Hi bookworms, how’s life? I missed posting over the weekend because busy life got in the way, but I’m pleased now to be back to talk about August releases. Can you believe we’re this late into summer already? Argh. When you live in a northern country you begin to worry a bit about the short time you have left for warm weather. We need to cram our vegetable season in. Our hay bales were cut just last week and we had enough to make seven bales in our backfield, but last year we had eleven bales. Hmm. Not sure if all the rain gave us less growth (you’d think more?) but perhaps that’s what happened.
Lately we’ve had some epic storm clouds and thunder. I try to come in from the yard before it looks like there will be lightning. I’d rather not risk it even if the storm is a bit farther away than I realize, lol.
Anyways next week I’ll be flying to California to enjoy a week at the beach. I’ll take a dip in the ocean and bring a bag of books. And of course I’ll miss my parents and will be thinking of them there. It’s just been four months since I lost my dad, very sadly. But I hope to see my brother, niece, niece-in-law, and grandniece.
And now let’s talk about the Booker Prize longlist (photo above) that was announced recently. It looks like a good list of 13 novels. Have you read any of these? I have not read any yet, but Katie Kitamura’s novel Audition is on my summer list and I plan to get to it this month. I have read Kitamura’s other novels and have read two previous novels of Susan Choi’s … as well as the first novel of Natasha Brown titled Assembly, so I’m familiar with a few of these authors. But I wonder if I’ve heard the most hype about David Szalay’s novel Flesh and Kiran Desai’s upcoming novel The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny due out Sept. 23, so I’m slightly thinking these two might have the edge for the Prize. But it’s crazy that Desai’s novel is coming out the same day as the shortlist is being announced. It’s a long novel too at 688 pages! Good luck reading it before the Booker Prize is announced on Nov. 10.
And now let’s talk about books coming out in August. This month there’s many new-to-me authors, so it makes choosing books a little more uncertain. I’ve only read author Jason Mott before (Hell of a Book), who’s coming out with a new novel titled People Like Us on Aug. 5.
I’ll likely get to it, but I also have my eye on a few others first … particularly Sam Wachman’s debut novel The Sunflower Boys (due out Aug. 12) about a 12-year-old boy wrestling with his sexuality as war breaks out in modern Ukraine. It’s said to be a compelling coming-of-age story that depicts brutal war scenes from the Ukraine-Russia war and has received much high praise. It’s written by a 25-year-old debut author (whoa) from Massachusetts who has Ukrainian roots. So we will see.
Next up is a novel called Fonseca (due out Aug. 12) by Jessica Francis Kane, which is based on the true story of a trip taken in 1952 by British author Penelope Fitzgerald who wrote such modern classics as The Bookshop (1978) and The Blue Flower (1997) to a desert town in northern Mexico. She sets sail to New York with her six-year-old son then they go by bus the rest of the way to Mexico in search of a much-needed inheritance, but when she gets there nothing goes as planned.
Apparently the novel pays homage to the author and is much more. (Carmen, since you read many of Fitzgerald’s novels earlier this year, you might be curious about this novel based on a real trip the author took.) I hope to read Penelope Fitzgerald’s novel The Bookshop soon to better enjoy Kane’s story.
Also getting some buzz are debut novels by Addie E. Citchens (Dominion) and Lisa Ridzen (When the Cranes Fly South), which both come out Aug. 19 and look good. Dominion is said to be a Southern family drama in which “sins of a favorite son rock a small Mississippi town” and “a family unravels amid shocking violence.” It’s received starred reviews from both Kirkus and PW, and author Roxane Gay says:
“This is one hell of a novel. It will grab you in the gut and hold you there. It’s absolutely outstanding.” Others call it a stunning novel not to be missed, so I’m game. It’s been a long while since I’ve read a hardcore Southern novel in the vein of Faulkner.
The second one When the Cranes Fly South apparently received Sweden’s book of the year award and was a big bestseller there. It’s said to be a moving debut novel that follows an elderly man’s attempts to mend his relationship with his son before it’s too late.
