Fall Reads 2023 with Susan Matheson

Book blogger Susan Matheson returns to the podcast with her line up of must have fall reads. We also discuss a book that we both disagreed upon: Yellowface by R.F. Kuang.

Susan's Top Picks for Fall 2023

The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok
The Class by Ken Dryden
A New Season by Terry Fallis
The Golden Gate by Amy Chua
A Clouded Leopard in the Middle of the Road by Darryl Jones
Talking at Night by Claire Deverley

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Transcript

Amy Mair: 0:20

Hello. Welcome back to the red carpet. I am your host, Amy. And today, I am joined by a regular guest, book blogger, Susan Matheson with bedside table books. And we're going to do her annual lineup of her favorite fall reads. But before we get to that, I just wanted to talk with you about a couple of things that I'm watching or watch that I enjoyed. I just got back from a big trip, my dad turned 90, and my two sisters and I we went on a cruise with my dad. And it was really fun.

Unknown: 1:02

But I got home after being away, and I was kind of jet lagged and just wanted something easy. So over the last few days, I've watched some easy things. I binged the supermodels on Apple. So I recommend it. I thought it was good. It was the kind of the big four models from the ad, kind of mid 80s, late 80s, early 90s with Cindy Crawford, Linda evangelist, Christine Turlington, and Naomi Campbell. And it was a great time capsule back in time, and it showed kind of how they rose to power. And then they end up how they were discovered. Actually, only one of them actually wanted to be a model. That was Lynda Evangelii stuff. And then eventually how they were so powerful that they would determine they could choose, like, who was shooting them where they appeared, whether a product was sold, it was quite interesting. And then how kind of the advent of the whole grunge scene. Kate Moss specifically sort of dethrone them, but it was interesting, and they are my age. So I also was interested in what they're doing now. And they're all doing cool things now, and kind of the meaning they found in their life. But, you know, I liked it. I thought it was good. And the next thing I want to recommend was a very frothy show on Netflix called Love at first sight. It's a meet cute romance starring Haley Lu Richardson. You will remember from the second season of the White Lotus and she was Jennifer Coolidge is hard done assistants. And I think she was my favorite character of that season. Anyway, she stars in this movie, as an American going over to England for her dad's wedding. And then she bumps into in the airport, a cute British guy who's at school at Yale. And so they have this sort of meet meet cute on the plane and one is going to a funeral and one is going to a wedding and then you kind of can guess what goes on from there they they end up kind of somehow losing each other's phone numbers but it is a rom com so you know somehow they're gonna meet up in the end and, and I thought it was one of the smarter kind of easy light movies I've seen in a while like it's, it's not taxing. It's a step above I would say it's a step above, maybe a couple steps above and quality of a Hallmark Christmas romance, but it doesn't demand much and I liked it, I thought was really good. And I thought, Haley Lu has a lot of Richardson has a lot of a lot of charisma. Okay, so let's move over and talk with Susan. Susan, welcome back to the podcast.

Susan Matheson: 4:09

Good morning, Amy.

Amy Mair: 4:10

Delighted to be here as usual. So we're gonna do our regular round up, but you're kind of seasonal expert, you come in, do all the work for me and look at kind of what you're interested in reading. But before we get into that, I have a question that I have to ask you. And we only had this conversation via text but one of my favorite books this year was yellow face. And you were not a fan. So what's the deal and I wanted to hear your opinion on

