Karen Palmer Book Recommendations & Book Mentions

Karen Palmer

It's Friday, thank god. I've had enough of this week. #FridayReads, however, is @TobarWriter's excellent novel THE BARBARIAN NURSERIES. As a native Californian, I am entertained—and wincing—at every page.

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Karen Palmer

#FridayReads is Julie Otsuka's THE SWIMMERS. Just started. Already in love.

Karen Palmer

Reading Jackie Polzin's @latimesfob first-novel-award-winner BROOD—aka "the chicken book." Good grief, it's lovely. The chosen details are stunning. Some writers have such a gift for delineating small moments with care and wit, for showing us how they stand in for all of life.

Karen Palmer

Is End Times Twitter doing #FridayReads? I've got 3 going: Gabino Iglesias's THE DEVIL TAKES YOU HOME, which is giving my rusty Spanish a workout; Susan Stryker's TRANSGENDER HISTORY, &; Meg Howry's THEY'RE GOING TO LOVE YOU, recommended by the excellent @lacy_crawford .

Karen Palmer

@TheBookMaven Reading Ethan Chatagnier’s SINGER DISTANCE. #FridayReads

Karen Palmer

The NYT review of Kushner's BREAKING HISTORY has one of the most memorably icky yucky blech I-want-to-vomit lines ever: "Kushner’s fealty to Trump remains absolute. Reading this book reminded me of watching a cat lick a dog’s eye goo."

Karen Palmer

@EliseBlackwell Also, for dark Irish humor and crackling dialogue, Kevin Barry's crime novel Night Boat to Tangier.

Karen Palmer

Okay, so I finished reading Danya Kukafka's novel NOTES ON AN EXECUTION, and wow. A book about a serial killer that fully honors those affected by his crime while also showing us how complicated evil can be, allowing for compassion, even there. What an imaginative tour de force.

Karen Palmer

Reading Sarah Manguso's VERY COLD PEOPLE. My god, it's compelling, so sad, and so familiar.

Karen Palmer

Reading 2 books I love and recommend: Mohsin Hamid's novel THE LAST WHITE MAN (he also wrote the spectacular EXIT WEST), and Joe Moran's FIRST YOU WRITE A SENTENCE, which has an infectiously brimming love for, well, sentences. It makes you proud to devote a lifetime to them.