tone of grief.
Cree Myles 36:53
Sounds Belovedy, it you know, I
Traci Thomas 36:55
I was gonna say, it sounds Sula-y!
Sara Hildreth 36:58
So I, I think I think they're doing a lot with this. I love it. I think it's about 200 pages. I like a weird little book every time be over 500 pages, but 200? Yes. Your friend MJ at the - rave review. So I'm really, really looking forward to that.
Traci Thomas 37:22
We love MJ. I, if it's short. You can do anything you can if you give me 180 On every fucking word and think it's the best novel even if it sucks. Yeah, when I get to 260 Maybe you better have figured it out. Yeah, because I will be mean after 260. 250 is sort of the real borderline. But if you can do- same with the movie, if you can give me a 90 minute film. Yes, I will give you the Oscar. I will give it to you every time. when you get to two and a half hours of a movie. It's disrespectful. It's a waste of my time. Management of the budget that you are given by Warner Brothers. Like it's not okay.
Cree Myles 38:09
You didn't even have to do all that. Where are the edits? Cut it down.
Traci Thomas 38:14
Who is the person in charge? That person has been disrespected. But yes, I will do anything. I'll do anything. If it's if it's like 150 anything here? Brilliant. Brilliant. Yeah. It's the best book even if it's just like Dr. Seuss. This is the greatest shot I've ever read. Who knew the who's down in Whoville they loved Who hash! I've been reading Dr. Seuss so aggressively to my kids. I know it's not good, but the performances. Well, I guess he's like a Nazi, which is not good.
Cree Myles 38:48
Yeah, that is. We're not going there. Yeah, but the big brag. He was spitting. Can I tell you bars? Bars on bars, on bars on bars?
Traci Thomas 39:01
The Grinch slaps!. When we put away when we put away the Christmas books. I'm always like, Goodbye, Mr. Grinch. Hope my kids are interested in you next year. This year on Christmas Eve, a full performance by me. I got a laugh out of my kids for my Cindy Lou voice because I always tried different things. You know, I'm always trying to like sometimes the Grinch is British, sometimes. A high squeaky voice sometimes it's a deep voice is the Grinch. I just I if it rhymes event scams if it's burst, right, we got it. Ok, back to this other literature. Mediocre shit. Mid mid author's creed you have any other January or No? No. Okay, let's go to February. I have I'll do my February book. It's called a map of future ruins by Lauren Markham. She wrote a book a few years back called the far away brothers about to brown There's from El Salvador, who they're twins. And they emigrated to America unaccompanied as minors to live with their brother. And she tells their story, they ended up at a school in Oakland, which is where I'm from, where Lauren Marco was a teacher. So that's how she got to them and their story. And she's a journalist. And her new book is called a map of future ruins. And it's about immigration in Greece, and more broadly, but it sort of focuses on this refugee camp fire that I think five or six people were arrested and charged for. And she talks about, like the conditions of refugee camps and the way that we sort of throw people away, but also ties it into this narrative of her own family, where her families, her family were immigrants from Greece. And she talks about how like, we were always taught that they were so brave, and so incredible for being immigrants, but now she looks at how we talk about immigrants now. And there's like this huge disconnect, about what it means to have, like assimilated in America versus actually being someone who is currently or recently immigrated to America and European nations and how they're treated. So it's sort of this look, both personal and broader about immigration centered on this, like one particular quote unquote crime in a place where it's like unlivable conditions. And you know, so I'm really excited about it. I just love the way that she writes. And I love the way she tells these stories. And I love that she is both connected to the stories but also removed enough to write about them. Because sometimes, sometimes I feel like people try to write a memoir plus, which is what I call that genre where it's like a memoir, but also what other things, but they're too connected. Yeah, so I like that she's connected, but not like the center of the thing. Okay, so I'm excited title too. Yeah, yeah. It's from Riverhead. It's out February 13. Okay. Cree, what February do you have?
Cree Myles 41:52
Maurice Carlos, the American daughters. I think cast a shadow was like solid. I didn't super love it. But like, as far as like speculative fiction and everything. It kept me in the shorts were also like, okay, but I do I feel like I really liked the idea of it's about a secret society of women and the antebellum south and New Orleans. And I was like, Okay, there's, and I deeply respect a writer who just like stays in their home. Like, I think I really like Right, like, right, what you know, for 1000s and 1000s of pages, like everything is worth that. So I'm really excited that it's he's still in Louisiana. So I'm definitely gonna give it a go. I'm gonna see what it's about.
