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Air date: March 2, 2025
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JESSICA:
Hi, this is Jessica Russell. I’m the assistant director of collection services at Sno-Isle Libraries. And welcome to Book Buzz.
Today's two reading recommendations are a queer sci-fi novel and a history of bookstores.
First, we’re going to hear from Hattie, library associate for Library on Wheels, for a multi-genre story set on Mars. Over to you, Hattie.
HATTIE:
Can't decide if your next read should be a climate disaster, a political thriller, or maybe a slow burn romance? You’re in luck, because “The Mars House” by Natasha Pulley is exactly what you need!
In the wake of environmental collapse, January Sterling, once a principal in London’s Royal Ballet, has become a refugee in Tharsis, the terraformed colony on Mars. In Tharsis, January’s life is dictated by his second-class status as an Earthstronger — a person whose body is not adjusted to Mars’s lower gravity and so poses a danger to those born on, or naturalized to, Mars. And now xenophobic politician, Aubrey Gale, is running on a platform to force all Earthstrongers to be surgically naturalized, a process that is often disabling, or even deadly.
When Gale chooses January for a press junket interview that goes horribly wrong, the two find themselves in an uneasy alliance: a five-year made-for-the-press marriage. January is soon in way over his head, amidst political intrigue that could destroy all of Tharsis.
I was swept away by the immersive worldbuilding, twisting politics, and endearing cast. A gripping story about privilege and strength, “The Mars House” is perfect for anyone who needs hope that even in a world at its worst, we can find a way to make it a little better.
JESSICA:
Thanks, Hattie! That sounds like an interstellar adventure AND a deeply human story.
Next, let’s hear about a book on how bookstores shape our culture, from Robyn, library associate at the Stanwood Library. Take it away, Robyn.
ROBYN:
My favorite bookshop is a quaint, dimly lit haven filled with the rich aroma of aged paper, over-stuffed leather chairs, and creaky wood floors. The shelves are lined with meticulously organized books, creating a cozy labyrinth where I can lose myself for hours. Reading “The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore” is delightfully like being there. This book created odd little nooks, detours and curios where I enjoyed lingering in unexpected subjects.
Evan Friss’s history of the bookshop draws on oral histories, archival collections, municipal records, diaries, letters, and interviews with leading booksellers to offer a fascinating look at this institution beloved by many. The story begins with Benjamin Franklin’s first bookstore in Philadelphia and takes us to a range of booksellers including the Strand, Chicago’s Marshall Field & Company, the Gotham Book Mart, specialty stores like Oscar Wilde and Drum and Spear, sidewalk sellers of used books, Barnes & Noble, Amazon Books, and Parnassus. “The Bookshop” is also a history of the leading figures in American bookselling, and a history of how books have been marketed and sold over the course of more than two centuries.
Friss’s book is a love letter to bookstores, a charming chronicle to enjoy for anyone who cherishes these sanctuaries of literature, and an essential reading to understand how these vital institutions have shaped American life—and why we still need them.
JESSICA:
Thanks, Robyn! Friss really captures not just the history of bookstores, but also the soul.
Our recommendations this week are: “The Mars House” by Natasha Pulley and "The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore" by Evan Friss.
Join us next time, when we’ll explore more great reading recommendations—interesting books you can find at your favorite local bookstore or at your local library.
Until then, I’m Jessica Russell from Sno-Isle Libraries.
Thanks for joining us for Book Buzz on KSER.
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