BookBrowse Highlights
Hello Readers!
This week, First Impressions reviewers tell us about Claire Boyles’ Appraisals, a novel following multiple generations of farming women and the challenges they face.
Our Editor’s Choice feature is Chris Bohjalian’s latest, The Amateur, the story of a teenage golfer with a promising future who loses it all after a horrible accident.
What might a gathering of religious women in the Middle Ages have in common with today’s experiments with communitarian living? Find out in our “beyond the book” article for Malavika Kannan’s Unprecedented Times, which compares a college student’s attempts to escape capitalism with the centuries-old beguinage.
Plus, don’t miss our September previews and a new Wordplay!
Thanks for reading,
The BookBrowse Team
First Impressions
Each month, we share books with BookBrowse members to read and review. Here are their opinions on one recently released title.
Appraisals by Claire Boyles
“This novel focuses on a multigenerational cast of interesting women trying to deal with changing farming challenges, emotional loss, relationships, and ultimately finding their place in the world. The author obviously has farming credibility—her explanations and descriptions are detailed and informative—wonderfully lovely use of language! She discusses fluently the challenges in today's world of existing as a small independent farmer vs big agriculture…Wonderful novel to read during this growing season of summer—certainly not a 'beach read' as it addresses vitally important issues, but entertaining enough to keep one reading and enjoying each character's story.” —Debra_L
“Boyles writes with honesty and lyricism, whether it's the colorful orchestration of fruits and vegetables for the farmer's market, or the onset of evening with nightjars on their low flightpath…She truly captures the quiet heartbreak and fierce resilience of a farming family fighting forces beyond their control.” —Patty_K
“I will definitely recommend this book to all my friends and to my book club. There is so much to discuss.” —Jean_S
For Members
This issue of The BookBrowse Review contains reviews and "beyond the book" articles for 14 titles, including Should the Waters Take Us by Stephanie Soileau, The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian, and Unprecedented Times by Malavika Kannan.
We also bring you an interview with author Libby Page, new recommendations for book clubs, and more.
Not Yet a Member? Do you love to spend your reading hours immersed in captivating storytelling and intriguing ideas?
Then a BookBrowse membership is for you! What you see on BookBrowse for free and in this newsletter is just a small part of what is available to members—for just $5.00/month! Join Today!
Editor’s Choice
The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian
In 1978 at a country club in a wealthy town outside New York City, 18-year-old Mira Winston, the club's young phenom, strikes a golf ball into a practice net. Unbeknownst to her, there's a small tear in the net, and the ball soars through it before colliding with the skull of Mira's classmate, 17-year-old Kenny Foster, who collapses and moments later is pronounced dead. Before Mira realizes the severity of what she's done, when she first sees the ball hit Kenny, she laughs, not considering that this freak accident could be fatal. But when Kenny doesn't get back up, the smile falls from her face, only the beginning of what will become a decades-long journey to make sense of what has happened. … continued
Review by Rachel Hullett
Beyond the Book
Big Sky Farm and the Beguinage
The eagerness of the young protagonist of Malavika Kannan's Unprecedented Times to escape the realities of the world during the early phases of the COVID pandemic, slightly inspired by Boccaccio's Decameron, is certainly not an isolated case. Drained and dissatisfied with their daily, discouraging circumstances and separated from one another, Rishi and her friends long to reunite.
The "otherness" promised by the founder of Big Sky Farm, where they are attracted by a communitarian way of living that presents itself as a viable alternative to capitalist exploitation, somehow brought to my mind the kind of cooperative life that took place within the walls of a much older, European institution: the beguinage. … continued
Article by Elena Bellini
September Previews
We know it can be tough to keep up with all the new books coming out every month, so we do the hard work for you.
We've carefully selected 100+ of the most noteworthy books publishing in September and are continually updating our selections—check them out and get yourself on the library waitlist ahead of the crowd!
Paying BookBrowse members can see, sort, and download the full list of previews for all months. Non-subscribers can view books up to the current month and a limited selection of future months.
If you don’t already, you may also wish to subscribe to our Publishing This Week newsletter.
Wordplay
Solve our Wordplay puzzle to reveal a well-known expression, and be entered to win a one-year membership to BookBrowse!
"K is P"
Click for the answer to the last Wordplay (C by the S H), and a detailed breakdown of its meaning and history.
Want to play even more word games? Try our daily book trivia and see if you can get to the top of the leaderboard.
