Heart the Lover, by Lily King: "First we make our choices. Then they make us."

Have you heard the thing about how if you're in your 30s or 40s now, your favorite song or album or band in high school or college is likely still your favorite song or album or band? Though that may not always be exactly right (except, it is for me!), and a favorite song or record is much more pedantic than, say, choosing your partner for life, that idea does get to the theme of Lily King's incredible new novel, Heart the Lover. Choices you make and friends and relationships you have when you're young -- big or small, and whether you know it then or not -- have far-reaching consequences for literally the rest of your life. At no other time in your life is that as true as it is in your early 20s. 

If you're a just-graduated young woman, you can, for instance, whip off to Paris to take a nanny job. You can choose to write a novel. Or not. You can throw a dart at the map and choose where to live. The world is there for you to do with it what you can. The freedom! (Even if that freedom is actually kind of an illusion.)

But to back up, Heart the Lover starts with three main characters, Sam, Yash, and Jordan, college students in the South in the late 1980s. Sam and Yash are roommates, and Jordan begins dating Sam, but the dynamics are weird. Narrated by Jordan, the plot proceeds from her college days to her late 40s in three distinct parts. It's a novel, the less you know about plot-wise going in, the richer your reading experience. That's especially true if you've read King's novel Writers & Lovers. (If you haven't, you absolutely should ... and maybe before reading this one.)

This novel is truly a wonder -- a 250-page story that packs the wisdom and sagacity of a book four times its size. King's understanding of how we are the way we are, why we do what we do, our foibles and quirks, and our reactions to pain and cruelty is deep. And her ability to render these so astutely on the page is astonishing. 

And then there's this quote, which has almost nothing to do with the plot, but is the most clearly rendered version of this idea I've ever read: "You know how you can remember exactly when and where you read certain books? A great novel, a truly great one, not only captures a particular fictional experience, it alters and intensifies the way you experience your own life while you're reading it. And it preserves it, like a time capsule." 

This idea is exactly why I started writing the on-again, off-again Shelf Lives series. But I had to stop and put the book down when I read those lines. They're perfect.

And this novel is nearly perfect. I loved it so much. All the feelings all the way through. READ THIS. 

*Note: The quote in the headline is not from this novel. It's Anne Frank. But it's a perfect way to describe the themes in this book.

Workhorse, by Caroline Palmer: "Single White Female" Meets "The Devil Wears Prada"

Bit of an odd reading experience here: I didn’t find my favorite part of this book until the last line of the Acknowledgments, which has nothing to do really with the novel itself. Palmer is telling us she didn’t start writing this book until her mid-40s and encourages all writers that whatever it is, it’s never too late. “This has been one of the great joys of my life,” she writes. I love that so much! 

Anyway...honestly, picking up Workhorse, by Caroline Palmer, a soapy novel about the fashion industry and high society in New York City in the early 2000s, was a stretch for me. But I took I chance because a) I like long novels (this is 550 pages!), b) I like any novel set in NYC about 20-somethings making their ways in the world, and c) I like novels about the heydays of the magazine publishing industry.

The result is a bit uneven, frankly. Flawed, but highly readable. If you like novels in which you hate all the characters, this is for you. They’re scheming, petty, conniving, solipsistic, uber-privileged, supercilious, superficial, jealous, cruel, manipulative, and basically just using each other for whatever gains they can. (Whew, it felt good to get all that out — I really did not like these people 😆.)

The plot is this: Early-20s Clodagh Harmon gets herself a job as an assistant to an editor at a prominent and beloved fashion magazine. She is from a middle class background in Philadelphia and is immediately awed by the glamor and glitz all around her -- including her fellow assistant Davis Lawrence, whom everyone loves and who is the daughter of a famous Broadway star and fashion icon. Clo works hard to insinuate herself into Davis's good graces and the life to which she increasing believes she's entitled. But will Clo maintain even a shred of dignity in her ambitious drive upward? How is it fair that she has to work so hard -- a Workhorse -- whereas so many others like Davis -- Showhorses -- have it so easy? And as her quest to befriend Davis becomes more sinister, bordering on obsession, are there any limits to what she'll do to earn Davis's friendship?

It makes for delicious drama, indeed. But some of the major plot hinges stretch credulity and the characters themselves are a bit inconsistent in how they act individually and towards each other. Sure, humans are messy, but when you start saying “It just doesn’t feel like that’s something (this character) would do” pretty often, it’s a problem. 

