Homesick
Blind Date with a Book (Amy's Version)
Here’s an incredibly compelling collection of short stories that I probably would never have heard of if I hadn’t been merely looking for books sporting this title. I’m just about done with these stories that circle around the experiences of Sri Lankans living in South London…and I’m wondering what author Roshi Fernando will write next? Or if she even is still writing? Homesick was published in 2012, and I don’t believe Fernando has published anything since. I suppose publishing is just that fickle. And contrary to the image that some mega authors convey as they pump out book after book after book, writing a thoughtful book is, well, hard work. I would 100% read something by this author again. And if I were on #BookTok, I’d go all in on reviving this collection. (NOOOO, I am not making TikToks. [And my kids said ‘amen.’] But I like watching them, especially the ones my son points out. Anyway, post forthcoming about my observations of #BookTok, which I’ve posted about on occasion, and its role in reviving “old” books.)
Have you had any serendipitous book encounters? Browsing your local library’s stacks is a good method for that! Or, you can borrow my technique — maybe instead of choosing a “word” for your year (#happy #balance #trite), maybe you can select a word or phrase and see what fiction has used it in a title. I promise you’ll be surprised. #Surprise #BookRecommendation
originally published on instagram