Hi Bookworms. I’ve decided to take a short break this week and I’ll be back next Sunday to blather about books and reading. You can see from these storm clouds that we had a big dousing of rain this past week, which is good for the yard. We’ve planted quite a few vegetables now in the garden and some geraniums in pots on the back deck. Unfortunately one deer took the tops off of three tomato plants close to the house, which I’m not too pleased about. Usually they don’t mess with the tomatoes, so it took me a bit by surprise. Still we have plenty left that have cages around them.
Meanwhile in book news you might have seen that the debut novel The Correspondent by Virginia Evans won the coveted Women’s Prize for Fiction last week. I guess I sort of thought it would … as over the past year since its publication in April 2025 it’s been quite the Cinderella story for the novel, climbing the bestseller lists and becoming a big hit. In addition to the Women’s Prize The Correspondent also won the PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novels. And Jane Fonda has signed on for the movie adaptation to play the persnickety Sybil Van Antwerp, who’s the novel’s protagonist.
It is a happy day for author Virginia Evans who apparently spent 20 years writing and failing to sell seven different novels. (!!) I watched the announcement of the Women’s Prize live and you can see it here. Scroll to minute 31 of the video to watch Evans accept the award and give her speech. It was quite touching. She beat out a strong short list of contenders whose books you can see here. Also my review of Evans’ novel from last year is here.
Also Canadian journalist Lyse Doucet won the Women’s Prize for Nonfiction for her debut book The Finest Hotel in Kabul: A People’s History of Afghanistan. Apparently she is currently the BBC’s chief international correspondent. I need to get with the program and put my name on the library hold list for her book, which apparently reads like a tender love letter to Afghanistan and its people.
That’s all for now. I’ll chat more next Sunday, when I’ll likely have a review of Tayari Jones’s novel Kin, which Amazon says is #1 on their Best Books of 2026 So Far list. I’ve been liking its storytelling and plan to finish it soon. Have a great week … and let me know what you’re reading these days. Anything good?
I was surprised and happy to see that The Correspondent won the Women’s Prize for Fiction. I recommended it to my book club. It seemed to fit into that narrow file folder of both readable and thoughtful.
Now I need to get on the list for The Finest Hotel in Kabul: A People’s History of Afghanistan.
Hi Deb, I agree The Correspondent seemed to find the right spot with readers. I’m glad it went over well with your book club.
And I hadn’t heard of The Finest Hotel in Kabul until this award …. so it seems good exposure. I’m curious about it. Have a great week.
Those darned deer! That’s nice about the “Correspondent” — I really enjoyed that book. It just shows how important sticking to your dream can be!
Hi Jeanie, I saw two young deer in the backyard yesterday …. I told them to move along, bahh. The Correspondent is quite the Cinderella story …. and the author really stuck around trying for decades, so good for her! I agree with you: she stuck with her dream. Have a great week.
Enjoy your break! 😀
Thanks Lark. I guess I’m returning from my blogging break earlier, lol. I got over some busy stuff … and now can return to normal. Enjoy your week.
The Correspondent was a good book, very moving and I was happy to see it won an award. I just added The Finest Hotel in Kabul to Goodreads and see it is only $3.99 for Kindle. Sounds good, glad you mentioned it.
Those doggone deer! That was always our issue when we were rural. They would bite a tomato and spit it out. I mean, at least eat it if you are going to take my tomatoes! Do you get hornworms or is that a southern thing? They can devil the tomatoes and eggplant.
Glad you posted the link for the best books. I am on the wait list for Kin, Land and Strangers, tried to read London Falling but couldn’t get into it, Will browse the rest of the list. I see Crux, we liked that one! I never did hear anythign back and I wrote Gabriel Tallent a letter. Who knows if the publishers forward those on.
Hi Tina, good to know of that price for The Finest Hotel in Kabul. I need to check it out … to find out more about it.
We don’t seem to get hornworms here, so that’s a plus. Much of our veggie garden is behind a high deer fence … but there are some tomato plants around the house that are open … but usually next to the house they don’t get bothered …. but three plants were clipped off, argh!
Crux was a good one … and might make my end of year list. Perhaps the author isn’t a letter writer alas. Too bad. But I hope he might continue the protagonists story. Enjoy the week. Chat soon.
I was glad to see The Correspondent win and I too was moved by how thrilled Evans was when her name was announced as the winner of The Women’Prize. She struggled for years but kept writing and never gave up.
Hi Kathy, Yes I liked watching the video of Evans accepting the award too. It is a wonder how she persevered for so many years and never gave up. What a Cinderella kind of story. Good for her! I’m glad for her breakthrough … she seems a good person. Enjoy your week.
Glad you got some much need rain, but I”m sorry about the pesky deer. We had a small heatwave this weekend, reaching 90 in Newport and 85 here in Depoe Bay. Unreal! We even sat out on our deck enjoying the sunshine and the freshly potted planters (begonias, geraniums, lobelia, etc.). We have company arriving this week, but the temps will drop back down into the upper 50s/lowers 60s. Rats.
