Why Read Kafka? Boswellian Keith Rutowski Considers a Century-Old Question

From Keith: 

"One hundred years have passed since the death of Franz Kafka, and published to mark centennial year is Selected Stories, a new collection of Kafka's shorter work, edited and translated by Mark Harman, published by Belknap Press. This collection includes brand-new English translations of some of his best stories, plus a 65-page biographical introduction, photographs of Kafka and his world, and nearly 40 pages of scholarly notes that provide insightful context and commentary. There’s more than enough here to satisfy both Kafka admirers and those new to his work. But why should any of us read Kafka a century after his death?

"The exceptional Gabriel García Márquez said that it was his discovery of Kafka’s work that granted him permission to bend reality and invent new worlds of his own in the service of delivering a deeper truth (As in, 'I didn’t know anyone was allowed to write things like that.') I’ve found that many readers tend to form personal attachments to Kafka’s work. For those who revere it, we tend to love it fiercely; we tend to read him as if he was writing only for us, corresponding in confidence with each one of us. However, I was still somehow unprepared for how emotionally overwhelmed I would feel rereading his masterpieces 'The Transformation' and 'A Hunger Artist.'

"The stories in this collection are fables that lack tidy resolutions or singular and easily definable lessons. They’re disquieting, oneiric fairytales, characterized by an unparalleled capturing of the feelings of inadequacy, frustration, and alienation. They’re oblique, open-ended meditations on themes such as the nature of crime and punishment, our conception of performance and authenticity, and the power dynamics inherent in personal relationships and social structures—all shot through with moments of wry, grim humor.

"Kafka is an author who intimately understood our existential pain, and he possessed the imagination, audacity, and skill to express it in inimitable prose. His art serves as a testament of solidarity with those who suffer and endure life’s absurdities and indignities. For all these reasons, Kafka’s work is essential and eternal."

Staff Recommendations, Week of August 27, 2024

 

It's the last week of August, and folks, it is a scorcher. Our first recommendation this week is to find a shady spot to stay cool with a book. Or, hey, for the sun worshippers out there, find a place to catch some rays as you flip pages - just stay hydrated as you do. And what books should you pick for this mission? Glad you asked.

Our first staff rec this weeks comes from Kathy Herbst. She recommends The Dark Wives, the latest Vera Stanhope mystery by Ann Cleeves. Kathy says: "She's back! Vera Stanhope, difficult and contentious, is also a brilliant and tenacious detective. The 11th book in the series dives deep into the reality of residential homes for troubled teenagers, focusing on the murder of a care worker and the disappearance of Chloe, who goes missing from the home the night of the murder. Are the two linked and, if so, how? This is the mystery that Vera and her team must solve by chipping away bit by bit to get at the truth. Excellent addition to this series."

Next up, it's the extraordinarily titled new YA novel from Ransom Riggs, Sunderworld, Vol. I: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry. It comes with Jen Steele's recommendation. Jen says: "Did you ever daydream of being transported to your favorite fantasy world, to maybe even be the chosen one to save the day? For Leopold Berry, that’s all he’s thought about since his mother’s death. Sunderworld is more than just some old 90s fantasy TV show to Leopold, it’s a connection to his mother. And now, five years later, the very characters from Sunderworld are showing up in Leopold’s world. Is this real or is it fantasy?  This was such a fun read! Hidden portals, magic, humor, and an average teenager you will root for along every disappointment that befalls him."

And now we've got a picture book for the kids and kids at heart. The title is The Boy and the Elephant, the author/illustrator is Freya Blackwood, and the rec is from Jen: "The Boy and the Elephant is a touching wordless picture book about a boy saving his friend, the tree next door, before it's cut down. Imaginative and wonderful, this would make for an engaging story time with your child."

And those are the recs. Stay cool, readers, and until next week (and the beginning of the classic fall onslaught of many, many, MANY new releases), read on.

Staff Recommendations, Week of August 20, 2024

 

Another lighter week of recommendations, with just a couple of new suggestions from the Boswellians. One book for grown folks, one picture book for the kids.

