Refresh, Refresh, Refresh!

A sampling of covers from Sewickley’s Penguin Bookshop reading recommendations

Yes, contemporary screen life is nifty, but there are only so many episodes you can bingewatch and so many Instagram personalities to fetishize. Time-tested diversions like BOOKS (remember them?) are making a comeback. Susan Hans O’Connor, owner of Sewickley’s Penguin Bookshop, and her wonderful crew, make some recommendations for your Spring reading list.

If you call them during business hours, they will take a credit card order and leave your package on the bench outside the window at a time of your choosing. Just call 412.741.3838.

Susan recommends.:

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy: now is the time to read a tempestuous classic classic!

Afterlife by Julia Alveraz: An intimate family story about struggling with loss and finding strength

A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende : A poignant story of overcoming odds and finding true love, told in a clear-eyed and bracing style.

How to be an Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi:  Now more than ever we need to understand that neutrality cannot change the world.

Lisa recommends:

The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel:  Seemingly disparate characters and situations are linked through their connections to an ultra high end hotel in a remote locale in British Columbia.  Abruptly changing life circumstances and opportunities make this a timely and reflective read.  Mandel is a wonderful writer; I would also highly recommend her earlier novel, Station Eleven.

The River by Peter Heller:  Look no further if you're interested in a well written, perilous adventure/mystery set north of the border on a wild river.

The Lost Man by Jane Harper:  Set in the Australian outback, this atmospheric mystery will keep you guessing.  Well developed characters and beautifully described scenery make this a pleasurable and immersive read.

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett: Scheduled for public release on June 2, this is the most memorable book I've read in a long time.  Identical twin sisters born and raised in a southern black community, choose vastly different paths when they run away together at the age of 16.  Questions of racial identity, family, empowerment and more are seamlessly woven throughout this beautiful narrative, and will remain with you long after the last page is turned.

Bobbi recommends:

The Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. A man who spends most of his life in house arrest in a fancy hotel can be relatable as we are confined to our homes. 

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel is a novel about a global pandemic that wipes out most of the population. The characters struggle to keep music and theater alive despite the new gritty world. 

The Fifth Risk by Michael Lewis drives home the importance of government preparedness.  

Mary recommends:

Mornings With Rosemary by Libby Page   A feel-good story between two generations of women coming together to help a community save a treasure.

A Well-Behaved Woman by Therese Anne Fowler   A beautiful love story set in the late 1800's between Alma Smith and William Vanderbilt.

The Friend by Sigrid Nunez  A story of how a dog and its new owner take care of each other.  This story is filled with  love, friendship, grief, healing and the magical bond between a woman and her new dog.

Nelson Mandela I Know This To Be True   For inspiration and a look at real leadership.

https://www.penguinbookshop.com

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