蜜柚直播

She sees a daily parade of desert wildlife who exist more comfortably together than most desert people do; square-shouldered saguaro that have stood sentry since World War II; nights when it seems she could read by starlight.

In the distance, Millet sees Baboquivari and the observatories on Kitt Peak.

Some years ago, she also began seeing something else: the impact global warming and climate change were having on the desert surrounding her home.

So Millet did what authors do: She wrote about it. In September 2018, she submitted the first draft of her latest novel, 鈥淎 Children鈥檚 Bible,鈥� to her editor at W.W. Norton, Tom Mayer. This was before Greta Thunberg exploded into public view. Before the U.S. formally withdrew from the Paris climate accord. Before 蜜柚直播 experienced its hottest, driest summer in history.

When the book was released six months ago, a world was ready to read it, and 鈥淎 Children鈥檚 Bible鈥� was honored as one of America鈥檚 five best novels of the year by the National Book Foundation.

The National Book Award for Fiction ultimately went to Charles Yu and 鈥淚nterior Chinatown,鈥� but Millet cemented her place as one of our most important authors.

Millet had published one book and was writing her second when moving to 蜜柚直播 in 1999. The first was a satirical sendup of the Southern California real estate scene, the second a parody of political cultism. Both were ripe with richly interesting characters and Millet鈥檚 own dark humor, but neither was critically acclaimed.

Perhaps it was because of her new life in 蜜柚直播, or her new job as a writer at the Center for Biological Diversity, but Millet consciously changed her literary voice in her third novel, 鈥淢y Happy Life.鈥�

鈥淭hat third book was when the tone of my writing changed,鈥� Millet said. 鈥淚 sort of evolved from borderline cynical to, I guess, more idealistic. I decided cynicism was the coward鈥檚 way out.鈥�

鈥淢y Happy Life鈥� was honored with a PEN Center USA award in 2003, and Millet has been something of an award magnet ever since.

鈥淟ove in Infant Monkeys鈥� was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2010. 鈥淢agnificence鈥� was honored by the Los Angeles Times and National Book Critics Circle in 2012. 鈥淪weet Lamb of Heaven鈥� was longlisted for the National Book Award in 2016.

Because its central themes are global warming and climate change, 鈥淎 Children鈥檚 Bible鈥� holds a special place in Millet鈥檚 heart.

鈥淚 loved the Sonoran Desert from being here briefly back in grad school in 1990,鈥� she recalled. 鈥淚t鈥檚 why I moved here. I never had any particular allegiance to a place before, but now I鈥檓 devoted to this place. I don鈥檛 write about it directly in fiction often, but I love our desert so much 鈥� and that love has for sure shaped my work since I arrived.鈥�

Millet鈥檚 forte is environmental fiction, and it is on full display in 鈥淎 Children鈥檚 Bible.鈥� The 12 children in her tale exude truth, hope and optimism. Their parents grovel in denial, despair and Jim Beam.

鈥淲ith the pandemic raging now we are living in a reality that鈥檚 directly related to the unreality of this novel,鈥� Millet said. 鈥淎ll because of the way we鈥檝e mismanaged this place we live. As for the book, it can be hard to read sad books in sad times. I鈥檓 happy readers are finding something beyond sadness in this one.鈥�

Millet is among one of many authors encouraging their readers to support neighborhood independent bookstores. Here are some to choose from in 蜜柚直播:

• East side: Mostly Books, 6208 E. Speedway Blvd. (new and used books)
• Midtown: Clues Unlimited, 3154 E. Fort Lowell Road (new and used mysteries)
• Fourth Avenue: Antigone, 411 N. Fourth Ave. (new and used books), and Book Stop, 214 N. Fourth Ave. (used books)
• Citywide: Bookmans, 3733 W. Ina Road; 6230 E. Speedway Blvd.; and 3330 E. Speedway Blvd. (new and used books)