The Guardian calls it: “A simple yet effective meditation on mortality, love and care. . . . Anyone anywhere who has worried for a crumbling parent, or worried about the crumble in themselves, or simply worried that their dog understood them better than their family, will identify with Ridzén’s novel and take it to heart.” So I guess I better check it out.
On the screen this month, there’s the gritty film adaptation of Night Always Comes (on Netflix Aug. 15) based on the novel by Willy Vlautin about a flawed, determined woman (played by Vanessa Kirby) who “embarks on a dangerous, one-night odyssey through Portland’s criminal underbelly in a desperate attempt to gather enough cash to keep her family from eviction.”
This looks sort of scary, but if anyone can do it, I think a hell-bent Vanessa Kirby (previously in The Crown) can find enough cash in time, but she has to risk everything along the way of course. And the best part? Jennifer Jason Leigh plays her messed up mother!
Also a remake of War of the Roses is afoot … this time with Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Coleman as the picture-perfect couple whose marriage turns into a tinderbox of competition and resentments in The Roses (out Aug. 29). You remember the first film in 1989 with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner? Well I don’t recall it too well, but they were at each other’s throats like cats and dogs. And now Cumberbatch and Coleman will pick up the roles and should make it a fun black comedy.
I’m also curious about the indie movie A Little Prayer (due out Aug. 29), which stars David Strathairn as a man who tries to protect his daughter-in-law (played by Jane Levy) when he discovers his son is having an affair. Now that would be awkward. The drama was filmed in Winston-Salem, N.C. David Strathairn is a gem of an actor whom I once ran into in Albany airport. He has small roles here and there and appeared a bit in the excellent film Nomadland.
And lastly in music for August there are new albums releasing by The Black Keys, Charley Crockett, Molly Tuttle, Maroon 5, and Kathleen Edwards among others. They all seem quite good, but I’ll go with Canadian singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards’s new album Billionaire due out Aug. 22. She’s been working with Jason Isbell of late who co-produced the album. Here is her song Little Red Ranger from the album. Enjoy.
That’s all for now. What about you — which releases are you looking forward to this month? And are you reading anything good?
Thanks for the Bookers list snd the other suggestions. I’m always looking for good books.
I’ve been reading Indian author Amitav Ghosh and RF Kuang’s fantasy series. The first is The Poppy Wars. Based loosely on Chinese history, with an inspiring main character.
Hi Harvee, great to hear from you. Your reads seem good lately and I’ll pop over to your site to see your reviews. Hope your summer is going well. Cheers!
I love hay bales. When we were riding motorcycles we’d stop and I could get a photo of the rolled bales across fields, so cool looking to me.
California will be nice and so will family visits and beach time. I’m glad you have an opportunity to go.
Oh, and do be careful of lightning as that’s a true threat. I think Florida has a record for lughting deaths and di you know lightening can travel 10 to 12 miles? Hmmmm. That said, my husband was out photographing Stonehenge when a storm blew in and it was only him and a woman from Alabama who stayed a bit longer for photos. Everyone else took shelter…Depends what you are used to I guess but it’s still dangerous.
Books – I started Stone Yard Devotional and gave up. Now I am obsessed with Charlotte McConaghy’s book Wild Dark Shores and love the style and the constant twists. I am 80% done and imagine I will finish today. thanks for the list of book here. Much to consider.
Hi Tina, yeah I like the hay bales too. Something feels serene about a field full of hay bales.
It’s neat you got to Stonehenge. I think I’m pretty chicken with storms. And no I didn’t know Florida has the lightning record or that lightning can travel that far, yikes! I will beware.
I’m glad you are liking the Charlotte McConaghy novel. It gets pretty twisty! You should read her novel Migrations sometime …. that one grabbed me too.
I think my mind wandered a bit during Stone Yard Devotional, too bad.
Enjoy your week. talk soon.
I just requested Migrations and am looking forward to it.
