What to Read Next: August 1, 2025

Issue #386, slowing down for a season

Hi there readers,

First up, I have some good news to share that I’ve been sitting on for a while now: I’m writing a book! I can’t say much just yet, but my proposal was picked up by an imprint of a major publisher and is tentatively publishing in 2027. Truly, none of it would have been possible without my readers. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

It’s been a long process, but I’m finally onto writing the dang thing and need all the focus time I can get my hands on if I’m going to finish this manuscript by December 1. So for the first time ever, I’m temporarily slowing down the publishing pace of this newsletter. My hope is to publish every other week (though the exact cadence may be somewhat sporadic) and the format might look a little different too. I trust you’ll understand and I will share more information about the book as soon as I’m able.

For today’s newsletter, I’m sharing some quick-hit reviews of what I read and enjoyed in July.

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Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson

This is one of those classic books I know I should have enjoyed, but the story fell a little flat for me. The writing was beautiful, though, as I knew it would be. For me, Robinson’s Gilead books remain her best work by far.

Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville

In the midst of really enjoying Moby-Dick over at The Big Read, I also read Melville’s most famous short story. I quite liked it and am still puzzling through it’s meaning. There’s so much that this story leaves on the table for the reader to think about — something I wish our modern authors did more of.

A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

I mostly love Hemingway’s writing, so it’s no surprise I had a good time with his memoir/sketches of his youthful Parisian years. If you enjoy Papa Hem, you’ll definitely like this one. Plus it has some of the finest writing advice I’ve ever encountered — helpful for me right now, for sure!

In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O’Brien

O’Brien is best known for The Things They Carried, but this mystery set in northern Minnesota holds up as a fantastic thriller, as well as a meditation on PTSD and the long-running impacts of being in combat. If you’re in the mood for a brooding slow build, this a great choice.

Red Knife by William Kent Krueger

Now being a resident of northern Minnesota, I had to return to WKK’s excellent Cork O’Connor series. O’Connor, part Irish and part Anishinaabe, is a Sheriff-turned-PI who helps settle crimes (usually murders) in the fictional woodsy town of Aurora, MN. I’ve long enjoyed the atmospheric sense of place, but it’s even more powerful living here. The plot lines sometimes get a little hard to believe, but overall it’s a very enjoyable series. Definitely check them out if you need a guilty pleasure!

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In the News: Big Quake in Russia

This section offers a book recommendation based on recent headlines, to help you make sense of the world with a bit more depth and context rather than just clickbait.

The Great Quake by Henry Fountain

Earthquakes are a strange and uniquely destructive natural phenomenon. All of a sudden, the ground beneath your feet just starts shaking and vibrating, destroying not just buildings but also vitally important societal infrastructure. They’re also interesting because of how much they can tell us about the very foundations of our planet. Henry Fountain’s great book about the ‘64 Alaska earthquake, the second-most powerful quake ever recorded, is a must-read for anyone interested in the science and sociological implications of natural disasters.

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Thanks so much for reading. Be good to each other.

-Jeremy