Image: Annie Konst
I have been feeling burnt out - & frustrated because I haven’t DONE anything this year. I wondered, how can I be so tired when I haven’t done anything?? Granted, with everything going on, it would be fine to be tired for no reason. But, I have done lots of things, all in the name of holding off burnout. Of moving forward. Of not letting the fire die. It helps to write things down. I’m always surprised by the details I forget.
If you’re looking for something new to read or watch or listen to here’s some of what I’ve been into this year!!
More writing on its way next week. xx
*Our pal chatgbt is one hundred percent responsible for most of those descriptions. I did not have the energy to come up with an original summary for all of these books but I did make a note that it is something I should start doing right after I’m done. Some are blank bc while I want to love all poetry, I don’t actually like a lot of poetry. How can you leave a review for something you barely remember? It’s not because the writing is bad it’s just that not all things are for us.
MUSIC
FICTION
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
A young woman finds solace in cooking and unexpected companionship after the death of her grandmother, discovering the healing power of food and family.
Banana Yoshimoto hits hard with this one. It’s a friends to lovers story, with her lover / friend’s mother being this fantastic trans nightlife entertainer. I felt a little jealous of the friends to lovers sequence, ngl. Heartfelt. Tender. 10/10
The Candy House: A Novel by Jennifer Egan
A complex narrative that explores the intersections of technology, memory, and human connection in a near-future society.
Tense. A book you have to read straight through, imo. Would recommend, but it does leave a metallic taste on the mind. Definitely worth it for the data / AI implications.
The Rabbit Hutch: A Novel by Tess Gunty
A young girl named Blandine navigates life, post HS, in a small town.
If you’re into sainthood and girlhood and reading about someone who came from a less conventional background - read this book!! Excellent writing. Among the best. The boys in the story were also relatable.
The Madonna Secret by Sophie Strand
A reimagining of Mary Magdalene's story, blending historical fiction with elements of mysticism and feminist perspectives -- combo of Mary in Egypt, “Hairy Mary” and sex worker mary allegations in the middle ages, as well as insights from the Book of Mary.
Well researched. 10/10 would read again. It’s not not a romance novel. I was soo into the sex in the forest scene.
Red Pill by Hari Kunzru
Themes of government surveillance, espionage, war crimes, and male ego. The main character goes on a residency and we come with him.
Excellent writing!! Favorite section was anything on the maid’s story for his residency.
My other, bratty pervasive thought was not being able to trust a man to be the exclusively creative one in the relationship while you hold it down financially. This should not be the takeaway but here we are.
Goodbye Tsugami by Banana Yoshimoto
A poignant tale of friendship and farewell, capturing the bittersweet moments of growing up and moving on.
HEART WRENCHING. Tsugami is a wild one, probably BPD, chronically ill. I cried - a lot. Good book if you’re thinking about friendship and you’re a woman or if you love women who are intense.
Hardboiled & Good Luck by Banana Yoshimoto
Two novellas exploring themes of love, loss, and the supernatural with Yoshimoto's signature lyrical prose.
If you’re into ghosts, read this. If you want to cry some more because you didn’t cry enough in any of Yoshimoto’s other books, read this. I was tired of crying so I moved on to my other reading.
Intimacies: A Novel by Katie Kitamura
A compelling story of a woman working as an interpreter at an international court, navigating personal and political complexities.
It was a lot of raining, and waiting around, and court stories I wanted to skip through. The writing was tidy. I just think I was annoyed with her love interest, and even more annoyed with her job. I’m tired of women even fictionally being interested in men who can’t communicate. It was like a foreign Mr. Big if Mr. Big had a slightly larger heart and more boyish charm. But well written!!
A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories by Flannery O'Connor
A collection of darkly humorous stories often with moral implications set in the south.
Good classics, was distracted by Flanner O’Conner’s life story. Specifically, an American doomed to write only about American things because she’s stuck there due to illness. I think I’m finally getting over this fear, but it’s taken a few years.