Great … ohh that one has some pain in it from what I recall. Past trauma! See what you think.
An Ontario childhood/life doesn’t inoculate one from a healthy respect for storms. hehe But I rather wish it did! You’ve got some good reading and viewing and listening lined up by the looks of it (I like Kathleen Edwards a lot) and I hope you enjoy your holiday and your dip in the ocean. I was expecting/hoping that August would get a liiiitttle cooler in northern Ontario, but not so much so as to hamper the veggies and plants a growin’, but it’s heading back into the 30s this weekend, according to the forecast. Summer seems to be digging in its heels!
Hi BIP/Marcy, yeah good to know about Ontario. Those storms can be crazy! It’s better to be careful. You sound like you’re having a really hot summer there. I hope your plants are still growing. We’ve had a crazy amount of rain here, which is unusual but better than wildfire smoke. And I love Kathleen Edwards’s music past and present. I’m glad she returned back to music after a few years break.
Enjoy the rest of your summer. I hope it cools a bit for you. How far in north Ontario are you? Cheers.
Hope you have a good trip to see family in California! And lots of beach and reading time. Lightning – I am definitely wary of thunderstorms. Probably part of it is having a husband who is an avid golfer. I mean, wouldn’t you want to be outside with a big metal stick in your hands when lightning appears – ha! There’s a reason that golf tournaments take a break when storms are around. I’ve probably seen way too many thunderstorms in my life.
Hi Kay, thanks California should be nice to visit and see family. And yeah golfing is dangerous during thunderstorms. I hope your husband pays heed whenever thunder is around. I was just golfing yesterday, luckily we had a pretty clear day. I hope you are enjoying your summer blogging break but reading lots!
Texas has some intense electrical storms. I took summer school once in San Antonio … whoa. Hot hot hot and then crash down rain. Enjoy your week.
Those pictures…the hay bale and storm clouds… are really something! Thanks for the shout out! I still have one Fitzgerald novel left to read—Innocence— , and a collection of short stories. Maybe I’ll find the short story you mentioned among the latter. Thanks for posting the Booker longlist. I’m planning to read 10/13 books. Most are between 150-270 pages, so it may be doable. Flesh and Flashlight were already on my TBR. At least three of the others were on my radar as well. I’ll tackle Desai’s book only if it makes it all the way. :-p I have my eye on three August releases: Katabasis by R.F. Kuang, The Hounding by Xenobe Purvis, and The Art of A Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson. Realistically speaking I think I’ll read none of them before I finish with the Booker haul.
Have fun in California! Enjoy the remainder of this week and the next!
Hi thanks, Carmen, we’ve a lot of storm clouds this summer. I’ll keep my camera ready, lol. I’m glad you went on a Penelope Fitzgerald binge … and I plan to read The Bookshop hopefully this month, thx to you. Who knew about her life and this trip to Mexico?! I look forward to seeing what you have to say about the books on the Booker list. I’ll probably read several (like 5?). For August books, I am a bit curious about The Hounding. It seems I often read odd ones like these. I hope I can read a lot while in California, but I’m pretty slow. Right now I just started Audition. Summer has things busy. Enjoy your week too.
I haven’t read any of the Booker Prize books this year.
A movie with Cumberbatch and Coleman sounds like something I’d really like so I’ll pay attention to that one.
Have a great time in So Cal with family. I am sure it will be bittersweet.
Thanks Helen, I am a bit nervous to return to California and I’ll try to keep things light. It’s weird they won’t be there.
I’ve just started Audition on the Booker list. Some of these books are pretty short on the list so hopefully they will be doable.
The Cumberbatch/Coleman movie looks fun and I hope it has some laughs.
Have a great week. Happy reading.
Yes, summer goes by far too quickly when we don’t really get to experience it for more than a couple of months. The rainy season starts far too soon for my liking… But I guess it beats the heat & humidity, as well as subzero temps and blizzards.
Cool that you have your own hay bales. Does Robert do the baling himself or to you hire someone?