First, from Tim McCarthy, Spirit Crossing, the latest novel from William Kent Krueger. Tim says: "Maybe you've read some of Krueger's many books. The stand-alone novel This Tender Land is a favorite of mine. Spirit Crossing is the 20th Cork O'Connor mystery, a milestone in the series about a rural Minnesota private investigator. He's a former sheriff with both Irish and Ojibwe blood. Cork is loved by all but never quite fits any mold. Volume 20 involves the devastating truth that so many indigenous women disappear or die violently, and Cork’s seven-year-old grandson has communicated with a lost spirit at a woman’s newly discovered grave. Somebody out there may see the child’s connection as a threat. The novel's loving family of characters and rugged Northwoods landscape give it warmth through the tragic conflict and keep me coming back to the series. I especially needed to see how the Anishinaabe character Henry Meloux was faring at more than 100 years old. The Cork novels are full of indigenous issues. Krueger cares about them deeply, and he tells us that he knows his work is "intruding on a culture" that's not his own. That clarity freed me to enjoy his summer reading journey. The book’s love for everyone is so strong that I cried. I'm grateful. It doesn’t happen often enough."

Event alert! William Kent Krueger will be in conversation with Nick Petrie at Boswell on Saturday, September 7, 11 am for this book. Click here for more info and to register at williamkentkruegermke.eventbrite.com.

And from Jen Steele, The Ship in the Window, a picture book written by librarian Travis Jonker and illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Matthew Cordell. Jen says: "The Ship in the Window is about a small mouse with big dreams. Travis Jonker delivers a charming picture book with Cordell's timeless illustrations." 

And those are our recommendations! Check back next week for more book picks, and until then, read on.

Staff Recommendations, Week of August 13, 2024

 

Hello again, and welcome back to the weekly roundup of the reads we recommend. Just a couple new books coming your way this week, but they're good ones!

The first pick is Burn, the new novel from Peter Heller, as recommended by Kay Wosewick. Kay says: "Peter Heller’s portrayal of thoughtful, sensitive, and intelligent men grows richer with each new novel, and Burn is exceptional. Two longtime friends are on a hunting trip in Maine when they find themselves in a freshly erupted war zone. US troops are fighting local secessionists. The friends try to escape the battle, but they are forced to engage in it. Past traumas are reawakened. Un-put-downable and unforgettable."

And the second pick is Medusa, a debut novel from Nataly Gruender that's great for fans of Madeline Miller's Circe. Jen Steele recommends this one, and she says: "Nataly Gruender delivers a refreshing retelling of the Greek monster, Medusa. Told from Medusa's point of view, from daughter of a sea god to monster, there is much to know in between. Gruender doesn't shy away from Poseidon's assault and Athena's vengeance, but at its heart, Medusa is the story of a survivor and so much more than a tale to frighten men."

And those are the recs! Stop back here next week for more book picks from the Boswellians, and until then, read on.

Staff Recommendations, Week of August 6, 2024

 

Hello again, welcome back to the staff rec blog and to another new month. We've got a handful of new books for you to begin August with, so let's dive right in.

We'll start with three recs from Boswell proprietor Daniel Goldin. First, he suggests Group Living and Other Recipes: A Memoir by Lola Milholland. Daniel says: "Lola Milholland’s warm and wise memoir of an unconventional upbringing centers on the home in Portland that she shares with family, friends, and life partners. Each chapter ponders a philosophy for living, from her mom’s anti-rule driven ethos to the more structured co-housing of her aunt and uncle to the cultural sharing of Matsutake mushroom hunters. At its heart, Group Living and Other Recipes ponders what makes a community and what we can do to make that experience better. And while we’re thinking about it, let’s share a delicious meal – recipes really are included."

Milholland will be at Boswell for an event featuring Group Living and Other Recipes on Monday, September 23, 6:30 pm. Please click here to visit lolamilhollandmke.eventbrite.com to register and find more info.