The Witch of Portobello by Paulo Coelho
A mystical journey of self-discovery and spiritual awakening, centered on a woman's quest to understand her true identity.
Like it. Good message. But! Deeply over Paulo Coelho. The main character - who is described as having beautiful breasts many times - is once again noted as having beautiful breasts in a scene in which her mortal enemy also a woman and her sit side-by-side in her living room naked. Coelho, Coelho…I’m all for beautiful breasts, and we should celebrate them, but it was giving creepy old man given too much liberty to write anything and not doing much for the story. I don’t think I’m puritanical in spirit, but it just felt grubby in context.
The Djinn Falls in Love & Other Stories edited by Mahvesh Murad & Jared Shurin
A diverse anthology of stories that blend fantasy, horror, and romance, featuring the enigmatic figure of the djinn.
Neil Gaiman’s story was the best among them. Couldn’t think about Djinn too long without being spooked so had to turn this in early.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
Captivating fantasy romance that retells the classic Beauty and the Beast story.
AKA Fairy smut. If you want a breezy story and you want to imagine that men (ok fairy men, but still) can be romantic again, read this book!!
POETRY
SoundMachine by Rachel Zucker
A collection that explores the intersection of sound, memory, and emotion through experimental and deeply personal poems.
Zucker plays with voice more often than not, referring to herself in the third person. Teasing the reader. She examines her “roles” in life - professor, partner, friend, Mom. I love how “undone” she feels. It’s self aware but not in a heady way, teasing without being self-deprecating. Critical but not unkind.
Turning to Fiction: Poems by Donna Masini
Poems that blur the lines between reality and fiction, exploring themes of love, loss, and identity.
The Uses of the Body by Deborah Landau
Poems that examine the physical and emotional experiences of womanhood with raw honesty and lyrical beauty.
Incredible collection, particularly worth a read if you grew up Catholic.
The Bad Wife Handbook by Rachel Zucker
A candid humorous exploration of marriage, motherhood, and the complexities of domestic life.
Great book if you are feeling weird about your sex life with your husband, and what your marriage means about you. I felt like I was pressing my face against her living room window.
Eating in the Underworld by Rachel Zucker
A journey through grief and loss, told through evocative and hauntingly beautiful poetry.
I had surprisingly little sympathy for any of the characters in this collection.
American Melancholy: Poems by Joyce Carol Oates
A powerful collection that delves into the darker aspects of the American psyche with sharp and poignant verse.
The Sky Contains the Plans by Matthew Rohrer
Poems that navigate the intersections of the personal and the cosmic, blending humor with existential reflection.
This one was fun - the method for this collection was to turn the first couple of thoughts this writer had in the morning or between sleeping states into poetry. Not always good in the “best in class” way but good in an interesting liminal way.
The King's Touch by Tom Sleigh
A collection that merges personal narrative with historical and political themes, rendered in Sleigh's distinctive style.
Tom Sleigh is refreshing. He’s this midwestern guy who is now a professor of creative writing. I love the way he talks about growing himself, building himself in new communities. Relatable for anyone who grew up within 100 miles of a corn field.
The Essential Clarence Major: Prose & Poetry by Clarence Major
Soft Targets by Deborah Landau
The Dead and the Living by Sharon Olds
NONFICTION
The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World by Iain McGilchrist
An exploration of how the two hemispheres of the brain have shaped our culture and society, offering insights into human consciousness.
Fun & conversational.
Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer
A thoughtful examination of how we reconcile our love for problematic artists and their work in the #MeToo era.
Dederer is too smart for her own good. Thoughtful, well written. Do read.
Nan Dòmi: An Initiate's Journey Into Haitian Vodou by Mimerose Beaubrun
A personal and spiritual journey into the heart of Haitian Vodou, offering a rare insider's perspective.
Among the best books on spiritual growth and spiritual journeys I have read!!
