The library is more than just books, and WUWM’s Books and Beyond series with Milwaukee Public Library showcases just that. We share resources, book recommendations, and some cool stuff you might not know about.
This month, Lake Effect’s Audrey Nowakowski is joined by Jacki Potratz, the fiction and media selector at Milwaukee Public Library, to discuss some of the library’s most popular titles from the past six months.
“Some of these books have had waiting lists – and still do – where we've seen upwards of 400 people waiting for our title,” Potratz says.
With waiting lists so long, Potratz also recommended a few similar books you can check out while you're waiting for any of these titles.
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
“[The Correspondent] is unique because it's told in the epistolary form, which means that it's told through letters that she writes. And for me and many readers, I think, this offers a form of nostalgia. Newer novels sometimes incorporate text messages, blogs, emails, and those are very popular too. But I really personally enjoy when it's back to letter writing,” Potratz says.
Recommended if You Like (RIYL):
- A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
- Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barros
Heart the Lover by Lily King
“This one, I think, will appeal to people who like love triangles. ... I think people like [this kind of book] because you can root for the protagonist to fall in love with one or the other or both [love interests]," Potratz says. "The author does such a great job of not letting you know until the end which two are going to end up together."
RIYL:
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
- The Secret History by Donna Tartt
- Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan.
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
“This is a story about Tova, an older woman who works nights in an aquarium, and she ends up making friends with [an octopus named] Marcellus," Potratz says. "She lost her son when he was young. And Marcellus, without speaking, finds a way – because he knows what happened to her son – he finds a way to tell her, to show her. And it's just remarkable."
RIYL:
- Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen
- The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley.
The Women by Kristin Hannah
“When this book came out, the waiting list? Huge," Potratz says. "This is a story of Frances McGrath. She's a nurse serving in the U.S. Army Corps during the Vietnam War. ... The strong protagonists, the wartime settings and deep friendships, I think that people are drawn to this because you're combining high-stakes human drama with the reality of true events."
RIYL:
- Good Night, Irene by Luis Alberto Urrea
- The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
- The Alice Network by Kate Quinn.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
“We’ve got a lone astronaut here on an impossible mission, and an ally no one could imagine. And he knows that if he fails, humanity and earth will perish. So there's a lot on the line here," Potratz says. "I think that what draws people to read books like Project Hail Mary is that sense of wonder and our unknowing of what lies beyond,” says Potratz.
RIYL:
- Dungeon Crawler Carl Series by Matt Dinniman
- The Future by Kate Quinn
- The Martian by Andy Weir
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
“It's 1975, a girl goes missing from her summer camp bunk. And she's not just any girl. She’s the daughter of the camp owners. Years ago, her brother disappeared, and he has not been found," Potratz says. "This is one of those high-stakes mysteries. It's also very atmospheric and involves drama, family drama, and some, I would say, sharp social commentary as well. All those things will really drive people to want to enjoy this book."
RIYL:
- The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
- I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai
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