Currently Reading: The Goldfinch

I just finished reading Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch and it was astounding. My sister's boyfriend, Alex, bought me two great reads for my birthday in June and I finally found the time to sit down and devour this 700-plus pages.

The enormous novel was intimidating at first (the commitment seemed astronomical!) and I was slightly concerned that it would seem I was part of this global book club––it's the novel of the summer and kind of a chit-chat point like TV shows. However, I'm always game for a book about art featuring a Russian supporting character.

The Goldfinch is what you would call a bildungsroman (a story about growing up, usually through a "journey"), so Tartt writes in the voice of a boy spanning at least ten years and both American coasts (and continents!). His travels, battles & triumphs intersect and spiral into the lives of other diverse characters that creates a multidimensional life for Theo and the reader.

While it took me weeks––I'm a slow reader, I'll admit (you can see my progress on Instagram from beginning, middle, and end)––I was melancholic when I finished. I felt some serious pride and also sadness, because it has passages that are just so breathtakingly beautiful. I haven't read something this  popular & lovely in a while.

Donna Tartt only publishes a novel what seems like every decade, and I can see why. The Goldfinch is perfection. I highly recommend carving out a chunk of time to read this stunning novel.

P.S. I heard it's going to be a movie?!?!; here's the actual Fabritius Goldfinch

A Hilarious Read/See

For my birthday, Abby's sweet boyfriend, Alex, bought me two books (he knows me too well!). I just finished the first; a comic, fast read, This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper, is truly enjoyable and a book you want to pass to your best friend the minute you close the cover.

At a little over 300 pages, the book goes quickly as the first person narrator moves deftly from present tense to memories to lucid dreaming to nightmares. While dealing with infidelity and bereavement, This Is Where I Leave You stays lighthearted and witty.

To top things off, it's been produced as a family dramedy for the summer. (It looks great!) It stars some of the top rom-com players including Jason Bateman, Jane Fonda, and Tina Fey. I wanted to read it before I see it, will you do both?

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Love Letters: Kurt Vonnegut

We seem to be getting farther and farther away from that Keatsian love that is so utterly romantic in every over-used sense of the word. But here I share some snippets of letters written by Kurt Vonnegut (this book just came out and I'm dying to read it!).

To his first wife/high school sweetheart while away for work (they later separated, but I like to think this isn't just word fluff):

Dearest Jane:

Your charming package of messages arrive this morning, made my love and loneliness acute. Such pang. I'm a homesick little boy. . . . There are alleys everywhere. I had forgotten how romantic alleys are.

This is a very unique "love" letter, and I think it still counts for our purposes. Vonnegut wrote a lovely letter to his students that was instructions for their term papers. I can't think of a better way to tell your students that you care about their work, progress, labors of love than a letter instead of instructions:

 Beloved:

This course began as Form and Theory of Fiction, became Form of Fiction, then Form and Texture of Fiction, the Surface Criticism, or Hot to Talk our of the Corner of Your Mouth Like a Real Tough Pro. 

. . . .

I want you to adore the Universe, to be easily delight, but to be prompt as well with impatience with those artists who often your own deep notions of what the Universes is or should be. "This above all..."

. . . .

The grades should be childishly selfish and impudent measures of your own joy or lack of it. I don't care what grades you give. I do insist that you like some stories better than others.

. . . .

[Write not] as an academic critic, nor a person drunk on art, nor as a barbarian in the literary market place. Do so as a sensitive person who has practical hunches. . . . Be yourself. Be unique. Be a good editor.

Lovely, yes? I very different idea of love letters is starting to form in this series, and I have to say,  I very much like it.

Photo via 

Producing a Book

Fellow readers, have you seen this incredibly intriguing book produced by J. J. Abrams? Yes, it is produced, not authored by him. "S" is a mystery novel written by Doug Dorst. Here's a quick breakdown of it:

"S" looks like a really old copy of Ships of Theseus (Dorst wrote Ships of Theseus, it wasn't just an existing story used as a template, so it's like a fictive fiction.)

