Saptember 2025 -- What are you reading?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Names by Florence Knapp - the story of an abused woman, Cora, and the three different paths her life takes based on what she names her second child. Her abusive husband insists that he be named Gordan (his name, and the name of his father). Their 9 year old daughter suggests another name, and Cora likes a third name. It seems like an innocent premise, but it's a very powerful book, and really shows how abuse permeates generations.

It's not sappy enough for SAPtember, but is a September read nonetheless.

This book annoyed me because it wasn't really about 3 different names influencing the track of someone's life. I was about three different abuse patterns/outcomes prompted for one moment by a name. I was hoping for more of an exploration of how different names could actually affect both how others see you and how you see yourself.

[Anonymous]

I'm reading The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri

[Anonymous]

It really helps if you say what the book is about and whether you’re in enjoying it. I come here often for suggestions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It really helps if you say what the book is about and whether you’re in enjoying it. I come here often for suggestions.

NP, have to agree, though I know some posters find this request too bossy. But it is so helpful to even just get "It's about [8-10 words]. I dis/liked it because [6 more words]."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm starting The Displacements, by Bruce Holsinger

The premise sounds good, but I'm having a hard time getting into it. Has anyone read it? Thoughts?

I liked it, didn't love it. Sorry I don't remember much more to say about it aside from that. I live in a very hurricane-prone area so I remember finding all that happens in the story to be particularly eerie and anxiety-producing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reading The Correspondent which is an epistolary novel. Interesting self portrait of a woman if not a bit dry but I’m only 1/3 in.

Oh man how could you possibly find The Correspondent dry, I loved that book so deeply. I'm especially drawn to ornery, quirky characters like Sybil. She would fit in well in a Fredrik Backman novel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just started Culpability. So far I’m not sure if I like it.

I just finished the Lion Women of Tehran which is one of the best books I’ve ever read.

Before that I read the River is Waiting which I give 5 stars.

Also loved Lions Women of Tehran. Will look into the River is Waiting - sounds promising.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm reading The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri

What are your thoughts? I really enjoyed her writing style in my 20s/early 30s…then she switched to Italian, and I haven’t found the same sense of connection from the back translations. Interpreter of Maladies (short stories) may need to be a re-read for me in 2026!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just started The Poisonwood Bible for book club…just a few pages in and loving the writing!

I’m also listening to A Breath of Snow and Ashes as my audiobook; will likely be doing so for awhile in parallel with a physical and/or ebook.

Sharing more per later post…

Poisonwood Bible is an earlier Barbara Kingsolver (1998) about southern Baptist missionaries in the Congo in 1959, told from the POV of the mother and four daughters. Gorgeous writing, especially one of the daughters who plays with language in a Nabokovian manner (which I love!).

Breath of Snow is book 6 in the Outlander series…the narrator (especially reading Claire’s perspective) is almost comforting to me at this point; a lot of descriptions of cozy domestic scenes, with some action. Definitely a slow burn; still not a Roger fan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm reading The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri

What are your thoughts? I really enjoyed her writing style in my 20s/early 30s…then she switched to Italian, and I haven’t found the same sense of connection from the back translations. Interpreter of Maladies (short stories) may need to be a re-read for me in 2026!

Lahiri wrote the Lowland in 2013, so I think it predates her writing in Italian (not 100% positive though). I'm about a third in and its excellent. Straddles India and the U.S. in the 1960s. Her writing is so easy to sink into.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just started The Poisonwood Bible for book club…just a few pages in and loving the writing!

I’m also listening to A Breath of Snow and Ashes as my audiobook; will likely be doing so for awhile in parallel with a physical and/or ebook.

Sharing more per later post…

Poisonwood Bible is an earlier Barbara Kingsolver (1998) about southern Baptist missionaries in the Congo in 1959, told from the POV of the mother and four daughters. Gorgeous writing, especially one of the daughters who plays with language in a Nabokovian manner (which I love!).

Breath of Snow is book 6 in the Outlander series…the narrator (especially reading Claire’s perspective) is almost comforting to me at this point; a lot of descriptions of cozy domestic scenes, with some action. Definitely a slow burn; still not a Roger fan.

Poisonwood Bible is one of my favorite books of all time. I think I’ve read it 10 times or maybe more. I also love how Ada plays with language and used to do it myself when I was younger (eg, see if I can make a word or phrase by reading backwards) so I was really surprised/taken with that little character detail. Such a gorgeous story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm reading The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri

What are your thoughts? I really enjoyed her writing style in my 20s/early 30s…then she switched to Italian, and I haven’t found the same sense of connection from the back translations. Interpreter of Maladies (short stories) may need to be a re-read for me in 2026!

Lahiri wrote the Lowland in 2013, so I think it predates her writing in Italian (not 100% positive though). I'm about a third in and its excellent. Straddles India and the U.S. in the 1960s. Her writing is so easy to sink into.

NP. I also loved The Lowland.

I read two recent short stories by her and loved the one published in the New Yorker this summer— it was about a summer she spent in London when she was ten. It had her same gorgeous writing style. I think it was semi or completely autobiographical. I read another about an expat living somewhere in Italy (published in Best American Short Stories 2024) and just didn’t connect with it; it was among my least favorite in the collection. I wondered if the first one was written in English and the second in Italian originally and maybe why I felt a bit of disconnect.

[Anonymous]

Just started Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just started Culpability. So far I’m not sure if I like it.

I just finished the Lion Women of Tehran which is one of the best books I’ve ever read.

Before that I read the River is Waiting which I give 5 stars.

Also loved Lions Women of Tehran. Will look into the River is Waiting - sounds promising.

+100 for the Lion Women of Tehran.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm reading The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri

What are your thoughts? I really enjoyed her writing style in my 20s/early 30s…then she switched to Italian, and I haven’t found the same sense of connection from the back translations. Interpreter of Maladies (short stories) may need to be a re-read for me in 2026!

Lahiri wrote the Lowland in 2013, so I think it predates her writing in Italian (not 100% positive though). I'm about a third in and its excellent. Straddles India and the U.S. in the 1960s. Her writing is so easy to sink into.

NP. I also loved The Lowland.

I read two recent short stories by her and loved the one published in the New Yorker this summer— it was about a summer she spent in London when she was ten. It had her same gorgeous writing style. I think it was semi or completely autobiographical. I read another about an expat living somewhere in Italy (published in Best American Short Stories 2024) and just didn’t connect with it; it was among my least favorite in the collection. I wondered if the first one was written in English and the second in Italian originally and maybe why I felt a bit of disconnect.

I’m the “what are your thoughts” PP. I should have said that I read the Lowland and really liked it, though I enjoyed Unaccustomed Earth more (I didn’t want to bias your answer!). And yes, the Lowland was Lahiri’s last major work in English before transitioning to Italian.

Thanks PP for the New Yorker story tip—added the July 7 edition to my Libby shelf! Also, I learned today that Unaccustomed Earth is being developed into a Netflix series, including Frieda Pinto!