Your property is so beautiful. I think those tall trees will get hit by lightning before you do. 😉
Glad you are getting back to California for a little trip. The weather should be perfect. No more June Gloom.
I haven’t read any of the Book longlist, although a few look familiar from the blogsphere/bookstagram.
Hmm, I’ve read one book by Penelope Fitzgerald and wasn’t enthralled, but Fonseca sounds like it could be good. It also strikes me as something that could be a limited tv series, perhaps with Olivia Coleman. Don’t ask me why her name popped in my head! Dominion and When the Cranes Fly South both sound promising.
Oh, yes! The Roses popped up on my To Be Watched radar the other day and it looks fantastic. Of course, Olivia Coleman and Benedict Cumberbatch are two favorites, so how could it not be great? And David Strathairn is wonderful, so I’ll be sure to look for A Little Prayer.
I need to tell Rod about Molly Tuttle’s new album. He’s been listening to her a lot lately. Apparently she’s an incredible guitarist.
Just started listening to Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir and so far it’s outstanding!
Have a great week, Susan!
Hi Lesley — thanks I enjoy your comments. Good to see things green here with more rain on the way (I’ll send you some). There’s an older man down our street that does are baling for us. He’s baler Brad and probably has farmed all his life. Eventually he takes our bales for sale or livestock and we get a few hundred bucks from it.
I hope these movies are good. I didn’t see many series to talk about in August so keep watching what you’re watching. We liked Ballard well enough … but not sure what will start next. Maybe Season 2 of Pachinko. We tried The Bear but not sure if we’ll continue.
I’m glad to hear Rod likes Molly Tuttle … I don’t know her too well but I’d like to check out her songs and guitar. Cool to hear.
And I’ve heard such excellent things about the Andy Weir novel — so glad you’re liking it. I think it’s coming out as a movie in 2026 …. and it should be big! This time with Ryan Gosling in the lead role. I have not read the book yet. Enjoy. And have a great week.
We actually got 1/4 of an inch of rain yesterday! Whoohoo! 🙂
Yep, Rod told me about the film with Ryan Gosling. It should be pretty good.
In addition to Molly Tuttle, Rod really likes Billy Strings and Tommy Emanuel. You can watch them here.
Hi Lesley, thanks for these musicians via Rod — amazing guitar work! Now I’ve gone off on a tangent and I’m watching various Billy Strings videos on YouTube. Cool to listen to and he’s with Molly Tuttle on one video. I’m glad you passed along these musicians & Tommy Emanuel – I like the sound. Blue grassy.
Rained almost all day today … crazy. I’m sending it back to you. 🙂
August arrived way too fast this summer. I’d like a few more weeks of June or July please. ;D Enjoy your trip to the beach! I’m so jealous. I’d love to spend a week at the beach. And happy reading all these new releases.
Thanks Lark. August can sort of feel like the end of summer for us … but maybe I shouldn’t panic yet. The beach trip should feel nice. It’ll be hot but the ocean will be refreshing! You should plan a beach trip next year, lol. Stay cool where you are and happy reading!
I had seen the list of books for the Booker Prize long list when it came out, but I haven’t investigated any of the books since. (We have had a new cat in the house for a week now, and we spend a lot of time adjusting to the changes in our routine.) I had already been interested in Susan Choi’s book so that is one I will probably read, even though I have not read anything by her. I have had Person of Interest by Choi on my shelves (or boxes) for quite a while, but I am not sure where it is right now.
I just finished reading a very noir, but also very short, crime fiction book by Ken Bruen, The Killing of the Tinkers. It is the 2nd book in a series featuring Jack Taylor, a sort of a private investigator in Galway, Ireland. (There was a Jack Taylor TV series in 2010, but I never watched it.) Ken Bruen writes beautifully, and the main character is constantly talking about the books he is reading, but it is a really dark book. Now I am returning to a nonfiction book, Perplexing Plots by David Bordwell. The author is a film scholar; the subject is crime fiction plots and how they have developed over the last hundred years (books and films). Very dense but he is talking about a lot of authors I have read and liked, so worth the effort.
