Spring Break Reading
Here, a handful of books we heartily recommend.
The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt
It may be daunting at 784 pages, but this novel—which follows a young boy who loses his mother during a terrorist attack on an art museum—promises to demolish any idle beach hours.
The Neopolitan Novels, Elena Ferrante
Now two books into her quarter, little-known Italian author Elena Ferrante tackles girlhood and friendship with amazing force.
Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time, Brigid Schulte
As its name suggests, this incredibly well-researched account tackles something we all feel every day: Where has our leisure time gone, and why as a culture do we embrace Busyness?
The Rise, Sarah Lewis
Sarah Lewis uses the stories of painters, scientists, musicians, explorers, athletes, and others to show that the path to mastery is often marked not by success and accomplishment, but by corrections from failed attempts.
Bark: Stories, Lorrie Moore
This is Lorrie Moore’s first collection of short stories in 15 years—and it was worth the wait. Both hilarious and heartfelt, these are the perfect thing tackle during a quiet afternoon.
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, Anthony Marra
The theme is not lightweight (the subject is an eight-year-old Chechnyan orphan), but this is a stunningly beautiful story, that will stay with you for months.