Now that Spring has sprung, we at PRISM figured it was time for another team blog post about the best books to curl up with on the library lawn before the term wraps up.

“Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead” by Emily Austin

Writer: Scarlett Anderson

Fun fact: May is mental health awareness month, and what better way to honor it than by reading unflinching yet entertaining depictions of mental illness? “Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead” is about Gilda, stuck constantly ruminating on all the ways she and everyone around her could die. Eventually, she reaches a tipping point when she finds a flyer advertising free therapy and her guaranteed happiness. However, when she arrives at the address, she finds it’s a church where she’s met by a priest asking if she’s there for the job interview. Too embarrassed to correct him, she goes along with it and continues to play along when she gets the job as a secretary — even though she’s an atheist lesbian. “Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead” kept me engaged until the end — which only took me a day or two to reach. This novel paints an all too relatable and realistic picture of mental illness, while keeping you afloat with a light, humorous tone and a mystery surrounding the woman that held the secretary job before her.

This book might contain more wintery scenery, but why not remind yourself just how good we have it now with 70 degree sunny days? Consider this read a bracing breeze to cool you down when it gets too warm.

“Convenience Store Woman” by Sayaka Murata

Writer: Scarlett Anderson

I literally read this book on the Memorial Union quad, underneath a blooming cherry tree on the first sunny day in March, and made a little hummingbird friend as he drank from the new blossoms. “Convenience Store Woman” is quick and to the point, easily digestible like cherry blossom nectar to a hummingbird…I guess. This is a short novel, originally written in Japanese, about Keiko, a thirty-something woman, unmarried and working at a convenience store with no desire to move on to supposedly “bigger and better” things. Read this book if you’ve ever felt like an outcast, the “weird girl,” like you’re forcing yourself to fit in, or if you never really understood politeness rules. Or if you just need a break from how bleak working minimum wage jobs in America is. We could all use a bit of Keiko’s enthusiasm from time to time.

“Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About” by Isabel Klee 

Writer: Sam Szekely

The memoir of a viral foster mom for dogs in New York City. She narrates life in her 20s trying to find a job she’s passionate about, dating in the city, and recounting the lessons she’s learned interpersonally through the perspective of the lessons learned fostering different dogs. It’s an easy and quick read, though I did cry several times so maybe if you have shame about crying in public, wait until you get home to read it.

“Evenings and Weekends” by Oisín McKenna 

Writer: Sam Szekely

It all starts when a whale gets stuck in the Thames River. The news reporter is bemusingly the spitting image of Princess Diana and is promptly dubbed Diana Princess of Whales. Set over the course of one sweltering, fateful summer weekend in London, the book follows a series of interconnected characters each facing decisions that will change the course of their lives. An ode to those living for evenings and weekends and desperately hoping the weight of reality won’t crash around them. This is a book you devour while romanticizing the freedom of summer.

“Under the Sea Wind” by Rachel Carson

Writer: Tate Kraetzer

A tale of the sea told in three acts, “Under the Sea Wind” is a delightful read made for the warm embrace of the library lawn at the height of Spring. Rachel Carson takes you by the hand and leads you through the shore, the shallows, and the depths by way of three incredible creatures: a sanderling, a mackerel, and (of course, my favorite) an eel. Carson’s voice here is so clear and unique — she goes against scientific convention by anthropomorphizing her subjects (and fully admits to that fact), maintaining that there is power in holding empathy for the world around us. That that does not make us any less credible or scientific, but rather grounds us in the process of discovery. There is something so warm about reading this book, about the cyclical path of nature — even when predators prey on the creatures posed as our protagonists, there is no ill will, only the understanding of nature doing as nature does: persisting.

“The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn” by Tri Vuong

Writer: Tate Kraetzer

“The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn” by Tri Vuong is frankly bizarre and utterly lovely. You can find this collection of aptly named “strange tales” online as a web comic (as I did) or get your grubby hands on a copy of the graphic novel by the same name (as I hope to do one day). Oscar Zahn is a paranormal investigator touched by the paranormal himself — though nothing but a skull in a trenchcoat (and what’s that about an octopus?), Oscar is not in want of a brain or a heart. This story is such a fun (and sometimes less-so fun, but not less fulfilling) read for the season — with a beautiful art style and a distinct voice, I would choose to follow Oscar as he unravels any number of mysteries, including his own, any day of Spring. The odd little creatures who permeate the comic are just a bonus.

“Bitch: On the Female of the Species” by Lucy Cooke

Writer: Elizabeth Pritchett

I’m not much for writing book reviews, and this probably isn’t the best “Spring Lawn Read,” but I did have a grand time reading it over last summer on the beach. That’s close enough, right? As a studying zoologist, I loved this book. I was familiar with many of the basic concepts that it covers, but Lucy Cooke really opened my eyes to just how much misogyny has set biology back as long as biology has existed. We’re still feeling the impacts of it, as people continue to try to find a scientific way to justify patriarchy — something that isn’t hard to do when most people have such a low understanding of things like sexual selection, sexual dimorphism, and the variety of the natural world. Cooke’s writing style is irreverent and incredibly enjoyable, and made reading about some of the rage-inducing topics more bearable. I’d recommend this book to anyone, because I think it’s vital information for everyone to have, but especially to those who have even a passing interest in biology.

“The Other Bennet Sister” by Janice Hadlow

Writer: Liz Meyers

For any Jane Austen fans out there looking for a new read this spring, “The Other Bennet Sister” by Janice Hadlow is the perfect book. In what could be considered either a sequel or a fanfiction of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” “The Other Bennet Sister” follows Mary Bennet, the third and middle sister of the Bennet family. While Mary has always been described as pedantic and overly bookish, this book instead explores her experience before and after the events of “Pride and Prejudice” in a journey of self-discovery and learning to love oneself. It reveals a highly overlooked and misunderstood character that you can’t help but root for. Complete with a satisfying slow-burn romance, “The Other Bennet Sister” is a fresh, sunny read that will have you giggling and kicking your feet in the MU Quad. And if you happen to read it and aren’t satisfied with just the novel, check out the new BBC tv-series based on it. Available on BritBox, episodes are being released weekly through June 24th. From what I’ve seen so far, it’s an excellent adaptation of the book. While there have been some changes, they don’t feel out of place and greatly enhance the story. The best part of the show, though, are the actors, particularly Ella Bruccoleri as Mary Bennet. She perfectly embodies the essence of Mary in all her awkward and relatable glory. I’d highly recommend checking out either version of this unique perspective on a classic story.

Honorable Mentions (Non-Book Media):

“PRISM’s newly released ‘Visions,’ duh.” – Scarlett Anderson

So, run to the nearest used book store, library, or free PDF downloading website to pick up one of these Spring reads.

Or don’t, it’s not like we’d ever know.

Happy reading!