Still, if you’re up for a “Single White Female” meets “The Devil Wears Prada,” and are good to spend A LONG TIME (again, this is over 550 pages!) with these people, give this a shot! 

Paper Girl, by Beth Macy: Astute Insight into Our Fractured World

Let me just cut to the chase: Beth Macy's part-memoir, part-sociological study, Paper Girl, is easily one of the best things I've read this year. Macy is a magnificent storyteller and her writing here is astute, relatable, and clear. As difficult as this book often is to read, I loved every word of it. 

Of course, there is no shortage of books, articles, tweets, Facebook posts from your uncle, memes, late-night heart-to-hearts at the bar, and signs on the side of the road purporting to explain our current political moment and how we got here. This book provides the clearest explanation I've read yet. It's Hillbilly Elegy without the condescension, fallacy, and disingenuousness.

Macy is a former journalist who quit the media to write award-winning investigative books like Dopesick, Factory Man, and several others. She grew up in the small town of Urbana, Ohio, poor and with little opportunity. However, she received a Pell Grant to go to college, worked hard, and made herself a success. This book is about her childhood in Urbana. But the goal of the book is to show Urbana as a microcosm of small-town-America, and how small-town-America is different now than then, how young people in Urbana now don't have the same opportunities for upward mobility (class migration) she had, why that's the case, and how that's given rise to the MAGA cult. 

It's so engrossing, not the least because I also grew up in a small town in Ohio just 30 miles from Urbana. Like Macy, I also delivered newspapers as a kid and aspired to be a journalist. For Macy, her career as a writer informs her central argument here: She draws a clear and logically argued line from the death of local newspapers to the rise in national extremism. No longer do people know about or identify with their neighbors -- especially those who are different than them. Now, they more identify with national trends they're fed on their echo chamber news station or on their social media feeds algorithmically curated to keep them outraged. The disappearance of the small-town newspaper, she argues, is the main reason why one side of the political spectrum suddenly fell under the thrall of an orange conspiracy-theory spewing felonious carnival barker. 

But the death of local news is only part of the problem. The lack of support and funding for public schools,  the rising cost of college, the uptick in "homeschooling" in rural areas (which often isn't really school at all), and new laws in mainly red states that allow parents to pull kids out of public school for "religious education" have all combined to create a culture that de-emphasizes the value of actual education. From there, it's easy to see why people ignorant of the world around them are finding solace in the craziest of crazy ideas. 

These two are just the tip of the iceberg -- job opportunities being shipped overseas, online culture that rewards the loudest and most outrageous behavior, widespread drug addiction, and politicians with little integrity and even less care for the people they supposedly govern are all contributing factors, Macy writes. 

Macy makes these points by telling the stories of real people she meets and spends time with during a year-and-a-half she spends back in Urbana to write this book. There's a trans teenager named Silas studying to be a welder, but running into one problem after another. There's Macy's niece Liza, who was sexually assaulted by her stepfather. There's Macy's ex-boyfriend Bill, the most liberal person she knew in the 1980s, who has turned angry conspiracy theorist. And there's the MAGA Urbana mayor who leads the charge to turn down state-granted funds for a youth center because the guy running the youth center is gay. It's just all so impossibly sad. 

The result, though, of Macy's research is an immensely readable, fascinating book I could not put down. Frankly, there's not really anything new here -- or at least nothing very surprising. But Macy's journalistic gift for presentation -- for explaining these complex issues in terms that are easy to understand -- makes this book feel fresh and the arguments original. You hear this frequently, but I truly mean this: This is a book every American should read.

The Definitive Ranking of Dan Brown's Six Robert Langdon Novels

Did you know we're celebrating a milestone this year? It's true! 2025 is Robert Langdon's 25th literary birthday. The Harvard symbologist known for his Mickey Mouse watch and penchant for faux profundity, dumb jokes, and mansplaining first appeared in 2000's Angels & Demons, and has been solving mysteries and uncovering the secrets of the universe ever since. On the occasion of Langdon's 25th anniversary of being in the world, as well as the publication of the sixth Langdon novel, The Secret of Secrets, I thought it'd be fun to make the definitive ranking of all six of the novels.

