Author: Chelsey

27. Anticipated Fall 2020 Reads and backlist books to pair with them

Chelsey1 Comment

Today Chelsey and Sara are back to  topple your TBRs with highly anticipated fall releases and backlist books. We know hardback books are pricey and library waitlists for the hottest new releases are long, so we’re pairing the books we’re most excited to read this fall with older books that are easier to get your hands on. There are about 60 titles mentioned in today’s episode, so be sure to visit our show notes at novelpairings.com or our shop at Bookshop.org to find full lists of every book we talked about. 

Shop our Backlist Recs on Bookshop:  https://bookshop.org/lists/anticipated-fall-reads-2020-backlist-pairings

Use our referral code to get TWO  audiobooks for the price of one through Libro.fm: https://libro.fm/redeem/novelpairings

Listen here

Books Mentioned:

Luster by Raven Leilani (9/1)

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

Normal People by Sally Rooney

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi (9/1)

The Mothers by Brit Bennett

Daddy by Emma Cline (9/1)

The Girls by Emma Cline

Florida by Lauren Groff

Sabrina & Corina by Kali Farjado-Anstine

Lot by Bryan Washington

Recommended for You by Laura Silverman (9/1)

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

By the Book by Amanda Sellet

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam (9/1)

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Pride by Ibi Zoboi

His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie (9/1)

Queenie by Candace Carty-Williams

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivers (9/1)

Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie

When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole (9/1)

The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin

Jack by Marilynne Robinson (9/15)

Lila by Marilynne Robinson

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson (9/15)

Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson

Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (9/29)

How to Stop Time by Matt Haig

Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

Ties That Tether by Jane Igharo (9/29)

The Best Worst Man by Mia Sosa

Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman (10/6)

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

The Witches: Suspicion, Betrayal, and Hysteria in 1692 Salem by Stacy Schiff

The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab (10/6)

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

She Come by It Natural: Dolly Parton and the Women Who Lived Her Songs by Sarah Smarsh (10/13)

Natural Acts: Gender, Race, and Rusticity in Country Music by Pamela Fox

Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth (10/20)

Dare Me by Megan Abbott

Jane in Love by Rachel Givney (10/27)

The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen A. Flynn

Austenland by Shannon Hale

Cobble Hill by Cecily Von Ziegesar (10/20)

Gossip Girl by Cecily Von Ziegesar

The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger 

I Wanna Be Where the Normal People Are by Rachel Bloom (11/17)

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby

26. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and books about The American Dream

ChelseyLeave a comment

Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. We both read this in high school, had mixed feelings, came back to the text later, and still have mixed feelings! Plus some pretty strong opinions about Gatsby himself, Fitzgerald’s writing style, the prominence of this text in pop culture and in the classroom, and the narratives we repeat in American history class. We had a lot of fun recording this episode, and we can’t wait to hear all of your thoughts on Gatsby. 

Listen here

Our discussion includes:

  • What we thought of this book in high school versus what we think now
  • Whether or not Daisy and Gatsby’s relationship is romantic
  • Why this is such an enduring classic text
  • Why Sara hates the Baz Luhrman film version with the fire of a thousand suns
  • And…is this the Great American Novel?

Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic,  including a Jazz Age novella and plenty of literary fiction.

We do discuss some spoilers in this episode, but as with all of our episodes, we still think that readers can enhance their experience by listening before, during, or after the reading experience. 

Books Mentioned:

So We Read On: How The Great Gatsby Came to Be and Why It Endures by Maureen Corrigan

Passing by Nella Larsen

Shop the pairings:  https://bookshop.org/lists/novel-pairings-for-the-great-gatsby

Chelsey’s Pairings:

Sara’s Pairings:

Picks of the Week:

Chelsey: The Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton

Sara: Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry, Ep. 245 of What Should I Read Next

Five Tips for Reading Classic Literature

Chelsey3 Comments

Take it from two English majors: reading the classics can be a slog. But it doesn’t have to be. We’re not here to convince anyone to read the classics, but if you’re looking for a challenging, cozy, or scholarly reading experience—we’ve got a few tips to help you get the most out of any classic novel.

Sparknotes is your friend

Your high school English teacher may have warned you against using Sparknotes in place of your nightly reading assignments, but these two English teachers are here to tell you that it’s a wonderful resource for students and non-students alike. In fact, we frequently turn to Sparknotes for plot reminders, character descriptions, or chapter summaries as we prepare podcast episodes (and even lesson plans). If you’re reading a classic novel with particularly dense language, use Sparknotes as a pre-reading tool so that you can focus on deciphering the language instead of wondering what’s happening. If you’re feeling stuck in the middle of your current classic read, use Sparknotes as a jetpack to propel you forward in the story, reading a summary to remind yourself of what you read (or to skip a few dull chapters).