Next up is Daniel's rec for Eagle Rock: An Ashe Cayne novel by Ian K Smith. Daniel says: "Ashe Cayne was an on-the-level police detective caught in a web of corruption. Pushed out of the force, he naturally started his own Chicago agency. In this fourth outing, billionaire Elliott Kantor has died, and his son wants answers. A kind-hearted widower whose great loves were family, sports, and making money, Kantor bounced back from grief with a new vitality, but how did that jibe with the death scene – Kantor tied to the posts of a bed, wearing women’s underwear? I should note something that’s unusual for contemporary male mystery writers; there are dead bodies for sure, but the gore happens offscreen. And for those who like their detective heroes on the troubled side, Cayne is not your guy – he’s a sophisticated, debonair gent who’s never too busy for a round of golf, some lighthearted flirting, or a detour into Black culture. I found the mystery engaging and Cayne charming, and I plan to read more."

Is this an event book, too? You bet it is. Smith visits Boswell on Tuesday, August 27, 6:30 pm. So click here and visit https://ianksmithmke.eventbrite.com/ for more info and registration.

Daniel also recommends non-event (though no less great) book Five-Star Stranger, the debut novel by Kat Tang. Daniel says: "Do you know how awards ceremonies have chair fillers, people who take up space when the more important people are doing whatever? Well, the Rental Stranger of Tang’s debut has a similar vocation, filling in at weddings, funerals, and other occasions where the actual needed person either can’t be there or doesn’t exist. You’ve got to please the customer – how else are you going to get a five-star rating? But you also can’t get too close to your clients, perfect for a man estranged from family and friends and still grieving the death of his mother. Two jobs threaten to upset his stasis – a long-term job pretending to be an often-traveling father for a single mom, and a new gig as an alcoholic brother to a struggling writer. Five-Star Stranger reminded me so much of the themes of Kazuo Ishiguro, the disconnect that comes with being in the act of service. I can’t believe he isn’t somewhere wondering why he didn’t think of this. Funny, perceptive, and emotionally resonant!"

Now it's over to Kay Wosewick and her notes on Hum, the new novel by Helen Phillips. Kay says: "In a near future, robots do many jobs, including customer service, hospitality, human resources, etc. A stressed family takes a three-day vacation at The Botanical Garden, a Disney-like nature resort. Something goes terribly wrong in this perfect setting, and the very cohesion of the family is in jeopardy. Hum is creepy-good because it’s almost too believable."

We hosted Phillips for a book club-esque conversation about her last novel, The Need, in which she talked about the books in a spoiler-friendly session. So, check out the video of that, but be warned, if you haven't read it yet, it will spoil the ending! 

And now, over to Jen Steele for a new picture book - the latest from Oliver Jeffers. The book is The Dictionary Story, and Jen's rec is this: "The dictionary wants to tell a story just like the other books, but things don't go quite as planned, and chaos starts to ensue. Will dictionary be able to tell a story? Read and find out! Hilarious and delightful, The Dictionary Story is a new favorite of mine and soon to be yours! Don't forget to pay extra attention to the dictionary definitions as you read along."

(apologies for the weird formatting here. Blogger and I aren't getting along well today.)

And now, how about a couple of paperback picks, too? Okay! It really is Daniel's week for book recs - we've got two paperback releases to note that come with his recommendations. First, it's Pieces of Blue by Holly Goldberg Sloan. Daniel says: "When Lindsey’s husband dies in a skiing accident, she uses the insurance money to buy a rickety motel and moves her three kids from Portland to a small Hawaiian town. They’re not just running from father Paul’s death, but a bit of shame too – the family fortunes quickly veered from easy money to financial struggles when Dad’s tech startup collapsed. Overcoming grief, adapting to change, fitting in – these are classic themes of middle-grade fiction and that’s not surprise, coming from the author of the beloved Counting by 7s. To be clear, there is far more adult perspective and enough unnerving twists to keep this out of eight-year-old hands. And yet, there is a classic kids’ book at the heart of the story, and for someone like me who likes classic kids’ books, this hit the mark. A compelling, heartwarming treat!"

