Alias Reader’s Comments (group member since Oct 29, 2008)

Alias Reader’s comments from the Book Nook Cafe group.

#144 Joy wrote:

"Switzy by Emma Cline ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

David is losing himself, his periods of lucidity increasingly fractured by mind wanderings, confusion, time loss, and outbursts of..."

very good review, Joy. Despite the book being on the Booker Long list and the National Book Award list I've been hesitant to read it as I thought it would be way too depressing. After reading your review and your rating I think I may give it a shot.

Thank you !

Kathryn wrote:

I have recently published a memoir that I wrote to help me process a family betrayal that happened three years ago. If anyone wants to read it and have a conversation with me after, a meet and greet so to speak. I would love to be part of a book club discussion. One thing that is important for you to know is that I am donating a portion of the proceeds of the book to a foundation that supports veterans. The book is 1000 Pieces: A Memoir of Love, Loss and Finding Forgiveness.
...."

Thank you for sharing with us Kathryn. Best of luck with your memoir.

Barbara Kingsolver's new book is Partita, a novel published on October 6, 2026, by Harper

Partita by Barbara Kingsolver

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Demon Copperhead, a story of a brief, passionate, life-changing love affair, wrapped up in what might be the greatest romance of all: our eternal human longing for art and beauty.

Livia Cable has made her peace with her marriage and modest livelihood in the farm country where she grew up, until a shocking phone call from an old lover shakes her to the core. Decades earlier, this man knew her as Livia Bohusz, a music conservatory student estranged from her home and family, uncertain of anything except her passion for music and promise as an extraordinary pianist. His request, now, to see her again stirs up ghosts she’s kept at bay for a lifetime.

Shifting between past and present, Livia’s decision to meet or reject the reunion means confronting step by step, in memories framed as musical dances, the experiences of childhood loss, abandonment, self-immolating passion, and perilous attachment to a man who broke her belief in love and ruptured the course of her life.

With razor-sharp acuity and deep affection, Pulitzer Prize winner Barbara Kingsolver’s unforgettable new novel reflects on class barriers, the risks of ambition, and the timeless, life-changing power of art.

Pages 349

Here are the finalists for the 2026 National Book Awards


The winners of the National Book Awards will be announced Nov. 18, 2026.

Prizes & Recognition

• Winners: Each category winner receives $10,000, a bronze medal, and a bronze sculpture. (For Translated Literature, the $10,000 prize is split evenly between the author and the translator).

• Finalists: Each of the five finalists per category receives $1,000, a bronze medal, and a citation



---- Fiction----

Hannah Lillith Assadi, Paradiso 17
Paradiso 17

Edwidge Danticat, Dèy
Dèy

Julián Delgado Lopera, Pretend You're Dead and I Carry You
Pretend You're Dead and I Carry You

Valeria Luiselli, Beginning Middle End
Beginning Middle End

Morgan Thomas, Mad Eden
Mad Eden


-----Nonfiction-----

Colin Asher, The Midnight Special: The Secret Prison History of American Music
The Midnight Special: The Secret Prison History of American Music

Abdelrahman ElGendy, Huna: A Memoir of Revolution, Prison, and Becoming
Huna: A Memoir of Revolution, Prison, and Becoming

Camonghne Felix, Let the Poets Govern: A Declaration of Freedom
Let the Poets Govern: A Declaration of Freedom

Sara Nović, Mother Tongue
Let the Poets Govern: A Declaration of Freedom

Joseph Osmundson, Spawning Season: An Experiment in Queer Parenthood
Spawning Season: An Experiment in Queer Parenthood


----Poetry----

Victoria Chang, Tree of Knowledge

Carolina Ebeid, Hide

Brenda Hillman, Still House in the Desert: An eco-contemplation

Fady Joudah, Exhibit G: Poems, Essays, and Photographs of Gaza
Susan Stewart, Bramble


------Translated Literature-----

Karl Ove Knausgaard, The School of Night, translated from the Norwegian by Martin Aitken

Vicente Luis Mora, Centroeuropa, translated from the Spanish by Rahul Bery

Intan Paramaditha, Night of a Thousand Hells, translated from the Indonesian by Stephen J. Epstein and Tiffany Tsao

Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, Pure Men, translated from the French by Lara Vergnaud

Samar Yazbek, Your Presence Is a Danger to Your Life: Voices of Survival and Witness in Gaza, translated from the Arabic by Leri Price


-----Young People's Literature-----

Elana K. Arnold, Holloway

Tae Keller, When Tomorrow Burns

Keala Kendall, That Which Feeds Us: A Hawaiian Gothic

David Levithan and Gabriel Duckels, The Fight of Our Lives: AIDS in America
Julian Randall, Shook

https://www.npr.org/2026/10/06/nx-s1-...

madrano wrote:
DH says to tell you to "give 'em hell, Alias!"
"

I will !

