3 books I read (and loved) last week
acclaimed lit fic, a new-to-me thriller, and something silly to wash it all down
People say the worst time to visit Berlin is between October and April. Which is a) a lot of time and b) coincided with basically my entire length of stay. Germans are so dramatic.
But I do understand where they are coming from. For most of my Fulbright year, the sun set at an ungodly hour (4 PM) and the sky was never rarely a full blue.
But seeing the city come alive these last few weeks has more than made up for an unforgiving winter. It now stays light until at least 10 pm, the kids are parading around in adorable kinderweste1, and the outdoor cafés are flooded with people of all ages.
And everyone — truly everyone — is flocking to the lakes. I’m not sure how many of you are familiar with Berlin’s lake culture, but it’s seriously top-notch. It’s easy to access huge forests full of lakes and ponds on the S Bahn, and once there, people stay all day, packing picnic lunches, books, and swimming trunks (or not! a lot of people swim a natural!).2
It’s the perfect setting for my final weeks here, with lots of visitors and many good books to read. What books are you most excited for headed into summer? Let me know in the comments. 💌
The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong
As I shared last week, I had really high expectations for this book, and I’m thrilled to report that I loved it.
The Emperor of Gladness is about Hai, a Vietnamese immigrant raised in East Gladness, Connecticut — a fictional town set in a poor, forgotten chunk of land outside of Hartford. After a series of setbacks, Hai is planning to walk off a bridge when he meets Grazina, an elderly widow suffering from dementia. She convinces him to move in with her, and an unexpectedly poignant friendship soon blooms.
To help pay for groceries, Hai gets a job at a local fast-casual restaurant chain, essentially a giant microwave, and befriends a strange cast of characters — including his shy cousin obsessed with the Civil War, the manager who is an aspiring wrestler, and a pimply teen simply called “Russia.”
If this premise sounds strange or slow, don’t be deterred. Vuong’s writing is in a league of its own, and The Emperor of Gladness feels like a modern classic.
💛 Read if you like: Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar, books more about feeling than plot, working-class people depicted with dignity and texture
The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf
I’m extra picky when it comes to thrillers. I need a propulsive plot and good writing — something that eludes most of the genre paperbacks sold at CVS. I can usually tell within the first ten pages or so if it’s worth my time.
I’m pleased to report that The Overnight Guest grabbed me immediately. Set in rural Iowa, the book has two timelines: the present day story of a novelist and a gruesome murder from the early 2000’s. The book’s protagonist is Wylie, a true crime writer struggling to connect with her son. For research, she has moved to the site of the aforementioned murder. When she discovers a small child nearly frozen to death on her property, the past and present collide in shocking ways.
If you’re in a reading slump or just looking for something good to tear through, I very much recommend. But only if you are okay with being scared!
💛 Read if you like: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (the best!!!!), psychological thrillers, Room by Emma Donahue
Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up by Alexandra Potter
I find it difficult to neatly categorize this genre of book. It’s not quite literary fiction, but it’s not a rom-com either — there’s no central romantic relationship driving the plot. Instead, it’s a story about a relationship of a different kind: one between a woman and herself. Rikha and I sometimes call books like this “fluffies” — light, heartfelt, and quietly profound. And when they’re done well, they’re absolutely delightful.3
Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up is one of these books.
Nell has just moved back to England after a decade in the US and an excruciating breakup. She’s expecting to fall back into the London of her twenties — cheap wine, a large group of friends who are always free, and affordable rent. She soon realizes that reality no longer exists. Friends are busy with partners and kids, her parents have turned her childhood bedroom into an AirBnB, and rents are staggering. Single and jobless, watching everyone around her busily go on with their lives, she winds up with a grouchy, environmentally-obsessed roommate and a heap of credit card bills.
But this isn’t a depressing read at all! Nell is resourceful and kind. She has patience (sometimes too much) for her friends, but also forges new connections — my favorite with a feisty 80-year-old woman named Cricket. Her attitude is refreshingly honest — I found myself laughing out loud multiple times while reading, especially during her disastrous foray into dating apps.
Overall, this book has a lot of clichés, but so much heart. I found it to be really inspiring, and it’s perfect for anyone wondering why their life hasn’t turned out exactly as expected.
💛 Read if you like: Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams, hanging with your older sister, multigenerational friendship
📚 On my shelf
Just got Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy as a “skip the line” loan from Libby. I’m not hooked quite yet, but will keep y’all posted.4
I’m now dying to read The Names by Florence Knapp given the glowing review in
.Catherine is lending me her copy of Borderland by Erika Fatland, a doorstopper tome chronicling the travel writer’s experiences across the countries that touch Russia. I loved Fatland’s first book Sovietistan (which I wrote about here), so I am excited to dive in!
📚 Links and things
Have heard good things about these press-on nails and really want to try! 💅
I can’t stop thinking about the second season of The Rehearsal, Nathan Fielder’s genre-bending magic show of a series that’s difficult to even describe. Check out
’s review here.Really enjoyed listening to this interview with Miley Cyrus. She remains so committed to doing her own thing, and I really admire that about her 🎵
Happy reading! 💛
XOX
Alli
German kids are required to spend at least an hour outside every day, no matter the weather. To keep them nice and visible when crossing busy streets, they wear these brightly colored vests called kinderweste. They walk in long lines, sometimes holding a piece of string, so Paul and I have taken to calling them “babies on a chain.” A random thing I will really miss!
Learned this the hard way after stumbling upon a group of elderly gents playing volleyball in their birthday suits!
For more fluffies, may I recommend my cornucopia of coziness collection?
Keep an eye out for the ☘️ emoji in your app! It’s the best feature ever.
I loved "The Names" and would love to hear your thoughts on it!
Really loved Wild Dark Shore too! Curious to hear your take 💚