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The Thread's Must-Read | ||
"A Gentleman in Moscow" by Amor Towles Buy this book A few months ago, I asked passionate readers on Twitter for the book they had shared most often this year — the book that was so uniquely fulfilling, they wanted to press it into the hands of their favorite friends. Two readers suggested “A Gentleman in Moscow.” Last week, I finally found time to see what all the raves were about. Published last fall, Amor Towles tells the story of an erudite Russian aristocrat who is deemed by a Bolshevik tribunal to be a “former person.” Most people in that situation would have faced a firing squad in 1920s Russia, but Count Alexander Rostov has powerful friends, so he ends up sentenced to lifelong house arrest in the Hotel Metropol instead. With nothing but time on his hands, the Count reads widely, befriends the hotel’s staff and embarks on some delightful capers. He also spends time pondering the meaning of loyalty and love and justice in a moment of such political upheaval. “A Gentleman in Moscow” is a deceptively quiet novel, yet unexpectedly light and airy. Over the course of the novel, this “former person” becomes a fully realized human as he delves into his own emotional interior. -Kerri Miller | ||
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This Week on The Thread | ||
Kazuo Ishiguro wins Nobel Prize for Literature The Swedish Academy cited him for "novels of great emotional force," saying "(he) has uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world." More | ||
Stamp of approval: New postage stamp honors "The Snowy Day" You can send your next letter — or bill — with a stamp that honors Ezra Jack Keats' illustrated classic. More | ||
Here are the finalists for the 2017 National Book Awards The National Book Foundation winnowed the list of contenders for its literary prize to just 20 — or five finalists each in four categories. Among them are Jesmyn Ward, Min Jin Lee and Frank Bidart. More | ||
New Muhammad Ali biography reveals a flawed rebel who loved attention “Ali: A Life" by Jonathan Eig Buy this book "I don't think we do Ali any good by treating him as a saint," says biographer Jonathan Eig. "He was a human being, and he was deeply flawed, but ... he had the spirit of a rebel." More | ||
Stephen and Owen King on the horror of a world without women “Sleeping Beauties" by Stephen and Owen King Buy this book What if every woman on earth went to sleep and never woke up, leaving only men to run things? That's the horror at the center of "Sleeping Beauties," the new novel from Stephen King and his son Owen. More | ||
Seven fantasy and sci-fi recommendations from a die-hard reader Bookseller Jude Feldman works at Borderlands Books in San Francisco, the city's destination for genre thrills. She has seven recommendations for readers eager to explore new worlds. More | ||
Seven of the most haunted houses in literature What's your favorite haunted house in fiction? Where would you never spend the night? The Thread looks at some of the most nightmarish literary locales. More | ||
Joe Biden writing foreword for transgender activist's memoir Former Vice President Joe Biden is writing the foreword to a memoir by transgender activist Sarah McBride, who made history when she addressed the Democratic National Convention last year. More | ||
A moving, brutal and apt update of "King Lear" “Dunbar" by Edward St. Aubyn Buy this book For centuries, Shakespeare's tragedy was too painful for audiences; it was performed with an altered happy ending. But Edward St. Aubyn has never flinched at inflicting pain on his readers. More | ||
Jeffrey Eugenides dives into short stories “Fresh Complaint" by Jeffrey Eugenides Buy this book While they tend towards traditional rather than edgy, the stories in "Fresh Complaint" will remind readers what they like about Eugenides' writing: His sensitivity and compassion for flawed people. More | ||
Getting the most out of pre-K, "The Most Important Year" in school "The Most Important Year" by Suzanne Bouffard Buy this book About 1.5 million 4-year-olds started preschool this fall and parents are wondering: How do I know my child is in a high-quality program? A new book offers some answers. More | ||
Listen: Talking Volumes with Jacqueline Woodson Catch Kerri Miller in conversation with Jacqueline Woodson, author of "Another Brooklyn" and "Brown Girl Dreaming." More | ||
Dr. Seuss museum to replace mural after complaints of racism Three authors said they would boycott an event at the Massachusetts museum due to the "jarring racial stereotype" of a Chinese character from one of his books. More |
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