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Television's 'red carpet' night is coming up with the Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 18. Just for fun, we asked VPL's reading experts for top book picks based on TV shows nominated for big awards this weekend.
Show: House of Cards
Top read: The Geneva Option by Adam LeBor
Yael Azoulay is one of the UN secretary general's most trusted aides, undertaking top-secret deals with some of the world’s most notorious and dangerous political leaders. But when the details of her most recent mission – negotiating a plea deal with a leader of the Rwandan genocide – are leaked to the media, Azoulay's job and life are put in jeopardy. She sets out to find the source of the leak, and stumbles on a conspiracy she must stop.
Show: Downton Abbey
Top read: The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt
The Children's Book follows a young runaway named Philip who is found in the basement of London's Victoria and Albert Museum in 1895. He is adopted into the Wellwood household whose Victorian facade of social respectability hides deep dark secrets. Filled with a cast of characters, this novel is a family saga that takes readers across the English countryside, France and Germany to the end of the First World War.
Show: Master of None
Top read: Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari
If you like watching lead actor and writer Aziz Ansari’s comedic style in Master of None, then Modern Romance is a must-read. With the help of sociologist Eric Klinenberg, Ansari’s voice (literally in the audiobook) is peppered throughout this highly entertaining and witty examination of the modern dating scene. As in Master of None, readers will find the same funny cleverness and honesty as Ansari navigates the complex nature of dating.
Show: Better Call Saul
Top read: Canary by Duane Swierczynski
Those who can't get enough of the prequel to Breaking Bad will enjoy reading Canary – an engaging and fresh story told from the perspective of honours college student Sarie Holland and undercover drug cop Benjamin F. Wildey. Wildey catches Holland in a crime she didn’t intend to commit. To avoid drug charges, she becomes a confidential informant. Wildey thinks he has hit the jackpot with Holland, but this good girl might not be as cooperative as he thinks.
Show: Orange is the New Black
Top read: Mule: A Novel of Moving Weight by Tony D'Souza
James and Kate were a well-off couple living the American dream before an unexpected pregnancy and the economy left them struggling to make ends meet. When James is given an opportunity to make enough money to last the couple many months, he agrees to transport a load of marijuana to Florida from California. What ensues sends his morals into a downward spiral.
Show: Modern Family
Top read: Nine Inches by Tom Perrotta
This dark and witty collection of short stories explores the idea of the suburban nuclear family – filled with stories of Little League games, home cooking, neighbourhood friendships and children's birthday parties. Readers can soak up stories about the ups and downs of everyday life, and everything in between.
Bonus show: although Stranger Things is too new to be nominated for this year's Emmy Awards, we know fans will be eager for that blend of 1980s nostalgia and science fiction.
Top read: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Ready Player One is set In the near future when people spend most of their time plugged into a virtual reality game called OASIS. When OASIS creator James Halliday suddenly dies, he decides to leave his fortune and company to the first gamer who can solve a series of puzzles hidden in the game. Follow Wade Watts as he takes on the high-stakes game using his knowledge of 1980s pop culture, video games, and all things geeky to prevent the prize from getting into the wrong hands.
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