From the Parentheses Bookshelf
(what we’re reading + what we think, forthcoming books, and other bookish news)
What we’re reading
Amanda
I’ve spent the last month picking books up, reading a bit and then putting them down. I’ve been busy and distracted and nothing is capturing my attention right now. (We all have times like this, yes?) I did finish our 3rd Thursday Book Club book, Sandwich by Catherine Newman and enjoyed it. I love her writing style and found myself identifying with her overthinking and anxieties as a mother. We Solve Murders by Richard Osman is calling my name from my nightstand. But in the meantime, I’m (re)reading Evan’s book. I’ve read it twice (as an editor), but not since it’s been professionally edited, so I’m reading it again, just for fun! I hope to have more recommendations next month. Thank goodness for your other two amazing local booksellers, Emma and Michaela! Check out what they’ve been reading.
Emma
The Coin by Yasmin Zaher
I had been intrigued by this book for a bit and then picked it up at the lovely Blacksburg Books, an aptly named bookstore in Blacksburg, VA! This book is about a woman who has recently moved from Palestine to America and is understanding herself racially and economically within the cultural contours of New York City. She teaches middle school boys, gets involved in a scheme selling designer bags, ponders a coin she believes to be lodged in her back, and slowly loses her grip on reality. It is super weird and awesome.
Opacities: On Writing and the Writing Life by Sofia Samatar
This new book from local author and professor, Sofia Samatar, is not a typical book about writing. What began as email correspondences with her friend and fellow author, Kate Zambreno, evolved into a wonderfully philosophical and imaginative dive into Samatar’s writerly mind. She explores words from those who have inspired her and imagines a future version of herself pushing the boundaries of what writing and genre can be. It is a truly gorgeous little book.
When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin Labatut
I found this book on the NYT's 100 Best Books of the 21st Century, and picked it up in our store! Labatut explores different scientists who either physically changed how the world worked through their inventions (e.g., manufacturable cyanide) or changed how we understand the world (e.g., quantum mechanics). While he presents the facts of the scientists and discoveries, he also occasionally takes fictional liberties to imagine what might have been going on in the minds of these scientists to trigger such world-altering ideas. His writing is beautiful, and the stories are fascinating!
Michaela
Monsters by Claire Dederer
I first heard about this book from a Parentheses regular, Sofia (author of one of the books Emma is reading!). Then, just last week, I was on the Washington coast for a wedding and stopped in at Vashon Books. Claire Dederer is local to the area, so I couldn’t resist picking it up. The book unpacks the dilemma that fans are stuck with when a piece of art is fantastic but its creator is morally questionable (think Picasso or Bill Cosby and The Cosby Show). So far it’s an intriguing and informative read!
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
I loved this book. 5 stars. The characters were so carefully crafted, and I enjoyed the complexities worked into each relationship. Video games are an obvious and central theme that I ended up (at least somewhat) enjoying, but the more subtle themes of loss and grief stuck with me the most.
Rivermouth by Alejandra Oliva
This book is part memoir, part meditation, and part informational. After spending time along the US-Mexico border a year and half ago, I found a lot of Oliva’s reflections to be helpful as she recounted her own experiences working on immigration policy and translating for asylum seekers.
Customer recommendation of the season
Gabriella recommends…
Juneberry Blue by Candice Ransom
“This book is set in the smallest of small towns in Virginia. A determined main character and ghostly happenings combine to make the perfect magical, middle grade, (end-of-)summer read.”
We would love to hear about your favorite books and why you love them. Fill out this form, and we’ll use your ideas to populate this email in the future!
Forthcoming books - Fall 2024
Keep a look out for these exciting new releases. If you’d like us to set a copy aside for you, let us know! Email us at helloparentheses@gmail.com, DM us on Instagram, or call/text (540) 744-2618.
Hum by Helen Phillips (on sale now!)
There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak (on sale now!)
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman (on sale now!)
Another release from the author of the beloved Thursday Murder Club Mystery series. This one is the beginning of a separate series featuring a daughter-in-law/father-in-law crime solving team. Amanda can’t wait to read this one!
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney (on sale now!)
From the author of Normal People, Beautiful World, Where Are You, and Conversations with Friends. This is Emma's most anticipated release from one of her favorite authors!
Playground by Richard Powers (on sale now!)
From the author of The Overstory.
The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich (on sale October 1, 2024)
From the author of The Round House, The Night Watchman, and The Sentence. (Amanda’s story about The Sentence: When Evan interviewed Ann Patchett for his book, he asked her to recommend a book for me for my birthday. She recommended The Sentence and I loved it! Good choice, Ann.)
Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten (on sale October 1, 2024)
Isn’t Ina Garten just so lovable? This is not a cookbook, but a memoir that is sure to be fascinating. And we’re betting (hoping) she’s included some recipes!
Ottolenghi Comfort: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh (on sale October 8, 2024)
Ottolenghi’s Ottolenghi Simple is a favorite here at the bookshop. We’re all looking forward to this one!
Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman (on sale October 8, 2024)
By the author of one of Amanda’s favorite books, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals.
Blood Test: A Comedy by Charles Baxter (on sale October 22, 2024)
I (Amanda) haven’t read Charles Baxter for a long time, but he’s always been one of my favorite writers. I often recommend his lovely book, Feast of Love. Excited about this new one!
The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke (on sale October 22, 2024)
Everyone this Christmas has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson (on sale October 22, 2024)
Have any of you NOT read Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone? It’s been very popular here at the shop. So many customers raved about it that Amanda finally picked it up and loved it! (Book recommendations go both ways!) Don’t miss his new one next month.
The City and its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Marukami (on sale November 19, 2024)
Get ready Murakami fans! This is his first novel in 6 years. His nonfiction book What I Talk About When I Talk About Running is a fan favorite here at the bookshop.
The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer (on sale November 19, 2024)
Many of you have read Braiding Sweetgrass, a beautiful collection of stories that intertwine Indigenous wisdom, tales of motherhood, and ecology. Robin Wall Kimmerer is back with a book that centers lessons from the serviceberry tree. This book is a meditation on reciprocity, gift economies, and gratitude and would be a perfect read as we approach the holiday season.
Happy snuggle-inside-and-read-in-the-cooler-weather!
Amanda, Michaela, and Emma