Reported by Garry
“The Potter of Bones” by Eleanor Atwood Arnason is an award-winning short story that originally appeared in Asimov’s Science Fiction magazine in 2002. This story is part of Arnason’s Hwarhath series of tales about a planet of intelligent fur-covered beings where homosexuality is the norm for relationships and heterosexuality is only for procreation. Arnason’s stories explore the themes of art, anthropology, sociology, sexuality, and feminism by creating science fiction stories that feel like folk tales and allegories. The narrator of “The Potter of Bones” is from the planet’s present time, telling oral traditions that come down from early history. Our reader found this a beautifully written, highly entertaining short story that really captured her imagination and was a great distraction from the heavy news that surrounds us. KN
The Deathwatch Beetle by Kjell Eriksson is the ninth in the Ann Lindell Mystery series. Set on the island of Gräsö, this thriller finds retired police investigator Ann Lindell becoming embroiled in the disappearance of Cecilia Karlsson, a young woman who vanished under mysterious circumstances four years previously. When Ann receives a tip that Cecilia has been seen alive, she cannot deny the pull of a mystery and decides to investigate. Our reader thought this Nordic-noir thriller was tightly written and engaging, and recommends it to readers who are fans of authors Helene Tursten, Ragnar Jonasson, and Katrine Engberg. ML
The Parable of the Sower is a 1993 post-apocalyptic science fiction novel by Octavia Butler. This Nebula-award nominated story focuses on Lauren Olamina, a young woman who can physically feel the pain of others. Set in a climate-changed and economically segregated California in 2024, Lauren lives in the remnants of a gated community until it is destroyed by outsiders. Fleeing with two other surviving members of the community, Lauren travels north in search of safety and a paid job. As she travels, she gathers others and starts to develop her own religion which she calls Earthseed, based on the belief that “God is Change”. This prescient novel pairs well with other classics such as 1984 and The Handmaid’s Tale, and is now considered a classic of science fiction. Fun fact: Octavia Butler is so well regarded that NASA scientists informally named the 2020 landing spot of the Perseverance Rover “Octavia E. Butler Landing” to honor her legacy. AH
All Boys Aren’t Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto is an award-winning collection of essays by prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson. This oft-challenged book is an unflinching memoir of growing up black and gay, and covers such topics as gender identity, toxic masculinity, brotherhood, family, marginalization, consent, and Black joy. Our reader thoroughly loved this book and commented on the supportive family that Johnson had that many queer people do not. She also would recommend this book to anyone looking to gain more insight into growing up queer, from ages middle-school on up. CD
Also mentioned:
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Geographies of Home by Loida Maritza Perez
Shadowman: An Elusive Psycho Killer and the Birth of FBI Profiling by Ron Franscell
The Winter Hero by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
A God in Ruins by Leon Uris
French Braid by Anne Tyler
The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali
Sister Stardust by Jane Green
Never Simple by Liz Scheier
Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan
Left on Tenth: A Second Chance at Life by Delia Ephron
Black Cloud Rising by David Wright Falade
Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas by Jennifer Raff
The Patron Saint of Second Chances by Christine Simon
Old Land, Dark Land, Strange Land: Stories by John F. Suter
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