Binding the Ghost: Theology, Mystery, and the Transcendence of Literature by Ed Simon
An exploration of the mystical and transcendent aspects of literature and its power to connect us to the divine.
I’ve mentioned this one before. Some essays are more gripping than others. Would only recommend for the true nerds. He’s a catchy writer but if you’re not into the content your mind will glaze.
Interview with a Ghost by Tom Sleigh
A blend of memoir, poetry, and essay that delves into the author's experiences with war, trauma, and the supernatural.
Killing it.
Smile: The Story of a Face by Sarah Ruhl
A deeply personal memoir about the author's experience with Bell's palsy and her journey to find meaning and joy in the face of adversity.
I love Sarah Ruhl but I do think something is lost in her writing in essay format. It gave me a chance to think about that for myself. How does the format affect my voice? I appreciated her perspective, though, and for anyone reconciling any irreversible embarrassing body changes it’s a good read.
Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy by Barbara Ehrenreich
An exploration of the cultural and historical significance of communal celebrations and their role in human society.
This book is like, if you wanted to understand how footloose came to be. Or, if you wanted to understand why specifically white people can’t dance.
Christianizing the Roman Empire: (A.D. 100-400) by Ramsay MacMullen
A scholarly examination of how Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, transforming it both culturally and politically.
I hear a lot of men think about Rome. Is it true? Again a book only for the nerds but was opening for the eyes. The most transformational piece of it, for me, was the emphasis on the place of ritual prior to canonical Christianity.
PLAYS
Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl
A modern retelling of the classic myth, focusing on Eurydice's perspective and her journey through the underworld.
10/10
O Solo Homo: The New Queer Performance by Holly Hughes, David Román
A collection of groundbreaking queer performance art pieces that challenge societal norms and celebrate diversity.
Loved the technology focused radio plays. Would recommend if you’re into this kind of thing!
In the Next Room, or, The Vibrator Play by Sarah Ruhl
Explores the early use of vibrators as a medical treatment and its impact on women's lives, funny, poetic.
This was a re-read. Ruhl’s poetry background never disappoints.
The White Card: A Play in One Act by Claudia Rankine
An exploration of race and privilege in contemporary America, challenging audiences to confront uncomfortable truths.
I felt like I was in someone’s second living room at 1am and they were offering me super charged weed out of bong (as though this is the purpose of weed) and everything is glittering but feels hollow. In this sense, a great piece. Well written, thoughtful. Relevant. I think it just wasn’t what I wanted to be reading at the time. I had to really force myself to go through it.
TV
The Curse
Love. I would like everyone to know that Nathan Fielder is notoriously considered so attractive BC he is awkward. Also a comedian. No more questions, please.
Web Series (some): The Poly Couple by Dana & the Wolf
This web series grew on me. I appreciate what they’re doing.
Madame Web
I can see why Dakota Johnson was embarrassed to talk about it during media tours.
The Sopranos
The main character does remind me of my Dad, which is weird because he’s def not a mafia boss. And also not like this but the essence? Everyone seems to even people with opposite personality dads. He’s like the unhealthy emperor on screen.
EXTRA STUFF
Moved Apartments + Furnished / styled new apartment
Picked up / practiced using Adobe Audition, ~13 hours of audio. *Edit then re-edit because I didn’t save the editable formats. The realization that I didn’t save ANY as editable and would have to do it again made me so depressed, I have yet to fix it. If anyone knows any editors LET ME KNOW
85 check-in’s at the gym
3 voice lessons
9 dance classes
BAKED (gluten free): 7 Loaves of Banana Bread, 2 lemon pound cakes, 6 loaves of pumpkin bread, 2 dozen chocolate chip walnut cookies.
COOKED 20+ new recipe explorations in my ongoing seduction with my taste buds
1 collage *womp womp. New space finally set up to keep going on this!
4 writer’s group sessions
4 community building house parties
10 Substack Posts
1 panel discussion