What the Lyric Stage Staff is Reading
Here are some of the books that our staff is reading right now!
1. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
“It brought me to tears.” – Matt Chapuran, Executive Director
Set in 1922, A Gentleman in Moscow follows Count Alexander Rostov as he is ordered to spend the rest of his life inside a luxury hotel called the Metropol. Deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, Rostov has never worked a day in his life, and is forced to live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the walls of the Metropol.
2. Anything written by Elizabeth George
“I recommend really anything from Elizabeth George, my favorite British mystery writer.” – René Morrisette, Development Manager
Elizabeth George is no stranger to the mystery and thriller genre, as her works have been published since the late 1980s. Elizabeth George is a New York Times bestselling author, and she is internationally known for her twenty British crime novels featuring Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and his partner Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers. Her critically-acclaimed novels have also been adapted for television by the BBC, and translated into 30 languages. George has also written the best-selling creative writing book Write Away, and a young adult series called the Whidbey Island saga.
3. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
“What I love about this book is that it is a reminder of why art matters even when we lose almost everything, as illustrated by my favorite quote: ‘because survival is insufficient.’” – Nora Conley, General Manager
Disclaimer: If you don’t want to read anything pandemic-related, leave this at to-be-read for right now. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel takes place in the Great Lakes region after a swine flu pandemic called the “Georgia Flu” has overtaken the world, killing most of the population. It follows a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the wastelands and the scattered outposts of a post-apocalyptic world.
4. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
“It’s about solitude, but also about community and family and history!” – Katherine Shaver, Assistant Box Office Manager
Written by Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude is a landmark 1967 novel that follows the multi-generational story of the Buendía family. The novel explores the ups and downs and the rises and falls of the fictional Colombian town of Macondo through the eyes of this family. One Hundred Years of Solitude is regarded as a masterpiece in Latin American literature, selling over 50 million copies worldwide since its publication. It has been translated into 46 languages, and the novel popularized the genre of magical realism.
5. The Untold Stories of Broadway: Volume 1 by Jennifer Ashley Tepper
“It gives a backstage look into historical Broadway events from the perspective of all those who bring the shows to life.” – Kate Casner, Digital Marketing Associate
Kate is currently reading The Untold Stories of Broadway: Volume 1 by Jennifer Ashley Tepper, which is available for free as an eBook from Amazon! From opening nights to closing nights, from secret passageways to legendary ghost stories, Tepper’s novel tells what you’ve never heard of about the most famous stages in the world from the people that make it all happen: actors, producers, stage hands, musicians, dressers, and more. Volume 1 includes eight iconic Broadway theaters in New York City: the August Wilson, the Winter Garden, the Neil Simon, the Marriott Marquis, the Al Hirschfeld, the Mark Hellinger, the Richard Rodgers, and the Lyceum.
6. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
“I read this entire book in one day. If you love reading about the entertainment industry and investigative journalism, this book is a must!” – Marieska Luzada, Digital Marketing/Social Media Assistant
If you want to read a book that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish, pick up The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid! After struggling writer Monique Grant lands a job at the prestigious Vivant magazine, she receives news from her editor that Hollywood icon Evelyn Hugo has agreed to do an interview with the magazine under the condition that Monique is the interviewer. Though Monique is initially confused with the fact that Evelyn Hugo hasn’t been involved with the media for decades, she later finds out that her life intersects with the actress in tragic ways.
