Mailbag: The Media Edition (Part One)

It's no secret that I like to consume things. My favorites include (i) carrots; (ii) peas; (iii) apple-pear medley; and (iv) media. Being that I am more in touch with the national zeitgeist than the average baby blogger, I thought it would be a good idea to post a few top ten lists for the summer. But then I started getting questions from my loyal fans. Lucy, they beg, tells us what to watch! Lucy, tell us what to read! Lucy, tell us what to listen to! Lucy, tell us what to do! So rather than doing tedious top ten lists, I figured I'd just answer my fan mail directly. I meant to get this done earlier today, but as you can probably see, I had a long day cleaning the house (see above) and tidying up our pantry (see below).

Lucy, what is on your reading list this summer? I'm really struggling with what I should be picking up. Can you help me? Michiko K., New York, New York.

Well, Michiko, this is a great summer for reading. There are at least five novels on my must read list (and three of them are being published in August).

First up is Thomas Pynchon's latest, Inherent Vice. Anytime Thomas Pynchon publishes something, it's an event. Inherent Vice is the story of Doc Sportello and the kidnapping of a billionaire land developer at the tail end of the 1960s. Sound formulaic to you? Me too. But Pynchon has built up enough goodwill for me to trust him on this one. I can't say this about too many people -- in fact, I only just started trusting mommy last week. But she's on thin ice. Inherent Vice will be published on August 4.

Next up is Nobody Move: A Novel by Denis Johnson. This noirish romp is filled with cons, scams, grifts, and guns. Reminds me of afternoons with daddy! For those of you who don't know, Denis Johnson wrote Tree of Smoke and the stupendous Jesus' Son. You should definitely check this out. It's available now.

I just found out about this one the other day. Richard Russo is among my favorite writers and is a master at capturing small town America. Not much is known about That Old Cape Magic at this point. I don't really think that matters. I'm sure Russo will deliver. That Old Cape Magic is due on August 4.

Next, I'd like to let you know about a little book called Green Hell: How Environmentalists Plan to Control Your Life and What You Can Do to Stop Them by Steve Milloy. I think the title says it all. I won't spoil much of this book for you, because I really do recommend that you read it and think about it on its own. And then go pour some oil on a duck. Or burn a tire. Green Hell is in bookstores now.


Last, but certainly not least, is Pat Conroy's new novel, South of Broad. This book looks to continue Conroy's patented formula of characters with big secrets and big friendships that transcend decades. Sure, this might be a retread of territory already explored in Beach Music, but, in this humble little baby's opinion, no one can describe a sunset like Pat Conroy. Except maybe G.K. Chesterton. South of Broad is due on August 11.

I'll be back in the next few days with some recommendations for some movies and some tunes that will serve you well over this coming summer. Well, to be totally honest, I won't be recommending music. That's Bailey's territory, and I don't want to step on her toes. She's the real expert on that stuff. And she should be, after all the years she spent touring with the Steve Miller Band. We'll see if I can convince her to guest-blog. See you soon.