Tim McCarthy is a fan of this one, too! He says: "Lindsey Hill and her three children have just arrived at Honolulu’s Daniel K Inouye International Airport, the first step to a completely new life. The death of her husband, the kids' father Paul, led to a radical plan. Buy a six-acre oceanfront property and take over an old, fading motel business from the eighty-something Hawaiian owners. Lindsey had her reasons for the unlikely leap, but the world-class sunsets come with a large dose of culture shock. The Hills are also clueless about running and maintaining a motel. It’s eight cottages and an office full of figure-it-out. While I’m no expert on perfect summer reads, I think this endearing novel surely qualifies. The characters are lovely and nicely unpredictable. I hoped and cheered for them each and every uncertain step of the way. It’s also a convincing, heartwarming, smile-inducing look at their grief and their renewal, with a slowly dawning and very mysterious turn. It drew me in and never let me go."

Daniel also recommends Mrs. Porter Calling, the third Emmy Lake novel by AJ Pearce. Daniel says: "Dear Mrs. Bird was a phenomenon when it was released; we sold more than 150 copies of the book. How can you not love Emmy Lake, the wannabe journalist with the can-do spirit in the face of adversity? After Yours Cheerfully detoured to Lake trying to help some factory women working under unsavory conditions, Mrs. Porter Calling returns to the business of Woman’s Friend magazine, which gets a new owner (Cressida, call me Egg) after the death of Lord Overton, who wants to pivot this vital source of comfort to workday women into a trifle for the well-to-do. Can Emmy and her colleagues save the magazine before it spirals into insolvency?  But there’s also action on the home front, when Emmy and Bunty take in their friend Thelma and her family – with the men away and Emmy’s second job as a dispatcher for the fire department, there’s plenty of room and they can combine their rations. But while there’s been a lull in the shelling, it’s still wartime. Great news, I’ve tested Mrs. Porter Calling with readers and you really don’t need to tackle the first two installments in order to enjoy number three, a compelling tale of friendship and comradery."

Those are the recs! We'll be back here next week with more great books, and hopefully, cleaner  blog formatting. Until then, read on!

Staff Recommendations, Week of July 30, 2024

 

It's the last Tuesday of July. Let's wrap up the month with some good books. Here are the Boswellians' picks this week.

Oli Schmitz suggests a bit of space opera this week with Navigational Entanglements, a novel by Aliette de Bodard. Oli says: "Aliette de Bodard's latest packs action, political intrigue, and strong character work into a vibrant and enthralling space opera that you can devour in a day. I found the two main characters incredibly endearing and especially appreciated the inclusion of a point-of-view character that reads as neurodivergent, the dual-POV narrative providing a potent representation of how different minds approach and process the same world, events, and interactions. I picked up this book for the promise of sapphics and space drama, and Navigational Entanglements delivered!"

And now we head to the kids section for our next couple of picks. First, it's Jen Steele with The Night Librarian, a middle grade novel by Christopher Lincoln. Jen says: "Twins Page and Turner decide to bring in their dad’s prized edition of Dracula for appraisal at the New York Public Library, but they wind up losing it and discovering a whole other side to books. Characters are jumping out of their stories and wreaking havoc in the library. It’s up to the night librarian to wrangle these magical mishaps, but there’s a staffing shortage so the twins step up to volunteer duty to help her out. Along the way, they meet many heroes and villains from some of their favorite books. The Night Librarian is a fantastic graphic novel mystery about the power of books in our lives and finding your voice." Recommended for ages 8 and up.

Another middle grade novel coming out this week gets nods from Jen and Tim McCarthy. That's Fowl Play by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb. From Jen: "Fowl Play is a charming, heartfelt, and funny middle grade mystery. Chloe's larger than life uncle and best friend Will has died suddenly. Now Chloe's family must attend the reading of Will's last will and testament. Chloe expects the reading to be just like you see in the movies; what she doesn't expect is to inherit Uncle Will's African Grey Parrot named Charlie. Grieving the loss of her uncle and trying to make sense of it all, Charlie starts saying words like murder! And cyanide! So, Chloe decides to investigate and find the truth about Uncle Will’s death. With the help of her brother, grandma, and Uncle Frank, they will get to the bottom of what really happened to Will. I adored this book about family and grief and seizing the day!"

