STEVE’s staff picks!
AUNT JULIA AND THE SCRIPTWRITER by Mario Vargas Llosa, translated by Helen R. Lane
This novel starts with Marito starting a relationship with his divorced Aunt Julia and befriending Pedro, a writer of radio soap operas. As the story progress, the relationship becomes more complicated and the soap operas more and more outrageous. A charming warmhearted novel.
A GENERAL THEORY OF OBLIVION by Jose Eduardo Agualusa, translated by Daniel Hahn
A journalist who investigates disappearances, a man who dies and is reborn, diamonds, a woman who locks herself in her apartment for over thirty years, a pigeon, soldiers, prisoners, musicians, and children. All of these will connect and reconnect in a variety of ways in this novel set against the Angolan War of Independence. People become successful, lose friends, gain families, hope to be forgotten, find forgiveness
THE HAUNTING OF TRAM CAR 015 by P. Djèlí Clark
Two agents of the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities investigate a haunted tram car. As entertaining as their investigation is, the real star of this book is the setting. A magical alternate historical Cairo with steampunk vibes. There's a wonderful diversity in the characters, folklore, and religions. Clark creates a world that feels lived in. This book is a delight.
PICTURES AT A REVOLUTION by Mark Harris
One of my favorite film books. Harris follows the five Best Picture nominees of 1968 from their very beginnings to the Academy Awards ceremony. All the entertaining behind the scenes anecdotes you hope for are here but he also uses the films to show how Hollywood, and America, was changing at the time. This book is so much fun. It'll make you want to go to the movies.