Susan Matheson: 4:44

this thing. What's the deal like? I hate ever to don't like ever speaking ill of a book because I know these writers have gone to you know, put all their blood sweat and tears into these books and And with and this one just took off. And I obviously there must be a reason I find at this stage and maybe just where I am in my life right now. But if I'm going to spend time with a book, I have to like the people in it. And I really, I did not. And I sort of most mostly probably by accident, but I kind of figured it out early. So I lost that sense of Oh, and, and that certainly no, not because I'm so intelligent. It's just it was just by chance. But of course, I read through the last page to confirm, but I I don't know, I get why people are into it. But I think that, you know, we get our busy days. And what I love most about reading is kind of cuddling up and going into a different world. And this was a world I didn't want to be in I didn't it reminded me of that movie with the dead rabbit and going Glencoe Basic, Basic Instinct, I kind of had that vibe about it, you know, like, you just uncomfortable, like, I couldn't relax into it. So I do admire how she crafted it. And its modernity and contemporary vibe, but I guess sometimes you look at it, and it wasn't necessarily the people I just don't like we're a realist in some ways, you know, it's, it's uncomfortable. And so I, I put it aside after I finished it, but I it's not going on the keepers shelf.

Amy Mair: 6:27

Yeah, so this book, a number of you will know about it, but it's called Yellow Face. And the author is Rs Clang, clang. And it is, it's a thriller. And it is about a young woman who essentially steals another woman's manuscript, their rising literary stars, but one is Asian, and she dies in a weird freak accident. And then this Caucasian woman steals her identity and the manuscript. And really, I guess for me what I liked about it, is it it may, I think it will, you would agree, I'm sure it was the post to make us uncomfortable, because it's talking about race and cultural identity. And then also it was a big portion of it was about the publishing industry and how cutthroat it is. And Twitter, and what I liked about it was the author was so young, like in real life, she's in our current, I want to say she's about 26. Yeah, I think. So I think it was kinda like, I felt I was reading something that I can't even describe because she is so much younger. It was it just felt really new and fresh, but it was uncomfortable, for sure. And interestingly, I think what you're kind of saying is, maybe the plot wasn't all there. And I was kind of caught up in sort of the zing of it and excitement that I didn't look maybe as closely at the plot. And

Susan Matheson: 7:58

maybe, maybe I was sort of finding a few things. Were kind of predictable here and there, like, you know, you're okay, now we're waiting for this person to do this. And, and then that unfolded. And, but you know what I do? Say, especially as you say at her, I'll read your next one, because I think it's readable. I think there was the, as you say, the social commentary, and I think there's a lot of room for that in literature. We can't all sidle into reading the same thing over and over and over again. I think this was challenging. I think, you know, for me reading it, I might have been looking for something different. I haven't found a lot of time to flip the pages lately. And when I do. I don't I want comfort, not discomfort.

Unknown: 8:43

Yeah. And it's super, super contemporary. Yeah, yeah. Maybe it

Susan Matheson: 8:47

doesn't give me faith that, you know, the world is a polite place or a kind place it makes you feel like, Oh, God, here's another one where it makes you sort of feel embarrassed about humanity. It's a lot for me to take on my little shoulders, but I'm just saying that it's, yeah, it doesn't. It wasn't uplifting in that way.

Unknown: 9:09

Okay, optimistic? Well, let's go ahead and dive into the books that you've selected for the Fall seed