Traci Thomas 42:37
Yeah, we did. We cast a shadow in 2019 on this show, or book club, and I do I didn't read the short stories, but I am really curious about this one. It's also gotten a lot of like, really stellar buzz in a way that makes me think it's better. It's better like, yeah, I believe it because I believe that he has improved because he sort of when we spoke was really like talking about being like a student of writing. Yeah, yeah. And so that's exciting to me.
Cree Myles 43:03
Yeah, me too. And I do I as far as oneworld I feel like they're really trying to, like submit their fiction as like, like, the GM of Brooklyn is brilliant at doing it. Oh, my gosh, yeah. And so mansbach Yeah, yeah. And so I really think that they are working hard to make sure that their fiction and nonfiction are on equal footing.
Traci Thomas 43:24
Do you know who Adam Mansbach is? He's the Go To fuck to sleep and shut the fuck up guy.
Cree Myles 43:29
Oh I do know, because I got that. Julius, I got that as a president when he was born. So I did. I was like, Oh, my God, circle back.
Traci Thomas 43:39
Same guy. He reached out and was like, oh, read my book. And I was like, oh, and I clicked on his Instagram. And I was like, I have. I also perform those reports. But now I have to start bleeping them out. But they have really cute animal drawings. So my kids like them, so then I'm just like, please go all the way to sleep.
Cree Myles 43:58
I really hope that one is out in your like books amongst your books when they start reading. That'll be fun.
Traci Thomas 44:05
Yeah, I can't wait. Sarah, do you have any February books that you're excited about?
Sara Hildreth 44:11
Yeah, I have a I have a couple actually. I know one of mine is. This is my outlier. It's nonfiction. It's a memoir. It is out of shapeWorthless loser. A Memoir of figure skating fucking up. Oh, figuring it out by Gracie Gold. So I am a former competitive figure skater.
Traci Thomas 44:31
Of course you are. No, you're not. Yes. She's wearing that sweater. I should have known. You can. arena but it's figure skating makes sense.
Sara Hildreth 44:41
Yeah so Gracie Gold. She won the 2014 US national championships and went on to the 2014 Olympics. And she was like this media, darling. I mean, her name is graceful. Yeah, period. Right. And if you Google her like she looks like Grace Kelly. She's just like The iconic ideal of an American ladies figures.
Traci Thomas 45:05
Oh yes, I remember her.
Sara Hildreth 45:07
Then a couple years later, she had this breakdown. And at first, you know, her coach said that it was an eating disorder. Turns out, it was suicidal ideation along with an eating disorder, she had experienced a sexual assault. And she has been very vocal about the way the skating world did not protect her, as you know, a child coming up, in course, the sport. And I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high for this memoir, but I just hope she just like, burns it all down. You know, I just hope she just really just goes for the jugular in terms of a figure skating world, the judges, the media, the coaches who are terrible, and she was interviewed for that documentary, the weight of gold, the one with Michael Phelps, as well. And she was she was quite honest there. So I have, I have hopes, kind of like what you just said, though, Tracy about like, is she too close? Yeah, I mean, this is a this is a woman who, like her whole life is skating. She's still coaches, like, what else is she going to do? So Can she really, really like talk? I want her to do I don't know. But I'm still I'm really intrigued. And I mean, just the like, you know, just the title alone. I feel like it's punchy, it's punchy. And it's clear that like, it's not going to be your typical like Michelle quants figure skating. Oh, no, no, so I don't know. I I'm holding out hope that this does some interesting things.
Traci Thomas 46:39
I love it. Do you have another February?
Sara Hildreth 46:41
My other February is Ours by Philip Williams is this on either of your lists?
Traci Thomas 46:46
It's not on my list, but it's on I have a list of 80 books that I'm excited about for 2024. So I try to narrow down and you know, give a diverse range, but it is on my list and is on my shelf. It's also huge.
Cree Myles 46:56
I read it. He was the one that sat with, I interviewed him and Percival at the same time.
Sara Hildreth 47:05
And oh, you're- Oh, no, no! Oh, no!
Cree Myles 47:09
I really, I'm curious to hear your thoughts.
Traci Thomas 47:13
I don't have thoughts because I haven't read it.
