Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy

For the first episode of season 7, Kathleen and James visit the windswept island of Shearwater in Charlotte McConaghy's thrilling book, Wild Dark Shore. They discuss the book’s breathtaking setting, how the story explores the themes of climate change and despair, and why hope and community are so important in the face of disaster. Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future.   To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our Booked Solid reading list on the New Canaan Library website.

Featured Titles:Woodworking by Emily St. JamesBonjour Tristesse by Francoise SaganThe Bloody Chamber by Angela CarterHungerstone by Kat DunnSister Deborah by Scholastique MukasongaThe Library at Mount Char by Scott HawkinsSpent by Alison BechdelAll Systems Red by Martha WellsIs a River Alive? by Robert MacfarlaneWhen the World Tips Over by Jandy NelsonJust for the Summer by Abby JimenezMagnolia Wu Unfolds it All by Chanel MillerThe Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne YoungKatabasis by R.F. KuangEverything is Tuberculosis by John Green  Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future. To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our Booked Solid reading list on the New Canaan Library website.

Kathleen, Kat, and James get wrapped up in the mystery of Liz Moore’s thrilling novel, The God of the Woods. Join our hosts for a discussion on how they approach mystery fiction, narrative structure, and the importance of a good reveal. Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future.   To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our Booked Solid reading list on the New Canaan Library website.

Kathleen, Kat, and James put their heads together and talk about the nonfiction book selection for the season, Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. The group discusses nature, science, the environment, and the ways in which we see and understand the world. Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future.   To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our Booked Solid reading list on the New Canaan Library website.

Kathleen, Kat, and James travel through time to discuss Kaliane Bradley’s science fiction romance book, The Ministry of Time. Our hosts talk about genre fiction, out-of-time romance stories, and all the questions they have about time travel ethics, shady government experiments, and the suspicious convenience of having an inadvisable roommate. Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future.   To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our Booked Solid reading list on the New Canaan Library website.

Kathleen, Kat, and James explore the endless halls of the House and attempt to unravel its secrets in Susanna Clarke’s intriguing fantasy novel, Piranesi. Join our hosts for a discussion on liminal spaces, dark academia, and the ways in which we connect to the world around us. Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future.   To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our Booked Solid reading list on the New Canaan Library website.

This month, Kathleen, Kat, and James get a taste of Italy with Jhumpa Lahiri’s excellent collection of short fiction, Roman Stories. Join us as we celebrate the Library's Lit Lunch pick with a discussion about the unique strengths of short stories, connection and belonging, and a deeper dive on three of our hosts' favorite pieces from the collection. Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future.   To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our Booked Solid reading list on the New Canaan Library website.

Kathleen, Kat, and James start the new season with a turbulent journey down the Mississippi River in Percival Everett’s excellent historical fiction novel, James. The group discusses the book’s clever use of language, the bizarre and harrowing situations our heroes find themselves in, and the challenges in retelling an American classic. Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future.   To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our Booked Solid reading list on the New Canaan Library website.

Featured Titles:Greta and Valdin by Rebecca K. ReillyThe Age of Magical Overthinking by Amanda MontellClear by Carys DaviesEastbound by Maylis de KerangalLand of Milk and Honey by C Pam ZhangThe Bad Ones by Melissa AlbertExordia by Seth DickinsonRemarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van PeltThe Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David GrannThe God of the Woods by Liz MooreMasquerade by O.O. SangoyomiCode-Dependent: Living in the Shadow of AI by Madhumita MurgiaThe Bright Sword by Lev GrossmanSing Like Fish by Amorina Kingdon A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. KingfisherHorror Movie by Paul Tremblay Cue the Sun!: The Invention of Reality TV by Emily Nussbaum Nicked by M.T. Anderson Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future. To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our Booked Solid reading list on the New Canaan Library website.

Kathleen, Kat, and James come face to face with unexpected horrors and unfriendly in-laws in Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s book Mexican Gothic. Join our hosts as they discuss the Gothic novel, the strangling grasp of the patriarchy, and the terror of the fungi kingdom. Please take our survey to help us make Booked Solid even better! Let us know what you enjoy and what improvements we can make for the future.   To place a hold on any of the titles mentioned in this episode, check out our Booked Solid reading list on the New Canaan Library website.