Susan Matheson: 9:17

season. Oh, every time we meet, it's a huge challenge, I end up with 100 books that I have to narrow down to 25 down to 10. And then down to the final five or six. And the fall is always the hugest real number of releases. So it's been a challenge, but it's exciting because there's some some great books coming out. I've sort of picked a choice. I'm always conscious of those kind people who listen to us babble away, that everybody has different interests. And recently, you know, a lot of friends have been talking about wanting to read more nonfiction. Ones like we were just saying that want a good comfort read and others we've tried to hit a variety of them but holy smokes, there's A lot of good things happening on the bookshelves. So let's start off with Gene clocks, the left over woman so this is being released on October 10. Now we're probably recording this before you publish but October 10 is comes out and Gene clock wrote years ago she wrote girl in translation and more recently she wrote for Sylvie Lee I have to say that girl in translation, though I read it probably a decade ago, I it is such an evocative writing that I can see the book and like the images in my mind from that book still really, really clearly like she's it's just a beautiful way of impacting a reader. She describes things beautifully. So this one is called the leftover woman, Jean Kwok herself moved from Hong Kong to Brooklyn as a child, she has a BA from Harvard and an MFA from Columbia. So she knows she can write on the books, but she's, she has that immigrant experience. And that tends to be a focus of her writing. This one, again, pulls in all the descriptions are as I found in her last books, atmospheric suspenseful, emotional, like she really can bring in the the senses into her book, this story is another family drama, and with an element of mystery, and it starts off with a woman who lives in China and has had to, or has had happened to her have her daughter removed from her because of the one child policy. She remains in China, her child has been taken from her. And she has a very controlling husband. So she's leaving, she manages to muster the means to get herself out of China to New York City. And, but she has no financial support, she has no emotional family support or anything else, but she's in in search of her daughter. Meanwhile, on the other side of the story, her daughter has been adopted by a very well off woman who's an executive high powered executive, the daughters being raised with nannies and beautiful home and that sort of polar opposite economically to what the birth mother has had. And things start to crumble in the New York City. So that that the saw that so perfect, is starting to come apart. And the two women are sort of on this collision course with the daughter in the middle. And there's gonna be lots of commentary on kind of the economic differences, the immigrant experience, motherhood, a lot of big time Tophet like feelings, you know, and, and I feel like Gene Kwok has all the ability to make this one really heart rancher in many different ways. But it also has a mystery component, which, you know, is always always fun when it keeps you guessing as you're going along. But this one, I'm really looking forward to she, I have all the confidence in any of her books, and I've heard her interviewed, she's she's had a very interesting life herself. And, and she's, you know, very articulate, and then that shows up on the page for sure.

Unknown: 13:25

You know, what's interesting is on the blurb on the book, because I looked it up Lucy Foley, who wrote the guestlist in the Paris apartment. Yeah, like the little blurb, which I thought was interesting, because you're talking about it, and it doesn't sound like they're obviously trying to like sell it through the thriller component. But it sounds like there's a lot more to it than Yeah, I

Susan Matheson: 13:45

think I've been number of reviews I've read all the way through all positive, really focused on the motherhood elements, which I thought was interesting, but it certainly I mean, it's already pulls on your heartstrings. So can you imagine that scenario, and you know, someone having their child taken from them right there, you're already engaged in the story you you've invested and, and then work to go on. But a lot of her writing, as I say, is very visual. And these are the ones that I can see becoming movies, you know, as you read the pages.

Unknown: 14:21

Okay, what's the next book?

Susan Matheson: 14:23

The next one is a bit of a departure. It's called the class A Memoir of a place a time and us and it's written by Ken Dryden. And Ken Dryden was a goalie for the Montreal Canadiens for six Stanley Cups, all the way through in the 1970s. So those hockey fans of my era and actually don't have to be a hockey fan because he went on to become very involved in politics. He was an MP and a cabinet minister, and he's written quite a bit about his hockey experience and has some has done research into In the hockey world, a lot of nonfiction, this one's also nonfiction. As I said, it's a memoir, it's released on October 17. And it's kind of an interesting thing he has gone back. So he's, he's probably he's a grandfather now. And, but he's taken some time to go back and look at his childhood and in, I think it was grade nine or so he became part of a selected class. So a class of high school students, there were 35 of them, that had to do a test. And they were sort of put into a special, you know, maybe they were advanced academically or whatever, but a cohort, and the 35 of them spent, you know, we did the math, like over 200 days a year together. And they were from working class families and different backgrounds, their parents had lived through the Depression and the war. And his generation, that cohort, were really the, the kids for whom their boundless possibilities. Now, none of them had really kept in touch over the years, it was sort of a, you know, you might run into someone here, there. So he made it a challenge to go and interview all 35 of those students are 30, fours, both and find out what they did with their lives. And wow, sort of a look into a chapter in our, you know, in Canadian history, in a sense, or world history, but it's a chapter of this cohort. And just to see where they all win, and none of the reviews tell you where anyone went, but it was a lot of the norm, you know, there were, you know, they're all parents or grandparents, they've lost parents, they've lost people in their lives, they've, they've divorced, they've remarried, they've done things all the way through, but it's a real connection into this generation. And I think we've all sort of kind of have that nostalgia about when I wonder what happened to Sony, or wonder what happened here. And, and he, he followed through on that. And he's a good writer, and it's kind of a little glimpse of Canadiana, as well. But I found the premise quite, quite interesting. So I look forward to reading that one.

