Bless. I have been waiting for a book lover to not love My Friends! I too enjoyed some of Bachman’s earlier novels but really loathed Anxious People and was persistently irritated by My Friends.
I did a slow read of The Emperor of All Maladies in December. It is a history of cancer if you can believe it, but I have learned that the author, Siddhartha Mukherjee, is kind of like Ken Burns in that he can make any topic come alive by the sheer power of his own curiosity and his beautiful words. Because you and Beth so ardently recommended Habits of the Heart I will read that in 2026. I also really loved What We Can Know and Atonement!
Sarah, you can absolutely skip the third book in the Beartown trilogy. You already know that these communities have a toxic relationship to hockey. You don't need to read another 600+ pages about it.
I read War and Peace with an adult ed class several years ago, and was glad I didn’t tackle it on my own! I loved Atonement so I tried the new Ian McEwan book, but I just couldn’t get into it. My favorite books I read in December were Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher, and Introducing Mrs. Collins by Rachel Parris, which is yet another Pride & Prejudice spinoff book (I just do not get tired of those!)
I also enjoyed the 2025 slow read of War and Peace with Footnotes and Tangents. When an unexpected surgery sidelined me in December, I decided to pick up Anna Karenina (with fresh Tolstoy momentum) and wow, I loved it! Finished in just over a week. Joining you and Laura Tremaine for The Stand and also reading the Wolf Hall trilogy with F&T. Thank you, and Happy Reading!
Bless. I have been waiting for a book lover to not love My Friends! I too enjoyed some of Bachman’s earlier novels but really loathed Anxious People and was persistently irritated by My Friends.
It was just silly!
I did a slow read of The Emperor of All Maladies in December. It is a history of cancer if you can believe it, but I have learned that the author, Siddhartha Mukherjee, is kind of like Ken Burns in that he can make any topic come alive by the sheer power of his own curiosity and his beautiful words. Because you and Beth so ardently recommended Habits of the Heart I will read that in 2026. I also really loved What We Can Know and Atonement!
Happy New Year!
Sarah, you can absolutely skip the third book in the Beartown trilogy. You already know that these communities have a toxic relationship to hockey. You don't need to read another 600+ pages about it.
LIZ what a gift you've given me!
I read War and Peace with an adult ed class several years ago, and was glad I didn’t tackle it on my own! I loved Atonement so I tried the new Ian McEwan book, but I just couldn’t get into it. My favorite books I read in December were Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher, and Introducing Mrs. Collins by Rachel Parris, which is yet another Pride & Prejudice spinoff book (I just do not get tired of those!)
I also enjoyed the 2025 slow read of War and Peace with Footnotes and Tangents. When an unexpected surgery sidelined me in December, I decided to pick up Anna Karenina (with fresh Tolstoy momentum) and wow, I loved it! Finished in just over a week. Joining you and Laura Tremaine for The Stand and also reading the Wolf Hall trilogy with F&T. Thank you, and Happy Reading!