This week, I interviewed Buzz resident and author Chris Cander about what she has read recently and loved. She selected The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. According to the publisher, The Correspondent is “is a gem of a novel about the power of finding solace in literature and connection with people we might never meet in person. It is about the hubris of youth and the wisdom of old age, and the mistakes and acts of kindness that occur during a lifetime.”

Author Ann Patchett describes this New York Times bestseller as follows: “Subtly told and finely made, The Correspondent is a portrait of a small life expanding. Virginia Evans shows how one woman changes at a point when change had seemed impossible. That change, like this novel, turns out to be a cause for celebration.”

Author Chris Cander most recently published A Gracious Neighbor set in our very own West University Place (read more about that here). She is the USA Today bestselling author of the novels The Weight of a Piano, which was named an Indie Next Great Read; Whisper Hollow, also named an Indie Next Great Read, longlisted for the Great Santini Fiction Prize, and a nominee for the 2015 Kirkus Prize for Fiction; and 11 Stories, named by Kirkus Reviews as one of the best books of 2013, the winner of the Independent Publisher Book Award for Fiction, and a USA Best Book Award finalist. She is also the author of the Audible Original Stories Eddies and Grieving Conversations. (Read more about Chris in The Novelist Around the Corner: Writing a story close to home by Andria Dilling in our July 2022 issue.)

I was thrilled that Chris selected The Correspondent because it was my top read of the year. I had selected it as a May Buzz Reads pick and interviewed Virginia for my podcast as well as hosting her for my literary salon. It is truly a gem of a novel.

Here is what Chris has to say about it:

What is the best book you have read recently?

I read and loved The Correspondent by Virginia Evans.

What did you like about it? What made it stand out to you?

I recently read the epistolary novel The Correspondent by Virgina Evans for my book club. It’s a gorgeous exploration of human connection via the written word. The author masterfully weaves together the lives of the characters, revealing their identities and relationships through the letters they write to one another – mostly by hand. The novel's ability to capture the nuances of longing, regret, and hope left a lasting impression, making me reflect on the significance of thoughtful, intentional communication in an increasingly divided world.  

Did you read a physical book, a digital copy, or an audiobook?

I read The Correspondent first in hardcover then listened to it on Audible. The audio version was enchanting – it is a full cast narration.

How did you learn about the book?

Someone in my club read a review and suggested it – but I'm not sure where she read the review.

What are you reading now?

My next read will be The Wayfinder by Pulitzer Prize-winner Adam Johnson, who appeared at Inprint's Margarett Root Brown's Reading Series on October 15th.

For more book recommendations and bookish thoughts, see Cindy’s monthly Buzz Reads column, her award-winning Thoughts from a Page Podcast or follow @ThoughtsFromaPage on Instagram.