Talking with Playwright Lauren Gunderson

Lauren sharing the vibe of some music
for a musical she's working on 

Playwright Lauren Gunderson is a whirlwind of creative energy. She's written straight plays and books for musicals and plays for children. She's always involved in multiple projects, whether it's writing something new, workshopping a project or putting the final touches on a play for opening night. She can sometimes be found in a classroom -- be it live or virtual -- sharing her knowledge of playwriting. She hosts a "How to Playwright" podcast in her spare time. And somehow I feel certain this is an incomplete litany. But knowing something from doing research and experiencing it in person are two different things. I had the chance to talk with Lauren recently at Urbanite Theatre's Modern Works Festival. With my initial question, she was off to the races.

Lauren was just 17 years old when she first had a play professionally produced. She did some acting when she was younger, both in school performances and at Atlanta's Essential Theatre. And so when she was ready for someone to see her work, she sent it to the Managing Director at Essential with a note, "Is this a play? Did I do it right?" Indeed it was, and indeed she had. Essential gave "Parts They Call Deep" -- a semi-autobiographical play about three generations of women who go on a road trip -- its inaugural prize celebrating the work of Georgia playwrights. Since that auspicious beginning, Lauren has been recognized three times by American Theatre Magazine as the most produced playwright in the country. 

Lauren is known for writing plays about women -- often someone who worked in the field of science -- whom history has overlooked. But it's "The Revolutionists," a play without a science angle, that's my personal favorite of her works I've seen. The story is set during France's Reign of Terror, and the audience finds playwright Olympe de Gouges, Marat assassin Charlotte Corday, queen Marie Antoinette and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle together fighting the good fight. All of the women actually existed but for Angelle, who is a composite figure. The play was funny and raucous yet gave us something to talk about on the way home. And it's worth mentioning that the production was mounted at Venice Theatre, a local community theatre. Gunderson writes plays that don't require all the bells and whistles -- or the budget -- of a Broadway show. Plays for the people, so to speak. 

Not surprisingly, Gunderson has said she most relates to the character of de Gouges in "The Revolutionists." But it's not the mere fact that they both are playwrights. De Gouges reportedly asked herself, "Am I doing good or am I getting away with something by just writing about it instead of being active about it?" Gunderson has asked herself a similiar question on occasion. Can theatre serve as an agent for change? Her answer is a resounding "yes." 

Gunderson's writing is quite feminist, but not in a hit-you-over-the-head kind of way. Take "Silent Sky," a show produced at Asolo Rep a couple of years back. The play introduces audiences to the critical work Henrietta Leavitt did at the Harvard College Observatory. Without getting too geeky, "Silent Sky" explains how Leavitt's work laid the foundation for Hubble and other astronomers to determine the distance to galaxies beyond our own. Leavitt accomplished this work without the use of a telescope because whatever that would have entailed just wouldn't have been proper in the early 20th century. (Hence Leavitt's title as a "computer" who interpreted data rather than an astronomer.) The audience left the theatre talking about Leavitt's accomplishments and bemoaning the fact we weren't taught about her contributions in school. By shining a light on women like Leavitt, Lauren slides ideas about female empowerment into the audience members' heads.

That doesn't mean, however, that Gunderson shies away from being overtly political. Following Trump's election in 2016, she organized nationwide readings of a play she called "The Taming." (Creating her own take on Shakespearean plays -- in this case "The Taming of the Shrew" -- is something else for which Lauren is known.) The set up was the solicitation by a beauty contestant with political ambitions of both a conservative advisor and a liberal advisor to work on her campaign. What a concept! The readings took place in 40 cities on inauguration day with the the proceeds going to the ACLU and Planned Parenthood. 

Then there's her "Natural Shocks," a play written in the aftermath of the Parkland school shooting in 2018. The solo show finds a woman who's locked herself in her basement during a tornado. She rants about Hamlet and reinsurance and how bad her marriage is. She says she told her abusive husband just an hour earlier that she's leaving him so he can't hurt her anymore. He didn't respond well. She tells us he has a large gun collection upstairs but that she also has a gun locked away in an accessible cabinet. Not good. But she has also told us that she's a liar (without giving any specifics). Gunderson leaves it up to each audience member to determine how they think the story will conclude. (I didn't come down on the side of a happy ending.) 

