If You Only Read One: November 2019

We know that we read — and review — a lot of books. It definitely helps that there are three of us, in that regard. So with this feature, we want to tell you our favorite read of the month - if we only recommend one book to pick up, what would it be?

Shannon

“Catch and Kill” by Ronan Farrow. I flew through this memoir-slash-investigative-nonfiction book that truly reads like a novel. The lengths Harvey Weinstein (and, subsequently, NBC) took to silence Farrow’s reporting of Weinstein’s (alleged) sexual misconduct are absolutely bananas, and explain why the story was silenced for so long. Only a reporter with Farrow’s inherent privilege could have withstood the pressure—and actual surveillance—he was subjected to. While Farrow wasn’t the first to break the story—that honor goes to Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey of The New York Times—Farrow did not have the full support of his employer (NBC News), and his follow-up reporting has been tremendous. Read Elizabeth’s review of “Catch and Kill” here and my review of Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey’s “She Said” here.

Moira

“Ask Again, Yes” was a highlight in a month of reading that had me in a couple of brief lulls. It’s a really lovely portrait of two families, similar in many ways, whose lives diverge after a tragedy. Their unexpected re-convergence ends up being a really lovely story about the power of forgiveness to transform. See Elizabeth’s review here and mine here.

Elizabeth

As you know, I had a strange month of reading, and I got very close to recommending “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” as my choice today. Then I realized it was a bit of a cop out, and if you’re reading a book blog, you’ve probably already read that one. However, the book I enjoyed the most this month was “The Royal We” by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan. It’s funny, it’s emotional, it’s got some twists and turns, and it’s about a royal courtship and marriage. Sometimes, the best thing you read is just unadulterated fluff, and that pretty much sums up my November.

(and yes, I’ve already preordered the sequel that comes out next June. Consider it a gift to future Elizabeth.)