Happy 614 Day! For those of you who don't know what this day is, 614 is the area code for Columbus, Ohio, thus making June 14 an excellent day to celebrate the city of Columbus and all of its glory. From incredible sports (Ohio State, CBJ, and the Crew) to the rising food scene, Columbus is an excellent place to set some roots, and I am so happy to be in Columbus. There are so many great authors and books that are from or based in this wonderful city, and I'm here to share them with you! Here are six books to read to celebrate 614 Day and three bonus books from other notable Ohioans.
French Door to Foyer by Signe Damron
This poetry collection centers themes of healing and grief, as well as the processing of these emotions and how the poet feels them in their own life. Something I loved about this collection is how it also pivots to opening a new door and being present to tell a larger story. Damron is based in Columbus, Ohio, and is a dear friend of mine!
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Cline's science fiction novel tells the story of Wade Watts as we follow him through his quest to attempt to discover the three keys and locate the egg that holds James Halliday's estate. Halliday, upon his death, coded these keys, portals, and other quests to bestow his estate onto the person who completed all of the tasks and reached the egg, who is believed to be the person who has a superior knowledge of video games and Halliday's life, because he didn't have someone next of kin. Halliday's company is based in Columbus, and Watts eventually travels to the city and mentions The Ohio State University and walking along High Street, which connects the University District to downtown.
Lucy on the Wild Side by Kerry Rea
This book is perfect for romance readers! Lucy is a junior keeper in the primates section of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, and she is hoping to earn a promotion to senior keeper. The only thins that stay in her way are getting over her fear of being on television and the insufferable Kai Bridges, host of On the Wild Side, a show that educates its viewers about different animals in the wild. This book is a love letter to anyone who grew up going to the Columbus Zoo, and the characters tour through Columbus to Jeni's Ice Cream (based in Columbus), Huli Huli (a tiki bar near the zoo), and Cafe Istanbul. The author, Kerry Rea, is from Youngstown, Ohio, and currently lives in Columbus.
You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith
Maggie Smith is a poet by trade, but her memoir that came out earlier this year from Atria Books has taken the world by storm. Smith, originally from Bexley, Ohio, which is a suburb of Columbus, shares her "tell-mine" of her divorce and her journey of recommitting to herself in a candid, poetic style. This memoir explores what it means to live and write your own life story, and with the careful attention to language that only a poet could deliver, Smith reveals how we discover our own power and wield it to create something new and beautiful.
Alive at the End of the World by Saeed Jones
Jones' most recent poetry collection articulates how we confront our own earth-shattering moments and apocalypses of the everyday. This collection is full of grief and history, specifically the poet's grief of his mother's passing and current perils of white supremacy. While Jones is not originally from Ohio, he currently resides in Columbus.
They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib
The voice of Hanif Abdurraqib is one that is essential for this generation, and Abdurraqib is a person I am glad to say that I have the pleasure of living at the same time as he is. This essay collection uniquely weaves current events, personal experience, and music critiques into a nuanced reflection and lens of viewing the world. Abdurraqib is proud of his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, and his experience as a Muslim growing up in the suburbs of Columbus is interspersed throughout this collection.
Bonus Books from Ohio Authors
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Henry's sophomore rom-com follows Poppy and Alex, two friends who grew up in the same Ohio suburb, as they became friends in college and spent each summer planning vacations together with the leftover money they had on a budget. One day, Poppy and Alex stop talking, but two years later, they reconnect for one last vacation together just like the old days. Henry currently lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, which is about one and a half hours south of Columbus.
Beloved by Toni Morrison
You simply couldn't think I would leave one of the most prolific Ohio authors off of this list would you? Morrison is from Ohio, although I'm not sure where exactly. One of her most well-known novels, Beloved, takes place in Cincinnati, where Sethe, born as an enslaved person and escapes to Ohio, where she is haunted by her memories at Sweet Home and the ghost of the baby she buried, Beloved.
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
This novel and former Reese's Book Club pick explores the city of Shaker Heights, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, and how the meticulousness and rules get thrown askew when new residents, artist Mia and her daughter Pearl, move in and disrupts the idyllic bubble of Shaker Heights and the lifestyle of Elena Richardson, who just wants order to be restored. Ng grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio.
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