6. Inferno (2013) -- Had AI existed in 2013 as prominently as it does today, I would've sworn this piece of crap was written by ChatGPT. It's formulaic and cliche -- both in terms of the plot (Langdon wakes up with amnesia -- massive eyeroll) and its structure (every chapter seemingly starts the same way, describing a tourist attraction in Florence). So our guy Langdon and a smoke-show doctor named Sienna have to figure out what the hell happened last night (Dude, where's my Dante?!), with only a few lines of The Inferno to guide them. If you want to read more about why I severely disliked this book, check out my post "Five Thoughts About Dan Brown's Inferno." 

5. The Lost Symbol (2009) -- Brown's first novel after The Da Vinci Code was a total stinker. I see what he's doing here -- trying to bring the formula that worked so well in that book to a more Americanized plot (the Freemasons). But it was just so lame. Here is what I wrote in 2009 upon finishing the book. Looking back, honestly, I was probably harsher on this book than it deserved -- it's really difficult to follow up a massive success. But still, it's staying here at second-worst. 

4. Origin (2017) -- Okay, we're finally getting slightly better. Here, Langdon's pal -- a cross between Steve Jobs and Elon Musk with a little Richard Branson -- has discovered the "origin" of not just all religions, but all humankind. Unfortunately, he's killed before he can present his findings. So Langdon and a comely museum director (sure are a lot of beautiful nerds in the Langdon-verse) have to figure out the dude's iPhone password, or all will be lost! There's more to it than that, of course. I actually had fun with this one -- here's the full review.

3. Angels & Demons (2000) -- This is the book everyone went back to read right after reading The Da Vinci Code (me included). Here, we meet Langdon for the first time in this novel of the Vatican and antimatter and a murdered Pope. Really entertaining, but perhaps the most over-the-top of any of the six Langdon novels. 

2.  The Secret of Secrets (2025) -- Yay! We're back, baby! The first Langdon novel in eight years is a little different, and that's unquestionably a good thing. This is the longest Langdon novel at nearly 700 pages, but it's set over the course of a single day. It's highly entertaining, and moves along at Brown's signature breakneck speed. Langdon is almost a secondary character here. Katherine Solomon, who we first met in The Lost Symbol, is really the protagonist. They were friends before, but now they're knockin' boots. Noetic science, life after death, and nonlocal consciousness are the cornerstones of this return to form for Brown. 

1. The Da Vinci Code (2003) -- The first Langdon book almost everyone read remains my favorite. It's hard to overstate what a phenomenon this book was that summer of 2003 -- prime time specials, magazine covers, etc. There was the inevitable pushback, too, as Brown got more and more defensive about the plot he stole (remember, he was sued for plagiarism by the authors of Holy Blood, Holy Grail), and the fact that it was all fully true. Sure, buddy. Even with all the peripherals, it made for a MASSIVELY entertaining novel, though -- and a perfect role for Tom Hanks. Still the best, in my book. 

(Side note: I've only read one of Dan Brown's two non-Langdon novels -- 1998's Digital Fortress -- and it's my no-hesitation answer to the question: "What's the worst book you've ever read?" But that's a story for another day...)

Top 8 Ways Reading Is Like Running

I spent last Sunday running through my beautiful city of Chicago. More than a million spectators showed up to cheer on the 53,000 runners at the 2025 Chicago Marathon. When you're out on a marathon course for a little over four hours (not my ideal time, but as I've gotten older, speed is now longer the priority), you have a lot of time to think. And one of the things I thought about a lot on Sunday, other than how lucky I am to be able to do this, is how much two of my favorite things in the world -- reading and running -- have in common.

There is no shortage of articles on the web -- including by big-name writers like John Green -- about how writing and running are similar. But not many about how reading and running are. But they are! Here are the eight ways reading is a lot like running. 

1. Both are anxiety-busters

If you only read one item on this list, read this one. This is so important. Reading and running are both ESSENTIAL for my mental health. Without these, I'd be an anxiety-addled mess curled up in a ball and literally not able to function. In Michael Clune's brilliant novel Pan, a character suffering from anxiety stays up all night immersed in reading a book because as long as he's reading, his mind is occupied and not free to roam and catastrophize. I've never read something that so closely matches my experience for one of the reasons I love reading. And running is the same -- not only does it keep my mind occupied in the moment, but also it keeps me focused on a goal, which for me, helps reduce anxiety. Though this is a whole essay on its own, "running therapy" has even been prescribed as a treatment for anxiety instead of pharmaceuticals for some cases. Living with anxiety can be difficult. Finding things you love to do helps. Finding things you love to do that themselves can be treatments is invaluable. 

