Jordan Mattox

1. Foster Claire Keegan 

Another beautiful novella by Keegan, a writer who publishes infrequently but when she does, she writes with such an emotional force stuck between the floorboards of the mundane that you might miss if you read too quickly. The plot of the story is simple: a young girl is sent to stay with her aunt and uncle while her family works through a difficult time. The story ends rather abruptly, but it left me gasping for more, but also savoring the moment of disjunction, like when a song ends on a note that you don’t expect: these kinds of ends sit with you longer than something that is resolved neatly. 

2. Trust Domenico Starnone 

Another fascinating novel by Starnone. While I preferred Ties, this one has a similar tone and similar characters. Starnone does relationship dysfunctions as well as any writer I’ve read. The story follows a teacher who first has a relationship with a former student, who encourages him to engage in a trust exercise with that would create a strange connection for the rest of their lives, and then his marriage with a coworker and his fraught writing career. 

3. Ejaculate Responsibly: A Whole New Way to Think About Abortion Gabrielle Stanley Blair

I loved this little book so much. This reframing–that all abortions are due to men not ejaculating responsibly–is so needed. Our sexist culture puts all of the burden, blame, and responsibility on women, while men are shielded from the consequences of their actions. I learned so much about the health consequences of the medical system’s emphasis on women needing to be the responsible party when it comes to birth control. One that blew my mind is that there are some states that require women to have their husbands sign a permission form so that they can get their tubes tied. When you read books like this, you can’t help but feel that we are not that far from the Handmaid’s Tale…

4. Anna Karenina Leo Tolstoy 

One of my personal projects this year is to read one bucket list classic each month. War and Peace and Anna Karenina were at the top of that list, but I decided to start with Anna both because it is shorter and has a more seemingly clear plot (that might be up for discussion) and a friend who is wiser and a bulldozer of a reader suggested that I start with love before moving onto war. This translation by Pevear and Volokhonsky is astounding: it is breezy and clear, while retaining all the transcendence. Even the moments that many people either skim or treat as unnecessary interludes where Tolstoy wants to describe the minutia of agricultural practices in 19th century Russia were digestible and didn’t interrupt the flow. For those who haven’t read any Tolstoy, I wouldn’t start here; start with short stories first, but if you looking for a reading experience of the highest order, here’s the place. 

5. The Story of the Lost Child Elena Ferrante 

This is the fourth and final installment in the Neapolitan Quartet and another absolute masterpiece. Lila and Elena are getting older, having more children, watching as the world continues to change, dealing with dying parents and friends, and mourning changes in their friendship. After nearly 1500 pages  about these two women, I will say definitively that this is one of the best treatments of friendship, in all its complexity, that I have read. I will likely read all four of these again someday. You should start now. 

6. Too Much Happiness Alice Munro

Another truly amazing collection of stories by the best. I was trying to describe to someone recently why Munro is so good and the best I could say about her was that each of the stories contains complete universes. Moreover, beyond world building, she might be one of the best at leaving things out: it’s easy to say too much. My favorite story in this collection is about a widow who has sudden violent encounter. High recommended.