Staff Picks

The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski [Book]

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This YA fantasy novel is the first in a duology about Nirrim, a young woman who lives in a remote island city. Nirrim is Half Kith, which means she cannot wear bright colors, eat flavorful food, or leave the walled-in neighborhood she calls home. Beyond the walls, the privileged class known as the High Kith live lavishly. When an unlucky accident lands Nirrim in the city jail, she meets Sid, a traveler with a mysterious past who somehow convinces the guards to let Nirrim free. Sid has questions Nirrim never thought to ask, like: why do the High Kith get all of life’s pleasures? How was the city founded? And who built the wall around the Half Kith? Together, Nirrim and Sid set out to find the answers.

Though this plot description has elements that will be familiar to anyone who reads YA fantasy and dystopian sci-fi, I found it to be a unique and engrossing story that isn’t quite like anything I’ve read before. The island of Herrath, where Nirrim lives, is immersive and detailed, and Marie Rutkoski’s writing brings it vividly to life. The primary romance in this book is between two women, and the characters feel well-developed and real. I picked this book up on a whim one Sunday morning and didn’t put it down until it was finished–it totally hooked me from the first few pages. Highly recommended to teens and adults who love complicated heroes, LGBTQ romance, and unique fantasy worlds.

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir [Book]

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Gideon the Ninth is a dark fantasy. The world in which it is set seems to be the decaying remanent of a once prosperous interplanetary empire, but don’t let the occasional space ship fool you—this isn’t science fiction and the physics of this world are very different from our own in one notable way: some individuals are born with necromantic abilities and can learn to manipulate, blood, bone, and even the souls of the dead. This would be unbearably dark and gruesome were it not for a few things:

• Our protagonist, Gideon, is strong, queer, contrary, and absolutely hilarious. Despite all her complexities and her own dark past it is her irreverence that keeps the book from being too dark.
• The relationships are complex and intriguing. It quickly becomes clear that while Gideon may put on a show of hating everyone and everything, in actuality her feelings are rarely so simple. It should be noted that some of the relationships portrayed in this book seem deeply unhealthy—but they are also interesting and too believable to be simply dismissed.
• There is a murder mystery—with a small closed circle of suspects, mostly unknown to each other, and all brought together by unsolicited invitations we are treated to a peculiarly mystery that has something of the feel of a classic country house mystery, just with more skeletons and swordfighting.
• The book is full of details that make its world feel much larger than what is revealed. We might suppose that Gideon and her companions have some idea of the history of the once prosperous empire, but it is clear that even their understanding is incomplete and the reader is left to imagine what might have happened. And when it comes to understanding necromancy, we get a glimpse here and there of the complex rules that seem to govern it, but we soon see that even those in the book that profess to understand it best have much to learn.
• Finally, a word must be put in about the swordfighting. Very early in the book we learn that Gideon is very proficient with a two-handed longsword, but circumstances will requirer her to play the part of a cavalier, convincing her audience that she has always trained with a rapier. Muir could easily have left it at that, but she clearly did her homework, and it shows in every mention tactics, posture, and training. These descriptions of swordwork feel real and they serve to ground the fantasy.

So, yeah. I kind of loved this book. It is crass, violent, and excessively gory, but its also good, for all the reasons I gave above and probably for many more I’m not clever enough to put my finger on. This is definitely not the right book for everyone, but if the above sounds appealing, I urge you to give it a try.

How to be Antiracist [Book]

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Dr. Kendi breaks down the difference between being “not a racist” and being “anti-racist”. This book is required reading.

Nothing to See Here [Book]

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There’s nothing to see here—or maybe there is? Keeping the secret of stepchildren who spontaneously combust is not easy especially when your father is a high profile politician. Magic realism at its finest with fascinatingly flawed characters.

Such a Fun Age [Book]

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Race, class and parenting collide in this thought provoking tale centered around a special relationship between a lovable and precocious child and her amazing nanny.

Motl the Cantor’s Son by Sholem Aleichem [Book]

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Motl the Cantor’s Son was the last novel by Sholem Aleichem. It tells the story of Motl and his family, first in Kasrilevke, a fiction shtetl where the family is increasingly destitute after the death of Motl’s father Peysi, then on their journey as refugees across Europe and eventually by boat to America, and finally as they try to assimilate and make a living in New York.

Although the story is full of hardships, Motl sees the changes in his circumstances in an entirely positive light. When his father dies, Motl enjoys the attention he receives and hardly seems aware of the death as a loss, and when family must sell all their furniture, Motl delights in how much space they now have. Motl generally sees the world around him as a great source of humor and amusement—he certainly isn’t bothered by the worries—mostly about money and social status—that preoccupy the adults around him. And Motl and his family, in fact, are lucky compared to many of their neighbors—his family leaves because of economic hardship, but those that stay are soon forced out by a pogrom.

