I Don't Hate It | Reboot

Don't call it a comeback

Hey there. Long time no post, huh. I could tell you a story about injury and chronic pain and life and generally not having much to say that hasn’t been said elsewhere (boring!), but instead I’m going to push right past all that and tell you about a few things that have brought me joy, in hopes that they might bring you joy, too.

1. Books, always and forever. I am often listening to one book (these days I’m partial to memoirs narrated by their authors, though I did enjoy Nathan Hill’s Wellness on audio), reading another in print for book club, and reading a digital galley of something else, usually for work (N.B., I don’t can’t finish everything I start). Here is some of what I’ve read recently that I wholeheartedly recommend:

   1. Bret Anthony Johnston’s We Burn Daylight (pub date July 30—preorder now!): Did you read Bret’s first novel, Remember Me Like This? Go ahead, I’ll wait. What about his story collection, Corpus Christi? Bret’s work screams Texas—actually, it doesn’t scream so much as deftly build to a crescendo—but it is Texas through and through. We Burn Daylight is a reimagining of the events surrounding the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, and it is so much more than that.

   2. Jami Attenberg’s A Reason to See You Again (pub date Sept. 24—preorder now!): I have read every single book Jami has published (and that’s a lot!) and I know to look forward to a new one because it means I will play that game of “just one more chapter” and find myself staying up way too late in order to finish the book. And this one did not disappoint! I gulped it down on one (transatlantic) flight.

   3. Iris Origo’s A Chill in the Air: An Italian War Diary, 1939 - 1940 (NYRB Classics): This is a deep cut from my book club’s reading list. A diary that tells the story of how Italians learned of Mussolini’s decision to enter WWII on the side of Hitler—essentially what media they consumed and how. Fascinating.

   4. Lizzy Stewart’s graphic novel Alison: Another book club selection, from this month’s meeting. It was a fan favorite. I was not the only one who couldn’t put it down.

   5. The audiobook of Safiya Sinclair’s How to Say Babylon: Safiya’s memoir won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Autobiography (you can read an excerpt here). I want you to listen to it. Safiya is a poet. She brings a poet’s cadence and mellifluousness to the narration of her own story and fully animates the Rastafarian experience as well.

   6. Elizabeth McCracken’s The Hero of This Book, which I would assign in a fiction- or memoir-writing class. It is a slim novel that packs a punch.

2. The Vibe Check team does not need me to recommend their podcast yet here I am. I have shared this episode with my cousin (she knows why) and my husband (same segment, different reason) and one of my colleagues, and maybe it’ll resonate with you as well. When I had drinks with a new friend in town a few months back (too long ago—text me, A!), it was a delight to learn that we are both listeners.

3. Billie Eilish’s “Chihiro” is my personal song of the summer. I play it on repeat. I don’t hate Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” either.

4. I see a lot of movies. At home and in theaters. Which means I am often disappointed. But here are two that were fun:

   1. Wicked Little Letters: I have linked to the trailer; it is now available to stream. I liked it so much I saw it twice in the theater. And I would watch it again at home! Olivia Colman is perfect, of course. I will not give anything away.

   2. Thelma: Trailer also linked; still in theaters.

5. Did you know that the New York Times has a (relatively) new history game called Flashback? It’s weekly, with new versions appearing on Saturdays. The objective is to place eight events deemed notable by the Times in chronological order. It’s quick and fun.

6. Here is a gift link to a Stone Fruit Caprese Salad recipe that I like to make when the ingredients are fresh (as they are now where I live).

I won’t be so basic as to recommend travel, but I am fortunate to have visited a lot of unexpected places since we last spoke (more than two years ago, shame on me!) and I will leave you with this very recent image of myself, selected from options that also included live, breathe, and love.

What would you like to hear about next time? TV shows? Newsletters I like? Specific genres or subgenres of writing? Slices of my life? Let me know in the comments.

Some housekeeping notes:

• I am in need of new art for this newsletter. Are you someone who specializes or even dabbles in graphic design? Get at me.

• When I recommend books, I use affiliate links to Bookshop.org. My preference is that my list of books inspires you to go out to your local independent bookstore and shop like mad, for these and other books. Or go to the library! You could also call or email your local indie and request the book(s) in advance if you want to just swing by and pick them up once they’re available. I do this myself! My point here is that we should do everything we can to avoid Amazon because it is bad for books and authors and book publishing. And also the environment! But I understand if Amazon is preferable/best for you. I am offering alternatives.

• To that end, I use the Libro.fm app for audiobooks, not Audible. Libro.fm is an employee-owned social purpose corporation and it allows you to designate an independent bookstore that will receive a portion of your purchase. It’s like buying an audiobook from your local indie. I have linked to Libro.fm for both Wellness and How to Say Babylon above, but those are not affiliate links. You can also use the Libby app to download audiobooks and ebooks from your local library. Options abound!