Unknown: 17:11

Is it were there men and women or just men? And was it like men, or women? And was it one school or across the city?

Susan Matheson: 17:19

One school was the tobiko Collegiate Institute. So Wow. Yeah. And so small town, Ontario, and we're not small town, but a suburb of Toronto. And they, yeah, they were all sort of brought together. Because they passed a test, you know, that would have been an academic test, I imagine. And it was just sort of that selected class or cohort that were thrown together. And, and then where they've gone since. So it's just something a little different. And I kind of look forward to reading that it's, you know, we, we we label all of our generations, you know, Gen X, Gen Y Gen, whatnot. And, and we have very clear expectations, it seems or, or judgments of each generation. And so when you look back to that generation, I think that was you know, it's our parents era, and you kind of, it's interesting just to see like to look into it in more depth anyway.

Unknown: 18:20

That's, that sounds like it also sounds like a good gift.

Susan Matheson: 18:23

So, last time, I know we we talked and it's sort of something always in the back of my mind is, and I spent time with friends this summer talking about man, men books and women books, and often, but not always just men, because I know my mom, for instance, only reads nonfiction. She doesn't read novels. And we can't share very many books. But it's interesting. A lot of people lean towards nonfiction. I know we've had that comment before here is, you know, don't forget to include some nonfiction. But you know, you and I have another choice as well. That is nonfiction. But yeah, there are things this one I think will appeal to everybody but it might also because it's Ken Dryden as well, I think that there may be people who are curious about his journey in particular as well because obviously going for a small town, Ontario and then becoming this big time Montreal goalie and then high level politician is an interesting story, just his

Unknown: 19:19

okay, what's the next book? Okay, the next one

Susan Matheson: 19:22

is called a new season. I'm staying with Canadiana and maybe boy books, if we want to be so bold as to call them that, though, I'm really looking forward to this. This one's written by Terry valets, and he's become a bit of a Canadian treasure. He will be well, most well known, I suppose for the book, The best laid plans, which he won the Steven Lee Kok award. It's it's very funny. It's about a fellow who, you know, is working in Ottawa, in the in the halls of political world, and it's very the characters were wonderful and heartwarming and poignant and all of those great feelings. So this author Terry Wallace has, I've seen him in person. He's hilarious. He's wonderful speaker. And he has a great story with that particular book. He, it was literally a few pages sitting on the register heat register in his office, and he submitted them. Because he had, he had to submit 10 pages and in 10 pages, it was what he had. So we submitted it to the LI COC award, and he won. And it's great. So that was his very first book, he's published quite a few cents. best laid plans became a TV series even. But he has his trademark humor and, and heart and his stories. And he has a new one coming out. And it's called a new season. And it's supposed to be a bit of a departure, maybe a little more a little more serious. And some of his other books, though. They do promise the good humor as well. And this one is about a fellow who's kind of ties in with our previous choice. He's kind of later middle age has a grown up son has a great life big house plays ball hockey with his buddies. But he's recently widowed and he's struggling. And so it's a time for him to examine his life and what's next and he's not he's he's a bit blue. Now there's going to be because he plays ball hockey, there's a little bit of Terry follows humor in the air, you know, the banter back and forth with the boys and everything, which is quite entertaining. But it's really about how this fellow has to find his way and, and in typical Canadian language, he says he musters the gumption to go to Paris, and he's always wanted. He loves Hemingway, and Fitzgerald, and he's quite fascinated by the 1920s. Paris, so he goes to Paris. So there's his adventure. And while he's there, there, serendipitous encounters, and he ends up pulled into a long standing mystery in the art world. And oh, that sounds fun. Yeah, and it kind of revitalizes him. So it's, it's, it'll be a terry Fallis you know what to expect if you love him. And I know lots of people actually line up for his next books. They're super excited, excited. But here's where we find the ante yellow face. This is where we find a really good comfort read, but also some something that kind of gives you pause to think about the big things in life. And he's very, very good at that.

