GBH-ers are avid readers, and we are pleased to serve up an eclectic and thought-provoking collection of recommendations for Beacon Circle Patrons. For the bibliophiles among us, be sure to tune into CRB Classical 99.5 at noon on weekdays for Book Bag Lunch, a new short segment, when host Edyn-Mae Stevenson shares the books she’s loving, literary happenings around town, and other highlights of the Boston book scene. And don’t forget our regular event series, Beyond the Page, where we sit and talk with bestselling authors. Here are some recommendations from the GBH staff to get your summer reading list started!
Ron Bachman, prodigious reader and GBH’s Senior Director of Programming, dips into almost every genre. For mystery fans, he suggests anything by Stuart Turton. “I ripped through his latest The Last Murder at the End of the World (no relation to the Hulu TV series A Murder at the End of the World), which takes place after a global cataclysm has left the last remnants of the human race alive on a Greek island that has never known murder — until one occurs. Turton has a fiendishly clever imagination, and I highly recommend all his books.”
Tania Castro-Daunais, designer in the Creative department, was captivated by The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese. “At first, I wasn’t sure where the plot was going, but the intertwining of stories and generations eventually got me hooked. Just like life, the events are a rollercoaster of emotions. In the end, it’s a beautiful, well-written journey.”
Donna Danielewski, Executive Director of Accessibility, was enthralled with The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade. “It is every bit as harrowing as you can imagine — the mothers telling their stories in their own words, including their treatment at the hands of their mothers — many of whom were also forced into marriages of convenience. It is gutting. It’s a heavy read, but it is such a valuable perspective.”
NOVA Rights Manager Hannah Gotwals has been enjoying A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through? “It has an enthusiastic, chatty writing style, sprinkled with illustrations from the cartoonist of Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal. If you’re looking for a fun romp through the deep wonk of space law, new reasons to throw scorn at space billionaires, or you’re curious about the logistics of space sex and the consequences thereof, it’s an excellent read.”
Assistant Television Scheduler Natalie Obedos picked up a copy of Mona Awad’s most recent novel Rouge and is glad she did. “I finished it in about five hours. It’s a modern fairytale that critiques the toxicity of the skincare industry and is full of Awad’s signature dark humor and playful writing style. If you liked Awad’s earlier novel, Bunny, then I would highly recommend Rouge as well!”
Rani Schloss, Project Manager in IT, says “Candelaria by Melissa Lozada-Oliva has everything: intergenerational family drama, estranged sisters reconnecting under bizarre circumstances, a complex love affair, murder, archaeology, a wellness cult, a zombie apocalypse, and redemption. It’s also set in Watertown, Brookline, and Boston. It could be scary if it weren’t so perfectly campy. If you like strong characters who grow throughout a novel, women supporting each other in extreme ways, and you aren’t afraid to get a little weird, you will really enjoy this one.”
From Kate Van Sleet, Administrative Director in Legal and Business Affairs, comes a hearty recommendation for The Measure by Nikki Erlick. “This book was a very thought-provoking, quick read. The basic premise of the story is that everyone in the world receives a box with a string in it that indicates the length of their life. The question is, what does each person do with that information, and how does the presence of the strings impact the world we live in?”
Don’t miss our Beyond the Page event on June 25. Elin Hilderbrand, bestselling author of 28 novels, including The Hotel Nantucket, Summer of ‘69, and The Five-Star Weekend, will be telling her story and answering your questions. The event will be hosted by GBH News’ Callie Crossley. Sign up
here.