Gunderson waived the royalties for performances of "Natural Shocks" that took place across the country on the weekend of the 19th anniversary of the Columbine school shooting. The proceeds of other readings of the play have gone to support programs for gun and domestic violence prevention.  

This post only hits on a few of Gunderson's accomplishments and contributions to the theatrical world. I'll leave you with a link to her website and a word of encouragement to explore it when you have a chance. Even if you're not as avid a theatregoer as I am, I'm confident you'll be impressed. And of course don't miss seeing any of her plays being produced in your area. I'm particularly hoping to see "Justice," a musical about Sandra Day O'Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor and a show still in the works about Billie Jean King. 

Thanks to Urbanite Theatre for giving me the opportunity to meet and talk with Lauren. It was an evening I'll never forget.  

The Art of Beck Lane

Beck Lane in her artist residency space at ARCOS
on Central Avenue with "sketches" for the Highwaymen mural 

Beck Lane's art is instantly recognizable. She has a unique style that incorporates visible brushstrokes to create the planes of her figures' faces. If you live in Sarasota and haven't seen Beck Lane's work yet, that's likely to change. Beck will soon be creating a mural celebrating the Florida Highwaymen on the eastern-facing exterior wall of Whole Foods. The mural will be the second in the City's Florida Legacy Art Mural Series. But I'm getting a bit ahead of myself. 

I recently had the chance to talk with Beck at the ARCOS studio on Central Avenue where she's doing an artist residency, compliments of Creative Liberties. I'm not sure she's getting a lot of work done with all the visitors stopping in to see her paintings and have a chat. But that's fine with her. The life of an artist can be solitary, and she loves to share her art. When she actually has time to paint, she said it feels like a performance because the large windows give passersby a peek into what she's up to. I love that. 

With Beck (and Frida x2 and John Sims) 

Several large -- and I mean large -- portraits of Frida Kahlo can be seen in the gallery. Most of her work is on canvas and ready to go out the door if the right art lover walks in. But the huge portrait of Frida was done on a drop cloth that's been treated with gesso. (Drop cloths are more affordable than canvas, so working on them gives Beck more freedom to experiment.) I'm sure your local frameshop would be happy to put the painting on stretchers for you if there's a place in your home that cries out for this work. (Note: Transport home would require an equally oversized vehicle! Been there, done that.)  

Given the size of Beck's paintings, she is particularly appreciative of the space the gallery affords her to actually see her work in progress. The wall on which she paints in her real-life studio is only 9'x9' so things can get a little tight. She said she often has to back into a hallway and peek around the corner to get a look at what she's creating. Here she can just step back and survey her work to see what needs to be done. 

I asked Beck about her fascination with Frida. She said she's drawn to Frida's story of overcoming the obstacles she faced after incurring life threatening injuries when the bus she was on collided with a streetcar. A steel handrail impaled Frida's hip, and she was bedridden for many months while her injuries healed. Her father made a special easel that allowed her to continue to paint and mounted a mirror on the ceiling. She began doing self-portraits, creating 55 images of herself over the course of her life. Beck decided to honor this legacy by doing 55 of her own portraits of Frida. By her count, she's done 38 so far. 

The Moore family 

Beck's work most often features people who are Black or Brown/ African American. She made that choice very intentionally. Back in the day, Beck worked creating signage for Trader Joe's on Cape Cod. She met a Black woman there one day and suddenly realized, much to her dismay, that all of signs she had created featured white people. Soon the store was filled with images of happy customers and staff of diverse heritage. 

Since then, Beck has focused primarily on this demographic in her work, often using old photographs as a reference. She was told over the years that featuring non-white figures made it unlikely that galleries and museums would show her art. But she had to follow her heart, so she kept showcasing diverse people in her paintings. Happily, times have changed to some degree, at least in the art world. Which brings us to the Highwaymen mural Beck will soon be creating...