Unknown: 22:35

I just covered him i He was part of the package of books when you're for read for the cure. Yes, yeah. And Vancouver. I feel like I saw you at that event. I'm not sure. But

Amy Mair: 22:47

it's, at least in Canada, they do this event in the fall, it's coming up. And it's they pick several cities. And then they pick a package of books. And then they have the authors there. And then they give out the books and you pay to come listen and for the night, and it's really good. And I remember there was a great author. Did you read the book? They left us everything by plum Johnson.

Susan Matheson: 23:12

Yes, I did. Oh, great book.

Amy Mair: 23:14

I love that book. It's that that was about a woman who was quite I want to say she was 70. I'm not sure. But she wrote this book. It was basically she lived in Oakville, Ontario and her parents, she was going to her parents things. And it was about family secrets. It's nonfiction. Kind of like, who cares. And it was excellent. And the

Susan Matheson: 23:37

house that she had to sort of after they passed away, she had to take it all down. And oh my gosh, there are a lot of us that are a lot of friends I have that are going through that right now. And it was Yeah, I thought was very well

Unknown: 23:48

done. Anyway, that's where I found him and he had heard the best laid plans but he's he was really a lively interview. And so that sounds like you

Susan Matheson: 23:57

very engaging fellow and yeah, so when you talk about Canadian books and so forth, on CBC Radio, they have the Show Canada reads where they choose a book for all of Canadians to read together. And his book was chosen as the book of the decade. So

Unknown: 24:15

Oh, wow, that's like plants. Yes. Yeah.

Susan Matheson: 24:19

Wow. And I there's one he wrote I think it's called up and down or something or up in something and it was his characters are beautiful like he had this older woman who is a bush pilot or something and she lived up in the north and it was absolutely fantastic and I and again, just a really light but fun read and yet one that he always weaves in a little bit of thing heartwarming. You know, kind of makes you stop and think of it too.

Unknown: 24:47

Okay, what's, what's the next book?

Susan Matheson: 24:49

Next book is called The Golden Gate.

Unknown: 24:56

Oh, I want to read this one. This was the one I was most it has

Susan Matheson: 24:59

a Very vibrant orange cover. I mean, I was thinking, Oh, this is going to be about the great San Francisco fire because it has this bright orange cover. But no, that's not what it is. It's Amy Chewa has written it, c hu a. It's called the Golden Gate. It is her debut novel, but you will know people know her people know her. She is the woman who in 2011 wrote Battle Hymn of the Tiger mother, which became, I mean, it's just part of our lore in our lexicon. Now, we'll talk about oh, the tiger mother will she uses that term all the time, all the time, it's become part of the English language. And, and she, that's where it began. So she is another academic. She's a professor of law at Yale. And this is her novel, so don't go in expecting the tiger mum. It's quite different from that. But I'm quite intrigued by this setting of this. This is deemed a historical thriller. It's set in 1944, Berkeley, California. And this setting is the Claremont Hotel, which is a beautiful landmark. It was built in 1915. The story itself takes place and as I said, in 1944, so it's war time. And it and that I think has a bit of a an impact on the story. The story itself starts off, there's a homicide detective who just happened to be having a drink at the Claremont hotel, when upstairs, a presidential candidate is assassinated. And so this detective gets drawn into this crime, and then kind of engages his wife into researching what's happened at this hotel and its impact on this particular crime. And he uncovers other crimes that have happened in the past that are attached to very well off family, and it kind of weaves its way through. And so there's going to be all sorts of kind of talking points about race and class, and then how the time in the historical time has the impact on on this mystery. So I think it'll be already the setting like, you know, old hotels, I mean, that's just kind of a cool place to have a have a murder take place. But I think it's an intelligently written book, and that it's not going to be fluffy. I think there will be some commentary, especially based on her nonfiction publications in the past.