Cree Myles 47:17
When you read it, I'm curious to hear your thoughts. Because I have a lot of feelings around. We were just going on about 200 or less, if you can get it 200. So you know, I'm always like, does it have to be this? And then I said to you, it's his debut novel, he has a book of poetry. But yeah, mutiny was his book of poetry. But um, and then I'm also like, in the context of what else I was reading, which was James like, you know, like, so I am curious to hear what other what other people have to say he's a poet. So you like, of course, sentence structure is wonderful, etc. And the the concept is great.
Traci Thomas 47:59
What's the concept again?
Sara Hildreth 48:01
There's like a woman who is formerly enslaved, she's a conjurer. She creates this safe town for for enslaved people that she frees with her her magic and she keeps them safe within this, the like walls of her conjuring. But then it seems like maybe the more she uses her magic, the harder it is, and the older she gets, the harder it is to keep everybody safe and the kind of the, the real world starts to bleed in. Yeah. So it sounds I mean, this is what it was like the cover copy says it's steeped in rich tradition of American literature. So I'm like, sold, right. I'm intrigued. Yeah, but it is always interesting, especially like when a poet or like Kelly link the Book of Love is another one I'm excited about. She's a short story writer. She has like a 600 page book coming out this year. I'm like it when you're when your practice is these really tight forms. And the new first novel is huge. I am apprehensive
Traci Thomas 49:06
Yeah, yeah.
Cree Myles 49:08
I don't know.
Traci Thomas 49:08
Okay, Sara I'll let you read it first. Okay. I just I can't do 600 slave. I can't do 600 slavery. I couldn't do W EB Dubois Love Songs- too long.
Cree Myles 49:22
I know. I know.
Traci Thomas 49:23
The prophets, I never got to, still felt a little too long. Water dancer too long. If you're gonna do slavery. It's gotta be short for me. I just I don't want to be there. Like it's fair. I want to read your book. I want to support you. Yeah. Because you're a black author. If you're not a black author, I'm definitely not reading your book. But yeah, but I want to support you as an author. But if you're forcing me to do 406 I mean, this one, six. No, I'm just saying like, if you're asking if you're asking for 350 Plus, and for me to be There I just I'm not gonna be there. Johnson famous Lakers. I'm not gonna be there. Okay, let's move on to March, March March books. What do we got?
Cree Myles 50:12
Um, I don't know in the book community if this is basic because you know, I mostly just read Black lit, but my escape is definitely Tana French. I need to go to Ireland to engage with the hunt. I love her. And if it comes out March 2.
Traci Thomas 50:33
Irish accent?
Cree Myles 50:34
Ireland?
Traci Thomas 50:40
I'm choking, I took a sip of tea and then almost drowned in my hot beverage because of your Irish accent. Um, I read one Tana French I read In the Woods.
Cree Myles 50:52
Yes that's the famous one.
Sara Hildreth 50:54
I read The Likeness. Is this one in her series, or is this a standalone?
Cree Myles 50:58
I'm pretty sure it's a standalone I. I don't know where it was. It was next to my bed. But I read the secret place. That's the one that I read. Because I also love a campus novel. This is not that but the characters are younger. And I'm like I started it like a month ago and then I put it away. I have to come back to it. But it's giving everything that I always need.
Traci Thomas 51:23
I have to say, okay, my I have two books for March. They are the two books I am the most excited about for the first half of the year. The other book, which I mentioned, which we're not gonna talk about, because it's July is color television. These are my three most books. So yeah, one is Hanif abdurraqib has a new book called there's always this year. It is Hanif who, as you all know I fucking love on basketball, which as you all know I fucking love Yeah. Like there's literally there's nothing to say. It's funny if on basketball. Yeah. And it's me my eyes and my brain reading. So it's a banger. Like I just I don't I can't imagine. mx plus b squared. Oppenheimer, okay, it's giving literary atomic bomb. I can't wait. I don't even I have read nothing about it. I spoke to him in DC. And he was like, it's not really a book about basketball. And I'm like, okay, that's fine. Like, that's what he felt like. That's what he says about everything. Right? It's not real. Like I think he just doesn't he doesn't like to be defined. He's like a very Enigma kind of guy. You know, like, he's like, it's all about his thinking and his brain. And so I'm here for it. But also it is about basketball. And it's about Ohio, which is where he's from. Yeah. Which as you were talking about before, I love when people write about where they're from. Yeah. So that one is a no brainer for me. Super excited. I think I can say it now cuz I think I saw it online. I am actually in conversation with him for his LA event for the book in April. So April 2, if you're in LA, you can get tickets through rep club. I, they called me they were like, Hey, we have a question Do you want to like and I was like, do I want to what? Right? Like? Yeah, I like do just put it on my calendar. Right. Done. It's a yes. So that's that. And then the other book, which was recommended by Instagram story from one of my the author of my favorite book this year, we were once a family Roxana scary and posted the picture of the cover of this book called the unclaimed and she was like, she's I don't know, she wrote something little that was like, This was great. And I immediately looked it up. And it's about the bodies of unclaimed dead people in the LA County morgue.