Get some context

Familiarizing yourself with the setting, author, and historical context is an excellent reading strategy for any book, but especially for an older classic novel. With countless resources at our fingertips, it’s easy to find historical information, author biographies, and more. But we have a few suggestions for where to seek out your context:

  • Read the introduction. Most editions of classic novels have an introduction at the front of the book, written by a scholar, author, or literary figure. These introductions contain both commentary and context to help prepare you for reading. We enjoy introductions that are written by modern authors, as they often have insights connecting the classics to their modern work.
  • Listen to a podcast. Sara loves listening to podcast episodes about the historical context of a classic to help her prepare for our own podcast recordings. To prep for our episode on Beloved by Toni Morrison, we listened to an incredible discussion on The Stacks Podcast. We listen to podcasts before, during and after reading, depending on the book, and we do our best to tailor our own episodes to any part of the reading process. You can listen to the Novel Pairings Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcatcher).

Audiobooks, audiobooks, audiobooks

Listening to an audiobook is our favorite way to tackle a classic. The right narrator can bring even the dustiest, driest classic novel to life—or make our favorite classics sparkle. Plus, if you’ve got a hefty tome on your list (we’re looking at you, The Count of Monte Cristo), audiobooks are an excellent way to make progress, no page-turning required. Our favorite audiobook source is Libro.fm, and you can click here to get two audiobooks for the price of one.

Buy a pretty version

Let’s be honest. Part of the fun of reading a classic novel is finding a beautiful version to admire. Whether that means you’re inclined to pick it up more frequently, or that you let it linger on the shelf, we’re not here to judge. The Penguin Clothbound Classics are a bookworm crowd favorite, but we’re partial to the brand new Penguin Vitae series. These Virago Modern Classics are also stunning.

Reconsider what “classic” means to you

If you have your heart set on reading Dickens, Austen, or Eliot, we’re here to cheer you on. But if you simply can’t get into the language, if you find the plot-lines muddied (or boring), might we offer a suggestion? Reconsider your definition of “classic.” The literary canon is filled with famous works from the 1800’s, but there are also incredible modern classics from the 1960’s through the 1990’s to enjoy. Try reading James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, or Louise Erdrich instead. Pick up a recent novel by Emily St. John Mandel and relish in the possibility of her work being listed among the literary greats someday. Remember this: you don’t need to read the classics in order to be a good reader.

Do you have more tips for reading classic literature? Leave them in a comment below.

25. Quarterly Favorites: The Best Books We Read in Summer 2020

ChelseyLeave a comment

We love to take time to reflect here at Novel Pairings. Each season, we stop and consider our favorite episodes, our favorite reads, and what we’ve learned. Today we’re sharing some personal updates, gushing about our favorite reads of the summer, and giving listeners a peek at what’s to come in the fall. 

Shop our Quarterly Favorites on Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/lists/quarterly-favorites-spring-2020/

Use our referral code to get two audiobooks for the price of one through Libro.fm: https://libro.fm/redeem/novelpairings

Books we both read:

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo [14:03]

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett [16:45]

The Rakess by Scarlett Peckham [18:24]

The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavincencio [21:27]

Chelsey:

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert [29:17]

The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin [36:15]

We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry [40:52]

The Duke Effect by Sophie Jordan [47:10]

Would I Lie to the Duke by Eva Leigh [55:25]

Sara:

Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell [25:50]

Heavy by Kiese Laymon [32:45]

Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan [38:13]

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner [44:52]

One to Watch by Kate Staymon-London [50:34]

3. The Awakening by Kate Chopin and books that feature feminine self-discovery

ChelseyLeave a comment

Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting about The Awakening by Kate Chopin. [Brief summary/background about book]. Our discussion includes how this book illustrates the constraints placed on 19th century women, why we don’t seem to have any issues with the infidelity in the novel, and how Kate Chopin speaks to today’s mom-shaming. We also dig into some of the problematic content in this book and offer suggestions on how to read it through a more modern lens.

Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic include a young adult novel full of evocative nature imagery and a closed door second chance romance.

Books Discussed: The Awakening Modern Library Torch Edition (23:50), Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert (30:36), Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (30:38)

Chelsey’s Pairings: Educated by Tara Westover (39:45), Eloquent Rage by Brittney Cooper (44:08), We Are Okay by Nina Lacour (48:40)

Sara’s Pairings: Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (41:40), Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner (46:02), Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes (50:20)

Picks of the Week: Love is Blind (52:35) and Portrait of a Lady on Fire (54:45)

1. Emma by Jane Austen and our favorite modern romantic heroines

Chelsey1 Comment

In this episode, we’re discussing Jane Austen’s final novel, Emma. We admit our love for Emma’s sass and bossiness, debate her potentially problematic friendship with the orphan Harriet Smith, and swoon over Mr. Knightley. Plus we’re offering six contemporary reads that perfectly pair with Austen’s most memorable heroine.

Pairings:

The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen A. Flynn (43:50)

Spinster by Kate Bolick (45:10)

All the Single Ladies by Rebecca Traister (46:40)

Queenie by Candace Carty-Williams (46:48)

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid (48:39)

If I Loved You Less by Tamsen Parker (51:10)

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han (52:52)

Picks of the week:

Emma Approved (55:46)

Fleabag (56:58)