Today’s guest is Susan Meissner, a historical fiction author based in the Pacific Northwest. You might know Susan from books like Only the Beautiful and The Nature of Fragile Things: Susan is also a reader and listener and today she's here to talk with Anne about her readerly dilemma.
Susan writes character-driven, historical fiction: sometimes books like hers are described as “quiet” and she’s okay with that. Susan knows what she loves to write and what she loves to read. But lately, there have been whispers in the industry that this kind of “quieter” historical fiction is not what readers want right now. Instead, today’s readers are seeking out short, snappy, and plotty books. At least, that’s the conventional industry wisdom these days. So what does that mean for Susan and everyone else loves to read and write "quiet" books?
As a lover of these types of books herself, Anne's been mulling over Susan's query, and in today's conversation, they unpack the quiet novel and discuss its place in today’s literary landscape. They dive into questions like what it even means to call a book “quiet” and whether readers have indeed lost their appetite for them, before sharing titles that are highly character-driven while also offering incredibly compelling plots. Whether you know you like quiet books or aren't quite sure, today's show is sure to pique your curiosity.
Find the full list of titles discussed today and share your thoughts (and book recommendations) with Susan on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/423.
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Ep 232: Really good fiction is about EVERYTHING
Ep 231: Lush literary novels with page-turning appeal
Ep 230: Don't overthink your reading life
Ep 229: Works of literary fabulousness
Ep 228: HELP! I can't stop quitting books
Ep 227: Putting your money where your literary values are
Ep 226: Dig in to a feast for your literary senses
Ep 225: What your neighborhood should read next
Ep 224: Confronting the Bookshelf of Shame
Ep 223: Five stars for negative book reviews
Ep 222: Ordinary lives make extraordinary books
Ep 221: Swipe right for book love
Ep 220: The books that keep pulling me back
Ep 219: Required reading revisited
Ep 218: A WSIRN Marriage Story
Ep 217: Making up for lost time in your reading life
Ep 216: A sneak peek at Don't Overthink It
Ep 215: Finding the right way to track YOUR reading
Ep 214: Deconstructing your best reading year yet
Ep 213: Art, fear, and discovering great books
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