What We’re Reading This Week

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan

Wow. This book is an absolute roller-coaster. Susannah was a normal, successful 20-something when her world started falling apart. She suddenly began suffering from headaches, nausea, and hallucinations that quickly devolved into worse symptoms leading ultimately to a long stay at the hospital that she has no memory of. Brain on Fire is the story of what happened to Susannah pieced together from her journal entries, interviews with her friends and family, doctor’s notes, and even recorded video from her hospital room. A true medical marvel that will keep you on your toes, dying to know more.

—Hanna

The Mere Wife by Maria Dahvana Headley

I do enjoy the epic and the grandiose tales of deep, classic literature, so I was naturally intrigued by this modern suburban re-imagination of Beowulf. Written from the points of view of the women, Headley’s prose is engaging, and her raw and honest depiction of the characters is absolutely captivating.

—Willow

Fatal Throne: The Wives of Henry VII Tell All by Candace Fleming

Fatal Throne is an entrancing tale of King Henry VIII and his six doomed wives. It’s told in vignettes from the point of view of each queen and Henry himself. It dives into the souls of the queens during imperative moments of their reigns, showing a nature to these women that is rarely seen. They are strong, smart, cunning women who persevered in the adverse climate of 1500s England. In other words, IT’S SO GOOD!

—MK