The more I read, the more my reading life has become a dipstick test for my overall life — a clear reflection of what’s bubbling beneath the surface of the everyday.
If (by some small miracle) I’m actually feeling relaxed, it’s almost guaranteed there will be more reading happening, thanks to that increasingly rare, pure, concentration that a calm state tends to gift us.
If, however, I choose to ditch the books and instead tumble into bed for a low-to-no attention 1-hour YouTube session, we’ve got an indicator that something is (seriously) off. It comes as no surprise, then, that the frequency of my reading slumps always seems to be a function of the stress I’m under.
Try examining your reading habits at any point in time, and you’ll likely get a pretty accurate picture of your headspace in return, too.
I was surprised to see how many of you enjoyed the first Rapid Reading Review — perhaps because, although we’re all keen to read more, we’re also all battling against a frustratingly diluted mental capacity, an overly fragmented focus. We’re all in desperate need of that extra dose of inspiration to swap those smartphones for stories.
And so, that’s what brings us back here, to another set of elevator pitch book reviews. This time around, I’ve got a wildly eclectic mix for you — everything from Japanese fiction to the true story of a murder in a Lululemon store.
I do hope that sharing another slice of my reading life today will motivate you to strengthen that reading muscle and just indulge in a really, really good book. Scroll down, and get stuck in.
Such a Fun Age, by Kiley Reid
Well, here’s where we make it official: this was the best book I read in 2020. Reid’s deftly crafted story follows a white mother (to an adorable, lovable child) and her black babysitter, following an event that will irrevocably change the course of their relationship — and their lives.
Ideal for fans of Little Fires Everywhere, this book beautifully weaves a social commentary on performative activism and race relations into a compelling narrative, making this a novel of real substance that is also compulsively readable — a rare feat, no doubt. I haven’t felt so deeply attached to characters in a very long time, and genuinely miss spending time with them. 5*
The Overdue Life of Amy Byler, by Kelly Harms
I landed on this book in the hopes that its fun, frothy plot would be pivotal in helping me escape after a tough, taxing day (or, well, year). Amy Byler is an overworked, underpaid single mother and librarian living in rural Pennsylvania.
Until, that is, two opportunities simultaneously land up on her doorstep: an all-expenses-paid trip to a library conference in New York, and her estranged husband emerging from the abyss to look after their children, so she’s free to, I guess, run wild in the Big Apple? Sigh. Harms’ writing left me perpetually curious and confused, in the can-you-get-to-the-point-already kind of way. In a world saturated with highly engaging light reads — Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic series, in particular, comes to mind — this one is skippable. 2*
Convenience Store Woman, by Sayaka Murata
Comfortingly odd. That’s the only way to describe this story of thirty-something Keiko, who, while at university in Tokyo, took on a pretty conventional part-time role at a convenience store. But then, when Keiko goes on to defy convention by staying in the job for another eighteen years, her family begins to disapprove of her supposed ‘lack of career’ — ignoring the fact that she actually finds her work to be immensely rewarding, peaceful, and full of joy.
Side effects of getting wrapped up in Murata’s world: challenging your own preconceived notions of what it means to be ‘successful’ — and unrelenting cravings for convenience store food (in my case, being transported right back to my Beijing days of delectable breakfast bao and instant noodles topped with melted cheese slices). A quick yet thought-provoking read, this could almost be an alternative precursor to The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss. 3.5*
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, by Amy Chua
In this quasi-memoir, Asian-American mother Chua describes the conflicting experiences of raising her daughters in the US according to the ‘laws’ of Chinese parenting. This book was met with much controversy when it was first released in 2011, as the author draws many comparisons between what she considers the more relaxed 'Western’ parenting style and her own, regimented, practice-violin-5-hours-a-day approach.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this easy yet thought-provoking read, filled to the brim with hilarious (and, to some, shocking) anecdotes of Chua’s struggles to discipline her American children the traditional 'Asian’ way. Oh and, apropos of nothing, both of her daughters ended up at Harvard. 4*
The Embassy of Cambodia, by Zadie Smith
In a gentle 70-page novella that’s great for that low-commitment exit out of a reading slump, we’re given a small peek into the life of Fatou, an immigrant from the Ivory Coast working as a maid for a wealthy London family. The role however, is challenging and thankless, leading our protagonist to seek much-needed moments of reprieve in her swimming sessions at the local health club — and in a budding friendship with fellow churchgoer Andrew.
I loved drinking this up in one refreshing gulp, thanks to its relaxing lilt and complete lack of frenzy and tension. And, lucky for us, this fairly hidden gem is available for free in The New Yorker, so it couldn’t be easier to enjoy the genius that is Smith’s captivating storytelling in under 100 pages. 3.5*
Murder in the Yoga Store, by Peter Ross Range
If this title seems wild, the (very true) story is even wilder: one late night in 2011, a murder took place in the Lululemon store of a cushy Washington D.C. suburb. The victim was an employee at the store, and the perpetrator…comes as a complete shock.
Naturally, this book comes with multiple trigger warnings, but if you are interested in reading it, don’t research the real story before picking it up. Just dive right in and uncover all the shocking details of the investigation — complete with twists, turns, and jaw drops. An unputdownable and immersive reading experience thanks to Range’s smart, sharp prose. 4.5*
Six books not enough? I know the feeling. If you haven’t already, catch up on the first Rapid Reading Review, and let’s become friends on Goodreads.
Until next time,
S
Cover image captured in Mount Abu, Rajasthan, India.