And from Tim: "Fowl Play opens with Chloe and her mom, grandma, Uncle Frank, and brother Jacob arriving at a shabby lawyer's office to hear the settlement of her beloved Uncle Will's estate. He was always full of surprises, including his rapid fall to illness and the way he disappeared from them at the end, but the family is not prepared for his final act. Uncle Will delivers his Last Will and Testament directly to them on video cassette! And Chloe is completely unprepared for the one thing she inherits from him. I’ll just say that her inheritance is alive, it seems to share her immense grief over Uncle Will, and it can talk. Chloe's inheritance is quite a character! And it’s starting to say things that reveal a life changing mystery surrounding Uncle Will. This is a wonderfully told, thoughtful, and highly entertaining story of a busy family whose priorities have just been radically altered, and the story of a girl whose middle school life seems to be coming undone. Chloe needs to figure out what it really means to achieve Uncle Will’s number one goal: “Seize the day!" (Just a final note: Chloe’s inheritance is an endangered species, in large part because they’ve been turned into pets. Uncle Will and Chloe weren’t at fault, but you can’t own one of these beautiful creatures today without a permit.)" This one is also recommended for ages 8 and up.

Late addition alert! Here's Jen's rec for The Black Bird Oracle, by Deborah Harkness, which came out last week, but is just as good this week! Jen says: "Deborah Harkness brings us back into the lives of Diana and Matthew. Diana never knew her father's side of the family; she was raised a Bishop, and that's all there was to it. All of that changes when Diana receives a summons from her great-aunt telling her it's time to come home. Family secrets are unearthed, powers are unleashed, and bonds are made when Diana and her family arrive at Ravenswood and meet the Proctor family. Another great edition to the Discovery of Witches series!"

And now we go on to the week's paperback picks. We've got just one for you, and it's a legacy rec from former Boswellian Madi Hill. She's on to a new state and new adventures, but she leaves behind her recommendation for Unmask Alice: LSD, Satanic Panic, and the Imposter Behind the World's Most Notorious Diaries. From Madi: "Unmask Alice by Rick Emerson is a debunking of the infamous 'real life' diaries that began with Go Ask Alice and the woman that was responsible for their creation. While the title alludes to the more recognizable Alice journal, Emerson spends more attention on its successor, Jay's Journal, that was one of the largest powder kegs to set off the Satanic Panic. After a Utah teen commits suicide, his mother turned to Alice author Beatrice Sparks to spread awareness of teen suicide and the need to focus on mental health, but instead, she created a false diary which became a smear campaign that destroyed the teen's family. This is the true story behind a relentless fraudster who was desperate for recognition and used falsehoods and fear to get it. Unmask Alice is the perfect read for the casual true crime reader that prefers to avoid the gory details. Just remember to check your sources."

Those are the recs of the week. See you back here next time with more recommendations. Until then, read on.

Staff Recommendations, Week of July 23, 2024

 

Aaaand we're back again with a roundup of the Boswellian's favorite releases of the week. Check out what we've been reading, and you might just find another favorite for your own list.

Jason Kennedy kicks it off with Nicked, a new horror novel by M T Anderson. Jason says: "Okay, here's the opening: a priest, a thief, and a dog-man go on a job to steal the bones of a saint. Stop me, have you heard of this one? Why steal bones of a saint? The city of Bari feels like it is losing out to other cities with Christian relics that have boosted their tourism prospects. The crew finds out (from a monk’s dream, no less) that the bones of St. Nicholas (ho-ho-ho) are in the city of Myra. Obviously, they must go rescue them from abandonment and bring them to Bari. At times hilarious, shocking, thrilling, and insightful, M.T. Anderson delivers an amazing adventure like none I've read recently."

