Person
Every book Anna Dueno recommended on podcasts
Anna Dueno's appearances on The Book Review showcase a thoughtful reader with wide-ranging tastes in fiction, moving thoughtfully between contemporary novels, modern classics, and crime thrillers. When discussing her reading life, Dueno recommended Joseph O'Neill's novel 'Netherland', noting that it stunned her when it came out and describing it as a compelling modern retelling of The Great Gatsby. In her summer reading discussions, she reflected on her changing relationship with certain authors, sharing that she picked up Jonathan Franzen's 'Crossroads' and absolutely loved it, despite having previously written off the author after reading 'The Corrections' in high school. However, her school experiences with Franzen were not uniformly positive, as she strongly critiqued 'Freedom', which she had been forced to read for school and ultimately hated. Dueno also discussed returning to Mary Gaitskill's novel 'Veronica' as part of her seasonal reading list and explored the world of spy fiction by mentioning Len Deighton's thriller 'Spy Hook'. Additionally, she reflected on Charles Dickens's 'Great Expectations', noting that she had read the classic novel many times well beyond her school requirements, marking it as a unique outlier in her reading of Dickens. Through these recommendations and reflections, Dueno presents as an engaged literary enthusiast who constantly reevaluates books across different stages of her life.
Books recommended by Anna Dueno
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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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Crossroads
Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen is an expansive contemporary novel that delves into the intricate dynamics of a suburban Chicago family and their church group during the turbulent social landscape of the early 1970s.
Discussed“I decided to go back to an author I had totally written off who I had first read in high school which is one Jonathan Franzen I read the corrections in high school and then I decided to pick up Crossroads which I absolutely loved”
Where to get it
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Freedom
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen is a sweeping contemporary novel that chronicles the domestic struggles, marital disillusionment, and political anxieties of a middle-class American family.
Critiqued“I thought it would be ponderous I had to read freedom for school and hated it”
Where to get it
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Great Expectations
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens is a classic Victorian coming-of-age novel that follows the orphan Pip as he navigates social class, ambition, guilt, and personal reinvention in 19th-century England.
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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Spy hook
Discussed“it's Len Dayton it's i i believe the beginning of a Trilogy it's called spy hook”
Where to get it
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Veronica
Discussed“this is Veronica by mary gateskill that's right that's right published in what 2004 five”
Where to get it
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| What We're Reading This Summer | The Book Review | 2024-08-09 | 4 |
| Let's Talk About 'Demon Copperhead' | The Book Review | 2024-07-18 | 2 |
Other mentions (3: passing, ad reads, own books)
“I read the corrections in high school”
“I certainly have never read to this day David Copperfield and but so much of this especially at the beginning”
“and I will say that the retelling here is Gatsby”