Hi Stephen, As a setting stan, I totally understand your interest in books with a strong sense of place. I like a weird, vague, vibey novel every now and then, but the books that stick with me tend to have worlds that feel so real and fleshed out that they’re almost characters. Actually, Shipping News and North Woods are two of my favorite books as well—they’re both masterclasses in the art of the setting. Here are some books that will make you feel like you’re in a new place: Taiwan Travelogue by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ, tr. Lin King: I read this book last month, and it’s already one of my favorites. It’s a story of yearning and food and travel and translation that takes place all over Taiwan, and while I was reading I felt so present in the world of the novel that I was constantly starving (when you read Shuāng-zǐ’s food descriptions, you’ll understand). It’s a prickly book, complicated and thoughtful and considered, and it doesn’t shy away from the complexities of the modern world—and all these complexities are visible in the landscape of the book. What a marvel! What a treat! When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo: This book is the definition of lush! Set in Trinidad and Tobago, this magical realist novel is about family and ghosts and love and thunderstorms. When I think about When We Were Birds, I think about an old house at the top of a hill, a summer night in a cemetery, the wetness of humidity and heavy rain. It’s such a beautiful book and so firmly set in a particular place. If you need a book to make you forget where you are for a while, this is the book for you. The Seaplane on Final Approach by Rebecca Rukeyser: As someone from Alaska, I get a lot of recommendations for books set in Alaska. To be completely honest, most of them are bad. Alaska is a weird place, and it’s hard to write about because it’s not really like anywhere else. The Seaplane on Final Approach is a book that captures Alaska—at least, the Alaska I know—perfectly. It’s got the stunning natural beauty and the weird, tacky sleaze. It’s got freaks galore. It’s got cold water and cold beer and the imminent threat of death. It feels like what my Alaska feels like, to a T. I was giddy when I read this book because it felt like going home. And don’t all the best books feel that way? I hope these books pull you in and give you that sense of place you’re looking for. Happy travels! McKayla Coyle, Publishing Coordinator |