Next we go to Daniel Goldin for his take on Guilty Creatures: Sex, God, and Murder in Tallahassee, Florida by Mikita Brottman. Daniel says: "Mike, Denise, Brian, and Kathy grew up in the Southern Baptist tradition in Tallahassee – sports focused, no sex before marriage, and certainly no drugs. But their marriages and subsequent freedoms from their families’ restrictions led to a sort of delayed Rumspringa. When it came time for Mike and Kathy to settle down, their spouses Denise and Brian kept partying, a bond that led to an extramarital affair. And then Mike died in a tragic fishing accident. There were rumors, but no evidence. Guilty Creatures is a little more straightforward true crime than I normally read, but there is cultural context here too, with a culture that regards divorce as almost worse than murder (at least if you got caught) and an example of how with regained piety, you could explain away almost anything.  I love the image of the earnest subdivisions set amidst the swampy alligator ponds, an image that matches not just the place, but the people living there."

And we've got recommendations from two Rachels for Gravity Lost, the second Ambit's Run space opera by LM Sagas. First, from Rachel Copeland: "Trouble once again finds the crew of the good ship Ambit in this rip-roaring second installment from LM Sagas. Sagas serves up a tasty soup of sci-fi adventure ingredients (heists, hot exits, haunting locales) that's spiced just right (tea, teasing, tears) that it's just what this found family trope lover could ask for. And how dare Sagas give us more to love this time around? I found myself instantly falling for brand-new characters with one line of dialogue, enthusiastically rooting for a morally questionable character, and cheering on my favorite crew of idiots as they rally to avert disaster. It's really rude when authors write books that make you feel things and then leave you wanting more - please, kind author, may I have another serving?"

And this book comes with one last legacy rec from former Boswellian Rachel Ross, who adds: "The crew of The Ambit is back with a bang in this follow-up to Sagas’ explosive debut, Cascade Failure. While everyone may still be in one piece following the tumultuous escapades of the first book, they’re all also dealing with the fallout. Bedrock beliefs have been cracked, trauma has been sustained, and systemic rot has been exposed. This entry is chock full of my favorite space western tropes: a bar fight! A haunted (?) derelict spaceship! Murphy’s Law in full effect! And most importantly, the greatest found family in the Spiral. Gravity Lost is brimming with humor, unabashed love, white knuckle peril, compulsively readable action, and repeated (borderline gleeful?) emotional gut punches. Through it all, Sagas shows us that true family isn’t just the people you’d die for, it’s also the people you would choose to live for."

And there's one paperback pick to add to the mix this week. That's The English Experience by Julie Schumacher, which gets nods from Rachel C and Daniel. First, from Rachel: "When professionally tired English department chair Jason Fitger is pressganged into chaperoning the idiotically named Experience: Abroad winterim program, it's just another indignity in a long career of them. Resigned to revisiting a place he never liked in the first place (England, ironically), it's up to Fitger to keep eleven youths alive and academically engaged for three whole weeks, even if it kills him. The latest from Schumacher completes a trilogy focusing on Fitger and his foibles, but it holds up on its own as an exploration of a specific undergrad experience: the study abroad program. And let me tell you, it's painfully, hilariously accurate. The tours, the essays, the misuse of grammar and idioms, the students ranging from distracted to drunk to far too intense - if you were lucky (or unlucky) enough to experience a study abroad program, whether as a student or teacher, The English Experience will have you howling."

Daniel adds: "For those of you who loved Dear Committee Members, the classic epistolary novel told in letters of recommendation, beleaguered English Professor Fitger of the chronically underfunded Payne University is back, and this time, he’s been asked to lead a study abroad program in England. There’s a reason he was the director’s last choice! And while we don’t have the letters this time, we do get to read the students’ daily assignments, which tend towards the offbeat, perhaps due to one student’s offhand comment to classmates that Fitger likes his papers experimental. At equal turns poignant and hilarious, The English Experience shows that despite ridiculous odds, we will do whatever it takes for human connection."

Those are our picks of the week! We'll be back again with more books in 7ish days. Until then, read on.