When they’re not bringing you stories from around the nation, the editors at the Post are always reading. Here are some of the books they’re enjoying this summer:
Language City
by Ross Perlin
With more than 700 languages spoken among its denizens, New York City is likely the most linguistically diverse area in the history of the world. Major languages spoken by millions are represented there, but so are numerous tongues at risk of disappearing — some of them known only by a dozen or so elders living in the Big Apple. NYC could be seen as a place where languages come to die, but the Endangered Language Alliance sees things differently. Packed with history, data, and personal stories, Language City outlines how the ELA brings together linguists, language activists, native speakers, teachers, and learners to create dictionaries, grammars, podcasts, and children’s books in an effort to preserve languages that might otherwise be lost forever. A great read for lovers of language and history.
You Like It Darker
by Stephen King
Throughout his 50 years of penning bestselling novels, Stephen King has always found time for shorter fiction. His first collection in nine years, You Like It Darker — comprising five novellas and seven short stories — returns to familiar themes and a very familiar novel. Through his Dark Tower series and recurring use of fictional towns like Castle Rock and Derry, King has established his own connected universe. Take Lloyd Sunderland and his dog Laurie; they appear in the novella Rattlesnakes — which revisits Vic Trenton from Cujo — but get their own tale in “Laurie.” There, King evokes the weightier aspects of aging while exploring the bonds we share with our pets. The set is unlikely to move the unconverted, but King’s devotion to short-form fiction and his ongoing ability to scare the bejesus out of readers make it worth your time.
Listen for the Lie
by Amy Tintera
Hit true-crime podcast “Listen for the Lie” has just dropped its new episode, and all eyes are back on Lucy Chase — the prime suspect of her best friend Savvy’s murder. Found disoriented and covered in Savvy’s blood, Lucy has never been able to recall anything from that night. The whole town still believes her to be a murderer, though without solid evidence, Lucy has never been charged. Now podcast host Ben Owens hopes to uncover what really happened five years ago, and Lucy returns home to face her past. Tintera deftly weaves in humor to balance out the dark twists, which keeps Lucy relatable and intriguing. As she encounters her ex-husband, former friends, and parents who think she is guilty, can Lucy quiet the voice that keeps telling her to kill?
This article is featured in the September/October 2024 issue of The Saturday Evening Post. Subscribe to the magazine for more art, inspiring stories, fiction, humor, and features from our archives.
Become a Saturday Evening Post member and enjoy unlimited access. Subscribe now