In case you're not familiar with the Florida Highwaymen, the informal group consisted of 26 Black artists -- only one of whom was a woman -- who painted landscapes and sold them out of the back of their cars on main roads. Hence the group's name. The mural will celebrate the artistic contributions of these artists and will include portraits of Alfred Hair and Mary Ann Carroll. I would have loved to have been at the Public Art Committee meeting at which Beck shared her proposal. Her presentation didn't feature the typical powerpoint showing her concept. Instead, Beck laid her "sketches" of what the mural would look like on the floor of the City Commission's meeting space. As you can see from the images above, Beck works large. I can just imagine her moving around the paintings as she spoke animatedly about her vision. 

Detail from upcoming Highwaymen mural 

It's worth noting that the City was specifically interested in a mural celebrating the legacy of the Highwaymen for the Whole Foods wall. So you might wonder, as I did, why the City didn't contract with a Black artist to create this work. I asked Beck, and the answer is simple. She was the only person who applied. Beck is sensitive to the optics of a white artist creating what will be a very visible painting honoring the Black Highwaymen. And so she's bringing in two Black artists -- Greg Cruz and Jade Griffin -- to work on the project. Beck also intends to invite Black or Brown/African American members of the community to stop by and help out, even if it's just laying down a brushstroke or two. Her goal is to "remove herself as much as possible from the process." I'm impressed with her sensitivity and approach. And I can't wait to see mural come into existence. 

For more about Beck and her work, click here. Better yet, if you're local, stop by the studio at ARCOS through October 27th. These images truly do not do justice to the impact her work has in person. And of course be on the look out for painting in progress at Whole Foods. Beck would love to add you to the ever-growing list of people with whom she's shared her art. 

Fun and Games at the Sarasota Toy Museum

My faves from the massive lunchbox collection

I'll admit it. I was a wee bit skeptical when I read about the new Sarasota Toy Museum. Aren't I too old to enjoy looking at toys??? The answer -- happily -- is a resounding "no." My outing to the Toy Museum with friends was pure fun -- not to mention an opportunity to get in touch with my inner child. 

Like many boys, owner Richard Pierson swapped trading cards and action figures and comic books with his friends. But as time progressed Pierson set aside his childish play and got a job and had a family. His fascination with toys continued, but real life had taken over. 

A few years back, Pierson came upon the toy collection of Gary Neil while antiquing in the Green Mountains of Vermont. Neil expressed an interest in selling his toys so they could be exhibited in a larger space where more people could enjoy them. The seed was planted. When Pierson retired, he acquired the massive collection with the intention of creating the Sarasota Toy Museum. I can't imagine how much work packing and unpacking the two 53' tractor trailers was. Today, you can see more than 15,000 of the vintage toys, games, merchandise and memorabilia on display at the Museum. There's also an impressive toy train set that makes its way around the Green Mountains. 

Pez Containers

Everyone's journey through the Museum will be personal. But since I'm the one doing the writing, you get to learn about some of the objects that sent me back to my childhood. Let's start with the portion of the 600+ lunchbox collection on display. Holy moly. I have to admit that I don't have memories of bringing my lunch to school and swapping whatever my mother sent with me with other kids. But the images on the lunchboxes evoked much nostalgia, none more than the happy juxtaposition of Nancy Drew and Bobby Sherman. 

When we first moved to Panama City, I was 10 years old and Suzanne was seven. We shared a bedroom (thankfully only for a year), with walls that boasted competing posters of David Cassidy and Bobby Sherman. Is it a surprise that I had a huge crush on the sexy guitar-playing Cassidy? Seriously, how could you resist him when he sang "I Think I Love You"? (Click here to see the Partidge Family performing the song. It was slightly disturbing to find a video of him singing the tune at a concert when he 66 years old. Little did Cassidy know at the time that his gig on the Patridge Family would be the acme of his career.)  Note: I did like Sherman on "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers," but he was just so wholesome comparied to Cassidy.

"Dark Shadows" game and archery set

As to Nancy Drew, you probably won't be surprised to learn I've been a reader from a young age. I remember my parents practically begging me to go out and play kickball with the neighborhood kids in the middle of the street. (Those were the days.) But reading has always transported me to another world, and my athletic skills are better left unmentioned. So "Nancy Drew" it was. She was smart and curious and loyal, not to mention pretty. Really not a bad role model for a young girl. Moving on...

