What Author Playlists Would You Like To See?

plus recommended books by Ava Chin & Aaron Tucker, recommended music by Lisa/Liza, and a playlist of new music

Today’s Sarah Cypher playlist for her novel The Skin and Its Girl was the 3,737th entry in the Book Notes series (2023 entries, 2005-2023 entries) at Largehearted Boy. When I started pitching the series in 2005, publishers were still figuring out how to deal with bloggers, with marketing and publicity departments often fighting to avoid the task.

Luckily, Farah Miller, then at Knopf, saw the opportunity to expose authors to a new audience and started sending books and authors my way. At the time, LHB covered books as well as music, but was often seen as more of a music blog (specifically an “mp3 blog”). The author playlist series launched on March 30, 2005 with a playlist by Tom Bissell. Eighteen years later the playlists continue.

Since then the series has hosted a multitude of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry writers. Occasionally cartoonists and photographers. A children’s book or two. Some cookbooks. The only prerequisite is that I enjoy the book (which means I am always reading, the rare rewarding Sisyphean task).

I have discovered many of my favorite authors through the playlist series, so much music, and publishers. Lately university presses have astounded me with the poetry and fiction sent my way.

Some of the best books I have read have been recommended by readers. Who do you think would share an interesting playlist for their book? Which writer are you most curious about their musical taste? What new or forthcoming book would serve as the basis for a thoughtful author playlist?

Feel free to leave a comment or a post on Notes. I look forward to your suggestions.

Since this is a call for comments, this week’s subscriber post is open to everyone. If you enjoy Largehearted Boy and Largehearted Ledger, please consider supporting the site and/or becoming a paid subscriber to the newsletter. Thank you.

This week’s playlist of new music:

This week’s subscriber playlist includes new music from Hand Habits, the Antlers, Bethany Cosentino, Jenn Grant, Lifeguard, and Lightning Dust, plus much more.

Books & Music I’ve Been Loving This Week:

Ava Chin’s memoir Mott Street chronicles four generations of her family’s life, focusing on one building where they lived in New York City’s Chinatown. Chin’s skill in sharing her family’s history through the lens of her own life is always evident in this well-researched and moving book.

Aaron Hunter’s Soldiers, Hunters, Not Cowboys is pitched as “‘‘Cat Person’ meets Station Eleven.” That grabbed my interest, and is surprisingly accurate. The debut novel examines toxic masculinity through the lens of popular culture, specifically the 1956 John Wayne film The Searchers. Smart, visceral, and haunting, this book will brand itself on both your heart and your brain.

Lisa/Liza’s Breaking and Mending album is filled with lyrically-driven quiet Americana. This has often been the perfect soundtrack to a Brooklyn spring that has been mostly rainy and overcast.