Gasoline Books Newsletter #4
Going Big
Hear me out: There are two schools of readers. One group relishes in long, epic novels with sweeping plots and books that weigh more than the baggage I excavate in my weekly therapy session. The second tends to shy away from books longer than there are days of the year. I mostly belong to the second group (proudly!) but on occasion trip into a Big hole. It happens. Even a lazy book lover such as myself can fall victim to the attraction of mega-novel to get lost in. Disassociation by way of fiction is a slippery slope.
Anyway. Big books, for all of their delicious storylines and character development, can get a bad rep. They’re heavy, first of all, and require something resembling undivided attention for an extended period of time. A commitment. And, if you’re a time-poor bibliophile like me, there’s the issue of figuring out what to reach for, what’s worth the time — and unintentional bicep curls. That’s why I’ve listed below the best starter Big books and chatted with a fellow IG book lover on how to pick the right Biggie for you. Happy reading!
Book Rec of the Month
Ever the rebel, the book I’m going to tell you about is not, in fact, a Big book. But what it lacks in stature it certainly makes up for in plot, prose, and well, all the feels. Last year, I read “The Night Watchman” by Louise Erdrich. While I appreciated the overall story, I have to admit, it didn’t blow my socks off as it did for many others. Erdrich is a writer I greatly respect and admire, however. And with the co-sign of Nashville’s local literati, Ann Patchett, I decided to give Erdrich’s “The Sentence” a whirl.
Boy, am I glad I did. Since finishing the book, which clocks in at a pristine 374 pages (not including the robust reading list shared at the end — RIP my Goodread’s TBR list), I’ve been screaming from the rooftops that, if a perfect novel were to exist, this ranks high on the list. I was sorry when I finished, but couldn’t stop the compulsive reading that Erdrich compelled within the pages.
The book opens with our protagonist, Tookie stealing a dead body as a favor for a friend. Tookie has now established the bar that I expect all friends to adhere to from here on out, jkjk. Anyway, things dissolve quickly for our unlikely heroine, finding herself behind bars with a ton of free time — but not freedom. That’s like, the first 30 pages, y’all. It only gets better.
I don’t want to give away too much (DM me for spoilers), but Erdrich manages to not only achieve the herculean feat of making an unlikeable character lovable, she swings from interpersonal anguish to community devastation with grace and compassion for real people who have endured those traumas. We see Tookie evolve through the chapters, learning grace from the people she encounters at the independent bookshop where she works. We root for her as she then pays it forward and navigates the terrible reality that was the pandemic.
I had forgotten how dizzying those early days were. Erdrich holds that terror within the pages as if it were the palm of her hand. She doesn’t squeeze too tightly and honors the pain, fear, and mass loss that we all webbed across the world.
Oh, and there’s a ghost situation.
This isn’t some sappy, woe-is-me novel, though. It’s also not some cheap-trick horror jaunt, either. There’s humor, there’s levity, and love, lots of it. Erdrich careens around corners of gimmicks like ghost stories and social injustice studies with the ease of a veteran race car driver. Nothing comes off preachy or overly political (though by precedent, these are political matters). She puts a face to an experience. After finishing this one, you’ll feel as if you enjoyed a wonderful meal with friends. Full, tired, and nourished.
Read If: If your life has been feeling stranger than fiction.
Reading Lists
As promised, behold the list of Bigs. For the sake of my sanity and your scrolling finger, I stuck to fiction, though it’s worth shouting there are plenty of lengthy non-fiction worth the lift (literally). These titles range in themes, but they all have one thing in common: You won’t be bored.
“The Love Songs of W.E.B. Dubois” - Honorée Fanonne Jeffers
“Harlem Shuffle” - Colson Whitehead
“Underworld” - Don Delillo
“Swing Time” - Zadie Smith
“A Little Life” - Hanya Yanagihara
“The Goldfinch” - Donna Tartt
“The Water Dancer” - Ta-Nehisi Coates
“Atlas Shrugged” - Ayn Rand
“The Historian” - Elizabeth Kostova
“4 3 2 1” - Paul Auster
“The Stand” - Stephen King
Social Scene
When I stumbled upon Emily’s booksta account, Little Waller, I was immediately drawn into her dedicated aesthetic, inviting reading recs, and swoon-worthy reviews. With the wide range of books featured on her page, I knew she was just the person to dish on how to break into Biggies. Below, check out her tips and takes on reading Big (and where to get started).
Her Best Starter Biggie: “The Secret History'' by Donna Tartt. It’s suspenseful, gritty characters, fast-paced; a modern classic!
Biggie That She Thinks All of Booksta Is Sleeping On: “The Other Bennet Sister” by Janice Hadlow. Ironically, a slept-on book that explores Mary, the overlooked middle daughter of the ‘Pride and Prejudice’ household.
Her Tips to Stick to a Lengthier Read:
Clear your reading schedule when tackling a long read and make that book your only focus. Trying to read other (likely shorter) books at the same time will only distract from the biggie.
Find a reading buddy to navigate the long read with. Set ‘checkpoints’ at which you’ll group together and discuss the story. Can be a huge help with motivation and reading discipline.