Sculpture at the Ringling Museum

Creepily, the Barnabas Collins Dark Shadows game also resonated with me. The timeline for this story is a bit vague, but I know it dates back to when we were still living in Kansas, so I was not yet in fifth grade. My mother worked as a nurse, and a woman watched Suzanne and me when we got home from school. (In my recollection, the sitter was really, really old. But who knows? She might have been in her 40s.) I vividly remember rushing home to watch "Dark Shadows." No after-school specials for this kid. Yes, it was a different time. 

You might expect this recollection to be a memory deep in my subconscious that came to the surface when I saw the game. Nope. I think about it every time I walk through the galleries at Ringling Museum and come upon this sculpture (for which no info is available). How could I not think about Barnabas whenever I encounter this guy? I would love to know what Ringling was thinking when he acquired this sculpture. But I seriously digress.  

I'll leave you with another toy that evokes childhood memories. Yes, it's an oversized Hulk Hogan action figure sitting atop a case full of his campatriots. I'm outing my sister on this one. 

I have no idea how Suzanne came to be obsessed with "professional" wrestling when she was a kid. All I can say is she was into it big time. When I talked to her for a refesher, she reminded me that she had a wrestling poster in her bedroom. The days of Bobby Sherman were long gone. She also played Kiss on her record player while getting ready for school just to add to the healthy atmosphere. No reason for our parents to be concerned! 

The icing on the cake is that she somehow convinced our dad to take her to a professional wrestling match out of town. It was only an hour way in Dothan, but still. Good times. I think that might have been when the harsh realization came that professional wrestling wasn't totally real. 

Hopefully you've gotten the sense of how much fun the Toy Museum is. But don't take my word for it. Grab some friends and head on over yourself. The outing will be sure to evoke some childhood memories of your own. 

For more about the Toy Museum, click here and here. Have fun! 

"Suchitra Mattai: Bodies & Souls" at Tampa Museum of Art

"to leave a trace" (2024)

I was introduced to the art of Suchitra Mattai back in 2022 when a segment of Crystal Bridges' State of the Art exhibit traveled to Sarasota Art Museum. The exhibit included a large-scale work by Mattai entitled "Exodus" that was made from colorful saris collected from friends and family. The work was not only beautiful; it held the collective stories of the women who had worn the garments. So when I learned that an exhibit of Mattai's work was on at the Tampa Museum of Art, I was all in. 

"to leave a trace" greets visitors when they enter the main gallery. Talk about a work making a visual impact. Of course there's a story embedded in the piece. In 1883, the first two ships carrying Indian indentured laborers arrived in the British colony of Guyana. It took approximately three months for the 400+ men, women and children to be transported to their new lives as sugar plantation workers. Over the course of 80 years, more than 1.4 million indentured workers made this journey. Some of Mattai's own ancestors can be counted among those laborers. 

The work includes figureheads on either end of the Roman goddess Diana and the Hindu deity Devi. They are protective figures, intended to ensure safe passage for the workers. The panels represent the sails of the ship. One side of each panel is covered with woven patterns made once again from saris; the other is covered with seagrass. The different materials represent the duality of the passengers' lives, perhaps a "before" and "after." It's a powerful introduction to the exhibit. 

"bodies and souls" (2021/2024) 

The title of the show comes from Mattai's "bodies and souls." The work is made from a variety of clothing Mattai collected from family, friends and the wider Indo-Caribbean community. The weight of the combined histories of the people who wore the clothing makes the work literally flow off the canvas. The stream of clothing also represents the migration of South Asians around the world. 

If you have an eagle eye, you might have noticed that this work is dated 2021/2024. This version of "bodies and souls" was created specifically for the TMA exhibit. Mattai's initial version is owned by the University of Michigan Museum of Art and can be seen by clicking here. I like the broken frame in that work and am curious why she opted not to use that visual device here. So if you happen to run into Suchitra...

