I, unfortunately, left my ability to read longer texts in 2020, so this year I've mostly been reading poetry. I have a subscription to Poetry magazine and it's been incredible for finding new works. I've also been revisiting Ada Limón, Natalie Diaz, Chen Chen, Hera Lindsay Bird, among others. My stack of new books continues to grow, though, so I'll be ready when inspiration strikes again.
My favorites from last year:
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado (big content warning for domestic violence)
The Archive of Alternate Endings by Lindsey Drager
The Crying Book by Heather Christle
America Is Not The Heart by Elaine Castillo
Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett
Lighthousekeeping by Jeanette Winterson
And I enthusiastically second Elaine's suggestion of On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous. I couldn't put it down.
I hope you enjoy(ed) it. I have a new recommendation: Becky Chambers' A Psalm For the WIld-Built. It's absolutely wonderful, unlike any sci-fi I've ever read before, and is a novella so you can read it in one day.
I often get my writing song inspiration from books--currently reading Ocean Vuong's On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous--fuck he's a brilliant writer. Hard to read before I go to sleep though. I just finished Patti Smith's Just Kids--loved it and read pages over over hoping i could figure out to find musicians to play with like she did. I was born too late as those open mics sounded amazing and these days open mics kinda suck. Thank you for sharing book list--I will check out...i try to read memoir, then a fiction-memoir -fiction. Oh I love Miranda July, I wrote a song from her...Emma Cline...love her writing.. got a song outta her....I better stop this is too long. Thank you for asking.
Elaine thanks for this and I love these writers and books you've shared as well. So inspiring. Yes Ocean's book is painfully good. Have to read Emma Cline! and I don't know if this makes you feel better but open mics in my day (my day was about 20 years ago) were not nearly as cool as Patti's either.
I, unfortunately, left my ability to read longer texts in 2020, so this year I've mostly been reading poetry. I have a subscription to Poetry magazine and it's been incredible for finding new works. I've also been revisiting Ada Limón, Natalie Diaz, Chen Chen, Hera Lindsay Bird, among others. My stack of new books continues to grow, though, so I'll be ready when inspiration strikes again.
My favorites from last year:
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado (big content warning for domestic violence)
The Archive of Alternate Endings by Lindsey Drager
The Crying Book by Heather Christle
America Is Not The Heart by Elaine Castillo
Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett
Lighthousekeeping by Jeanette Winterson
And I enthusiastically second Elaine's suggestion of On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous. I couldn't put it down.
Lindsay thanks so much for this list!!!
Love Carmen Maria Machado's work and I've been meaning to read Kristen Arnett for a long time! And Natalie Diaz, so good.
I recommend Emily Davenport's novel Medusa Uploaded. It's a great sci-fi tale with lots of (classical) music references throughout.
thanks for this rec Dav!
I hope you enjoy(ed) it. I have a new recommendation: Becky Chambers' A Psalm For the WIld-Built. It's absolutely wonderful, unlike any sci-fi I've ever read before, and is a novella so you can read it in one day.
I often get my writing song inspiration from books--currently reading Ocean Vuong's On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous--fuck he's a brilliant writer. Hard to read before I go to sleep though. I just finished Patti Smith's Just Kids--loved it and read pages over over hoping i could figure out to find musicians to play with like she did. I was born too late as those open mics sounded amazing and these days open mics kinda suck. Thank you for sharing book list--I will check out...i try to read memoir, then a fiction-memoir -fiction. Oh I love Miranda July, I wrote a song from her...Emma Cline...love her writing.. got a song outta her....I better stop this is too long. Thank you for asking.
Elaine thanks for this and I love these writers and books you've shared as well. So inspiring. Yes Ocean's book is painfully good. Have to read Emma Cline! and I don't know if this makes you feel better but open mics in my day (my day was about 20 years ago) were not nearly as cool as Patti's either.