Thanks for asking for a recommendation for your next novel -- it gives me a chance to recommend this to someone! It is such a great pleasure when I resist books of a certain genre – in this case, anything involving time travel and futuristic sci fi in general – but break my resistance because of great reviews, and then am happy I did so. “Sea of Tranquility” is just that book. Through clearly-drawn characters and a compelling plot, Emily St. John makes these intertwined tales of a hundred years In the past, the near future, the far future and the very very far future, a wonderfully page-turning read with a surprising and satisfying ending. I wanted to turn back to page 1 and start reading again, but there were too many books to get to in the To Read stack.
I can recommend a book that I read recently and thought was great. ‘The Orphanage’ by Serhiy Zhadan is the story of a hapless teacher who makes a dangerous trek across his war-torn region of Ukraine to collect his nephew. It’s gritty and disturbing but also has judicious amounts of humor.
Jul 25, 2022·edited Jul 25, 2022Liked by John Warner
If you have not yet read Mary Doria Russell’s The Sparrow, it’s fantastic. While her later work doesn’t leave me as awed, that one does. The other book I’m thinking about these days is Paolo Bacigalupi’s The Water Knife. His others are strong as well but the summer droughts have me thinking about that one.
Last recommendation feels ridiculous but worth it. I was supposed to read War and Peace in college for a class. I read enough to hold my own in discussions and moved one. I’m reading it over the course of the year and it’s so much better than I’d remembered. Sure Tolstoy probably would have benefitted from an editor here and there. But there are scenes I won’t forget and insights into human nature that are worth it. I’m hoping the sense of satisfaction is as well!
I absolutely agree that it feels like a miracle or like magic when all of an authors choices around perspective, form, and voice create something so singular and "perfect." The last time I really felt this way was reading Susan Choi's Trust Exercise. I'm excited to read Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance!
Thanks for asking for a recommendation for your next novel -- it gives me a chance to recommend this to someone! It is such a great pleasure when I resist books of a certain genre – in this case, anything involving time travel and futuristic sci fi in general – but break my resistance because of great reviews, and then am happy I did so. “Sea of Tranquility” is just that book. Through clearly-drawn characters and a compelling plot, Emily St. John makes these intertwined tales of a hundred years In the past, the near future, the far future and the very very far future, a wonderfully page-turning read with a surprising and satisfying ending. I wanted to turn back to page 1 and start reading again, but there were too many books to get to in the To Read stack.
Vicky E.
I just loved Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow...
Read Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance after you mentioned it last week. Absolutely loved it. I appreciate it even more after reading this essay!
I can recommend a book that I read recently and thought was great. ‘The Orphanage’ by Serhiy Zhadan is the story of a hapless teacher who makes a dangerous trek across his war-torn region of Ukraine to collect his nephew. It’s gritty and disturbing but also has judicious amounts of humor.
If you have not yet read Mary Doria Russell’s The Sparrow, it’s fantastic. While her later work doesn’t leave me as awed, that one does. The other book I’m thinking about these days is Paolo Bacigalupi’s The Water Knife. His others are strong as well but the summer droughts have me thinking about that one.
Last recommendation feels ridiculous but worth it. I was supposed to read War and Peace in college for a class. I read enough to hold my own in discussions and moved one. I’m reading it over the course of the year and it’s so much better than I’d remembered. Sure Tolstoy probably would have benefitted from an editor here and there. But there are scenes I won’t forget and insights into human nature that are worth it. I’m hoping the sense of satisfaction is as well!
I absolutely agree that it feels like a miracle or like magic when all of an authors choices around perspective, form, and voice create something so singular and "perfect." The last time I really felt this way was reading Susan Choi's Trust Exercise. I'm excited to read Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance!