Welcome to the Book Nook! This is the weekly thread for Avocados to discuss books we’re currently reading, recommendations, genre, and serious literary criticism.

This week’s recommended discussion: In honor of today’s holiday, and inspired by our national anthem, what are some books the evoke the natural beauty of America? If nature isn’t your jam, what art, architecture, monuments, etc. call to mind specific places?

One caveat: because we’re here to use our words, this is a NO GIF/YouTube/social media embed zone (the OTs are full of clutter, and I want to keep that out of this thread).

upcoming topics:
7/11: mini author spotlights – name an author, opine about their best and worst, themes, etc. (h/t snugglewumps)
7/18: imprimaturs (h/t a quiet storm)
7/25: read in order
8/1: a writer’s fiction vs. non-fiction (h/t a quiet storm)
8/8: right author, wrong book (h/t enuma) (which author’s most popular works are the wrong ones taught or recommended first)
8/15: half-remembered, but never forgotten (h/t Zecko)
8/22: essays (h/t a quiet storm)
8/29: it’s a beautiful world