If Books Were Wine
The sun is out, the weather calmer & it just so happens to be National Wine Day today (the 25th). Naturally, we are looking to honor such good fortune with a good book or two. So we asked ourselves: while sipping a glass, what would be the perfect book companions to these veritable vinos?
Chardonnay: popular, versatile, fresh, dry. Sittenfeld’s modern re-imagining of Pride and Prejudice puts a lively twist on a popular classic. We love her dry humor and refreshing incorporation of contemporary social issues.
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld
Riesling: sweet & flowery. Its true, milk and honey explores many kinds of pain, but this emotional flowing of poetry and prose finds the “sweetness” behind life’s bitter moments. Just like your bottle of Riesling should do.
milk and honey by Rupi Kaur
Rose: fruity, subtle, perfect for summer. Danler’s story of a young girl thirsty for life in the city is lush with details of the New York restaurant scene and colorful characters. Despite its rosy exterior, this packs a punch.
Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler
Merlot: smooth, highly drinkable. Kate Tempest’s newest is easy to #bookbinge on. This beautifully written novel goes down smooth, just like Merlot. Gulp down this gorgeous novel of gritty, urban, London life & let it wreck you.
The Bricks That Built the Houses by Kate Tempest
Syrah: spicy, peppery. As one of our main floor managers says: This book is confusing, slightly arousing, odd, and unique. Did I like it? Can you like something that makes you uncomfortable? Perhaps I did.
Go on, push your boundaries.
The First Bad Man by Miranda July
Cabernet Sauvignon: dense, layered scent & flavor. Wray’s ambitious novel is a layered, multi-generational story with robust subplots and a complex plot that finds the protagonist “excused from time.” If Cab Sauv were a book, it would probably tackle some metaphysical questions. The Lost Time Accidents by John Wray
Malbec: dark, rich, juicy. Entwining three stories from three very different time periods in three different Venices (Venici?), The Mirror Thief is filled with history, mystery, and dark, juicy secrets.
The Mirror Thief by Martin Seay
Verdot: demanding, least predictable, flighty, fragile. Much like Oyeyemi’s fiction, which can be unpredictable, the pay off is usually rich and delicious. With depth and complexity, Oyeyemi wields powerful words, giving us glimpses into her tender worlds.
What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi
Pinot Noir: pretty, sexy, dark. If Ani FaNelli’s life in Luckiest Girl Alive at a glossy fashion magazine, with beautiful clothes, and a handsome husband seems too perfect to be true, it probably is. Dark secrets lie beneath the surface that give this novel real bite.
Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll
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