Then Dorst wrote marginalia throughout the entire book, complete with different underlining, notes, as well as scrap newspaper, post-cards, etc.

This is all subsequently "produced" by J. J. Abrams into what is a breathtaking design feat. I looked at a copy the other day and it is aesthetically beautiful. Moreover, it's intellectually stimulating, because you're considering the dialogue beyond the text.

It's a little pricey, but I'm pretty sure it's worth it. I'm so excited to eventually get my hands on it.

Photo from this great New Yorker interview with Abrams and Dorst.

{Currently Reading}...Norwegian Wood

Of course, I'm reading many great books for many great classes right now. But I also try to read things for fun on my own time. It does take me significantly longer to finish books during the school year, but it's well worth it.

For Christmas my parents got me Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami, the author of IQ84 (which I've admittedly not read...). I'm only a little over 100 pages into it, but thus far I'm enjoying it. It's kind of heartbreaking, as most coming-of-age stories are.

At first, it seemed really superficial and flat. It was just this boy wandering around his university being a university boy. However, now that I've gotten a little more into it, the novel has taken a much more reflective tone with the introduction of some significant characters.

It was adapted into film, and I'd really like to see it after reading the novel!

I'll let you now how it goes! This is also one of my first experiences with reading a contemporary novel that was first written in a different language and then translated to English. Do you have any good book recommendations? I also got White Teeth for Christmas, so that's next on the list, but I'm always game for suggestions!

Photo from film via 

{Weekend Update}...Coffee + Books, Naturally

What did you all do this past weekend? Abby and I tried something new (kind of) and went to Nina's Coffee Cafe and Subtext Books. Located on Cathedral Hill of Saint Paul, Nina's is a dark, moody/cozy cafe that made me feel like I was in New Haven, CT (don't ask me why, but it felt East-Coast collegiate). The sun was perfectly bright that day, so it was only natural to grab a delicious cup of coffee and buy a new book.

Subtext Books is amazing. It is directly underneath Nina's and interior stairs connect them, so it feels really intimate and perfect. Subtext is painted primarily white and is colorful due to the gorgeous array of book spines in their floor to ceiling shelving. Plenty of light streams in from a sunlight-esque window and minimal furniture. I'm in love with them for having real seating. Like couches, tables, chairs! Finally a book store that gets seriously everything right.

We love you, Nina's and Subtext!

Can You FEEL a Book?

MIT's Media Lab is developing a book that allows you to feel the story, as opposed to read the story (although, I feel books when I read them, don't you?). The MIT project "relies on extra-lexical components like sound, temperature control, vibration, and ambient lighting to tell its stories. It's creators call it 'sensory fiction,'" which allows readers to physically feel the experience by wearing a vest that simulates heartbeat and shivering. 

The development is kind of a hybrid of book and video game.

This is so interesting and I want to know more! Yet I'm somewhat hesitant about turning the reading experience, which is so organic and uniquely personal, a truly imaginative activity, into a mechanized (and somewhat homogenized) immersion. The beauty of reading is the power words alone have to affect us, the reader. Making is a sensory-stimulated experience somewhat undercuts that genius that is the book, don't you think?

I'd love your thoughts on this! What and exciting, and also unnerving development!

Via The Atlantic

{Summer Reads}...The Round House

I just finished reading The Round House by Louise Erdrich this morning; I've been going through it in stages for an online book discussion for by campus job training, but I had to read ahead late into last night. I even woke up early to finish the last couple pages that became a haze in my heavy-lidded late night read.

I first encountered Louise Erdrich in my American Indian literature class at the university, and was stunned by her beautiful story weaving in Tracks. (This is also an incredible book that I advise you to seek out.) Erdrich is a Minnesota native, and member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, part of Anishinaabe. She owns an independent book store, Birchbark Books in Minneapolis, which I'm dying to visit, and has an incredible written legacy. She has written over twelve novels, several books of poetry, and children's literature.