Cree Myles 53:36
Whoa.
Traci Thomas 53:37
Doesn't it sound crazily, like amazing and sad. And if Roxanna said they pulled it off, so that like, I think that's one of those books that could be not good, right. But as soon as I saw it, and I live in LA, and I'm really curious about that, and I'm really excited. And it's by two authors. It's by Pamela, Pamela Pickett and Stefan Timmermans. And it comes out March 12. And I don't know much I haven't looked into it much more than just like the general idea of it. But I'm, I'm really anticipating this book just because I like the idea of it really excited me.
Cree Myles 54:13
Yeah.
Traci Thomas 54:14
Sara do you have any Marchies?
Sara Hildreth 54:16
Yeah, I have two for March as well. I have the Extinction of Irina Rey by Jennifer Croft. It's out March 5 from Bloomsbury. Jennifer Croft is like a very award like award winning translator. She translates tons of award winning fiction, and her husband is a translator too. And I know and this is, okay, this is kind of her debut novel. Tracy. I feel like you're gonna hate that she had a book come out a couple of years ago. It was published as a memoir in the US and a novel in the UK, who I wonder if they have like different regulations. I know so fascinating. thing. But this book is about eight translators from different countries who go to Poland to translate the like magnum opus of this famous literary icon. They're all translating it into their own languages. And they're like working together to translate this book, and then the author goes missing. And I think it becomes a mystery where the translators are trying to uncover what happened to her and they discover the secrets about her life. It sounds bonkers, and like, it could really go off the rails.
Traci Thomas 55:35
I'm fascinated. I'm looking up the page count right now. 320. Good luck. Good luck to you. Know, it does sort of sound good, but you got to report back.
Sara Hildreth 55:46
I'll report back. And my other one is parasol against the axe by Helen Oh, yummy. Yeah. Which just I don't really know anything about it. But it's Helen.
Cree Myles 55:57
I've tried as she's been a DNF for me twice. But a quake K swears by her. So I'm like, I have to try again.
Traci Thomas 56:07
Akweke has another book coming up. Little Rot.
Cree Myles 56:10
Yes. Instantly went onto my Kindle.
Sara Hildreth 56:13
Similare to I think to like, so. I think Helen Oyeyemi, I mean, I've had like two DNFs and two that have really worked for me. So I think I'll know early if this is going to be Yep. You know, on my on my good list or my bad little bread. She's, like, not as prolific as personal Everett, but kind of in the same like, let's just try this. Let's try it. Yeah, do something different this time and just like throw it against the wall and see what sticks. And some of them are awesome. And some of them are not. That's fine, but I'm I'm curious to see what she's gonna do with this one.
Cree Myles 56:52
Yeah, I'm gonna try.
Traci Thomas 56:54
April. Anybody have Aprils?
Sara Hildreth 56:57
I have one April.
Traci Thomas 56:58
I have one April. Go ahead, Sara.
Sara Hildreth 57:01
Americans by Rachel Kang. This is 400 pages. I'm sorry.
Traci Thomas 57:05
You guys. Okay, but I feel like she's vetted.
Sara Hildreth 57:09
She's vetted. Goodbye vitamin was delightful. And, and short. 200 pages of perfection. Very interior. Very quiet. Sounds a little bit. Oh, have you read Goodbye, Vitamin?
Traci Thomas 57:22
No, I haven't.
Sara Hildreth 57:24
Ok I think you both might like it.
Traci Thomas 57:26
It's one of your favorite books. I feel like I associate it with your filter on Instagram.
Sara Hildreth 57:33
Love it. And there's a lot of like really beautiful like parenting moments in it in a way that doesn't feel saccharin. Real Americans sounds kind of different. A little bit plot here. It has two timelines. One is about like, seeing a couple meet and fall in love from very different backgrounds than the other timeline is the woman parenting a child by herself. And so I think we'll like converge the timelines and see what happened. I like books that do that, or that kind of show you the ending or the middle and then you get to see how you got there.
