Books
I have a confession to make: I was a very late joiner of the Schitt's Creek fandom. Don't ask me what made me come to my senses finally, but it could have been the constant use of hilarious scenes in gifs and memes, or the incredibly moving response to a character's coming out scene in Season 5. Or the sad news that creators Eugene and Dan Levy have decided that the sixth season of Schitt's Creek will be its last. Whatever serendipitous event brought me to finally queue up the Netflix show, I have now been fully converted.
The comedic tale of the Rose family — patriarch Johnny, his wife Moira, and their adult children David and Alexis — and their journey from wealthy, sheltered and incredibly self-centered socialites to permanent motel guests in the small town of Schitt's Creek, is equal parts gut-busting, tear-jerking and strangely life-affirming. After all, if the Roses can find love, happiness and true connection in a place like Schitt's Creek, surely we all can in our own corners of the world.
But now that the fifth season has wrapped up and the show is about to take its final bow, you might be itching for more stories of eccentric families, riches-to-rags plots, in-depth explorations of family legacy, and lots of small-town charm. Look no further than the 13 books below, which should keep you amply occupied this summer in between marathon re-watches of the show:
'The Family Fang' by Kevin Wilson
Performance artists Caleb and Camille Fang were always more dedicated to making art than raising their children, Buster and Annie. But when the family is brought back together, conflict arises anew.
'The Darlings' by Cristina Alger
When a tragic event catapults the Darling family into the media spotlight, a financial scandal with enormous implications for everyone involved follows.
'Wherever You Go, There They Are' by Anabelle Gurwitch
Gurwitch's memoir in essays recounts her childhood surrounded by a cast of epically dysfunctional family members.
'The Windfall' by Diksha Basu
When Mr. Jha comes into an enormous sum of money, he and his family move to the rich side of town, setting off a chain of events that force them to reckon with what really matters.
'Where'd You Go, Bernadette' by Maria Semple
When the eccentric Bernadette suddenly goes missing, her daughter Bee weaves together an elaborate web of emails, invoices, and memos that reveals Bernadette's secret past.
'One Day We'll All Be Dead And None Of This Will Matter' by Scaachi Koul
Koul's essay collection is centered on family: her upbringing by Indian immigrant parents in Canada, the pressures of family legacy, the discomfort of not quite fitting in with extended relatives, and many hilarious anecdotes from her aging father.
'The City Baker's Guide To Country Living' by Louise Miller
When pastry chef Olivia Rawlings escapes to the idyllic town of Guthrie, Vermont, she doesn't expect to find joy helping the local inn enter the annual county fair apple pie contest ... or fall for local Martin McCracken.
'Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors' by Sonali Dev
Up-and-coming chef DJ Caine must contend with Dr. Trisha Raje and her overbearing influential immigrant family as they're thrown together by a lucrative job offer that may save his sister's life.
'Calypso' by David Sedaris
Known for writing about his dysfunctional but loving upbringing, Sedaris' latest brings that same heartfelt humor to essays about his aging father and his changing relationships with his siblings.
'Home to Woefield' by Susan Juby
New Yorker Prudence Burns has just inherited the dilapidated Woefield Farm. With the bank about to foreclose, she must turn things around fast, with the help of some eccentric neighbors.
'The Turner House' by Angela Flournoy
As their mother falls ill, the Turner children are called back to decide the fate of their family home and to reckon with each of their pasts, and their family's future.
'What We Were Promised' by Lucy Tan
The disappearance of a bracelet sets into motion a series of events that complicate the lives of the wealthy Zhen family, forcing them to re-examine their lives and their relationships with one another.
'The Floating Feldmans' by Elyssa Friedland (July 23)
Adrift together on the open seas for matriarch Annette's birthday vacation, the Feldmans will each face family secrets, old rivalries and the truths they’ve been ignoring.
