An incomplete, ever-changing list of what Sophie Cudd is looking for.
Fiction:
- High-concept literary fiction that spans generations, cultures, time periods. Any writing that can make my heart ache
- Historical figures reimagined — particularly figures from non-Western history and folklore
- Thriller & suspense that makes me feel feverish
- Adventures with that cult-classic aura
- Upmarket & bookclubby “witchy” mysteries, in the vein of The Cloisters and The London Séance Society
- Love stories with bite — ones that can make me laugh, cry, see the world through a new perspective
- Fresh, speculative fiction that can capture human behavior in an Orwellian way
Nonfiction:
- Art history and literary history
- Sophisticated, narrative and empirical deep dives into distinct topics across science, history and culture, in the vein of No Visible Bruises and The Body Keeps the Score
- The science of consciousness and/or psychology, especially works that can bring theorizing and data into the practical realm of everyday lives. A favorite includes The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt
- Memoirs with big stories to tell
- Essay collections that can flip society and culture on its head
- Food writing and cookbooks! Any cuisine or cultural background. There’s nothing I love more than making a new recipe