Here's what Life Kit staffers recommended for this year's Books We Love. Meghan Keane, supervising editor Tom Lake
Ann Patchett
In Tom Lake, a mother uses the long days of pandemic lockdown to tell her adult daughters about her showmance with an actor (who goes on to be famous) back in her summer-stock days. There’s drama; there’s summer love; there are questions about how a moment can impact your life’s trajectory. It will make younger readers question what path is in front of them and make older readers feel appreciative of the road they’ve already taken. This novel is why Ann Patchett is a master. Clare Marie Schneider, producer The Guest
Emma Cline
A romp of epic proportions – Alex, our adrift protagonist, swims and eats her way through the private pools and stainless steel kitchens of the Hamptons’ elite. Broke and without a home to return to, she extends her summer stay by weaseling her way into the lives of various seasonal residents. After puzzling through all the actually difficult parts of infiltrating the world, her demise is her own once she’s in. Alex’s self-destructive impulses land her in increasingly anxiety-inducing, thriller-like scenarios and interactions that become harder to unravel as she leaves a trail of mess with every exit. She simply must scratch the itch – steal the watch, kiss the boy, jump in the pool. Malaka Gharib, digital editor This Country: Searching for Home in (Very) Rural America
Navied Mahdavian In Navied Mahdavian’s debut graphic memoir, he recounts his experience moving from San Francisco to rural Idaho with his wife in 2016. In addition to adapting to country life and preparing to start a family, Mahdavian, who is Iranian American, examines his relationship with his race and identity while living in a red state in the wake of Donald Trump’s election. With light and airy illustrations, Mahdavian tackles these complex themes with humor and wit. Fujiwara Maki, translated by Ryan Holmberg
Comics publisher Drawn & Quarterly has just reprinted My Picture Diary, a 1981 collection of simple illustrations and diary entries by the late Japanese artist Fujiwara Maki. Her drawings capture daily life with her young son, Shosuke, and her husband, acclaimed manga author Tsuge Yoshiharu. Although she bears the brunt of the housework and child rearing – with little help from her moody husband – the ever-resilient Maki finds joy where she can. In one scene, she throws a cookie party for Shosuke on a cold winter’s day; in another, she takes herself out to a movie. It’s a charming and at times heartbreaking read. | 