2. Both, when going well, can bring about an intense feeling of well-being

Running and reading, though, aren't just about combatting the negative. They also both can make you FEEL AMAZING! Yes, the "runner's high" is REAL, but it is honestly pretty rare. When it happens though, it's intense -- a feeling of euphoria like nothing can hurt you and nothing can ever go wrong again. I haven't done a lot of drugs in my life, but I imagine that's what the drug-induced high must feel like. Even without a runner's high, running still just makes you feel great. My mood is almost always improved when I'm back from a run. It may take a crowbar to pry me out the door, but I never regret it when it's done. Similarly, when you're reading something really good, and you're in the flow state, and you suddenly forget you have a body, and you are so connected to the page, it's as if you've stepped outside yourself. That feels amazing, too!

3. Both, when not going well, are susceptible to slumps

Look, it's not all sunshine and magical unicorns. Runners and readers both slump, and when you do, it feels like you'll never do the thing again. Or if you are doing the thing, you're taking no joy from it. Always important to remember: This too shall pass. Slumps are temporary. My advice on busting slumps is always do the thing, but shorter. Do a series of shorter runs. Read a short story. Ideally, this'll kickstart your running/reading habit...and more importantly help you remember why you love doing the thing.

4. Both are, and help reinforce, healthy habits

The simple key to creating a healthy habit is to find something you love to do, and continue doing it. I'm not trying to be glib. But that's just a fact. When people tell me they're trying to get into running, my first question is always "How do you like it so far?" and if they say "I hate it" well it's probably not a habit that'll stick. That's totally fine! But if you find a way to do it in such a way that you don't hate it, soon that not-hate grows into like, and soon after that, before you even know it, you'll love it. Again, I can't emphasize this enough, because I've learned this the hard way: It's a lot easier to form a healthy habit when the thing you're doing is something you love! It's the same with reading -- when someone comes into the bookstore and says they're trying to get back into reading, and ask for a recommendation, I always trying to give them something light and fun -- an on-ramp to further investigation of their reading interest; a gateway. Related to this discussion and absolutely worth mentioning is that both reading and running are also addictive. Addiction, by definition, is not healthy in any form. Not to make light of addiction, but if you're going to be addicted to something, it could be a lot worse than reading and running. This is also a whole essay on its own.

5. Both include impossibly ambitious lists

How's your To Be Read pile? Mine -- which is literally a pile of books -- is teetering to the point of collapse. I'm just praying I'm not caught underneath it when it does, or I'll be like Principal Skinner in that one Simpsons episode. How's your marathon / half marathon goal list? If you had infinite funds, time, and health, would you be able to run a race in all 50 states, do all seven of the World Marathon Majors, or any other ambitious running goal runners set for themselves?

6. Both lead to greater empathy

The empathy benefits to reading are self-evident: Reading helps you walk a mile in someone else's shoes. It helps you see the world through someone else's eyes; understand their worldview, challenges, joys, sorrows, and so much more. This is a good thing. You may not have thought that running can do the same, but it totally does. I'm a middle-class, middle-aged white male: My life is not difficult or painful. Running sometimes can be difficult and painful. Running is a reminder, no matter how small, that many other peoples' pain and difficulties are 10 million times worse than mine. That helps me not to become complacent about or desensitized to the state of the world. And not being desensitized is crucial to continuing to take action to fight back against (gestures at everything). 

7. Both lead to annoyed friends because all readers and runners want to do is talk about is reading and running😅

If you've met and talk with me in person, you know within five minutes about my next race or what I'm currently reading. That's not unique to me: All readers and runners are like this. We just love to talk about what we're passionate about! I've gotten more mileage than a 1982 Toyota Tercel out of this dumb joke: How can you tell someone is training for a marathon? Wait five seconds and they'll tell you. It's funny because it's true. 

8. Both lead to new lifelong, life-changing friendships

I have not found two more close-knit, supportive communities than the running and reading communities. I have met people I never would've without these hobbies -- people who are now close friends. I really, really love that about these two things.