Erin's Top 5 Books of 2017

Are you sick of me talking about George Saunders yet?

1. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders


Lincoln in the Bardo was the best book I read this year. This was the easiest call of all.  I couldn't stop thinking about this book for MONTHS after I put it down. I scoured out other Saunders books after reading this, insatiable, looking for something to make me feel similarly nostalgic/melancholic (melanstolgic?) and I couldn't find it, guys. I proceeded to read everything Saunders ever published anyway. What a hilarious dude, but let me assure you--there is nothing out there that is like this book in concept or style.

I am not going to regurgitate the plot here. I already told you about it, probably over a beer with such intense ardor that it may have frightened you. I'm sorry. 

I will tell you that no one handles emotion and landscape and character with the wit and grace of George Saunders. I am in complete awe of the thought process that went into this book and the way each and every soul in the Bardo told their story in a unique way-- and with such heady poignance.

A trillion stars. Lincoln in the Bardo is holy and perfect.

2. Moonglow by Michael Chabon 

Michael Chabon is such a good freaking writer, pulling off this weird hybrid memoir and fictional family history, sprinkled with delightful anecdotes from his heavily-medicated grandfather on his deathbed. Chabon unashamedly states Moonglow's fictional roots and ultimately questions the concept of a factual memoir: How much of a memoir can be said to be true when peoples' memories are notoriously unreliable? Extremely entertaining. Side note, Chabon is also weirdly hot. 

3. Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler

Stephanie Danler is like,  30 years old and has the writing chops of someone much, much older. Also, she is really pretty and stylish and makes you want to take a long, hard look at what you've accomplished in your three decades, as a grosser, less-photogenic human being. 

Anyway, this book rocked. It was low-key raunchy, which appealed to me as a GIRL and written in glorious crystal-clear prose, which appealed to me as a PERSON WHO LIKES BOOKS. This book will not win a Pulitzer, but God, was it entertaining. 

4. Crapalacia by Scott McClanahan   

Crapalacia is another pseudo-memoir about suicide, dead miners, an uncle with cerebral palsy who drinks six-packs through a feeding tube, and children being left to scream and writhe in pain because their parents couldn't afford to bring them to the doctor. And yet, I couldn't stop laughing. I laughed at every page. Go figure. Scott McClanahan deserves way more attention. 

5. Homesick For Another World by Ottessa Moshfegh  

I have been following Ottessa Moshfegh since I read Eileen last year and it disturbed the living hell out of me. Moshfegh's writing is raw, visceral and unapologetic, peppered with brazen violence and crazy graphic sex scenes. These stories are grim, expertly depicted snapshots of people and places you'd never want to experience for yourself. If you like to be broken down a bit--like me--give this a go. 

Ok so there you have it. Please read Lincoln in the Bardo ---or the other ones. Or don't. Follow your own bliss. There's so much good stuff out there.

Love you. Stay cute, 

E

P.S. As always, I love recommendations. I think about you every time I read a book you recommend and I love talking to you about it when I'm done. It's such a nice thing. Please recommend me something.