I read seven books in June, bringing my 2019 total to 43. Of the seven I read last month, Mary Miller’s Biloxi stood out most, at least for me. Miller’s novel captures well the depression and sense of futility that sometimes sets in among the late middle-aged set, but with a hint of optimism. And who doesn’t enjoy a story in which a lovable dog plays the role of a redeemer?

Honorable mentions also go to Nick Hornby, for State of the Union: A Marriage in Ten Parts and Karl One Knausgård’s Summer.

Here are all my June 2019 reads:

• Lot, by Bryan Washington – A collection of interconnected short stories that I found sincere, if a little dark.
• NYC Basic Tips and Etiquette, by Nathan Pyle – A fun graphic novel I stumbled upon on Amazon Kindle Unlimited that provided some surprisingly helpful hints even though I believed I already knew how to properly navigate the Big Apple.
• On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, by Ocean Vuong – A likely Pulitzer Prize Finalist, Vuong’s heart wrenching novel will deservedly be the talk in book circles for some time to come.
• Summer, by Karl One Knausgård – I’m sad now that I’ve finished the last of KInausgård’s personally revealing essay collections.
• State of the Union: A Marriage in Ten Parts, by Nick Hornby – I enjoyed reading this short novella while eating lunch in various locations – including a pizza cafe and Irish pub – around town.
• Biloxi, by Mary Miller – The novel so well demonstrates Miller’s capacity that I’ll like track down some of her earlier work, including the celebrated The Last Days of California.

Here’s hoping you’ve found interesting reads, too, in which to help escape the heat of summer.