#156: Several Generations of Angst

Amanda and Jenn discuss books about the arts, kid-friendly audiobooks, Victorian-esque reads, and more in this week's episode of Get Booked.

This episode is sponsored by Book Riot Insiders, Penguin Random House Audio, and Flatiron Books, publishers of Frankie.

Questions

1. I love your show! I was really getting into a slump of only reading the highly marketed books. You help me broaden my bookshelf so thanks!

My husband and I recently start "reading" books together. He listens to the audio book because he is a busy MA student and drives a lot while I enjoy reading physically.

We just finished Bird Box and both really enjoyed it! My husband is the finicky reader. He enjoys Stephen King and thrillers. We have Dark Matter by Blake Crouch on our to read list. I tried recommending Into the Drowning Deep, but the mermaids were too far (even though I think he would love it).

We would like recommendations for thrillers/suspense with some supernatural happenings and at least one likeable/smart character. He has read most of Stephen King where as I really enjoy fantasy novels. I can do most horror/suspense. Sci Fi could be doable if it had the right characters. Please stay in the adult category as my husband does not enjoy "teen angst".

Side note: I would just need a trigger warning for violence against women and children (which you always provide).

Thank you in advance!

--Kyla and Kyle

2. I would love ideas for books that are relationship focused but have intellectual conversation, like my favorite movies - Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight. What I love about those is that you feel so much intimacy and tension - the way one tiny thing could make everything fall apart.

I have On Chesil Beach on my radar already. Normal People by Sally Rooney also came close to what I'm hoping for.

--Jenny

3. Hi Ladies! Love the podcast!

I have loved the Dana Stabenow, Kate Shugak mysteries. Though I love her series, I would love a recommendation for a Native American own voices author from Alaska or North Western Canada. I prefer fiction, and it does not have to be a mystery.

--Jessie

4. I’m looking for recommendations for my school’s book club. We are a group of high school educators who enjoy reading broadly, so we have tried to have books that delve into different departments’ interests like The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (science) or Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (History).

I would love some book recommendations where the text is heavily influenced by art or music to better represent those departments. Bonus points for diverse authors or perspectives!

In the past we have also loved Station Eleven, Enrique’s Journey, The Nightingale, Educated and The Storied Life of AJ Fikry.

Thanks in advance for your help!

--Sarah

5. Hi! I've recently discovered audio books as an excellent way to get more books in my life on my commute every morning. I drop my kids off at two different places and I'm usually in the car for about an hour. My difficulty is finding something that I enjoy but is also appropriate for my kids to listen to, they are 2 1/2 and 4 but are VERY observant and like to mimic what they hear. So far I've listened to Blackout by Connie Willis and the The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden. I love fantasy, sci-fi, historical fiction, and mystery. Any recommendations you have would be awesome, thank you!

--Heather

6. My dad loves traditional sci-fi. Heinlein is his favorite author ever, but he also enjoys Zelazny, Asimov, etc. I'm hoping to find new authors for him, and have had some success with the Expanse, The Martian, and with books by Elizabeth Moon. However, the Vorkosigan books, the Murderbot Diaries, Red Mars, and the Honor Harrington books all fell flat for him. Do you have suggestions for modern books in the classic sci-fi style?

--Books for Space Dad

7. Hiii! :) I'm wondering if you know of any books similar to the Victorian "sensation novels" such as Lady Audley's Secret, Wilkie Collins' books etc, but which reflect modern values. I find I'm completely charmed by the trope that I call "mild mannered Victorian gentleman reluctantly and/or accidentally solves a crime," that isn't gritty or over the top but still has a lot of unforseen twists; however, I've grown so tired of books that only have white straight characters. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

--Mild Mannered Modern Reader

Books Discussed

The Dead Duke, His Secret Wife, and the Missing Corpse by Piu Marie Eatwell

Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes (TW: violence against women and children (and everyone))

Stephen King read-alikes episode

My Soul to Keep by Tananarive Due (TW: graphic violence, harm to women and children)

The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

A Separation by Katie Kitamura

Two Old Women by Velma Wallis

Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice (rec’d by Jessica and Michelle)

Nocturnes by Kazuo Ishiguro

Blood, Water, Paint by Joy McCullough (tw: rape)

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal

Waypoint Kangaroo by Curtis C. Chen

The Impossible Girl by Lydia Kang (rec’d by Jamie C)

Daughter of Mystery by Heather Rose Jones (rec’d by Jenn's friend Ellen)

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