The Round House is a heart-breaking, thrilling, and delicate story of Joe, a young boy living on a reservation in North Dakota. The novel begins with a shattering family tragedy, shrouded in mystery; the search for truth and justice carry the rest of the novel, as readers see true family, real emotion, and the rapid maturation of a young boy burdened by sorrow and frustration.

Seriously, this is a must read! It's haunting, nail-bitting, and humorous.

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Fun Writing Tips

Hey, writers! The New Yorker blog has a fun post on writing about books! In all seriousness, this is something that I feel you can never quite perfect. (Although I think Zadie Smith might be the exception.) All you fellow English majors out there should read this puppy! It's a good time!

Happy Tuesday!

Photo via @sarahcarlsonetc Instagram

{Summer Reads}...Essays

Over the years, my taste in reading has been refined into a seasonal rotation. During the school year, I read many novels and plays; my interest is heavily invested in these stories for lengthy periods of time. Characters seem to manifest themselves in my head, and at times, I have picked up speech patterns after spending so much time with remarkable characters. (I found myself speaking like Zooey after pouring over Salinger's Franny and Zooey not long ago.)

So during the summer I give myself a sort of mental vacation. I admit to watching hours of television and movies, reading trashy magazines, and distancing myself from critical news. Instead of marathon novels, I love to read collections of essays. They are concise, engaging, and thought-provoking. I usually read one or two a day, and they always leave you with something to talk about with others.

I'm currently reading Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays by Zadie Smith (genius!) and I'm already hooked. Next on my list will be her breakout novel White Teeth. I'd highly recommend any book by her!

P.S. This looks like a great list for they 25 best essay collections "of all time".

On Books on Tape

I'm an avid reader, but could never really get into books on tape. While I started reading the Harry Potter series alongside a colorfully narrated tape, and our beloved Colin Firth now narrates, it's something that I find almost distracting at times. I have a family friend who loves recorded books, because it allows them to "read while driving or in the bathtub."

In the first instance, it's not completely applicable because I don't currently drive in the city. The second reason at first creeped me out. Another person's voice in the bathroom with you while you shave your legs?!?! Yuck! And then I started listening to NPR, like an old person. 

Anyhow, tangent aside, reading to me is a solitary, extremely internalized experience. Some devout listeners argue that when there is a voice narrating the story, characters and scenes really "come to life," but I think it can lose its authenticity. 

I've also always praised literature as the great transformer. It is the same story, and yet is different to every reader. I'm quite convinced that some of the uniqueness that each reader brings to the book is lost when they are passively listening to someone's narration. Actively reading allows you to enhance characters, imagining their inflection, cadence, and rhythm. Passively listening puts the power not in your hands, but in the narrator's. They control how you understand the once malleable text. 

Moreover, listening instead of reading encourages a sort of attentiveness apathy. We are less inclined to pick up themes, nuances, plot quirks when we listen, because we are not actively digesting it. Just like college, a lecture is great, but the notes and slides are usually what end up helping you the most. You can't just listen, because let's be honest, our mind is more likely to wander. 

And do you really want a wandering mind in the middle of a tenacious battle of words, a glorious expedition, or a heart-wrenching goodbye? Not exactly. These books are meant to take command of your life, influence your actions. So why not be active?

Photo of Coffman Memorial Union Bookstore, via @sarahcarlsonetc Instagram.

Bedtime Stories

I'm reading one of the best books right now. Stories: All New Tales, edited by the amazing Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio is a fantastic compilation of wonderful stories. They are short enough to read within one week, and are perfect for reading those 30 minutes before lights out.

My favorites thus far: "The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains" by Neil Gaiman, "Blood" by Roddy Doyle, and finally, the awesome "Wildfire in Manhattan" by Joanne Harris. (Beautiful storytelling––I'm interested to read more by her!)

Do you have any good recommendations that are good for night-time reading? Sometimes stories that are creepy are gruesome are simply to anxiety inducing for bedtime; would you agree? I also really enjoy "At the Bay".

Photo via @sarahcarlsonetc Instagram. 