I totally understand times are terrible for newspapers and I do want to support the NYT, however my budget is super tight.

#130 Denise wrote:
"I think fans of SciFi and series books would enjoy the series, but I am not invested/interested enough to continue. I like the premise of the Foundation and the way Seldon set up the Crises to be resolved, but I don't want to wade through more books to see how it ends."

I appreciate the honest review, Denise.

Author and former politician Jeffrey Archer dies aged 86

Bestselling author and former politician Jeffrey Archer has died at the age of 86.

Archer sold more than 300 million books in his five-decade writing career, including the Clifton Chronicles and Kane and Abel, and often set the novels in his home town of Wellington, Somerset.

In a statement, Archer's publisher HarperCollins said the author died "suddenly and peacefully at home" on Monday between writing sessions.

The former Conservative MP was jailed for perjury in 2001 after being found guilty of lying and cheating in his 1987 libel case against the Daily Star.

full article
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckj...

#122 Denise wrote:
"IBtw, this book was banned for some of the dumbest reasons ever. The caterpillar’s binge is supposed to promote eating disorders and contribute to childhood obesity...."

:( There are no words for this stupidity.

#50 John wrote: "Late to the party! You all have so many interesting reads and comments it'd be easier to post mine now, comment individually later.

As always, a nice mix of books, John.

Sorry the first two didn't work out.

I'm putting Easy Beauty on my TBR list.

Thanks or sharing !

#45 Susan from MD wrote: "I finished the book Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather.

I read this book many years ago and rated it..."

Solid review, Susan. I agree it's a great read and I also gave it 5 stars.

Well done, Denise !

Julie wrote: "
Automatic Noodle
by Annalee Newitz
4/5 stars
Wonderful book about a group of robots that take over an abandoned ghost kitchen..."

:) "A cozy near-future novella about a crew of leftover robots opening their very own noodle shop." I see it's under 200 pages. I may check it out when I need a light read. Thanks !

#1707 James wrote:
Shomeret, I strongly recommend Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard, (dramatized last year on Netflix as the equally excellent "Death By Lightning")..."

Thank you for mentioning the show on Netflix . I will check it out.

1706 madrano wrote: "The biography i read about him was The Unexpected President: The Life and Times of Chester A. Arthur--Scott S. Greenberger. My overall notes stated that the author didn't give me enough about his childhood for my satisfaction, but overall i thought it was fine. I also noted that the presidency turned his life and some opinions around quite a bit.."

Sorry to hear the author didn't explore more on his childhood. :(
Still, I am glad to hear this is still a good bio to consider when doing the challenge. Thanks!

JoAnn wrote: "Goodreads is rolling out half-star and quarter-star rating options for user reviews and ratings."

About time. Before GR was sold and we had a forum to ask questions this was always something asked for.

Now I hope they will update this antiquated website !

#114 James wrote: I gave them all 4 stars. Characters feel very real, as does the setting -- and often when I thought that I knew what was going to happen next, I was wrong. Tana French is a tremendous writer with an excellent ear and a strong voice.

Alias, I wil say that all three are north of 450 pages, which I recall might be an issue, but I never felt that any of them dragged even a little bit."

Thanks, James. I added book #1 to my TBR. The Book Riot podcast mentioned Tana French and the book published this March.
The Keeper

Depending on the author, writing style and the pace, I probably can deal with 450 or so pages.

#113 Shomeret wrote:
I answered a questionnaire to discover which banned book I am and discovered I was 1984. I liked that result."

I took the quiz and also am 1984. :)

#105 Barbara wrote: " [book:Freedom's Daughters: How a Generation of Black Women Resisted Opp..."

Excellent review, Barbara. I do appreciate all the hard work you put into it.

#104 Barbara wrote:

"I didn't read The Searcher but I've read books 2 and 3..."

Thanks, Barbara.

#456 James wrote: "#446, #450, re New York Times subs . . .

I pay $30 a month for an All-Access NYT electronic subscription, which includes . . .
(their summary below, with my comments):

• News: Unlimited digital..."

I need to call them up ! I also do digital. But it's not unlimited. No sports, cooking.

I pay $30. This started at $12 and has gone up and up. :(

and I don't get spelling bee ! :(

Thanks or the information, James.