I think about Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing and it’s narrative structure a lot. A beautiful piece of historical fiction that follows the descendants of two half sisters with each chapter jumping ahead a generation to introduce a new character. Intricately plotted and wonderfully written.

Sure, you’ve been stuck inside for a month but you still have nothing in Count Alexander Rostov!!! Would you like to read a book about an aristocrat who is sentenced to house arrest in a hotel while decade of Russian history unfolds outside his walls? If so you’d be hard pressed to do better than A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW. This book is a blast and will remind you that time alone need not be time wasted. AND REMEMBER NOW IS A GREAT TIME TO SUPPORT LOCAL BOOK STORES. MOST OF THEM SHIP!

If you’ve never read this book now is a great time not just because it’s wonderful but because there are a lot of short chapters so if you’re a parent thinking, “how the hell am I supposed to read a book with everything else going on” just know if you can find ten minutes you’re banging out a chapter maybe two, depending on how fast a reader you are. But really, it’s wonderful and remember MOST LOCAL BOOKSTORES WILL DELIVER AND THEY NEED YOUR BUSINESS NOW MORE THAN EVER!

A few years ago @pronounced_ing was on the show and told me Reese Witherspoon had bought the rights to her wonderful book “Little Fires Everywhere.” I assumed she was lying because ALL WRITERS ARE LIARS but lo and behold it’s a miniseries on Hulu premiering next week. Kerry Washington is in it too! Anyway you have five days to be one of those people who read the book first i.e. the best kind of person (as long as you don’t lord it over everyone)

Today’s book rec is “Black Friday” by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. A great collection of short stories. The titular “Black Friday” is the most harrowing story about working retail you will ever read.

Book recs! The Martin Beck police mysteries are fast fun reads. They were a gift from @johnmulaney who knows a thing or two about economical writing! My personal favorite is “The Laughing Policeman” (not pictured!) but they’re all great. Also they were co-written by two authors who wrote alternate chapters which sounds insane but totally worked.