Cozy Classics

Pride and Prejudice

A brilliant groups of authors and illustrators have teamed as Cozy Classics to bring the world of Classical Literature to the minds of children. Who better to experience these magical stories than young kids with fresh imaginations and zero preconceived notions? Some of the titles include War and Peace and Les Miserables. 

Some may think that these tales are much to woeful and dark, but the beauty is that the books' simplicity allows parents to explain complex ideas like war and death however they see fitting. Ultimately, it introduces the rich world of literature to the eager minds of kids, which is just inspiring.

Moby Dick

Les Miserables - Poor

Would you read these children's classics to your kids? Are these stories too dark or too adult, or is it a revolutionary idea to give kids the power to love reading and learning?

Photos via Cozy Classics Facebook (Like them!)

Would You Wear "Nerd Shirts"?

I'm kind of in love with this New York Times sweatshirt, but I know I'd feel like I was trying to be a hipster, or something. Seriously, I've seen a handful of girls on campus wearing shirts that say, "Party at Gatsby's" in anticipation of the new Baz Luhrmann film. I'm convinced they haven't read the book and are really just swooning over Leo, so it feels a bit like a facade.

But as an English major, I'm always tempted to wear some of my favorite books. Literally wear your hear on your sleeve. My big concern is that wearing a book cover shirt might come off as a bit precocious. I think they would make great gifts for book-worms and wannabe hipsters! What are your thoughts? Is it pretentious? Or can I get away with it without looking like a total book snob?

P.S. Dudes dressing like Gatsby. 

Photo via Pinterest. Anyone know the credits?

{Friday Challenge}...Have a Book Fling

I'm cheating on my other books this weekend, and here's why:

Confession: I am somewhat of a slow reader. I love to read and write, but both processes are for me, well, a process. It seems a little backwards then that I'm an English major, right? The thing is, when I sit down to read, it might take me longer than others to finish the book, but I got to enjoy it that much longer. I like to think of it as I love it so much, I want to revel it it; just stay there. The same goes for writing. My friends all say, "My final draft is just my rough draft with a cover page." But there's not much sense in that for me. I have a very detailed (and kind of crazy) set up. I write the rough draft, and then for two or three days, I make edits. It's organized, calming, and I know I'm doing my best work. Also, it allows me to fully invest myself in it, which I love. 

But since I'm an English major, always reading and writing, I find I don't read outside of class requirements as much as I like. So this weekend, I'm having a fling. You should do the same. Pick a shorter book, perhaps a short story or a book of poems to read. There's a smaller commitment, because you could finish them in less the an hour! But it's great to give your brain a break and experience something new. 

I think this weekend I'll read part of my book of poems by Emily Dickinson. What will you read? I highly suggest anything short story by Raymond Caver or Ernest Hemingway. John Keats is always good for a poem, too!

Photo via Instagram

Howl

Have you seen the film Howl? Starring James Franco as Allen Ginsberg, the film (2010) is an adaptation of Ginsberg's iconic poem, "Howl" that mixes the literary and biographical. We see Ginsberg in the past as he writes "Howl" on his typewriter and performs it; we see him experience life and love (or the lack there of); we're in the courtroom for the trials determining its literary merit, and we sit in his house as he intimately explains his poem.

While it is primarily a film with people, gorgeous animation runs throughout the movie when sections of "Howl" are being performed as a pseudo-narrative. It's a lovely film, and I'd highly recommend it.

Aaron Tveit as Peter Orlovsky and James Franco as Allen Ginsberg

P.S. Funny Tumblr on Allen Ginsberg

Images via 1 // 2 

{Winter Reads}...Salinger

Every year since seventh grade, I try to read The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Some people say it doesn't read as well the second time, but I love to see how it changes as I age. Holden is such a beloved character with his colorful vocabulary and quirky habits. If you haven't read it, change that! It is a classic for a reason.

Franny and Zooey is equally wonderful. Although not as popularized as The Catcher in the Rye, it's a quick, delightful read. Needless to say, Salinger should be on the shelves of every library.

P.S...get a Catcher in the Rey vintage book cover shirt to impress all your literary friends!

Photo via