Book Chatter

Sunday Matters, a latte on a wooden tray against greenery.

Well, it’s been a hot minute, hasn’t it? I’ve been good but work, work has not been the greatest. Lots of challenges as higher ed runs full speed ahead towards AI without any concern for its use cases, environmental impact or the like. In the world of Academia there is a lot to consider and frankly it’s taking up all of my time and my bandwidth is at capacity.

That negative vibe sucks up all my good energy but I am still pushing ahead and surrounding myself with good books and when I can, a nice meal. Plus, my fitness efforts have really paid off. Rage walking/running is highly recommended for health. All that rage provides endless fuel.

Right Now:

Still a coach for student ministry so I am about to hang with my students over three services! Takes up most of my Sunday but the students make it worth it. Coffee, a quick bite, I am out the door.

This Week:

Next week I leave for summer camp so this week will be work as usual and then picking up any last minute items for camp. We have themed days so I need to pick up some things for them. I REALLY wish one of those themes was not USA. Groan.

I plan to post a couple of reviews this week and pick my big summer read. I am not doing a summer list this year. I just want to pick a big, chunkster classic to spend my summer with.

Reading:

Watching:

I never have anything to contribute here but I found some stuff to watch. That new Netflix show, I Will Find You by Harlan Coben. Only eight episodes. Pretty good.

Also watching Curb Your Enthusiasm. I am a huge Seinfeld fan so anything Larry David does I am interested in. I don’t know why I never watched his show before but now I am fully invested. I will say, he is absolutely nuts and very ADHD in my opinion so I can only watch an episode now and then. It’s impossible to binge.

Family updates:

My daughter Emma is still doing well and loving New York. She is going to auditions regularly. I feel like she’s very close to hitting something. She performs at a local theatre and attends classes when she can. Her cat Jinx loves the NY street views from her apartment.

My son Evan ramped up his non-profit efforts as well as his city beautification projects for the city of Bellevue. His cat Root Beer is thriving and continues to be the most docile feral rescue known to man.

My little Otter Pup is still here. She will be 16 on July 4th, the bday we gave her based on her adoption age. She struggles a lot but still gets around, eats like a horse and is full of sass.

That’s all I have. Hope you are all doing well. Let me know!

Fox
By Joyce Carol Oates
Hogarth, June 2025, 672pp.

The Short of It:

An exploration of temptation and the need for love.

The Rest of It:

*No Spoilers*

Mr. Fox is quite popular, with a certain group of girls.

Francis Fox, an English teacher at the prestigious Langhorne Academy possesses charm and wit and knows just what to say to a select few. Many of his students hang on his every word and seek his approval whenever they can, often leading to days of misery when not in the radius of his attention.

But when Fox’s car is found submerged in a local nature reserve’s pond, and the unidentified body is strewn about, while Fox is nowhere to be found, detectives begin to ask the tough questions.

Who is Fox? What’s his story? How did he arrive at this sleepy little town? As Detective Horace Zwender and his partner begin questioning school administrators and really anyone who Fox came in contact with, they slowly discover another side to him that begs to be further explored.

I found myself completely enthralled with this book. It speaks to forbidden wants and desires and how they play out between people when the conditions are just right. The tension! Fox’s private life is not so private as each page is turned. Oates creates flawed vulnerable characters that pull you in, even when the subject matter is difficult to digest.

The nuanced writing takes center stage. The tone is subtle while creating tension that will have you reading each word, slowly. It’s mesmerizing and satisfying.

It checked all my boxes:

Imperfect characters
Surprising twists
Highbrow academia setting
Intellectually thoughtful, reflective
Delicate handling of a tough topic

At nearly 700pp, I did not feel its length whatsoever. I flipped those pages in awe because Oates takes you gently by the hand and then as you get further in, you end up running full speed to those final pages.

I didn’t want it to end. My mind got such a workout while spending time with Fox. I guess you could say he charmed me as well.

Highly recommend. Not sure how I missed this book when it was first released.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Bookshop.org affiliate links.

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