What I Read and Loved | September 2024

Three books + three albums

Photo by Ksenia Makagonova on Unsplash

September felt like it was 72 years long, but it also flew by. I can't explain how it's possible, but both things feel true. School started up again last month, which took over my energy. I was glad to be reunited with colleagues and students, but my reading life took a hit because of the general overwhelm of going from summer break to a full-time schedule again. I started a lot of books in September but only finished three. I'm unsure if the other books I tried weren't for me or if my mind was too cluttered with work stuff to appreciate them.

Even though I didn't read as much as usual, I did find other things to love that I'm excited to share with you. Let's get to it!

What I Read

The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff: In this oral history, we hear from New Yorkers, Pentagon workers, families of those on Flight 93, and staff on board Air Force One with President Bush as it circled the sky. The attacks on the World Trade Center tend to get the most attention, something the book mentions, but Graff does a beautiful job sharing focus with the other crash sites.

Reading this book was unlike any other reading experience I've ever had. It was a fast-paced read, yet there were moments when I had to put down the book and walk away. The sadness, horror, and gruesomeness were too much for me sometimes as a sensitive reader. I felt tension in my body, like tightness in my neck and shoulders that signaled anxiety. That almost caused me to stop reading altogether, but I felt compelled to continue, as if I needed to bear witness to this terrible thing that happened.

I've never read such a heartbreaking and horrifying book. Still, thankfully, there were moments of beauty amidst the tragedy, like hearing about the courage of first responders or knowing that some families were reunited after thinking all hope was lost. The ways total strangers looked out for each other and showed selfless bravery was inspiring.

This book changed how I think about 9/11 and all those who lost their lives, their peace, or someone they loved that day. It's even more devastating to know that the losses of 9/11 were only the beginning because of the wars to come. Even though The Only Plane in the Sky was difficult to read, it's the best kind of history writing: propulsive storytelling, diverse perspectives, and dedication to the truth.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi; translated by Geoffrey Trousselot: Because Graff's book was so emotional, I wanted something light for my next read, so I grabbed Before the Coffee Gets Cold. To my surprise, this book gets deeper and sadder than I anticipated. The story is set in a small cafe in Tokyo. The spot has a reputation for being a place where one can go back in time. There are many rules, though, including the fact that time travel can only take place in one seat and that the person traveling must return to the present before their coffee gets cold. If they don't, they risk getting stuck in the past. The people who choose to go back in time are told nothing they say or do in the past will change the present day, part of the story I found especially interesting.

This slim novel follows four characters who want to return to the past. Each reason is deeply personal, and each traveler wants to go back, even though they know the present can't be changed. Some characters are linked, though readers don't know all the details until the end.

One word to describe this book is cozy. The cafe setting and the melancholy mood of the story made me think of autumn, even though the book is set in warmer weather. Some of the time-traveling rules didn't make any sense, but I had to keep reminding myself that they really didn't need to. This book is a light fantasy outside my comfort zone, but I'm glad I read it. It had been on my TBR for a long time, so I was happy to finally experience this popular, magical story.

Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors: After reading two emotionally charged books, I figured, why not keep the streak going and pick up a book about grief and addiction? Blue Sisters tells the story of the three remaining Blue siblings. Avery is the oldest and works as a lawyer in London, where she lives with her wife. She's a recovered addict who feels like she has to mother her sisters since their own mother often disappoints them. The next sister is Bonnie, a boxer who suffered a career-ending defeat. She works as a bouncer in L.A. while secretly pining for her trainer. The youngest is Lucky, a model traveling the globe whose love of alcohol, drugs, and sex is threatening to destroy her.

The sisters are mourning the death of Nicky, who died of a surprising overdose at the family’s apartment in New York. When the first anniversary of her passing arises, it sends each sibling spiraling until the three eventually crash into one another in NYC and face their demons.

As you can imagine from the plot, Blue Sisters is a novel intimately aware of human pain. Coco Mellors created completely authentic characters, making their stories all the more powerful. I enjoyed the relationships between the sisters, but I was also fascinated by the Blue's complicated parents. They had an emotionally distant mother and an alcoholic father whose rages would cause Avery to act as a mom to protect her younger siblings.

If you're a fan of messy family dramas and don't mind if a book makes you weep like a tiny infant, pick up Blue Sisters. I can’t say that it’s enjoyable to read because it’s so deeply sad, but it’s a wonderfully crafted novel that seems so very real.

What I Loved

I listen to a lot of music at work, and three new-to-me albums were on heavy rotation last month, including:

What I Wrote

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What did you read or enjoy in September? Have you read any of the books I mentioned in this post? I’d love to hear your thoughts!