The Goldfinch
Donna Tartt
A boy, a stolen painting, and years of fallout after a tragedy. Long, but Tartt's writing carries it.
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The Secret History
Donna Tartt
The Secret History by Donna Tartt is one of the books I’m jealous of other people for getting to read for the first time. In the opening sentence, you learn that a boy has been murdered, and the narrator, Richard, has helped murder him — the mystery, of course, is why. We go back in time, following Richard as he transfers to an elite New England college and becomes fascinated with a tight-knit, charismatic group of friends. The first time I read this book, I was completely carried away by the plot. The second (and third and fourth) times, I’ve been able to appreciate its exploration of beauty, morality, and the allure of belonging.
★ 5The Correspondent
Virginia Evans
The protagonist of this beautiful novel is a 73-year-old woman processing her life — and regrets — through letters. It’s poignant but not saccharine, specific but universally appealing. I dare you not to cry.
Tom Lake
Ann Patchett
An older woman tells her daughters about the summer she spent performing alongside — and falling in love with — a now-famous actor. My friend Anna said her husband adored this book just as much as she did — impressive, considering he typically reads business non-fiction.
★ 5Whistler
Ann Patchett
Ann Patchett is one of my favorite authors for a reason; I couldn't put this down.
Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage
Belle Burden
Belle and her seemingly perfect family flee COVID to their gorgeous Martha’s Vineyard home. Abruptly, her husband of two decades tells her he’s no longer in love and leaves. I first mentioned this book in January, and since then, multiple friends have told me they finished it in one session.