The Book Report: Washington Post critic Ron Charles (March 19)

Washington Post book author, book critic Ron Charles

As you search for what to read next spring, consider a few titles I’ve enjoyed recently:

Curtis Sittenfeld’s new novel, “Romantic Comedy” (Random House) is – surprise! – romantic comedy.

It’s about a woman named Sally who writes sketches for a TV show like “Saturday Night Live.” She’s determined to never fall in love with anyone at the studio again, but then a hot pop star arrives to host the show, and Sally can’t figure out if this is the real thing or a punchline.

READ THE EXCERPT: “Romantic Comedy” by Curtis Sittenfeld

“Romantic Comedy” by Curtis Sittenfeld (Random House), in hardcover, large print, e-book and audio formats, available April 4 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Indiebound

curtissittenfeld.com

Rebecca Makkai’s new novel makes us think about how stories about murdered women are turned into gruesome entertainment.

“I have a few questions for you” (Viking) begins when a popular podcaster is invited to teach at her old prep school. Returning to campus, he begins to reminisce about the death of his high school roommate and the sloppy investigation that sent the black man to prison.

More than 20 years later, could re-examining the case bring justice or just more mystery?

READ THE EXTRACT: “I Have a Few Questions for You” by Rebecca Makkai

“I Have Some Questions for You” by Rebecca Makkai (Viking), in hardcover, e-book, and audio formats, available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound

rebeccamakkai.com

“Birnam Tree” (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) is Eleanor Catton’s first novel since she won the Booker Prize in 2013 for The Luminaries.

This time, Catton has delivered a thriller that revolves around a plot in New Zealand. Some radical environmentalists want to use the land for a free vegetable garden, but an American billionaire nearby is stealing minerals worth a fortune.

Both sides think they can exploit and deceive the other, but the results are a deadly disaster.

READ THE PASSAGE: “The Birnam Tree” by Eleanor Catton

“Birnam Wood” by Eleanor Catton (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux), in hardcover, large print, e-book, and audio formats, available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound

Poets have always spoken their lines aloud, but about 50 years ago a collection of voices emerged that created spoken word poetry, a vibrant new form of expression, celebration and resistance that has attracted millions of fans.

Joshua Bennett, one of the genre’s most exciting and knowledgeable writers, provides a broad cultural history of the form in his new book “spoken word” (Knopf). It’s a story that takes him from the Obama White House to Broadway to street corners and coffee shops across the country to hear the song of America.

READ THE EXCERPT: “The Spoken Word: A Cultural History” by Joshua Bennett

“Spoken Word: A Cultural History” by Joshua Bennett (Knopf), in hardcover, large print, e-book, and audio formats, available March 28 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound

drjoshuabennett.com

For more suggestions on what to read, contact your librarian or local bookseller.

That’s it for the Book Report. I’m Ron Charles. Until next time, read on!

For more information:

For more reading recommendations, check out these previous Book Report features by Ron Charles:

Produced by Robin Sanders and Roman Feeser.