Novellas in November 2014: Introduction
If you’ve been browsing round the bookish internet lately, you’ve probably heard a lot about what you should be reading in November:
Obviously these bloggers are all wrong. How can November be for anything other than Novellas? Alliteration doesn’t lie.
Last year, I had a blast reading classic and contemporary novellas all month. I even made a video. Maybe this year I’ll do one as a wrap up? It’s unlikely, now that I know what good book videos look like.
Anyway, on to my novellas!
- Tumble Home by Amy Hempel: based on the review here. “Reading it or any of her work is the surest way I know, besides having/watching a baby, to make life separate into moments.” Okay. Let’s see.
- Santa Rosa by Wendy McGrath: local author, local setting, sequel published a week ago, and this month’s #yegbookclub pick. No brainer.
- Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin. My favourite novella last year was Bonjour Tristesse. This is another coming of age story set in France, and 19 pages in I’m already predicting 5 stars.
- Who Will Run the Frog Hospital? by Lorrie Moore. For the title, obviously.
- Varamo by Cesar Aira. He seems to be the guy to read if you like novellas.
- Bartleby, the Scrivener by Herman Melville. I don’t know what it’s about, but the oft-quoted line “I would prefer not to” really speaks to me.
- Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving: it’s the current read on Classic Alice. I love Classic Alice even though none of these actors appear to be college age, and despite the fact that Alice and Andrew would have humped by episode 3 in real life. It’s like if Felicity was even more repressed. At least Alice doesn’t wear those awful sweaters.
This year The Wandering Bibliophile is joining in with two impressive towers of novellas. Perhaps the elusive originator of #NovNov will come out of hiding this month!
Please comment below with your novellas recommendations, reading plans, or favourite episodes of Classic Alice or Felicity. I’m going to have to think about that one.
Reading in Bed 
Sounds like a great list! I am looking forward to following along and then snatching everyone’s favourites to add to my list! 🙂
I’ve been focusing a lot more on graphic novels this month, but I’ll have to do this again sometime … maybe next year. 🙂
I’ll remind you. Was kind of a last minute thing for me this year!
I would have joined in, but was already committed to Nonfiction November. I really enjoyed the novella Lady Susan by Jane Austen this year. Happy reading!
I know, what’s with all the November things?? Maybe next year I’ll try to do them all. I mean, one book from each. I recently found an Australian authors in November thing. I’m sure there are more.