Amy Mair: 27:37

I was just looking at I remember reading this article. Did you read that? A couple years ago, there was some controversy around her at Yale. She's a Yale Law professor. And there's something in the New York Times about I don't know, she was kind of fraternizing with students giving people special treatment. I don't know, like hanging out with them. I don't know what it was. But you could Google that. If

Susan Matheson: 27:58

you were interested. I grabbed Ross.

Unknown: 28:02

He's an interesting character.

Susan Matheson: 28:03

He is Yeah. And the interviews with her she's, yeah, I don't I don't she doesn't strike me as being soft and cuddly. But I think this will be you know, a smart quick, like, engaging not as a quick but a smart read and, and fun. Just again, like those ones that are atmospheric. I always find it. I mean, that's why we read you want to take a bit of a trip. That's a cool trip. Okay, what's the next one? All right, number five. I believe we're already there. So this is interesting to me. This one is nonfiction. And again, I'm thinking of kind of friends of mine that really prefer nonfiction. But you want to read something that's also entertaining and not dry. So this one is called a clouded leopard in the middle of the road, new thinking about roads, people and wildlife by Darryl Jones. So you're like, Well,

Unknown: 29:05

I don't know. You're gonna have to sell me on this one.

Susan Matheson: 29:08

Well, when I first looked at it, well, that's interesting. And then I came across right away like it well, was just talking about algorithms. That's another day's conversation. But right away, I came up. So this was that one was released in May of this year. And then another one just came out, and it's called crossings, how road ecology is shaping the future of our planet. And that one is by Ben Goldfarb. And it was released on September 12. So I do find it astounding how such a specific topic can have two publications, like within months of one another, and this happens all the time. I'll give you another example of that in a minute. But meanwhile, so I'm like, What is this like what is happening? So I kind of looked into a little more And there are 14 million miles of roadways on our planet. And roads are indicative of, you know, prosperity and urban development and where, you know, as we expand, we just keep paving over paradise. And it's having an impact on the natural world. And, you know, we see these dams bursting, and roads getting washed out. And, you know, it's all very prominent in our news if we start to focus on it. And there's the whole wildlife components. So you know, in Banff National Park, there is a overpasses for the, for the animals to go through in Australia, they have what they call the Tunnel of Love, where they create tunneling for the animals to go under the roads. So I thought what a obscure thing, but it's, it's really quite interesting. This, they call it road ecology. And it's so these both both of these books, the reviews of them have been, like, really readable, fascinating, you know, and eye opening that you look into this concept. And again, you know, as our planet, we've certainly spent a summer of assessing what the heck we're doing with our planet. This is just another stream of thought about our impact on the planet, and it feels timely. And I think it's hopeful. I'm hoping it's helpful, but it's, it is interesting how we just sometimes need to step back and, and, and look into these topics. And and I just found it interesting that both of them came out essentially at the same time. And both I think, I think a really interesting topic.

Unknown: 31:47

Okay. I'm, I don't know that that's

Susan Matheson: 31:52

for me want to read an article, not the whole book, but

Unknown: 31:54

maybe well, I'd like to hear. I'd like you to read it. And then tell me, I'd take your suggestion.

