“What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven’t even happened yet.” Anne Frank
Happy New Year! What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best books of our lives haven’t even been read yet. Looking back on 2023, books like Demon Copperhead, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Hello Beautiful, The River We Remember, and The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store were some of the best reads of my middle-aged life. Such a great reading year for this old girl. I hope 2024 is equally grand! If my Christmas haul is any indicator, I’m off to a remarkable start, I can tell. Let’s begin with the darling, the aficionado, the two at twenty-seven brainchild—my girl Rae’s perfectly wrapped hardcover under the tree was Anne Berest’s The Postcard. This biographical fiction has earned prizes and bright stars from thousands, but Rae’s stamp of approval is all I need. Can’t wait to dig in. Rae and I both received The Covenant of Water from our study abroad pal, Tam. I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about Verghese’s latest. (I need a vacay and some sunscreen to get after it.) The future looks bright.
I finished out the reading year the way I started it—with an author who was new to me. Daniel Mason, you are an absolute winner! The fact that Mason’s a real wonder boy shouldn’t come as a surprise. He is a physician who studied at Harvard and beyond, while writing novels and winning prizes (including Pulitzer Prize finalist). Oh, and he teaches literature at Stanford on the side. I mean honestly. Gifted in both the left and right hemispheres? I am here to tell you the man can write. There were moments in North Woods where I felt completely transported back to New England. Mason provides the history of a cabin-turned-home deep in Massachusett’s woods, dating back to Puritan times. We meet a succession of people who occupy the yellow house amid the ash, the elm, the hemlocks, and the unforgettable chestnut trees. (And apple-obsessed Osgood’s orchard.) Mason shines a light on a variety of memorable characters over the centuries. Some owners feel an uncanny connection to nature. Others to previous owners in their ghostly state. I have no words for the magic Mason creates. So I’ll defer to a trusted lit guru or two. From Anthony Marra: “North Woods is a sui generis work of pure brilliance… a universal story of loss and reclamation. It’s the best book I’ve read in ages.” Abraham Verghese had this to say: “North Woods is the most original and spellbinding novel I’ve read in ages. Mason makes bramble, brush, and orchard come alive with the spirits of their unforgettable former inhabitants. Their lives . . . had me glued to my seat.” From me: What a perfect way to finish up 2023.