Have a nice week at the beach in California and getting together with family.
Thanks Tracy, good to hear about your reading. I will pop over to your site to see what you’ve reviewed. I don’t know the Ken Bruen (or David Bordwell) but I like Ireland-set books and will see what your blog says about them.
Susan Choi’s newer books seem to have gotten more complex … and I didn’t really enjoy her last Trust Exercise … but I recall liking an early book The Foreign Student. Still I’m unsure about her latest Flashlight. It’s not on my list right now. I remember her novel Person of Interest but I didn’t get to it.
I’m looking forward to California … hope I can read a bit there. Cheers!
Hi Susan, have a good time in California and thanks for listing the Booker Longlist. I guess from the list I might read Audition. But after that I will wait for the shortlist. The Bookers tend to have depressing plot summaries and yet in years past when I got around to reading some of the books on the list they were very good.
Dominion sounds interesting and I am curious what could the sins of a favorite son be that it ends up rocking the town?
Hi Kathy, I just started Audition since it was on my summer list. It’s a bit mysterious so we will see where it goes. I think waiting for the Booker shortlist is a pretty good plan and more manageable. I think the novels: Flesh and The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny will be on the shortlist (just a guess from the hype). And I’m not sure what the “sins” are of the son in Dominion but it must be quite bad … be on the alert for violence and perhaps abuse/rape. Whenever I get to it … I will go into it meekly.
Thanks, California should be nice. Enjoy the rest of your summer!
I love the premise of Fonseca–I’ve never read Penelope Fitzgerald, but if you like The Book Shop, I may give it a go–but sailing to NY and then bussing to New Mexico sounds so interesting. Just to continue my family lore, when I was 1 year old, my parents decided to return to England from Colorado. So they and their six kids sold the house, drove to Montreal and then went by steamship to Liverpool. They stayed in England for only 18 months before deciding to return to Colorado, by boat again to Montreal. I was too young to remember any of this but my siblings had an absolute blast on both ocean voyages and for the time spent in England. Anyway, I want to read Fonseca!
Have fun in CA and enjoy your beach time.
BTW, I love the round hay bales.
And I love the cover of The Sunflower Boys.
Hi Jane, that’s quite a story of family lore of yours. Wow your parents traveled that far with six kids back & forth! First by car and then by steamship. That’s epic. I guess it was an experiment or phase that didn’t stick, but man — what an adventure. I’m curious of Fonseca and that long journey, which seems a bit crazy. Apparently she had a two-year-old who stayed behind and took her 6 year old.
Keep the family tales coming. Speaking of which: my parents took 4 young kids from New Haven, Conn. to Army barracks on Oahu in 1966? But it was a plane! Not a boat. Stayed for 3 years.
Enjoy your week: happy reading & gardening.
New Haven, CT to Oahu for 3 years is wonderful. Talk about exploring a brand new world.
Yeah it sure was a whole new world there. We almost stayed in Hawaii … but at the end of the ’60s my parents decided to move us to California. 🙂
I love storms, but yes being out in the open, especially in the middle of a field would be scary! Your field looks beautifully green! I can’t believe summer is half way over. I do feel fall creeping in a bit with the days becoming shorter. Still, it’s been hot here. I’ve enjoyed several movies with David Strathairn! Delores Claiborne and an old movie with Mary McDonnell. I had to look it up on IMDB: Evidence of Blood (1998). I remember really enjoying it! Now I want to re-watch both movies, haha. I hope you enjoy your visit to California!
Thanks Rachel, the beach trip should be good. Gosh I have not heard of Evidence of Blood but now I want to see it. Delores Clairborne was a good movie! The three actors were excellent: Kathy Bates, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and David Strathahirn. It’s one of my favorite movies based on King’s books. Such a dark past.
The fields here are much greener than usual as we had much rain this season. I hope fall doesn’t come too quickly. (A couple trees have a tint of yellow to their leaves, ugh!) … Enjoy your week.
