The Sunday Salon: Just What I Needed!

 

Hello, friends. We're back from a wonderful four days in NYC. I enjoyed the lovely fall weather, two literary events, time with family, The Great Elephant Migration, a trip to my favorite bookstore, and several delicious meals. Just what I needed! While we were there Twin A and her husband moved to a new apartment and we were able to help with that, too... mostly by keeping the grandpup, Winnie the Whippet, occupied elsewhere. Their new apartment has two bedrooms and an in-unit washer and dryer, which is a real bonus in the city.

Daughter #1 was my companion for the literary events. We walked up to Symphony Space both evenings, then joined the rest of the crew at nearby restaurants afterwards. 

Our first program was Power and Storytelling with Margaret Atwood and Min Jin Lee, moderated by NYTimes journalist Veronica Chambers. The event was described this way: "On the eve of a critical election, literary icons discuss the power of stories to change the world." The conversation quickly became political with a focus on what's at stake in the upcoming election, authoritarian regimes around the world, and the stripping away of human rights. There was little direct reference to literature and storytelling. At times the talk became quite dark and emotional. If you follow Min Jin Lee on social media, you will see she is passionate about these issues. I especially enjoyed Margaret Atwood's acerbic commentary, and would love to hear her speak again when the topic is exclusively literary. This was an interesting event, even if it was not what we were expecting.

The second evening featured Elizabeth Strout in conversation with Meg Wolitzer. The two friends discussed Strout's new novel, Tell Me Everything, and the actress Patricia Kalember performed a dramatic reading. They talked a lot about Strout's writing process, which flows mostly from her subconscious. There was quite a bit of discussion about her characters, too, and Bob Burgess seemed to be the star of the evening!  Strout talked about Maine and how deeply rooted it is in her DNA. Happily, she is currently working on another novel. There was a book signing after the talk.

Recent reading//

The Most by Jessica Anthony

I picked up this novella (144 pages) because it was longlisted for this year's National Book Award, plus I really liked the cover. The story, told from alternating perspectives of a husband and wife, is about their seemly perfect marriage which is actually on the brink of collapse. It takes place on one unseasonably warm day in November 1957, when the wife goes for a swim in their community pool and refuses to get out. This novella is a slow burn and the writing is excellent, but be forewarned that the ending is ambiguous. Read it in a single sitting if at all possible... and then tell me what you make of that ending!  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Current reading//

Where the Forest Meets the River by Shannon Bowring

The Road to Dalton, Bowring's debut novel, was a favorite last year. In this year's follow-up, five years have passed as we return to Dalton once again. I started this last night and the first 30 pages were a delight!

I also still have bookmarks in The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan and A Guest at the Feast by Colm Tóibín, but neither of them moved last week... mostly due to our trip.

The week ahead//

We're at home this week and have been assured that the bathroom remodel will be completed within the next few days. At last! We're also expecting some perfect fall weather, so I really hope I don't spend the entire week waiting around for contractors to show up... I want to get out there and enjoy it!

How was your week? What are you reading today?

The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.