Crunch Crunch
Currently reading:
Averno by Louise Glück
I’m pausing Secret Servants of the Crown, because as much as I love spies and feminist histories, it’s a bit too dense for me right now. I’ll update the missive once I pick a new book to read——I need to spend some time shopping my shelves.
Books finished this week: 2
★★★★★
Where this book came from: The incomparable Crescent City Books.
Why this book: I spent a lot of my bookstore time in New Orleans browsing assorted poetry sections, in search of recommendations from Bendy (hi, Bendy!). I came across Brittany Rogers’ debut on one such hunt and decided to give her work a try.
Thoughts: Wow, I’m so glad I did. As I wrote about last week, I still don’t totally trust myself to judge or write eloquently about poetry, but I just clicked with these words. I highlighted so much of this book, as future reference for how to use language to make readers see and feel things. Anxiously awaiting Brittany Rogers’ next book.
★★★★☆
Where this book came from: I definitely own a nice used hardcover copy of this, unless that’s a false memory. When I couldn’t find it in my apartment, I ordered a quick back-up copy from my beloved Thriftbooks.
Why this book: Rereading for a reading group.
Thoughts: First of all, how very fucking dare the last twenty pages of this book. This is a very old book with an absolutely wonderful film adaptation, so you can find out what it’s about if you want to, but I won’t go into it here. All I’ll say is that, yes, this book is quiet and slow and sometimes feels like a very boring acquaintance telling you stories about their childhood and adolescence that you don’t really want to hear. But at other times, it’s incredibly moving and surprising and, as my tears can attest, heartbreaking. I do recommend reading, though——and maybe this is sacrilege——I also suggest watching the movie. It’s perfect.
And for your viewing pleasure, the first photo I tried to take after reading the final lines (and then reading them again, because I’m apparently a masochist):
This bitch won’t even look at me. She knows what she did.
Library updates:
My name is Katie M. I’m thirty-two years old, and I’ve been a blogger now for almost three years.
(That’s a Never Let Me Go riff. Please clap.)
It is crunch time, my dudes. I’m finally starting the first draft of this missive at 11:03 pm on Saturday night. I have to send 100 revised pages of my manuscript to my thesis advisor on Monday and I still have at least two chapters to rework/rewrite, and then I want to read through the entire chunk again to make sure everything is working. And I have a freelance copyediting project due on April 1. I am, indeed, a fool.
But I’m getting through. I don’t necessarily enjoy or thrive on pressure, but there is something about a looming deadline to make you work. Pressure makes diamonds, or whatever the saying is. I don’t know, it’s late on Saturday night, I’m tired, and I’m emotionally drained from finishing Never Let Me Go mere minutes ago.
Go read a book, or something.
Closing thoughts:
Let a book make you cry. Personally, I’ve only had that happen a handful of times. Sometimes it sneaks up on me, and sometimes I know it’s coming. But it’s always a uniquely cathartic experience.
