01: baby's first newsletter

amateur bibliography

Hi pal. It’s me, your friendly neighborhood content monster here. Today’s newsletter is focused on just a few of my favorite things, in the event they might become your favorite things too.

two books I read recently

Are you looking for a healing balm of a read that, like burnt caramel, evokes a gentle sweetness mingled with mysterious decadence? Read THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern. Reminiscent of a flowering tea, this book deftly develops multiple perspectives and narrative structures into a delicate bloom. One whiff of this book will soothe you and, after the first few chapters, you’ll want to curl up with it and revel in its beautifully constructed world. 

What to know going in: It is a book about a circus. It is a book with some romance and magic, but it is a book that is primarily about a thing and a place and the collective experience of that thing and place. There is some magic and there is some suspension of disbelief involved, and you’ll enjoy it once you settle in (after the first few establishing chapters). Do not let the cover of this book talk you out of reading it. This Goodreads review will help situate you.

*

Like rubbing an anesthetic gel around a festering wound, did you rent the 2011 Gwyneth Paltrow movie CONTAGION this week and help it surface on the iTunes top 10 chart? Read SEVERANCE by Ling Ma. The New Yorker’s Emily Nussbaum called the 2018 book an “of-the-moment consideration of capitalism, immigration, and zombies…” but frankly, reading it now makes it feel straight up prescient. 

What to know going in: It will make you think about your job and your place in the world, and what that means when everything in the world seems to have gone to shit. It is an incredibly written text that made me feel nervous and nostalgic and curious about things I’d never thought about before. It is also a text that I have returned to in these Crazy Times as I try to negotiate a new (temporary) normal for myself. This is not an escapism pick, but it is a pick that made me feel more equipped to process this new world we’re in. If it were a dessert, it would be tart and dense and leave a gently bitter aftertaste for many moments after eating.

*

Both of these books are readily available as both e-books and in print. If you’re able, might I suggest supporting an independent bookstore that is currently accommodating online shipping?

If neither of those appeal to you, though, fear not. The New York Times this week asked authors like Ann Patchett and Celeste Ng what books bring them comfort; The Wall Street Journal put out a story (alt link) about why books are such an object of comfort in times like this and recommended some classics; LitHub is developing personalized book recommendations for its readers; The Strand Bookstore is reading Pride and Prejudice for their new Stranded In Book Club, so you can read some Austen along with some kind internet strangers. I’ll shoot out some more recommendations that might tickle your fancy soon, too.

---

some not-books 4 u

If you’re not able to crack open a book (because they’re too daunting or too long or you just don’t like the one you’ve got), below are a few articles that offer an engrossing read about something fun or creepy or weird that is, regardless of topic, hopefully fascinating. They are (I think?) all from a year before 2020 and they are all a gift.

I’ve included how long it takes to read each, in case you’re trying to determine how long you’d like to focus. 

Harry Potter and the Secret Gay Love Story, The Paris Review (~9 mins). For those of you who might be comfort-reading Harry Potter and/or its associated fan fiction(s), this one’s for you.

What Do You Do When You Think You Have a Murderer in the Family?, Vice (~18 mins). A famous and creepy read in case that’s your jam in times like these. 

10 Surprising Things About Parenting in Japan, Cup of Jo (~10 mins). This whole series of articles about motherhood around the world is just fascinating. Each article profiles a family in a different country and talks about parental leave from work, giving birth in or out of hospitals, child-rearing philosophies, getting kids to try new foods, and becoming part of a parenting community. 

Where Do Our Sex Dolls Go After We Die? Medium (~9 mins). Turns out you can cremate a sex doll. Here’s an interview with a guy who has that plan. 

Dropshipping Journalism, CJR (~18 mins). If you’ve ever accidentally clicked on a Newsweek headline and immediately regretted it, this investigation into why Newsweek is the way it is…is for you. It should be part of your personal media literacy syllabus (since we are all responsible digital citizens here, right? right??).

There’s Always Money in the Banana Stand, The Baffler (~8 mins). “On the art world’s long-standing obsession with fruit.” Enough said.

Jersey Shore: An Oral History, Vulture (~34 mins). I am infatuated with oral histories of things. Another runner up for this list was the oral history of The Office’s ‘Dinner Party’ episode, but frankly I thought it was too famous to reasonably recommend. I went with Jersey Shore for its ridiculousness and for the fact that I cannot imagine a show that impacted my adolescent years on Long Island more.

The Glamorous, Sexist History of the Women’s Restroom Lounge, CityLab (~9 mins). A historical examination of the glorious powder room, and why so many of them have little couches. 

Oxenfree & night in the woods, buttonmash (~9 mins). This piece recommends two video games through the relatable lens of uncertainty and freefall. (note: while I was reviewing this newsletter for publication, I realize I know the author, Alanna Okun, from chorus! hello and thanks for writing this! I did not realize it was you until JUST now!)