"a path, a sea, a love" (2024) 

I am always drawn to artists taking an existing figurative depiction and making it their own. Some artists retain the general image but replace the main figure with a person from a different demographic. Kehinde Wiley is perhaps the best known artist who takes this approach in his work. (Click here to see his version of  "Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps.) Other artists begin with existing images and alter the narrative in some way. Mattai has taken the latter approach in "a path, a sea, a love." 

Starting with a fabric depicting a colonial era scene with women in dresses with bustles and a man in breeches, Mattai used embroidery to embellish the image. It's a skill she learned from her grandmothers. If you click on the image, it will enlarge and you can see how Mattai modified or eliminated the existing figures. The woman in the brightly colored dress, though, was made from whole cloth (or would it be whole thread?) This addition creates diversity in the image. 

You probably won't be surprised to learn that the "frame" of the work is made from saris. Mattai noted in this interview that she uses vintage, everyday saris in her art. Often, they still carry scents of the women who wore them. She considers them representative of the labor of the women who wore them. 

"the power to give, the power to receive" (2022)

I'll leave you with a somewhat different work by Mattai -- "the power to give, the power to receive." While Mattai again used fabric to create this work, the figure is painted. 

To me the work has an ominous vibe, but that's not Mattai's intention. The animals on either side of the figure -- wolves? jackals? -- represent Mattai's grandmothers and protect the young woman from potential harm. What appear to me to be lightning strikes are instead forces of energy so powerful they light the figure up from the inside. She is receiving energy from the universe. I like it. 

"Suchitra Mattai: Bodies and Souls" continues at the Tampa Museum of Art through March 16. For more information, click here. And for the artist's website, click here. 

Introducing Artist Annie Dong

"Who Are We" by Annie Dong and Boys & Girls
Club of Manatee County participants 

Annie Dong is an artist after my own heart. The recent New College graduate's thesis was entitled "Community Impact: Murals and Public Art." It's more than a theoretical topic for her. The culmination of her project was a large scale artwork created with the Boys & Girls Club of Manatee County. 

Using the prompt "Who Are We?," participants contributed their responses, which ranged from "openminded" to "loved" to "goofball." The quotes were added after the kids had painted the whimsical images Annie sketched on 12 large square canvases. Using canvases rather than painting on a wall both facilitated the students' participation and made the work into what's effectively a portable mural. 

"Who We Are" can now be seen at Bradenton's City Hall. Before its installation, Annie had to obtain the City Council's approval. After hearing her explanation of the project, one council member noted that the mural serves as a reminder that "at the end of the day, we're all just humans trying to coexist." Who could ask for more from a project about the impact of public art on the community? 

Annie with "Red Cranes" at New College

Annie landed on the idea of creating "Who We Are" on panels not only because it was practical. It also gave the project permanence. Annie has had some first hand experience with her hard work being painted over. This of course can happen when you create artwork on someone else's property. But in this particular case, an agreement had been reached that the murals created by Annie and four other New College students would be displayed for five years, and not even two years had passed. 

Annie's "Red Cranes" was created in connection with a class on mural painting. The students had obtained the requisite approvals, including that of the Landscape & Signage Committee. I feel confident that teacher Kim Anderson had also agreed upon the parameters of the project with the administration before offering the course. So what happened? I'm betting you can guess. 

Richard Corcoran arrived as interim president of New College in January 2023, compliments of DeSantis. It wasn't long before the walls on which the murals lived were painted white as part of Corcoran's campus "beautification" program. Call me cynical, but could the fact that some of the murals related to issues of diversity and cultural heritage have been a factor in the decision? Annie's mural celebrated her Chinese heritage, with the red-crowned cranes symbolizing happiness, good luck, marital happiness and, somewhat ironically, longevity. I'll move on from my incipient rant now, but to read more on this topic, click here.

"The Essence of Sarasota" -- mural at Art Center Sarasota Mural
by Annie Dong and Boys & Girls Club of Manatee County participants

The mural Annie created for the back of Art Center Sarasota's building -- with the assistance once again of kids from the Boys & Girls Club of Manatee County -- also has a finite life. Annie received the commission after answering a call to artists put out by the Art Center to create a mural that would be in place for two years. She said she was shocked when she was selected because she knew many nationally and internationally known mural artists had applied and she was a newcomer to the mural scene. 

