The WLT staff has cumulated a brand new list of book recommendations for the month of April. Check out our WLT bookshop for new literary suggestions from your friendly WLT staff every month: https://bookshop.org/shop/WLT
Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill
Recommended by WLT Executive Director Becka Oliver: “This book has been sitting on my shelf for years now, loaned to me by a friend. I’m not sure what I was waiting for, but I finally cracked it open and “wow.” What a beautiful and strange novel about marriage and betrayal and coming unmoored and finding your footing again, all told in sparse, elegant prose full of references that are seemingly random but come together in perfect harmony, from Kafka to the space program to philosophy and so much more. It’s the first thing I’ve read by Jenny Offill and I am ready for more – I can’t recommend this novel enough.”
Body Work: The Radical Power of Personal Narrative by Melissa Febos
Recommended by WLT Program Director Sam Babiak: “If you’ve ever been unsure about telling your personal story, read this book. Although it teaches us invaluable lessons on the craft, BODY WORK isn’t just a craft book – it’s a love letter to the art of personal narratives. It uplifted me, inspired me, and gave me the permission I needed to start telling my own stories.”
Girls Against God by Jenny Hval
Recommended by WLT Office / Member Services Manager Kelsey Williams: “Visit the white picket fences of Southern Norway in this witchy bildungsroman for those with heavy-metal, avant-garde proclivities.”
Mort by Terry Pratchett
Recommended by WLT Member Services / Digital Content Manager Evan Parks: “I’ve been told I’m in the enviable position for reading the Discworld novels for the first time. After reading Mort, I see what they mean. The world, while kooky and chaotic, is warm and the plot is fast paced, but what really shines in Pratchett’s work (and especially this one) is the characters. I’m ready to devour the rest of these novels. If you’ve never read one, here’s the sign to start.”
Emma by Jane Austen
Recommended by WLT Special Projects Staffer Sloane Smith: “I was finally able to read this book (thanks to a Jane Austen class) and I love the imperfection of the main character. This novel also just screams spring to me.”
Read one of our recommendations? Leave a comment and tell us what you thought! And if you’re ever looking for more reading material, don’t forget to check out the WLT Bookshop for craft and business of writing book recommendations from WLT instructors or more monthly picks to keep up with what the WLT staff is reading.
