Season’s Readings: Book Selections from the KUA Community
Looking for a few more gift ideas to round out your holiday shopping? Or, better yet, maybe your shopping’s done and the time is right to treat yourself. Whatever your reason, members of the KUA community are here to help.
From historical fiction to a detailed wildlife journal, the suggestions below represent just a few favorites read by faculty and staff on The Hilltop over the course of the past year.
Take a look and see if any of these books sound like you — or someone on your shopping list. And if so, don’t forget to thank the community member who recommended it next time you see them on campus!
Christina Avery, Library Aide
The Summer Book
By Trove Jansson
By Trove Jansson
I recommend The Summer Book by Tove Jansson, author of the popular Moomintroll series of comic strips and children’s books. This brief novel is set on an island off the coast of Finland and focuses on the relationship between a 6-year-old girl, who has recently lost her mother, and the grandmother (on her father’s side) who cares for her. The island has a stark beauty, which Jansson describes well, and as the two main characters explore the island, and neighboring ones, Jansson explores — in a subtle, indirect way — the impact of the girl’s loss on her and the ways her grandmother helps, while navigating her own losses as she ages. The New York Review of Books “Classics” edition includes the author’s lovely illustrations and a helpful introduction.
Darrell Beaupre, English & Art Teacher
McCarthy-era D.C., 1950: Briarwood House is a boardinghouse for women and is full of secrets. Widow Grace March moves in and unexpectedly brings the residents together: Fliss is an elegant but damaged woman; Nora, is caught up with a gangster; Bea is grieving the end of her baseball career; and Arlene is deep into McCarthyism. Grace’s weekly dinners help bring the residence together, but her own secret — and a violent act — force the group to face up to their own fears and uncover the real threat in their lives. In all, it’s a story of connection, betrayal, and resilience in a divided America following World War II. Great characters; great stories; and the ever present unknown.
Jennifer Blue, English Department Chair
I had sworn off all literature related to World War II (I have read so many books about WWII! After All the Light We Cannot See, I said, “that’s it!) until coming across this novel, a companion to Kate Atkinson’s 2014 novel, Life After Life. The protagonist, Teddy Todd, travels effortlessly across time, a boy on one page, an aging man the next, then a pilot with the Royal Air Force, then a father — it left me breathless!
Elizabeth Craib, Executive Assistant to the Head of School
This book is perfect for the art lover who is looking for historical fiction (that is sort of true). The Lioness of Boston tells the story of Isabella Stewart Gardner and her challenging life in Boston society. The author acknowledges that she took liberties with historical facts in this book, but it is a great read, nonetheless. I particularly enjoyed it because it is peppered with mentions of artists and works of art that she curated for her personal collection. After you read it, you can enjoy a field trip to her home and museum in Boston! (I had my phone by my side so I could look up paintings as I read.)
Jennifer Diamond, Learning Specialist
I just read The Grey Wolf, the newest book by Louise Penny. The 19th(!) book in the series brings us back into some of our favorite locations in Quebec and it was delightful to read about warm August days during the first snow of our New Hampshire winter season. This book series is beloved by a number of KUA faculty, both retired and current, and I always enjoy being able to chat about life in Three Pines with our own cozy community.
Tasheana Dukuly Sanchez-Moran, Academic Dean
One of my favorite books of the year was R.F. Kuang’s Yellowface. It’s a dark comedy about a writer who is overshadowed by her classmate and “friend,” a talented writer who receives accolades and attention at every turn. In a strange twist, the acclaimed young writer dies suddenly, and her classmate steals her manuscript, presenting it as her own. I loved this text because it raises questions about identity, authorship (who can tell what story?), and cancel-culture on social media. I would absolutely recommend if you enjoy smart but moody and thrilling texts.
Asher Ellis, Library Director
Released earlier this year, The Backyard Bird Chronicles is a published journal written by Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club. Originally started in 2016, Tan recorded the activities of the many birds she observed in her backyard, accompanying each write-up with an illustration. Each entry serves as a full portrait, documenting not only the birds’ physical features, but their perceived emotions and the actions they take to survive.
Amanda Lighthiser, Learning Specialist
A compulsively readable family saga. It is tragic, funny, and sharp social commentary all at once. As the point of view shifts from character to character in the Barnes family, the past is uncovered bit by bit, and we slowly begin to connect it with the present. Often, the characters are hard to love (with perhaps the exception of PJ, the son) and it is to Murray’s credit that he compels the reader to keep reading and empathize with them as they navigate their life circumstances. It reminded me a lot of The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen, and while I am not globally a Franzen fan, I did think that particular book was compelling (and perhaps his best). I’ve recommended The Bee Sting to several friends of different tastes, and they all agreed that they couldn’t put it down.
Marilyn Lord, History Teacher
The Life Impossible is actually a response written by a woman to her student who is struggling with the fact that everything seems impossible and futile. In order to comfort him, she shares her story about a person who felt there was no point to life or existence and then found the greatest purpose she could ever know. It’s a book about confirming your own existence and personal growth. It’s a beautiful story.
Tricia McKeon, Director of Marketing & Communications
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store captures a great slice of America’s storied history in the telling of a small Pennsylvania town and the Black, Jewish, and immigrant communities that inhabit one of its neighborhoods. Bouncing from the discovery of a skeleton in a well in 1972 back to the 1920s, James McBride weaves together the stories of how people simultaneously create unbelievable connections and tragic divides.
Tai Rivellini, History & Economics Teacher
I recently read, The Women by Kristin Hannah and I absolutely loved it. The story follows Frankie, who joins the Army Nurse corps after her brother is sent to Vietnam. It is a beautiful and heartbreaking story of the often-forgotten women nurses and medics of the Vietnam war. The author details the camaraderie and heroism of these women in the extreme circumstances of war. This book takes the reader through a lot of emotions, but ultimately it is a much needed to story to give voices to the women who played a critical role in the Vietnam war and who have often been lost to history.
