Summer months and sunnier days are ahead of us Snohomies and with that comes a summer reading list!
As much as I enjoy spending a cold, dark, and gray Washington winter evening brewing a cup of green tea, putting on some sweat pants, wrapping myself in a blanket, and cracking open a good book listening to the sound of rain patter on the grass outside, nothing beats spending a day basking in the sun by the pool, or sprawled out on a blanket at my local park losing myself in a good story.
Although I enjoy reading a good book any time of year, it’s often difficult knowing what to pick up, especially something I know will peak my interest, keep me hooked, and beckon me to keep the pages turning; That’s where Sno-Isle Library’s new Custom Reading List comes into play.
In keeping up with my 2024 New Year’s Resolution to read 52 books this year (already at 28 – let’s go!), and in preparation of compiling my summer reading list, I decided to try it out for the first time. Here’s how it went.
Getting Started
The first step is simple: All one needs to do is visit www.sno-isle.org/custom-reading-list and fill out a series of questions on the library’s Custom Reading List form.
Questions begin simple enough; name, email, phone number (to be contacted by the library with your personalized recommendations), but then dive into whether you’re interested in books or movies, television shows, or comic books/graphic novels. I picked novels.
You’ll then be asked what type of books you hope the library will select for you. Examples given are “I’d like a suspenseful page-turner set during the Cold War” or “Picture books about trucks would be great.”
For this I answered I was looking for “something cerebral with philosophical and/or political elements, dark themes, and rich character development”. I tend to flock to literary fiction where the story revolves more around complex characters than, say, fantasy or science fiction themes. I also tend to enjoy stories that pose some sort of existential conjecture or commentary on the human experience or current political climate.
You’re then asked what you enjoyed most about the last book you read, or television show you binge watched, any subjects or story elements you’d like to avoid, and any other information you feel would help Sno-Isle librarians find the perfect books for you.
The last “series” I couldn’t put down was less of a series and more of an author’s complete canon. I first picked up the works of Japanese author Haruki Murakami during the fall of 2023, wanting to read a Japanese author during my travels across Japan last October. I read Norwegian Wood and Kafka on the Shore during my month-long stay (I had a lot of time sitting on planes and bullet trains) and after just those two I couldn’t stop. I ended up reading every novel Murakami has ever written. This is what I answered for my question here.
After you fill out the form you submit your request to Sno-Isle and a team of well-read bookworms on the other end begin reviewing their collection, forming a custom-tailored list of recommendations given the answers and specifications on your submitted form.
For me the turn-around took less than a day. I submitted my request on Monday, May 20, at 11:00 a.m. and received my Custom Reading List by 5:00 p.m. that same Monday.
The books recommended were as follows:
Reboot by Justin Taylor
A raucous and wickedly smart satire of Hollywood, toxic fandom, and our chronically online culture, following a washed-up actor on his quest to revive the cult TV show that catapulted him to teenage fame.
“An introspective literary look at contemporary entertainment, families, culture, and the never-ending search for connection.” – Booklist
I haven’t started reading this yet but somehow it gives me David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest vibes. It could be the whole “literary look at contemporary entertainment” thing. Either way, this title definitely piqued my interest.
The Extinction of Irena Rey by Jennifer Croft
Eight translators arrive at a house in a primeval Polish forest on the border of Belarus. It belongs to the world-renowned author Irena Rey, and they are there to translate her magnum opus. But within days of their arrival, Irena disappears without a trace. Climate change, myth, and fungi are stirred into the mix in this novel about language, the earth, and what it means to make art. -Kirkus
This story seems dark and mysterious while anchored in the theme of a tortured artist. I love it!
America Fantastica by Tim O’Brien
“The author of The Things They Carried delivers his first new novel in two decades, a rollicking odyssey, in which a bank robbery by a disgraced journalist sparks a cross-country chase through a nation corroded by delusion blends rom-com, caper, and buddy story into a relentless, skewering tale of greed, capitalism, betrayal, and ultimately, redemption.” -Booklist
I read The Things They Carried by O’Brien when I was in High School and I remember I was both deeply horrified but equally invested in his writing and storytelling ability. As a Journalist myself, and having some familiarity with O’Brien’s works, this story felt right up my alley.
Trust by Hernan Diaz
“Told from the perspective of one woman bent on disentangling fact from fiction, this unrivaled novel about money, power, intimacy and perception is centered around the mystery of how the Rask family acquired their immense fortune in 1920s-1930’s New York City.” -NoveList
I’ll have to see how Diaz writes this story but the discerning between “fact and fiction” device I’ve seen done in some really creative, borderline surreal, ways in other books. This definitely hammered the nail on the head in terms of the “philosophical themes” I requested.
The Coyotes of Carthage by Steven Wright
“Andre Ross works at a top political consulting firm in Washington, DC. However, his tactics causes trouble, so he’s banished to rural South Carolina, tasked with using dark money to divest Carthage County of its public lands which they will then sell to a mining company. As Andre exploits the prejudices of the conservative electorate, Wright explores the themes of loyalty, perception versus reality, corruption, and racism, balancing absurd situations and deep-seated issues with wry, self-deprecating humor.” -Booklist
The last real political book I read was Enter the Aardvark by Jessica Anthony. That story centers around a Republican congressman who one day finds a taxidermied aardvark on his front porch in Washington D.C. Things just weirder from there but at its core was a compelling portrait of modern day democracy. If The Coyotes is half the book Anthony’s was, I’m sold.
My overall impression
My Custom Reading List was compiled by Jackie Parker, Digital Experience Manager at Sno-Isle, who not only took the time to put it together but followed up to tell me she was open to feedback, would go back and revise if I didn’t think it lived up to my standards or interests, and even took the time to check the inventory of local libraries near me to see if they were in stock.
Granted I haven’t dove into any of these yet (I’m currently finishing up The Dying Grass by William T. Vollman about the Nez Perce war), just based on the titles and descriptions included I’m excited to see what they have in store.
Separate from offering a book review of these titles and whether they match up with my interests, the experience of submitting a request for a Custom Reading List from Sno-Isle was simple, effective, and surprisingly quick. I will admit, I was not expecting to have a same day turnaround nor was I expected a follow up to further customize my list if I didn’t get the impression any of the books listed were for me.
What’s more, not only have I not read any of the books listed, but I also most likely would never have stumbled upon them had it not been for Sno-Isle’s recommendations.
I’m sure Sno-Isle librarians know better than anyone that a good book is hard to find, especially one that resonates with you and grants an everlasting impact even after you close the cover for good.
In short, I’m extremely satisfied with my experience requesting a Custom Reading List with Sno-Isle libraries and I urge anyone looking for a good book to crack open this summer to give it a shot. The worst that can happen is you’ll be one more book better read.