Traci Thomas 58:09
Yeah, like I'll have to. Okay, my April book is another dark nonfiction that I don't know a lot about. But the premise hooked me, it's called the way that leads among the last and it's by Angela Garcia. And it comes out April 30. And it is about these, like rehab facilities in Mexico City that are run by like regular regular people to help with like drug addiction. But it's for the extremely poor, there are the there are these spaces in Mexico City specifically. And they're called a nexos. And there are informal addiction treatment centers, where like, mothers send their children and their family members to get away from like the drug wars that are happening in Mexico. And there's never been a book written about like a full length book written about this topic. So I'm just really curious about it. And my understanding is that it's very dark, and also that the author has some sort of connection to an Axos what's the name of it?
Cree Myles 59:09
My husband will love this, okay.
Traci Thomas 59:10
It's called the way that leads among the loss. Okay. And I'm pretty sure it's FSG who's publishing it or MCD by FSG. And I just think they are right now for my money. Like, they are the best I think our top 10 books of the year episode had to at least two but possibly three books from them. Like, not only are their books the best, their covers are the best. Like blackouts, ordinary notes, American gun like literally all of my favorite covers their cover designer. I can't remember his name right now, but he's like their head of art, the art department just there just knocking it out of the park over there. I'm so excited because that's where Michel Jackson's next book is coming from. Yeah. It's just, they're really like, I know You can't talk about other publishers because conflict of interest but they have in the last two years I feel like or three years they have really fucking I think they have a new editor maybe Jenna Johnson or like head person. I don't know how she is, but I know she's in charge over there anyways. So I'm really excited about that. May May anybody may?
Cree Myles 1:00:21
I've got it's literally based on the cover because it's a debut and I've seen it on every list the ministry of time. I, I keep seeing it. And I didn't write down the premise but I clearly I've gone past it enough that I'm like, I have to buy it. And penguin is not even doing it. So I literally have to buy it.
Traci Thomas 1:00:41
Yes, I have this. I have this. But I know nothing about it. It's time travel romance, speculative spy thriller, workplace comedy and ingeniously constructed exploration of the nature of truth and power and the potential for love to change at all.
Sara Hildreth 1:00:55
I love all of your genres.
Cree Myles 1:01:00
Yeah, because it's a debut. I'm just like, in the event that it smacks because like, I came on to Kylie late and etc. I don't want to be late. So I'm going to try it out. And if it goes crazy, then I can when everyone's like, Oh, I'll be like, Oh, I've been read.
Traci Thomas 1:01:14
It's 352. 352.
Cree Myles 1:01:16
All right, so It's gotta slap in the first 50. Because It's his debut. I have nothing to go off of; you better have come out the blocks smoking.
Traci Thomas 1:01:27
Exactly right. Listen, Kaveh Akbar. His book is 340. He did it. He did what needed to be done with those pages.
Sara Hildreth 1:01:39
That one reads fast too.
Traci Thomas 1:01:40
It does read fast. Okay, my May book- again, this is like, this is how I I meant to ask earlier how you like come to books. But one of the ways I come to books is just like by weirdly discovering someone that I know who wrote a thing that I ended up loving. This book is called the way that our sorry, this book is called another word for love by Carvell Wallace. He's a journalist, I think. But he was the CO writer of Andre Iguodala, his memoir, he said NBA player who I love who plays with Golden State Warriors. his memoir, the sixth man is honestly like one of the best sports memoirs ever written. It is so fucking good. The audio is like, it's just incredibly good. It's very smart. It has cultural criticism. Like there's an awareness about Andre Iguodala. And he's he's a really smart guy. He's known for being like a really smart NBA player in general. But like, I was like, Oh, I'll listen to this and like not pay attention. This looks fucking amazing. And so Caravelle walls, has his own memoir coming about coming out about his childhood. And it sounds like maybe he had like a pretty troubled childhood are like a difficult childhood, like poverty, and like we've experienced homelessness, I believe, but now he is a father. And so it's sort of about like being a kid and growing up and becoming a father and I don't know just sounds really great. The covers great, I believe it's also from FSG. And my, my sister in law, just forwarded me the screenshot of the cover and was like, Holy shit, Andre Iguodala guy. And then I went and looked and I think that I've read some of his like, cultural criticism before like other essays written I was like, Oh, I do like him. So that's on the list. It comes out in May. Two, does anybody have June and then we're done.
