Ursina's Shelf - 2023 review & discoveries
Issue 76
Dear readers,
I hope you are all well.
As the year is drawing to a close, I would like to shout out my top discoveries.
It’s also a fun time of the year for me to look back at my previous annual reviews and the top three picks:
The 2019 review kicked off this newsletter and included A Gentleman in Moscow, which would be my answer if pressed hard for a favorite book.
Conversations with Friends from my 2020 review is a book on my re-read list.
2021’s review included The Hate U Give, a book that left me with a new level of understanding of racial police violence.
Last year’s picks Lessons in Chemistry and The Great Circle made for great gift ideas for this year’s holidays.
For this year, let me shake up the format a bit…
Favorite book: Solito by Javier Zamora (2022)
Description: This book is poet Javier Zamora’s autobiographical work about his journey from El Salvador to the United States as a boy. He takes the trip alone to join his parents who made the journey several years earlier, surrounded by a group of strangers and an aloof coyote. A situation that would be frightening if all had gone according to plan, but minor spoiler, it did not.
My take: His tale is a combination of scary (I was constantly fearing all the evil that might occur) and heart-warming at once. What I perceived as unique was to hear this migration story through the eyes and ears of a nine-year-old, infused with the poetic style and use of language—both English and Spanish—of the author. And while there is plenty of maliciousness, there are also overwhelming moments of human kindness. (Buy here)
Shout-out to Briana and my book club friends for this reading find.
New repeat author: Louise Erdrich
I am no stranger to the magic of authors you keep joyfully returning to, like I came back to Barbara Kingsolver and her Demon Copperhead this year. Louise Erdrich joined my list of repeatable authors (previously discussed in authors and repeat authors). I read The Sentence (link) and The Night Watchman (link), my second and third reads by her respectively. I savored both immensely, the former already appearing in issue 72 and the latter sure to come up soon.
New mystery discovery: Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series
Your recommendations for these books were piling up. So I finally read the first one in May, while I joined the party late, I am here to stay. The mysteries are entertaining, but it’s the characters of Coopers Chase, their sage insights, humor, and love that enthrall me (cozy mystery issue).
Delightful honorable mentions
Discovering LA’s record and book stores (check out issue 70 here)
Returning to Shakespeare with The Tempest. Shout-out to Kyle for the encouragement!
Libro.fm is my new source for audiobooks.
A plethora of inspiring running books by Lauren Fleshman, Des Linden, and Kara Goucher (running books issue)
Daring to try out poetry and falling in love with Rupi Kaur (thank you, Aishwarya, for the nudge)
A year ago, I wrote about my bookish plans for the year (issue 58) and there is one that has been an absolute treasure: Letters from Watson. It inspired me to also revisit the Sherlock Holmes novels read by Stephan Fry. All around marvelous.
Currently reading: Erinnerung an einen Schmutzigen Engel (A Treacherous Paradise) by Henning Mankell (thanks to Vera for this gift).
A reflection
I started to write this newsletter as a fun challenge and to become a better writer, but mostly I continue to write because it lets me connect with readers on a topic I love. But who are my readers? And even more puzzling why are you interested in reading this newsletter?
The first issue was sent to 14 friends and family members, my crew of supporters. Three years later, both my audience and I have evolved. Curious readers is my best attempt at describing you, dear newsletter subscribers, and I suspect, and certainly hope, you keep reading this newsletter to discover a book you might enjoy.
Discovery, these days, is more and more algorithm-driven. It’s why I enjoy “Staff Picks” at bookstores, for example at Book Soup in LA. Maybe my posts have helped you discover new genres (such as comics or plays), delve into topics I care about (such as anti-racism, feminism, and climate change), or chance upon a charming read.
In 2024, I wish to discover more reads that I am thrilled to share with you (while also reading my beloved mysteries and the authors I keep returning to). Of course, a great way for me to find new books is through your recommendations. Thank you for all the past ones and please keep them coming.
Thank you for continuing to read this newsletter in 2023 and I look forward to a new year of discoveries for all of us.
I wish you and your loved ones a delightful 2024. All the best!