I love the two photos, beautiful!
I loved living in California! I’m so sad that Fort Ord is now a forest. I wish I’d gone back in time to see the base again.
I hope that your trip isn’t painful. My mom and dad are both gone now but I drive by their house often. I feel very close to them when I do.
Love the cover of The Sunflower Boys and since I’m a cover snob I’m going to get a copy. I’ll also probably get Fonseca.
Hi Vicki, were you on the base of Ford Ord? I guess that is near Carmel — such a beautiful area. Sorry it’s gone. California was a nice place to grow up back in the ’70s for me. I hope to feel close to my parents when I’m there.
I’m glad to hear from you. This is such a nice note you left. Thx for your comments. It’s funny how you are now in Florida after California. It sounds like you enjoy it. I hope to stop by your site soon. Have a great week.
Audition is the only Booker finalist I’ve heard of before. I listened to three guys take their guesses at what books would be on the longlist and none of them picked more than one right choice. I think two of them highlighted The Land in Winter, while one picked Audition among their other choices. This is the first year where I’ve committed to reading at least one Booker but I think I’ll wait and pick from the short list.
Hi Anne, yeah waiting for the Booker shortlist seems a good idea. It’s coming up quickly on Sept. 23. I am reading Audition now … and I’m liking the style – it’s a bit mysterious and like Kitamura’s other books, but we will see. I might try to get The Land in Winter from the library. I think I would like to read the novel Flesh and Kiran Desai’s book. But it probably won’t be right away. One guy Eric on YouTube guessed like 5 books right for the longlist … I don’t think I will get to many of the others. I will wait a bit too for the shortlist. Hope you have a great week.
I am so, so excited for The Roses! I love Cumberbatch and Colman, and I love this pairing! I never watched the first movie but I know about it, and might end up watching it too out of curiosity. I hope you enjoy yourself with your family in California! It’s not the same when you’ve lost people, but it’s still nice to be with family. ❤️
Thanks Haze, it should be a good trip – I hope.
The Cumberbatch / Colman movie looks pretty fun. Crazy shenanigans. They make a good pair for the movie. I’ll see it when it comes out … I can always use a few laughs. Hope all is well. Good luck getting ready before school. Cheers!
There’s lots of great new releases coming up for sure! Thanks for sharing them.
Have a great week!
Thanks Marg, I was glad to find these new releases. It also helps me organize a bit so I don’t miss them. I hope you enjoy the ones you get to. Cheers! Have a great week.
By August, we’ve been in summer a solid four, maybe five months, so we are delighted when a cool front comes down from your part of the world. I’m sorry your summer is so short. I wish we could have a little more spring and fall and less summer.
Thanks for sharing these upcoming releases. I will eagerly wait to see what you and others think about them before making any purchases.
Thanks Deb. These new releases look pretty good, so we will see. And I can understand wanting a little less summer where you are. It’s hot a lot! I’m now in Calif. and it’s nice for a break. I’m liking being back even if for just a week. Enjoy yours!
I can totally relate. I’ve been so busy lately that I barely find the time to blog, engage, and read. I’m excited to check out these screen adaptations. Thanks for the book recs!
Thanks Lux. It is busy …. summer seems the busiest time of all. But now I’m on vacation in Calif. so things are calm, yay. I hope you get a breather! Happy reading.
Hi Susan, I hope you are enjoying your time in California (if you are still there) and get to spend some time with the family. Not sure about the Booker longlist, I haven’t read any of them and not overly excited. Endling seems to be a reader favourite so far.
Summer has certainly flown by, hopefully we will still get nice weather for another couple of weeks.
Hi Stargazer, thanks, I have one more day at the beach today — headed there soon. It’s a nice sunny day, yay. I have only read Audition on the Booker longlist … but I’m curious about quite a few of them. I will try Endling sometime … seems a different kind of premise than most. But the author’s from Canada so I should give it a go. I’ll be curious what makes the shortlist. Enjoy the rest of your summer!