Before the young artists arrived to start painting, Annie drew her design on the wall. The kids then selected the shape they wanted to paint or the color they wanted to use and Annie directed them to their spot. To see the mural come to life, click here for a short time lapse video. It's inspiring to see the process - and almost looks simple enough that I could have participated. 

Annie with "I Promise"

I'll leave you with a giclee of a mural Annie created in honor of her grandmother. Annie was born in the United States, but her earliest memories are of life in China. Her parents had moved from their native country to Florida to make a better life for themselves. But having a baby at home made it challenging for the young immigrants. And so Annie's parents made the difficult decision to send her to live with her grandmother in China until it was time for her to start school. 

Annie's transition to life in the United States as a grade schooler wasn't easy. She spoke no English, so it was difficult to make friends. In fact, the kids often made fun of her, something a child can understand whether or not they speak the same language. She turned to the school's art studio as a form of solace. There she summoned memories of the flora and fauna of China, capturing these images in bright colors that jumped off the paper. Her art retains this vestige of her earliest days as an artist. 

"I Promise" shows Annie's hand interwoven with that of her grandmother in a pinkie promise. I don't know what the vow they made was. But I do know that Annie's grandmother must be proud of the fact that Annie is following her dream while simultaneously shining a light on her culture and creating community. 

Be on the lookout for Annie's art both around Sarasota and in other locations across the state. In addition to her exterior murals, she's been busy doing commissions to perk up some businesses' interior space. Annie is particularly enthused about her mural at Salt Your Soul here in Sarasota, which you can watch come to life by clicking here. And for more of Annie's work, click here. 

The Art of Translation: Monica Lavin and D.P. Snyder

Author Monica Lavin and translator D.P. Snyder

"Translation is not a word for word, grain for grain process. It's an art." So said D.P. (Dorothy) Snyder at a recent event sponsored by the Hermitage Artist Retreat. Having learned about her process of translating Monica Lavin's work, I am on board with including translators -- at least the best ones -- within the definition of an artist. 

Snyder explained that it's the job of the translator to capture not only the meaning, but the feeling of the words on the page. Her goal is to feel the same way she did when she read the book in its original language. She asks herself, "Does it make my heart beat the same way? Do the same things surprise me or make me cry?" If not, there's more work to be done.

It's also important that the translation doesn't sound like, well, a translation. The narrative must flow in the same way. And the words must evoke their intended meaning. Sometimes that means leaving words in their original language. Snyder gave an example in which she struggled with translating the word "honey" (the term of endearment, not the sugar) from English to Spanish. After much consideration, she landed on the word "dear." Close, but no cigar. So she left "honey" in the text. After all, readers could always use google to translate if it was a word with which they are not familiar. As she talked about this decision, I could see how carefully she had considered what might seem to be an insignificant choice. But capturing the nuances is required if the translation is going to be true to the original text. 

Lavin has been an active participant in Snyder's process. The relationship between the two women began years go when Snyder contacted Lavin about translating one of her books. Since then, they have become good friends in addition to work partners. While being friends isn't crucial for a good translation, it certainly helps the translator get on the same wavelength as the author. It also facilitates the author's involvement in the translation process when a particularly thorny issue comes up. This availability isn't a given. Some authors have moved on to their next project and don't have the time (or the interest) to work with a translator. The book might be being translated into 19 different languages and having the author involved isn't practical. Or, of course, the author might be dead. This last scenario is particularly challenging, with more than the usual amount of research being required.

Snyder is herself a writer of short stories and, in a surprise plot twist, Lavin has translated some of those stories into Spanish. It was yet another thing the women talked about when they were hunkered down at the Hermitage during Tropical Storm Debby. I can envision it now. Two writers, alone in an unfamiliar environment with a storm raging outside. Candles have been lit in case the power gives out. They huddle together talking about language and the art of translation. They talk about their lives. And they wish they knew where the wine was kept. Needless to say, living through this intense experience together deepened their relationship even more. 

