BELOVED, John Steinbeck's heartbreaking
THE GRAPES OF WRATH, and George Orwell's frighteningly relevant
1984.
Pre-lockdown, I wrestled with Argentine writer Rodrigo Fresán's
THE DREAMED PART (Open Letter Press, translated by Will Vanderhyden), the second in a trilogy. Like its predecessor,
The Invented Part, this massive, challenging, nonlinear tome about an unnamed writer takes you on a freewheeling, literary joyride.
Probably not surprisingly, much of my year's reading concerned music. An utter delight was Austin native Kathy Valentine's heartfelt
ALL I EVER WANTED: A ROCK 'N' ROLL MEMOIR (UT Press), which traces her life growing up locally, playing in Austin punk bands, and following her dreams to L.A. to find R&R stardom with the Go-Go's. She really makes you feel it all: the ups, the downs, the parties, the drugs, the heartbreaks, the thrill of being family in a groundbreaking, hugely successful band.