Episode · The Book Review · 2024-02-16
Books mentioned on Let's Talk About 'Demon Copperhead'
MJ Franklin discussed Heaven by Mieko Kawakami and others, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride, and David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, and read Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver for a book club. Anna Dubenko recommended Netherland by Joseph O'Neill, and discussed Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. Elisabeth Egan recommended Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld and The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, and discussed The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver and others and Circe by Madeline Miller. Gilbert Cruz read Erasure by Percival Everett for a book club.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Demon Copperhead
Barbara Kingsolver's acclaimed novel Demon Copperhead is a contemporary reimagining of Charles Dickens's David Copperfield, set against the grim backdrop of the opioid crisis in modern-day Appalachia.
Book club“I'm an editor here at the New York Times book review and this week we are chatting about demon Copperhead by Barbara Kings solver”
Where to get it
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Heaven
Heaven by Mieko Kawakami is a contemporary novel exploring themes of bullying, empathy, and adolescence through a stark and unflinching lens.
Discussed“at the end of last year we chatted about the Heaven and Earth grocery store and that was a lot of fun so go check that out”
Where to get it
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The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride is a rich, character-driven novel that explores community, race, and humanity within a tight-knit Pennsylvania neighborhood during the mid-twentieth century.
Discussed“at the end of last year we chatted about the Heaven and Earth grocery store and that was a lot of fun so go check that out”
Where to get it
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David Copperfield
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens is a classic 1850 semi-autobiographical novel that follows the emotional and professional maturation of its titular hero from an impoverished childhood to adulthood.
Discussed“it is a retelling of Charles dickens's David Copperfield reframed here to explore Appalachia and the opioid crisis”
Where to get it
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Great Expectations
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens is a classic Victorian novel following the orphan Pip as he navigates social class, ambition, and personal growth.
Discussed“so I have read Great Expectations many times beyond what was required in school and weirdly I think that's the only Dickens I've ever read”
Where to get it
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The Poisonwood Bible
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver is a celebrated novel that follows a missionary family in the Belgian Congo during a period of intense political upheaval.
Discussed“my my last favorite was The Poisonwood Bible”
Where to get it
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Eligible
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld is a witty, contemporary retelling of Jane Austen's beloved classic novel Pride and Prejudice, relocating the classic romance and family drama to the modern-day suburbs of Cincinnati.
Recommended“so I think I would recommend eligible by Curtis sienfeld it is a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in the suburbs of Cincinnati”
Where to get it
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Netherland
Netherland by Joseph O'Neill is a critically acclaimed contemporary novel that reimagines the classic themes of The Great Gatsby through the lens of a post-9/11 New York City cricket community.
Recommended“right after clueless my recommendation would be Netherland by Joseph O'Neal it's a book I read when it came out and just stunned me at the time”
Where to get it
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The Song of Achilles
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller is a lyrical and moving reimagining of the Iliad that focuses on the deep romance between Achilles and Patroclus.
Recommended“my recommendation is song of Achilles by meline Miller it is the story of Petras and achiles and it is wonderful”
Where to get it
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Circe
Circe by Madeline Miller is a critically acclaimed reimagining of Greek mythology that tells the story of the exiled witch from The Odyssey from her own perspective, celebrated for its exquisite prose and psychological depth.
Discussed“and and then right after that I read Cersei loved that for a totally different reason”
Where to get it
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Erasure
Erasure by Percival Everett is a sharp, satirical novel that follows a frustrated African American author whose cynical parody of stereotypical Black literature unexpectedly becomes a massive, mainstream bestseller.
Book club“this one about pel Everett's eraser the film adaptation of which titled American fiction was recently nominated for several Oscars”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (5) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“so please don't ask me about The Bean Trees which came out I think when I was in high school a million years ago”
“as for Dickens I read what I was required to read in school and I was never someone to pick up Great Expectations just for fun”
“I certainly have never read to this day David Copperfield and but so much of this especially at the beginning”
“so I think I would recommend eligible by Curtis sienfeld it is a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in the suburbs of Cincinnati”
“and I will say that the retelling here is Gatsby”