I’m glad to hear The Correspondent won the Women’s Prize for fiction. I loved that novel and look forward to reading it again with my book group later this year.
Just finished Long Bright River by Liz Moore. Really enjoyed it! I’m also about to finish Mad Mabel, which is very entertaining. Hoping my current book (Within Arms Reach by Ann Napolitano) picks up soon.
Enjoy your week!
Hi Lesley, Wow I can’t believe it got so hot along the coast there, how unusual. The end of May and June here have been quite soggy (which I guess is good). We did have high temps for a while, but various thunderstorms have hit lately.
It was good The Correspondent won the Prize which is perhaps a bit unusual for that type of novel — not overly literary highfalutin but enjoyable.
You’ve read some good ones lately. I’ve heard Mad Mabel is enjoyable. I watched a couple episodes of Long Bright River last night … it was so-so. Didn’t capture me fully and I was doing other things while watching. But maybe I will try a couple more.
Have fun with your family there. That’s a big group! Enjoy.
“The Correspondent” is on my reading list. Since it has won this prize maybe I should move it up a few notches. Plus, most of the reviewers that I regularly read have had nothing but good things to say about it.
Sorry about your tomatoes. When similar things happen to me I just remind myself that they have to eat, too, and I wouldn’t want to live in a world where they didn’t exist..
Hi Dorothy, Yes see what you think of The Correspondent … the protagonist starts out a bit prickly at first but gets better along the way. She sure likes letter writing!
That’s a good way to look at the deer plant eating problem. Most of our vegetable garden is behind a deer fence … so they are safe. We can only plant deer-resistant shrubs in the beds … there are plenty of fields for the deer, lol. Cheers.
Nice to hear of Ms. Evans success. That just goes to show that sometimes you just need to keep on trying.. The book about Afghanistan sounds interesting but I don’t think I could do anything depressing right now..
Hi Hena, hmm, I wonder if … or how much the Afghanistan book will be depressing. Perhaps it will show the resilience of the good people there. Though it is awful that the Taliban is running things again, ugh. I’m curious what the author will say about it. And it is good about Virginia Evans winning … quite a marvel how she kept trying for such a long time. Enjoy your week.
Enjoy your break from blogging. We all need a break now and then.
Yes, so happy for Virginia Evans and her wonderful book.
I just put cages around my tomatoes this morning. We don’t usually get deer in the fenced yard, though occasionally they will hop over. Yesterday, they were grazing in the open space across from our house, and I asked them to stay over there!
Hi Jane, it is good you told the deer to stay away. We do have our vegetable garden behind a deer fence but the plants around the house are open … and I met two young deer in the backyard yesterday and I said: move along now. They usually eat some of the bird seed on the ground which is okay but just not the tomato plants near the house!
Glad you liked The Correspondent. I’m back from my blogging break already, lol. Enjoy your week.
Susan, enjoy your week! I definitely understand about deer. We’ve had deer ‘visiting’ us at our last 4 houses. We are getting a lot of moisture, which is a good thing. I’m enjoying my ‘comfort read’ summer. It’s helped my reading a lot to re-read books I’ve liked. Take care!
Hi Kay, I look forward to hearing which books you are reading when you post again … and I’m glad they are comfort reads. Good to hear you are getting moisture there … where it’s always so hot. We’ve had much rain lately. I hope the deer there don’t eat your plants near the house. Cheers.
How fun that The Correspondent won! I’m adding the nonfiction winner to my TBR list. Enjoy your week away from blogging!
Thanks Helen. After I finished some busy days …. I’m back from my break again. I’m planning to add the nonfiction winner to my TBR too. The Correspondent surely has had a glorious year, lol. Have a great week.
Hi Susan,
Enjoying your posts as always.
I’m a bit concerned that Jane Fonda is playing the lead role in The Correspondent. Let’s face facts: Jane was born in 1937. She will be close to 90 years if this adaptation gets off the ground–much to old to play this role. I’m disappointed. I’m 73. It’s not true that old is old and once you’re old, age doesn’t matter. Jane Fonda is too old to play this role, as it was intended.
Hi Judith, you make a good point. Fonda does seem older by quite a lot than the character Sybil at the beginning of the book. It is a bit surprising they chose her so quickly. I guess they were going for the big name … but it’ll change the story a bit. No wonder novels are usually better. I appreciate your thoughts. Hope your summer is off to a good start there.
I’m glad The Correspondent won, though I haven’t read it and now (of course) I feel like I’m missing out. I’m about to start Whistler by Ann Patchett; it’s on the shortish side, so when you come back I’ll probably have finished it. Let you know how it goes. Enjoy your week off… and beware of those deer!
