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Husbands, the Devil & All Your Unread Books
Community forum confessions, James Baldwin, Holly Gramazio, and more ...
BookBrowse Highlights
Hello Readers!
This week, we feature two ongoing discussions of very different books.
Holly Gramazio’s The Husbands is a funny, fantastical diversion about an attic that produces endless husbands — members say it may give you something to ponder and brighten your day! We’re also exploring one of James Baldwin’s lesser-known titles, The Devil Finds Work, which offers an insightful critique of American racial politics in movies.
In Editor’s Choice, we review Binnie Kirshenbaum’s Counting Backwards, the surprisingly witty story of a married couple dealing with severe illness.
Alongside Sarah Wynn-Williams’ Facebook memoir Careless People, we look at Facebook’s fascinating early days in a “beyond the book” article.
Plus, how many books do you have lying around unread? No judgment here — share your number in our poll, and see what others are saying in the forum.
Thanks for reading,
The BookBrowse Team
Book Club Discussions
Discussions are open to all to view, so if you've read a book, click on "discuss." If you have not, we suggest you go to "about the book" to avoid spoilers.
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
From the Jacket When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. There's only one problem—she's not married. She's never seen this man before in her life. But according to her friends, her much-improved decor, and the photos on her phone, they've been together for years. From the Discussion “This is a fun read and takes away a gloomy day — everyone enjoys that.” —Sandi |  |
“I surprised myself by really enjoying this book and have recommended it to more than several women. It was light, funny, quirky and totally different from anything I’ve read recently. It made me think about relationships, marriage, and what makes us compatible.” —Julie_P
See what people are saying in response to this question: “Do you ever contemplate how your life would have turned out differently had you married a different person, taken a different job, or moved to the city you were thinking about?”
The Devil Finds Work by James Baldwin
From the Jacket Baldwin's personal reflections on movies gathered here in a book-length essay are also an appraisal of American racial politics. Offering a look at racism in American movies and a vision of America's self-delusions and deceptions, Baldwin considers such films as In the Heat of the Night, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, and The Exorcist. From the Discussion “I found it fascinating, how quickly he juxtaposes topics or points of view using several films, artists, and his personal life.” —Tonyia_Robinson |  |
"Most of all, I was struck—and then restruck—by Baldwin’s incredible writing…It was powerful and I think it will permanently affect how I look at films, TV, and much more.” —Judith_G
“As a retired teacher, I couldn’t help thinking that an entire course could be built around this book.” —Patricia_M
For Members
This issue of The BookBrowse Review contains reviews and "beyond the book" articles for 14 titles, including Counting Backwards by Binnie Kirshenbaum, Audition by Katie Kitamura, and Tilt by Emma Pattee. We also bring you First Impressions picks, previews of upcoming books, and much 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
Counting Backwards by Binnie Kirshenbaum
Counting Backwards should be a sad story of neurological decline, but instead, author Binnie Kirshenbaum uses wit to further the conversation around illness and marriage. Addie is a collage artist married to Leo, a physician who has hallucinations. The beginning of the book reveals that Leo is now in hospice and Addie is his caregiver. Kirshenbaum's manipulation of time works as context. Her storytelling chops are evident. She has the unique ability to pair sarcasm and an occasional one-liner to deliver a marriage narrative that feels contemporary and very real. … continued Review by Valerie Morales |  |
Beyond the Book
Facebook’s Early Days
Sarah Wynn-Williams' book, Careless People, details her experiences at Facebook from 2011 to 2017. The company had been around for seven years before her chronicle begins, however, and its earliest history is fascinating. Born May 14, 1984, Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg was a wunderkind. He displayed a talent for computer programming from an early age, encouraged by his father, Edward, who taught him Atari BASIC when he was around 10 years old. … continued Article by Kim Kovacs |  |
BookBrowse Community Forum
If you haven’t stopped by the BookBrowse community forum yet, we’d love to see you there! In addition to hosting book club discussions, this is a space for our members to share their favorite reads and discuss all things books. To prevent our moderators from being overwhelmed, participation is currently limited to members only, but anyone can browse the forum, so please check it out! |  |
How many books do you own that you haven’t read yet? See our members’ replies to this question in the forum, respond to our poll to give your own answer, and join us to chime in on this topic and many more.
How many books do you own that you haven't read yet?Including ebooks... be honest! |
Wordplay
Solve our Wordplay puzzle to reveal a well-known expression, and be entered to win a one-year membership to BookBrowse!
"J of A T, M of N"
The answer to the last Wordplay: T B S of T F
"The Black Sheep of The Family"
Meaning: Someone might be called “the black sheep of the family” when they don’t fit in or are markedly different than others, or if they exhibit scandalous behavior that embarrasses the rest of the group.
Many sources say that the origin of the expression "black sheep of the family" comes from Genesis (the first book of the Jewish Torah and Christian Old Testament), and specifically from the story of Jacob agreeing with his uncle that he would be allowed to keep any speckled or dark colored lambs and goats for his own as payment for tending his uncle's sheep. But others say this thinking is flawed … continued
Wordplay by Kim Kovacs
The BookBrowse Anthology
Have you ever thought, “It would be amazing if BookBrowse had a print format?” Well now we do! For the first time ever we’ve assembled a decade of our Best of Year reviews in print, to produce an 880 page hardcover, The BookBrowse Anthology. Available via major retailers for $44.99, you can save $10 when you buy it using our distributor’s link below. |  |
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