Sholem Aleichem never finished the novel. We don’t know what eventually becomes of Motl and his family in New York. But we do know that Motl loves his new home, and his family, after a difficult start, is doing well for themselves. More importantly, Aleichem’s storytelling is wonderfully engaging—I enjoyed every moment of them immensely.

Levar Burton Reads by Levar Burton [Online Resource]

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Levar Burton’s podcast has a tagline that embraces superlatives: “The Best Short Fiction, Handpicked by the Best Voice in Podcasting”. That may be taking things a bit far, but I am loving the stories Levar picks, and I can’t think of anyone I would rather hear read them. Perhaps that’s because I grew up on Reading Rainbow, but whatever your generation, if you enjoy short fiction read allowed, I urge you to check out Levar Burton Reads.

The podcast is impeccably produced, with sparing use of subtle soundscapes that enhance the storytelling. The stories are mostly science fiction and fantasy, but the selections are always of an accessible sort—you don’t need to be a fan of these genres to appreciate these well-told tales. And the authors are diverse, including both classic well-established writers and new writers of all races and genders. Levar always takes a brief moment to tell you about why he selected the story and what it means to him, and I invariably find I appreciate what he has to say.

So, whether you are looking for new authors and ideas, some great bed time stories, an impeccably produced podcast, or just the comfort of hearing Levar’s voice, give it a listen.

Stay On It by Julius Eastman [Online Resource]

Composer Julius Eastman’s (1940 – 1990) music explores his identities as a gay man and Black American. Stay On It was composed in 1973 and combines minimalism with pop music. This new performance, which features musicains and dancers collaborating remotely, is dedicated to essential workers of color in the United States.

I found out about this performance through one of the many organizations involved in its production: The Dream Unfinished. The Dream Unfinished is an activist orchestra based out of New York which uses classical music as a platform to engage audiences in dialogues surrounding social and racial justice.

Earth Day 2020 (the Pandemic version) by Scott Slapin, violist [Online Resource]

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In this 10-minute video, violist Scott Slapin presents 400 years of music history in his basement (“The Pandemic Auditorium”) where the water pipes and exposed wiring make an acoustically and visually innovative backdrop to his formal concert attire. Excerpts of Bach, Paganini, Hindemith and Slapin’s own composition are interspersed with engaging commentary while a counterpoint of hilarious subtitles scrolls by. If you appreciate first-class musicianship combined with dry wit, plus you have a short attention span, this is the video for you!

Board Game Arena [Online Resource]

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Board Game Arena advertises itself as “the world’s largest online board gaming community”. It is a community built and run online game platform with over 150 games, from classics like Hearts and Chess to more modern games like Sushi Go and Carcassonne. You can play with friends (playing with friends while on a simultaneous video chat is the closest I’ve come to a board game night during quarantine) or with strangers. On my own I’ve been playing lots of Race for the Galaxy, Hearts, and Seven Wonders. With friends we’ve played Sushi Go and Can’t Stop. It’s a good time. I recommend it for anyone who would like to play board games with friends during quarantine or anyone wants to satisfy a board game itch when an in person game isn’t possible.

Decline and Fall [Online Resource]

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This hilarious BBC adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s 1928 novel stars Jack Whitehall, David Suchet, and Eva Longoria. It’s on Acorn TV, which might still have a 30-day free trial–if not, it always has 7 days free, so you can watch the 3 episodes of this witty miniseries. It follows the misadventures of Paul Pennyfeather, an Oxford theology student who falls into one awkward (to put it mildly) situation after another by some fateful twisted logic and his naive trust in a series of dubious characters he meets. It’s wonderfully escapist and makes fun of everything it touches.

Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration by Broadway.com [Online Resource]

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This video celebration of Stephen Sondheim’s music and influence was entirely created during quarantine and includes performances by Bernadette Peters, Michael Cerversis, Josh Groban, Patti LuPone, Neil Patrick Harris, and many other extremely talented people. We have solo performances, duets, and even large ensembles (these last come across surprisingly well given the difficulties of making music as an ensemble during quarantine). We also here from a few non-singers—Steven Spielberg being the most memorable in my mind—but it is, of course, the music that makes this two-and-a-half hour long celebration worthwhile. The performances are entertaining and moving and heartfelt, and of course the craftsmanship that went into the music and lyrics is superb—it’s all by Sondheim.

Because the celebration is made up of many short clips recorded by different artists, it is easy to did in and out, enjoying the celebration slowly over time. And if you want to jump straight to a favorite artist or revist a favorite clip, just view the full description for a table of contests with links to the starting point for each clip. (Some highlights include 1:28:04 – Michael Cerveris – “Finishing the Hat”, 1:58:47 – Christine Baranski, Meryl Streep & Audra McDonald – “The Ladies Who Lunch”, and 2:11:46 – Bernadette Peters – “No One Is Alone”.)