Hi Carmen, it is a bit surprising The Correspondent won …. since it’s not an overly literary highfalutin novel. It’s just a popular thing. I’m not sure if it will be your cup of tea … but it’s fairly light and quick. It has some thoughtfulness towards the end. And I’m also about to start Whistler! I’m reading John of John but listening to Ann Patchett read her book. So we will see.
Have a great week.
I didn’t pay much attention this year to the Women’s Prize, but all the chatter about The Correspondent makes me want to grab a copy and start reading. It sounds interesting. Your problem with the tomato plants reminded me of what’s been happening in a neighborhood about four miles from me lately. Seems that all the undeveloped acres surrounding them have recently been cleared for more apartment buildings, and now the neighborhood is having a problem with wild pigs coming into the neighborhood to lunch on all the ornamental shrubbery in their yards. Not sure what the county, if anything, plans to do to help those folks out.
Hi Sam, Wow I didn’t realize there were wild pigs running around in the open spaces there in Texas. I have heard of wild boars which have become a problem too in Alberta. Luckily I haven’t seen them here knock on wood. I just checked and an article says they trapped 108 wild pigs in Alberta in 2025. Who knew? I guess that will happen there.
You might eventually read The Correspondent but I’m not certain what you will think of it. Just don’t want people to set expectations too high. It’s a popular kind of read … that has some thoughtfulness towards the end. See what you think. Cheers.
Both books are on my TBR
I hope you are enjoying your vacation
Happy reading!
Thanks Shelleyrae, all is well. Glad you added these two books. Have a great week.
Quite a dramatic sky – glad you got some rain! I was thrilled Virginia Evans won the Women’s Prize for Fiction. The Correspondent and Heart the Lover were my two favorite books last year. My nonfiction reading has fallen off dramatically this year, but The Finest Hotel in Kabul is still on my list, along with Daughters of the Bamboo Grove. Enjoy your break!
Hi JoAnn, thanks, I’m getting some more shots of the sky this week with storm clouds, lol. Glad you liked The Correspondent and Heart the Lover …. I wasn’t too sure which novel would win the Prize along with Susan Choi’s book. It was a nice surprise & good for Evans! And I’m also adding The Finest Hotel in Kabul — I hadn’t heard of it before … but probably won’t get to it until fall. Recently I started the Ann Patchett book on audio … we’ll see. Have a great week.
Enjoy your break. Thanks for sharing these gems. I’ve added them to my TBR.
Okay Lux. Thx for stopping by. Much to read this season. Happy summer to you.
Sorry to be so long in commenting here. I entirely missed that The Correspondent won The Women’s Prize for Fiction (until I read this post earlier) and I am very happy for the author. It is nice for hard work to finally pay off.
I have had continuing problems with digestion and fatigue and finally spent a day in Urgent Care having tests. As a result, the doctor decided I should wear a Holter monitor (an ambulatory electrocardiogram) for 7 days and I am on the sixth day. It is smaller than I imagined but I worry about it coming off, so it will be nice to be done with it. My fatigue is only marginally less, but I am doing better with my indigestion.
It was unfortunate that all of this started about the same time as I was started Middlemarch, because my problems with reading that book may have been increased by being tired all the time and my focus is not so good still.
Hi Tracy, yes it was a nice surprise to see that The Correspondent won the Prize. Good thing the author kept trying all those years to get published.
And I’m very sorry to hear that you haven’t been feeling well. I hope the electrocardiogram shows that you’re all right. That’s a long time to wear the monitor. Keep well hydrated. And let us know how you are.
It’s okay to take a break on Middlemarch till you feel 100%. I can imagine it’s hard to focus. Maybe that’s not the right book for now. I hope the doctor can help you. Keep me posted on how you’re doing. Get some rest & take care.
The deer have eaten things in my garden that they’re not supposed to like, but the young ones don’t always know they don’t like it! They’ll take a bite and spit it out. So annoying. My vegetable and rose garden are fenced in. I do have a hydrangea up against the house that isn’t by the fence that I spray with Deer Mace frequently so they don’t snack on that.
You had a question about the collar on my daughter’s cat. Yes, it’s a tracking collar he wears when he’s outside. We can his location on a map and she can ping it when she wants him to come it. It plays a tune and he’s usually good about turning up when she sets it off, but sometimes she has to go looking for him to get him to come in at night. He’s loving the hunting grounds in Montana! Sorry for the late response! I’ve been all over the place! We drove home from Montana yesterday, 13 + hours not including our stops! I’m beat but it was a wonderful trip. I’ll talk about it in my upcoming Sunday Post.
Hi Rachel, I might have to try deer mace … as the deer are getting the plants right next to house …. this week they ate the hostas and the peonie plants. Sigh. We do have our main vegetable garden fenced …. but I need to get some Mace too.
And I’m very interested to hear about your Montana trip and the tracking collar on your daughter’s cat. It would seem a must to bring cats inside at night … so if I ever get a kitty … I would like to get such a collar too. Just to keep the cat safe. There’s too many harmful critters out here. Looking forward to you reading your post. thanks & Cheers.