Editor’s Note: Jennifer Blankfein is a book blogger based in Connecticut and a frequent BookTrib contributor. The article below highlights two standout reads she recommends. To learn more about the many books Jen is reading, visit her blog, Book Nation by Jen.
A Swim in the Pond in the Rain by George Saunders | Random House
This was not my typical read, but I’m glad I took it on with my book club. A Swim in the Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life is a collection of seven fictional short stories by Russian authors with analysis by George Saunders, the bestselling author of Lincoln in the Bardo. Saunders teaches a Russian short stories class at Syracuse University, and this book is the essence of his teachings — he shares what he has discovered through the essays of Gogol, Chekhov, Turgenev and Tolstoy with all of us. A writing and reading class all rolled into this book, Saunders gives us ideas about what to take notice of while we read, how stories are structured, what they teach us about ourselves and the world, and ultimately, to appreciate these Russian authors and their well-written essays. He talks about what makes a story good and keeps the reader reading and feeling satisfied. Some of the essays are more engaging than others, but A Swim in the Pond in the Rain is a perfect book for book clubs who want to discuss the art of writing as well as what to look for when reading.
Saunders dissects each short story to examine its physics, to assess all of its elements: is there cause and effect? Is there a reliable narrator? Is the reader moved? Is all the action specific and efficient? Is the author showing and not just telling? You will undoubtedly learn something new about the craft of writing by spending time with A Swim in the Pond in the Rain. My favorite short stories Saunders discusses are “Master and Man” by Leo Tolstoy and “In The Cart” by Anton Chekhov. And there’s no need to tackle all the chapters at once. Read one at a time, and take in nuggets of information and observation; discuss with others, and you will be happy you did!
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka | Knopf
The musicality of Julie Otsuka’s writing had me from page one, and this was a one-sitting read for me. The book is comprised of three parts filled with meaning, regret and poignancy. In Part 1 of The Swimmers, the author takes us to an indoor pool where a crack is detected. All of the neighborhood swimmers have feelings about their pool and the solace swimming provides, and in exceptional language, we learn about each of them.
Then in Part 2, Otsuka dives deep (no pun intended) when it comes to Alice, one of the swimmers who is losing her memory. What Alice goes through is beautifully written, and although it reads like music to the ear, the substance is incredibly painful. Part 3 is from Alice’s daughter’s point of view, and we feel her lost opportunity for a better relationship while witnessing Alice’s demise as she loses all that makes us human.
The Swimmers provided me with an unexpected commentary on dementia, showing how Alice lives to how she will die. It is an emotional story spotlighting a beloved shared ritual amongst strangers to one woman’s journey through memory loss … and how the loss of memory is equal to the loss of life, slowly slipping away — similar to water escaping through a crack in a pool. I highly recommend this 175-page gem.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
A Swim in the Pond in the Rain by George Saunders
This was not my typical read, but I’m glad I took it on with my book club. A Swim in the Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life is a collection of seven fictional short stories by Russian authors with analysis by George Saunders, the bestselling author of Lincoln in the Bardo. Saunders teaches a Russian short stories class at Syracuse University, and this book is the essence of his teachings — he shares what he has discovered through the essays of Gogol, Chekhov, Turgenev and Tolstoy with all of us. A writing and reading class all rolled into this book, Saunders gives us ideas about what to take notice of while we read, how stories are structured, what they teach us about ourselves and the world, and ultimately, to appreciate these Russian authors and their well-written essays. He talks about what makes a story good and keeps the reader reading and feeling satisfied. Some of the essays are more engaging than others, but A Swim in the Pond in the Rain is a perfect book for book clubs who want to discuss the art of writing as well as what to look for when reading.
Saunders dissects each short story to examine its physics, to assess all of its elements: is there cause and effect? Is there a reliable narrator? Is the reader moved? Is all the action specific and efficient? Is the author showing and not just telling? You will undoubtedly learn something new about the craft of writing by spending time with A Swim in the Pond in the Rain. My favorite short stories Saunders discusses are “Master and Man” by Leo Tolstoy and “In The Cart” by Anton Chekhov. And there’s no need to tackle all the chapters at once. Read one at a time, and take in nuggets of information and observation; discuss with others, and you will be happy you did!
The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka
The musicality of Julie Otsuka’s writing had me from page one, and this was a one-sitting read for me. The book is comprised of three parts filled with meaning, regret and poignancy. In Part 1 of The Swimmers, the author takes us to an indoor pool where a crack is detected. All of the neighborhood swimmers have feelings about their pool and the solace swimming provides, and in exceptional language, we learn about each of them.
Then in Part 2, Otsuka dives deep (no pun intended) when it comes to Alice, one of the swimmers who is losing her memory. What Alice goes through is beautifully written, and although it reads like music to the ear, the substance is incredibly painful. Part 3 is from Alice’s daughter’s point of view, and we feel her lost opportunity for a better relationship while witnessing Alice’s demise as she loses all that makes us human.
The Swimmers provided me with an unexpected commentary on dementia, showing how Alice lives to how she will die. It is an emotional story spotlighting a beloved shared ritual amongst strangers to one woman’s journey through memory loss … and how the loss of memory is equal to the loss of life, slowly slipping away — similar to water escaping through a crack in a pool. I highly recommend this 175-page gem.
