August Preview

Hi all. Thanks to everyone for their very kind words and thoughts last week about my post about Stella. Every bit helps … when you go through a loss like that. We’re hanging in there and I’ve been trying to stay busy with summer activities — golf and tennis — and yard work. Our other dog Willow is doing okay … I think she’s been subdued like us, but we’ve taken her swimming a couple times, which makes her happy and given her extra cuddles. The process will take a while. Here she is in the vegetable patch.

Now August is here and I wonder about your summer. Is it winding down or still ramping up? We’d like to stretch it longer here. Meanwhile my reading has taken a hit — amid several things — but I still hope to get it back on track. And there’s much to discuss in book news. You probably saw the Long List for the Booker Prize came out last week, woo woo. Many of these titles (below) I don’t know but could be compelled to get interested in. I’ve read the Elizabeth Strout novel and I have John of John by Douglas Stuart in the wings on my Summer List. I’ve liked Emma Cline’s books, so plan to read her Switzy (due out Sept. 8), and I’m curious about The Palm House by Gwendoline Riley. Do you know any of the others on the Long List? What looks like a strong contender?

• The Shadow of the Object by Chloe Aridjis
• Switzy by Emma Cline *
• Helen of Nowhere by Makenna Goodman
• The End of Everything by M. John Harrison
• The Disappearers by Marlon James
• Black Bag by Luke Kennard
• The Renovation by Kenan Orhan
• May We Feed the King by Rebecca Perry
• The Palm House by Gwendoline Riley *
• The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout *    
• John of John by Douglas Stuart *
• All Them Dogs by Djamel White
• The Vivisectors by Missouri Williams

In other news I see that Claire Foy has signed on to star in the movie adaptation of David Nicholls’ romance/hiking novel You Are Here …. along with the guy from Succession Matthew Macfadyen … though he’s been in a few bad guy roles over the past years so I’m not sure he’d be my pick. Maybe someone a bit more rugged handsome would fit better. What do you think? I have read the book and it’s about a group who are off to hike part of the Coast to Coast Walk in Northern England. I can’t say too much more … but the scenery should be terrific when it’s not raining along the trail.

Meanwhile let’s see what’s releasing this month. In fiction there’s new books coming out by such notable authors as Richard Russo, William Kent Krueger, Chang-Rae Lee, and Liane Moriarty among others. Not to be outdone, her younger sister Jaclyn Moriarty also has a new novel out this month.

I’m looking at those and a few others, including the twisty new thriller by Chris Bohjalian titled The Amateur (due out Aug. 4) about a freak golf accident that sets off an investigation that apparently goes down quite a rabbit hole of secret affairs. I’m not usually a thriller reader but once in a blue moon I’ll go there. And this one has received starred reviews from various publications. It’ll likely make for good back deck reading.

Next is Paul Yoon’s new novel Etna (out Aug. 4) about a combat-trained dog that sets out for home in the aftermath of an unnamed war. Thus begins an “exhilarating odyssey” — says the publisher — “told through the eyes of a dog as he traverses across ruined landscapes and fights to survive in a world that, even in peacetime, proves to be just as precarious.”

Usually I wouldn’t be up for novels told through animals but I’m going to give this one a shot as it’s received much praise, and Yoon is an acclaimed writer who I haven’t read yet. He has five other novels that have gained quite a bit of attention over the years. Have you read him?

Also Tea Obreht has a new novel Sunrise releasing Aug. 11 about three protagonists decades apart who wind up in a Wyoming ghost town called Sunrise by some chance or another. They are separated by time and circumstance — one woman is from a plane crash — yet apparently you come to see the town is full of secrets and there’s a connection between the three storylines.

I have read two of Obreht’s earlier novels — The Tiger’s Wife and Inland — and she is an interesting author whose tales often can surprise or leave one wondering. I plan to check this new one out sometime in the future.

On the screen this month, only two things really caught my eye. Of course one of them is the much-anticipated return of the series Ted Lasso, which is back with Season 4 starting on Aug. 5 on Apple TV. The plot this time centers on the coach leading a women’s soccer team. I know it’s been a very popular show over the years and why I haven’t watched a full season or many episodes I can’t really say (I know I’m the last on earth not to), but perhaps I will have more impetus now to do so. I need to give it more of a go.

Also this month is the release of the movie adaptation of Peter Heller’s 2012 debut novel The Dog Stars (out Aug. 28). It’s a post-apocalyptic tale — after a virus has wiped out most of humanity — about a protagonist Hig, who’s a pilot, and Bangley, a former Marine, who have settled at a country airstrip in Colorado, trying to fend off occasional attacks from roaming survivors and trying to find a better life. Their families didn’t survive the pandemic, but Hig still relies on his very dear dog companion Jasper, a Blue Healer mix (in the book).

I remember reading The Dog Stars in 2015 (it came out before our recent pandemic) and it had some good suspense, but judging from the movie trailer …. director Ridley Scott has taken the story to a whole new level … and it’s going to be violent. Jacob Elordi (formerly Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights) stars as Hig and Josh Brolin is the gun-toting Bangley. I don’t want to say too much but one day while out flying his Cessna Hig hears a voice on the radio and he wonders if there’s a haven out there he should try to get to. Uh-oh. And if you’re thinking the movie is of Colorado like in the book … apparently the filming took place in Italy in 2025, which is a really nice substitute. So see the movie at your own peril. Ridley Scott last directed Gladiator II and that was a good doozy.

In music this month, there’s new albums by Sara Bareilles, Phoebe Bridgers, Grace Potter, Alabama Shakes, Brandon Flowers, and Carly Simon among others. All of these seem pretty good, but I’m curious about the solo album Thrashers by Brandon Flowers (of the band The Killers) since it’s apparently a country-western album, which he says is inspired by his father’s music. Though it’s not his typical sound or genre, Brandon can pull off country with his versatile voice. Check out his song Plans here.

That’s all for now. What about you — which new releases are you looking forward to? Have a great week.