Our 2024 Rhody Reads Roundup
Cozy up on a chill winter day with one of these top Rhode Island reads.
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Historical Fiction
Daughters of Nantucket by Julie Gerstenblatt
Julie Gerstenblatt’s Daughters of Nantucket takes us back to 1846 and the forces that held sway on an island isolated by the sea. In the midst of the Great Fire of 1846, three women of very different backgrounds take action to reclaim their futures and rebuild from the ashes of what lay before. Gerstenblatt is a Barrington resident who’s vacationed in Nantucket since the 1970s.
Crime
City of Dreams by Don Winslow
In City on Fire, the first novel of the Danny Ryan trilogy, Don Winslow drew on the rich mob lore of his home state to create a gritty thriller, a classic Irish versus Italian crime war with touches of Greek tragedy. In this anticipated follow-up, our namesake hero has escaped Rhode Island for the sunny shores of California only to discover trouble is not quite at bay. Catch up on the action before the debut of the third book, City in Ruins, later this year.
Science
The Big 100: The New World of Super-Aging by William J. Kole
What if half of everyone you knew lived to be 100? In his first book, Rhode Island-based journalist and author Bill Kole explores the world of super-aging, and what our increasing longevity means for a grayer future. Along the way, he talks to experts on aging, investigates the racial age gap and recounts the story of his grandmother, a child of Sicilian immigrants who lived to be 103.
Memoir
The Couscous Chronicles by Azzedine T. Downes
Before he was president of a global nonprofit for animal welfare, Azzedine Downes was a teacher and Peace Corps administrator traipsing through countries in Europe and the Middle East. An American Muslim with Irish roots (who eventually settled in Providence), Downes shares his tale of a life lived between cultures, including the love story with his wife that began as an arranged marriage in Morocco.
Children’s
Firefighters to the Rescue! by R.W. Alley
Parents who grew up on Richard Scarry’s Busytown books will adore the first volume in R.W. Alley’s Breezy Valley at Work series, depicting colorful animal characters on a mission to protect their bustling town. Future books featuring hospital and construction workers are also planned. A prolific illustrator best known for his work on Paddington Bear titles, Alley lives in Rhode Island with his wife and fellow children’s book author, Zoë B. Alley.
Food
The Great Clam Cake and Fritter Guide by Carolyn Wyman
Who knew that Mainers had their own version of the deep-fried Rhody delicacy? Or that Aunt Carrie’s once marketed the beach snack as clam fritters? Carolyn Wyman dives into all things clam cakes, from where to buy them to how to make them to whether you can ever have too many (answer: not as long as there’s chowder for dipping!). Read up on your favorite local joints and discover a few bucket-list seafood shacks for next time you hit the road.
