Need a good book?

Everybody loves recommendations. What’s good on Netflix? Or you hear a great new song and share the Spotify or YouTube link with a friend. Word of mouth is golden. When it comes to books, recommendations are even more important. Books can take time to read, and you don’t want to waste time on bad books.

Of course, most readers have their particular tastes: Mystery, romance, humor, and all of the various subgenres of nonfiction: politics, history, current events, biography, etc. You can get recommendations from The New York Times bestseller list, or see what’s popular on Amazon.

All great, but what are a few south Snohomish County residents reading?
The Beacon wanted to know: What book in the present or the past, fiction or nonfiction, would you recommend that inspired you in some way?

Michelle Bear, Edmonds Bookshop owner

“Sipsworth,” Simon Van Booy (2024-fiction)
For readers of Shelby Van Pelt’s “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” this story sneaks up on you with a found community, as the main character finds one when she unexpectedly becomes caretaker to a little mouse.
“James,” Percival Everett (2024-fiction)
Lest you think I am too sentimental – and I certainly can be – another recommendation is “James” by Percival Everett.  The intentional use of language (both Percival’s and the character James) is so interesting.  And the perspective shift is necessary. 
“Bear,” Julia Phillips (2024-fiction)
A contemporary retelling of the “Snow-White and Rose-Red” fairy tale, this story of sisters (and ultimately a wild bear) set on a Washington state island will have you understanding living a life with a lot of boundaries. And that ending!
“North Woods,” Daniel Mason (2023-fiction)
A story of a tract of land in New England as told through who has lived there from Puritan times to perhaps the not-distant future. Reads as short stories, but each is connected to the next. I loved all of the characters.

Elaine Mattson, Edmonds Bookshop employee

“The Bright Sword,” Lev Grossman (2024-historical fiction)
An eager young adventurer convinces the remnants of the knights of the Round Table to go on new quests in pursuit of – well, they’re not exactly sure what to hope for: A new king? To get the old one back? A new Camelot, or the same Camelot, or just a Camelot they can survive in?
We meet many lesser-known knights (and wannabe knights!), learn their stories, and join them as they try to save remnants of the vaunted Round Table and Camelot itself. Talk about your rag-tag bunch of misfits. I loved this!

David Brewster, former Edmonds Bookshop co-owner

“The Horse,” by Willy Vlautin (2024-fiction)
Al Ward is down on his luck, holed up in the mountains, late in life, looking back at his days as a touring musician and nights full of regrets. One morning he awakes to find a blind horse, motionless in the Nevada winter, who just may show the way to redemption.
“The Oceans and the Stars,” Mark Helprin (2023-fiction)
This is a stirring account of war, politics, and love. This book is full of believable conflict and heroism, with unforgettable characters and a charming love story added in. 

Alan Biné, Beacon Publishing columnist 

“The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store,” James McBride (2023-historical fiction)
This is a touching and poignant story about Jewish, African-American, and European immigrants coming together to help each other live better lives. Since I am blind, I listened via audio book. And while listening to the wonderful narration, I got to picture in my mind’s eye the characters’ various predicaments and solutions, both their highs and lows.

Chuck Wright, Beacon Publishing columnist

“The Giver,” Lois Lowry (1993-dystopian young adult fiction)
This was a real eye-opener. I’m still thinking about when the Giver shares his knowledge with a 12-year-old boy, Jonas, and begins to lose his memory. I thank Lowry for motivating me to think about who I should empathize with.  This Newberry Award-winning classic is appropriate for those 12 and up.  I encourage anyone to search for it, read it, and think about what the protagonist – the Receiver of Memory – teaches us.  

“Babbling Books” recommendations 

Finally, this summer, the Edmonds Bookshop’s “Babbling Books” in-store event featured two past owners of the store: Mary Kay Sneeringer and Susan Hildebrandt. They may have their all-time favorites, but they each recommended six books from the past three years. 

Mary Kay Sneeringer

“The Magician,” Colm Toibin (2022-fiction)
“Bear,” Julia Phillips (2024-fiction)
“Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” Rufi Thorpe (2024-fiction)
“Seed to Dust: Life, Nature, and a Country Garden,” Marc Hamer (2021-nonfiction)
“Dinners With Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships,” Nina
Totenberg (2022-memoir)
“The Paris Novel,” Ruth Reichl (2024-fiction) 

Susan Hildebrandt

“The Demon of Unrest,” Erik Larson (2024-nonfiction)
“Good Night, Irene,” Luis Alberto Urrea (2023-historical fiction)
“Clytemnestra: A Novel,” Constanza Casati (2023-historical fiction)
“The Oceans and the Stars: A Sea Story a War Story, a Love Story,” Mark Helprin (2023-historical fiction)
“The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a
Dangerous Obsession,” Micheal Finkel (2024-nonfiction)
“The Life Impossible,” Matt Haig (2024-fiction)