Susan Matheson: 32:02

I actually may have sent this to a friend of mine for her husband and said the very thing I would be welcome to the book review. I'm not sure if I'll get to it. But I do find it that an interesting topic. And on the topic of synchronicity of these, you know, Publications at the same time, there are two other books as these are bonuses for you that have come out one in July of last year, and one in September of this year. One, the one you will be seeing now on the shelves because as most beautiful cover is called Mrs. Van Gogh, or how do you want to pronounce it? You've just been to that part of the world you pronounce it. But Mrs. Van Gogh the artists is this, obviously who they're referencing, and it's written by Caroline couch, see a uch and it's about the woman who was Van Gogh's this the daughter in law, and her name was Johanna balangir. And she is the reason the rest of the world knows about Vincent. So Oh, yes. Now at the same time. So last year, The Secret Life of sunflowers was a historical fiction novel, again, was released. And that was written by Marta Molnar and it's the same story. So it's a fascinating story about oh, Vincent sister in law, so when he died, she was the only living relative and received all of his paintings. And so the fact that released them to the world is where in the storylines I gather, she was quite a character. There's enough there to sink their teeth into but both of these came out at the same time. So it's, you know, a lot of book clubs like to kind of compare books to tap one or two at the same chapter. Similar I

Unknown: 33:51

think that's a I've done that before. And you could you just say these are the two books. The Keeners can read both read one,

Susan Matheson: 34:01

right? We just had that. You know, I think right now is the MANET one but that that in the round Van Gogh with all the sunflowers you know, when you went to the room and the round and the light projections that this event is worth traveling around the world right now so he's kind of back at the forefront of people's minds and to know that there's more to the story and again, you know, a woman focused story both coming out at the same time but you'll see the Mrs. Van Gogh went on the shelves right now has a woman walking through the sunflowers. It's a beautiful cover.

Unknown: 34:37

Okay, um, let's let's the last book.

Susan Matheson: 34:41

Now this one for the romance lovers. It's called talking at night. And it's a novel by Claire Davar li D A V E R L E y, and Holy smokes. This is you know, it's a UK book, but it's had so much interest and promotion. And it's on every UK recommended list. It's working its way over here. But it took off over there more. The author is a book editor in the UK, she lives in Scotland. And this is her first book. And it's some, you know, I'm kind of sometimes I'm a little heavy. You know, we've talked about this before, we're the sort of juggernauts get going in the media behind a particular Fave author because she's connected in some way. But I feel like this one is actually legit. But it's it's had a huge number of positive reviews. And a lot of mentions that it's kind of has Sally Rooney vibes, which isn't a selling point for me, but it might be for others. So what is the story, the story is a use all these lovely words like beautiful, tender, poignant, emotional, and it's about the people we need, who change us irrevocably, and who we always carry with us. So it's a young love. Couple meets each other when they're teenagers. They're sort of the starcrossed lovers. They're not. They're not anything like each other. complete opposites. And yet, they keep coming into each other's lives, but they've been kept apart by sounds like tragic, perhaps circumstances. So they're kept apart, their lives evolve. They kind of come back and forth a little bit through the years. And which would draw all of us into the cheerleading squad, I'm sure. See if they get back together. But it's, it's very much the story of all the different loves we have in a lifetime. And it kind of gives me the feel of remember the book one day. Oh, yes. So that's a great book. Yeah. And David Nicholls had written that one, I sort of feel like it might have that same kind of engagement by the reader. And it goes to over a number of decades, it's contemporary in that way it moves to modern time. But boy, is it ever taking off like, people who are reading it are really loving it. So yeah, I look forward to that one. And it's, yeah, that's our romance. Well, throw into mix.

