Only ten you say? I know. I'm slipping. Actually I hate to show my greed by sharing all the books I have lately added to my wishlist. They tend to be an unruly bunch, so these are the ten most tempting (at the moment).
Forest Dark by Nicole Krauss -- ". . . the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of The History of Love, conjures an achingly beautiful and breathtakingly original novel about personal transformation that interweaves the stories of two disparate individuals—an older lawyer and a young novelist—whose transcendental search leads them to the same Israeli desert."
Séance Infernale by Jonathan Skariton -- "An extraordinary debut novel—dark, fast-paced, thrilling—set in contemporary and nineteenth-century Europe, the United States, and Scotland, involving the true inventor of moving pictures; his lost film made in Edinburgh in 1888; and a shocking series of crimes terrorizing the city in present time."
Walking in Berlin: A Flaneur in the Capital by Franz Hessel -- " In Walking in Berlin, Hessel captures the rhythm of Weimar-era Berlin, recording the seismic shifts in German culture. Nearly all of the essays take the form of a walk or outing, focusing on either a theme or part of the city, and many end at a theater, cinema, or club. Hessel deftly weaves the past with the present, walking through the city's history as well as its neighborhoods. Even today, his walks in the city, from the Alexanderplatz to Kreuzberg, can guide would-be flaneurs."
Birdcage Walk by Helen Dunmore -- "It is 1792 and Europe is seized by political turmoil and violence. Lizzie Fawkes has grown up in Radical circles where each step of the French Revolution is followed with eager idealism. But she has recently married John Diner Tredevant, a property developer who is heavily invested in Bristol’s housing boom, and he has everything to lose from social upheaval and the prospect of war. Soon his plans for a magnificent terrace built above the two-hundred-foot drop of the Gorge come under threat. Tormented and striving Diner believes that Lizzie’s independent, questioning spirit must be coerced and subdued. She belongs to him: law and custom confirm it, and she must live as he wants―his passion for Lizzie darkening until she finds herself dangerously alone."
White Fur by Jardine Libaire -- "A stunning star-crossed love story set against the glitz and grit of 1980s New York City. Jardine Libaire combines the electricity of Less Than Zero with the timeless intensity of Romeo and Juliet in this searing, gorgeously written novel that perfectly captures the ferocity of young love."
New Boy (Hogarth Shakespeare) by Tracy Chevalier -- "The tragedy of Othello is transposed to a 1970s suburban Washington schoolyard, where kids fall in and out of love with each other before lunchtime, and practice a casual racism picked up from their parents and teachers. Peeking over the shoulders of four 11 year olds – Osei, Dee, Ian, and his reluctant ‘girlfriend’ Mimi – Tracy Chevalier's powerful drama of friends torn apart by jealousy, bullying and betrayal will leave you reeling."
What My Body Remembers by Agnete Friis -- "From New York Times bestselling author Agnete Friis comes the chilling story of a young mother who will do whatever it takes to protect her son." I'm not sure I would have normally added this book to my list, but Sarah Weinman recommended it, so I know it will be good.
Infinite Summer by Edoardo Nesi -- "A novel set in Tuscany during the magical years when thousands of businesses blossomed, manufacturing objects for everyday life as well-made and beautiful as the Renaissance art that inspired them." I have been in the mood for an Italian-destination novel! This one does not come out until Summer. Can I wait until then?
Love of Country: A Journey Through the Hebrides by Madeleine Bunting -- "For all who have wondered how it might feel to stand face-out at the edge of home, Love of Country is a revelatory journey through one of the world’s most remote, beautiful landscapes that encourages us to think of the many identities we wear as we walk our paths, and how it is possible to belong to many places while at the same time not wholly belonging to any."
Who You Think I Am by Camille Laurens -- "This psychological thriller dissects online relationships, offering a stunning indictment of the way society perceives women in contrast to men when age comes into play."
If I had a dime (no, make that a dollar) for every book I add to my wishlist, pick up and look at at the bookstore or library, or read about on someone's blog or otherwise just contemplate reading, I would be able to spend my days in a hammock with said books in hand! What a fantasy that is. Until then, I just just look and lust after . . .