By the end of the talk, I had a much greater appreciation of how intricate the translation process is. It  made me wonder about the accuracy of translations in live situations. How can the subtleties of language be communicated when translators have no time to contemplate their word choices? I always laugh when watching an interview with a Spanish speaking baseball player after a game when the player answers a question with a long string of words and the translator responds, "Yes, he was happy with that play" or something similar. Of course, there's nothing at stake there. But what about in the context of international relations?  What is getting lost in the translation?  It's not hard to imagine how the lack of nuance could become an issue. Just something else to chew on when you're awake in the middle of the night. 

Thanks to the Hermitage for sponsoring another fun and thought-provoking event. And I neglected to mention that the event was appropriately held at Bookstore1. Support your local independent bookstore, whether you're buying a work in translation or the latest beach read. It makes a difference. 

Recommended Reads

It's the time of year when things start slowing down. Truthfully, I was kind of ready not to be on the run so much, but it does leave some time to fill. What to do except pick up a good book?  Read on for some recent reads I'd recommend. 

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore -- This is one of the hot books of the summer, and there's a reason for that. If you're in the mood for a good mystery/family drama, this is the book for you. 

The story is set at a summer camp in the Adirondacks. The time is 1975, with a second plotline dating back to 1961. It's not a major spoiler to tell you that two children from the family that owns the camp go missing in those years. The family in question has wealth almost beyond imagine, but as we know, wealth and happiness don't always go hand in hand. That's all I want to tell you, except that I found myself reading at all times of the day and night to find out what happens. 

On second thought, I do have one more tidbit to share -- a bit of mythology Moore drops into the book. Pan is the Greek god of the wilds of nature, and the word "panic" is derived from said god's name and his ability to cause terror. Given the role the woods play in the story, this little bit of etymology fit right in.   

This is one blockbuster that warrants the attention it's received. And when you've finished the book, you can watch the Barnes & Noble interview with Moore (and author Kiley Reid) if you're so inclined by clicking here. It's super interesting. 

The Last Animal by Ramona Ausubel -- I am truly baffled about this book not getting more (actually, hardly any) press. I happened to see the novel on a table at Barnes & Noble, checked out the first couple of pages and decided to give it a try. It's a real gem. 

The story starts with a widow and her two teenage daughters in Siberia on a scientific expedition. Not exactly the summer vacation the girls had hoped for. But their mother is with a team of researchers working to find the remains of a wooly mammoth. (Yes, wolly mammoths are extinct, which makes it a difficult task.)  Their objective is to harvest genetic material from the mammoth and create a new type of test tube baby -- a cold-adapted elephant. 

I know -- it sounds gripping. But trust me when I say these girls are not your average teenage kids. Having spent much of their young lives traveling around the world with their parents for their work, the girls are self-sufficient and smart and quite funny. I don't want to spoil the pleasure of reading this book, so no more details. But I will say that it is wholly different from yet reminiscent of "Lessons in Chemistry," with a single mother working in the science field, precocious children and an animal for the ages. Read it! 

"Headshot" by Rita Bullwinkel -- "Headshot" is on the longlist for the Booker Prize and is a real knock out of a read. (Feel free to groan.) It has also been named a Best Book of 2024 So Far by the NYT Book Review and has been recommended by NPR, Vulture and The Guardian. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that it is Bullwinkel's first novel. 

The story takes place in a boxing gym in Reno, Nevada. It is not an upscale gym. The lights flicker; the walls are dirty; and I can't even imagine what the ladies' room looks like. And there's a reason I mention the ladies' room. Readers are dropped into a world where eight young women -- none older than 18 -- have come to box for the title of winner of The Daughter of America Cup national title. 

The book is brutal. There's no getting around the inclusion of violence in a story about boxing. But what's fascinating is the story within the story. We get a look into each girl's psyche as she fights for the title. We learn how she got into the sport, what drives her, and what's going through her head as she weaves and bobs and punches -- and gets hit over and over. It doesn't give anything away to tell you that Andi Taylor, one of the boxers in the first match, has a summer job as a lifeguard and a four year boy just drowned under her watch. It's right there on the first page of the book. Talk about a way to thrust readers right into these young women's lives.  

I get that this is not a book for everyone. But if it sounds the least bit up your alley, give it a try. 

Happy reading!