Unknown: 37:13

I think I'm gonna get that one. That sounds fine. Yeah. Might be good. That might one might be good on audio. I know. I know. You're not big audio person. But

Susan Matheson: 37:22

no, but you know, it's so okay. Topic of the summer was covenant of water. And I know you and I talked about because I was a bit miffed that I was

Unknown: 37:30

got a hold of my, my secret. I was going to ask you about that. Yeah, yeah. And

Susan Matheson: 37:35

so I've had a number of people say, Oh, I've listened to it is 31 hours. I've listened my God. Yeah, I've listened to it on audio, and Abraham Verghese reads it himself. And apparently, it's amazing. I have a friend who's going on a trip and she's just downloaded because she hasn't read the book yet. And all of us keep talking about every time you know, the group gets together. It's it's such a, it's such great conversations come out of that park. It's just wonderful. So yeah. And then the other one, I was going to suggest today that you and I would probably enjoy another roadmaps, similar to what we just suggest is called Wellness, a novel by Nathan Hill. And darn it, if Oprah didn't get there again. I know her new book for the fall. And you know, and it's another one that looks great. But yeah, the covenant of water, I think, because I said to you before, when I finished that book, the last page, I just wanted to start all over again. So that's one where I might actually take a download and listen to him read it, because he's an impressive interview as well. Very interesting, man. And he has a lovely, gentle voice. And I imagine it's excellent on on audio.

Unknown: 38:55

I've heard the same thing. Like I've been sort of hesitant to dip into that book because of the length. And the Oprah thing just because I figured she tends to pick pretty heavy books, and I wasn't sure. And everybody tells me they love it so

Susan Matheson: 39:11

well. It's one of those books that you will remember where you were when you read it. It Wow. Yeah, it impacts your life like it's and it's interesting, so many people still speak so fondly of cutting for stone, one of his previous novels that yes, the only previous novel, I don't think he'd written a few others, but it was the one that went big anyway, the and people remember where they were when they read that one? It's, he's very good. And I just picked up the tennis partner, which was is nonfiction. It's a memoir of his. When he was a doctor, you just gone through a divorce and you had a young resident who is his tennis partner, and it's a good good book for men. It's sort of the brotherly relationship that evolves, but the young doctor is a drug addict, which in the medical arena gather fairly frequently. So it's it's a very interesting story. And but it's his story and, and they play tennis together. So it's the tennis partner is what it's called. So yeah, he said this that book mean yes, it's an investment 700 and some odd pages. You're, it's a tome, but so beautifully woven together all the different stories and yeah, it's wonderful. Well,

Unknown: 40:33

thank you again for dropping by the podcast. And hopefully everyone has their now their reading list set or even just talking to you. It makes me think, kind of organize my reading like, should I do nonfiction? Should I

Susan Matheson: 40:48

find out? Oh, man, I have a little of each. I'm reading bittersweet by Susan Cain right now, which is nonfiction. And I find with nonfiction, I read it and I have to think about it. And it's very good. She's the one who wrote quiet Yes, reverse a number of years ago, excellent writer, and she weaves in stories. So it doesn't feel like heavy nonfiction. But yes, I'm trying to be mindful of mixing it all up and pushing myself into those contemporary ones that people I don't like to face.

Unknown: 41:19

Well, thanks again. And I will talk to you soon.

Susan Matheson: 41:24

You will. That's great. Thanks. Okay, bye, bye.

Unknown: 41:31

Thanks so much to Susan for coming on the podcast. And those are some great recommendations as always, and I liked that they're not your run of the mill. I think I'm gonna check out the first one I think I'm interested in is the thriller, by Amy Chu, the Golden Gate, so I'm gonna give that a try. And then I also wanted to share about an upcoming episode. So on October 20, I have young adult writer, author, I should say, Pam withers and she's going to be on to talk about her latest book mountain runaways. And it's a fast paced novel that tells the story of three kids who lose the parents in the avalanche, and it's really good. And I think it would appeal to a lot of boys and or boys or girls who are really interested in venture sports. And she also does a really cool website called Why do books.ca And that's a resource for young male readers. And she's also the author of a book called jumpstarting boys. Help your reluctant reader find success in school and life. So thanks so much for tuning in. And I will talk with you later.