Some of the top books this year explored the life and death in Tibetan tradition, struggles with weight loss and how individuals and the community have tried to bounce back after General Motors closed its Janesville plant in 2008, according to the assistant features editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Join us for a conversation about the best books this year, plus which books are good for gifting or picking up as a gift for yourself.
What book – or books – couldn’t you put down this year? What books are you giving as gifts or do you hope to get as a gift?
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Editor's Picks For Best Wisconsin Books Of 2017
It’s the time of year for the flood of “best of” lists to be released, and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Assistant Entertainment Editor Jim Higgins shared a list that was rife with Wisconsin authors and stories.
Higgins, who has made his own contribution to Wisconsin literature with his book, “Wisconsin Literary Luminaries: From Laura Ingalls Wilder to Ayad Akhtar,” told WPR’s “The Morning Show” how he chooses his favorite books, and what made 2017 a unique year for literature.
“The simple answer is: I want a book — light or serious — to take hold of me and to fully engage me one way or another,” he said.
Higgins said he was particularly drawn to nonfiction books this year, given the current climate around the world.
“There are so many reasons in the world to be anxious about this year, and that seemed to drive me more into nonfiction, more to value really crisp writing, either funny or pointed writing. It kind of became my retreat.”
Whether you’re looking for a last-minute gift, or searching for your next great read, the right book is out there, Higgins said.
“There’s compelling writing in every form we have, it’s really a point of what a person needs. Whatever you need … it’s all there,” he said.
Below are highlights from Higgins’s list.
For Fans Of Wisconsin:
“Janesville: An American Story” by Amy Goldstein
Goldstein, a writer for the Washington Post, chronicles how Janesville bounced back after the General Motors plant, it’s most prominent employer, closed in 2008.
The book covers a wide range of characters including political leaders, teachers and people who lost their homes.
“I wouldn’t say there are villains in it, but there are heroes,” Higgins said. “It’s really a remarkable long-form story about what Janesville has tried to do.”
“Montaigne in Barn Boots” by Michael Perry
Perry, a beloved Wisconsin author, found a kindred spirit in the French essayist Michel de Montaigne that sparked a reflection on his own experiences of the ups and downs of being a man in midlife.
“It’s my favorite Michael Perry book after ‘Population 485,’” Higgins said.
“The Driftless Reader” co-authored by Curt Meine and Keefe Keeley
“It’s a big and really colorful anthology of writing about the Driftless region,” Higgins said.
It includes scientific, literary and journalistic writing and authors that range from Laura Ingalls Wilder to Native American writers.
“The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder: The Frontier Landscapes that Inspired the Little House Books” by Marta McDowell
At its core, this is a gardening and landscape book. McDowell, a horticulturist, went through each place Laura Ingalls Wilder lived, and wrote about the native plants, roots and trees that she would have come across.
“I would highly recommend it for Laura fans and people who love gardening,” Higgins said.
“Junk” by Ayad Akhtar
Set in the 1980s, “Junk” is a story about an era of financiers who used junk bonds to take over companies.
If you’re interested in the drama or critics of capitalism, this story from the Wisconsin-raised playwright is for you, Higgins said.
This book version of Akhtar’s play includes an interview with Akhtar and a forward that provides insightful context for the reader, Higgins said.
Other Recommendations:
“Hunger” by Roxane Gay
“This is a hard-hitting book,” Higgins said.
Gay writes about being gang raped at 12 years old, and how that experience triggered her struggle with compulsive eating and weight gain.
“It doesn’t fit the stereotypical model of ‘I had a problem, I found a magical solution and now everything’s great;’ it’s an ongoing challenge in her life,” Higgins said.
“Going Into Town: A Love Letter to New York” by Roz Chast
This book was written by a New Yorker cartoonist who grew up in Brooklyn “when it was still Brooklyn, before it became hipsterland.”
The book began as a guidebook of New York for her college-bound daughter, and turned into a cartoon essay about the city.
Higgins calls this a great book for a shorter, lighter read.
“Remembrance of Earth’s Past” trilogy by Liu Cixin
Translated from Chinese, this trilogy offers a unique perspective for American science fiction fans, Higgins said.
Set slightly in the future and involving an alien invasion of earth, it “has the space opera feel and slightly different take on conflicts than we would have in the United States or Western world,” he said.
“Professional Crocodile” by Giovanna Zoboli
For the kids, this wordless picture book is about a crocodile who goes through the daily routine of having a job.
“It would be wrong of me to spoil for you and the listeners what that job is, but it is a very fun book,” Higgins said.
Episode Credits
- John Munson Host
- Breann Schossow Producer
- Michele Gerard Good Technical Director
- Jim Higgins Guest
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