Hear about the great books, new and old, that our wonderful staff have been enjoying.
Tina has been reading:
Slaughterhouse 5
Kurt Vonnegut
This book is a must-read for history and sci-fi enthusiasts. Vonnegut crafts a compelling narrative, blending time travel with vivid recollections of World War II, to capture the horror of war and PTSD.
Rather than focusing on gruesome battles, Vonnegut sheds light on the life of soldiers post-war and, importantly, shows that experience from their viewpoint. Slaughterhouse 5 is truly an incredible amalgamation of non-fiction and fiction, and an imaginative exploration of the harsh realities of war.
Tina Nguyen is a member of the 2025 Readings Teen Advisory Board.
Chris has been reading:
Nightingale
Laura Elvery
I finished reading this superb novel late at night, which was a mistake because I couldn’t even consider sleeping without seeing Florence Nightingale’s bedroom in my mind. I found the images in this book so beautifully formed that I’m not sure if I will ever be free of them. Perhaps visions of soldiers dying in beds, lovers with broken hearts, and Sister Nightingale will now forever haunt me. It is possible that was the author's intention. Either way this novel is a tender, creative force and utterly, wonderfully original. I recommend reading it with all my heart.
Aurelia has been reading:
This Sweet Sickness
Patricia Highsmith
I will never be tired of reading Patricia Highsmith's stories of obsession, madness, and murder. This Sweet Sickness possessed everything I love about her ruthless protagonists and yet each of her books surprises me with something so wickedly ingenious every time!