Sara Hildreth 1:03:19
I have I have one May book actually.
Traci Thomas 1:03:22
Go do your May.
Sara Hildreth 1:03:23
Um, Cecilia by K Ming Chang. She wrote Bestiary and Gods of Want, and Organ Meats. Okay, so her books are normally published by one world whom I love. Yes. But this one is coming out from a tiny little publishing house called Coffee House Press. Which makes me so curious, like, did this regular publisher, is it too weird? Like, yeah, it's a novella. It's 140 pages. Okay, it is a like toxic female friendship story to women who haven't seen each other since childhood, they encounter each other and then they get on the same bus. And you can't like they don't want to admit necessarily that they're like kind of following each other and they strike up a conversation and then we get all of the backstory of their messy relationship. I've just I'm so curious about the like publishing story into this one and what's going on with it. And as much discussed this episode, can do anything for 140 pages.
Cree Myles 1:04:29
Sure can. I'm reading it,
Traci Thomas 1:04:32
Because organ meats just came out last year.
Sara Hildreth 1:04:34
So I wonder if she's like sitting on this one for a while.
Traci Thomas 1:04:39
You know, maybe she sold it before. She was at Unos-
Sara Hildreth 1:04:43
yeah, maybe?
Traci Thomas 1:04:45
Who knows? Um, okay, June, anybody June?
Cree Myles 1:04:49
Just the Akweke announcement.
Traci Thomas 1:04:52
One June is Chelsea Devantez, friend of this podcast has her book coming out which I've actually I've read a draft of it. Before her publisher made her change it like completely, which is the story of why is in the book and it's a wild story. So I don't know how she's actually changed it. So I have read a version of the book, but it's not the version that everybody else now so I really want to read the new version. Yeah, yes. I'm really excited about that. And it was the first time I was ever sent someone's like manuscript to like, edit or like to like give notes. So that was really cool. So I'm really excited about it. And I love Chelsea. But the other the other June book that I'm excited about, but not sure if I'm gonna like it and I don't know very much is that Carla Cornejo Vicencio. Yeah, Catalina. It's a novel and I think it's a campus novel. And I think that's like all that. I know. And I know that her publicist, who I have worked with many times, because she's over at One World was like, this one is incredibly great. And I know the publicist always say that, but she offered that information to me, unsolicited, not unsolicited, but I was like, what's exciting to you? And she was literally like, yeah, this was this. Yeah. So I am excited about that. Any other June's? This is our this is our last month we're doing.
Cree Myles 1:06:15
No. I've got a lot of work to do, guys. You've given me some stuff!
Traci Thomas 1:06:19
I know. I know stuff. Like I am counting down the days till I am done with this prize. I am so excited to read again. What I want to read. Yeah, and I want to read it. Yeah, I just, I can't I can't wait. I'm gonna read genre. I'm gonna read dark nonfiction. I think I'm gonna read some ya, maybe. I just I want to have fun this year. Yeah. And I'm gonna read more cookbooks this year, too. I love reading books. So I'm just I'm just excited. I'm so grateful for both of you for coming. I will find out how your audition went from the casting director. Thank you, everybody and all of you. And can I tell people, Sarah? Oh, yes, yes, absolutely. And I will be back on novel pairings in the spring. I'm not exactly sure where I think April I think April Yeah, March or April, March or April to discuss Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare. All of you people who are forced to read Romeo and Juliet and you accidentally loved it. Well, guess what? the messiest Shakespeare play with the most fucked up ending ever. We're doing it. So get your thoughts right.
Sara Hildreth 1:07:27
I read this one!
Traci Thomas 1:07:30
This play is so fucked up. It is the most difficult ending of all the Shakespeare plays hands down for me including Winter's Tale. Because Winter's Tale is tricky. But Measure for Measure is like you cannot square it. You in 2024 You cannot square it.
Sara Hildreth 1:07:47
I'm glad you picked the hardest one for us to talk about.
Traci Thomas 1:07:49
It's so good. It has. It's also like the most 2024-ish memoir too. It's like about women's rights and marriage and religion. And it's just
Cree Myles 1:08:02
A black king.
Traci Thomas 1:08:05
Yes, our Black King William Shakespeare. Wakanda forever. Thank you guys so much. Thanks, everyone for listening. I'm gonna get off the mic because I'm getting crazy. See you all in the stacks!
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