Sweeping sagas from classic to contemporary
Hey, listeners!
We couldn’t imagine a better way to conclude our month with The House of the Spirits than by discussing one of our favorite sub-genres: sweeping family sagas. In today’s episode, we chat about what it means for a book to be sweeping and why these books are so beloved. We also share some of our favorite classic and contemporary family sagas alongside a few that are on our personal TBRs. Summer is the perfect time to get swept away by a novel, so we hope you find a book or two to add to your own summer reading list.
Listen to the episode here or in your favorite podcast app (don’t forget to rate and subscribe!).
And if you want even more sweeping stories to add to your beach bag:
Some of our links are Bookshop affiliate links. We earn a small commission when you make a purchase using these links (plus, you support independent bookstores).
Coming up:
On Tuesday, July 6th, we’re releasing our discussion episode of The Summer Book by Tove Jansson. This was a new book and a new author for both of us, and we thoroughly enjoyed this slight collection of vignettes. The Summer Book also brought to mind pairings that are quite different from the books we typically discuss on the show, which makes this episode extra special. Then on July 13th, it’s time for the summer edition of Short Story Club. This season, we’re reading and discussing “The Prairie Wife” by Curtis Sittenfeld. It’s a great read for anyone who loves Sittenfeld’s novels or readers who’ve been curious about her work. (Content warnings for homophobia and frank depictions of sexual situations.)
In case you missed it, we shared our summer selections on IGTV and in an Instagram post.
Currently reading:
Sara is listening* to Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters on audio and reading Brandon Taylor’s new short story collection Filthy Animals. Chelsey recently read The Guide by Peter Heller (out August 4th). It’s a follow-up to Heller’s wilderness suspense novel The River, which Chelsey and Sara both enjoyed a few summers back.
*You can support your favorite independent bookstores and get two Libro.fm audiobooks for the price of one by signing up with our link, or entering code NOVELPAIRINGS at checkout!
Where to find us:
Download episodes of Novel Pairings wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. Check out our blog for bonus pairings, reading tips, and book recommendations. Find Chelsey at @chelseyreads or @hereadsheread. Find Sara at @fictionmatters and her newsletter. We love hearing what you’re reading, so tag us in your #bookstagram posts!
We declare after all, there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book!
-Sara and Chelsey