On Reading, Again
I'm committing to this book thing, people.
Welcome to another missive from my bookshelves. Before we dive in to what I’ve been reading and loving, as a reminder to those of you who are new around here (hi!), this newsletter was born of what was once a food and book pairing blog called Page (the books) & Plate (the food). That’s why we’re doin’ this.
I’ve been making weekly trips to the library, which is quickly becoming my favorite new routine. It’s the dopamine hit of free shopping sprinkled with a hint of nerd, a rush of appreciation for public programs, and a tint of nostalgia from my time working at the Murrysville Public Library, where I made below minimum wage through some governmental loophole.
Working at the library was THE BEST, despite the aforementioned low wages. It was quiet and not super-very-consumer facing, and, as a result, I spent hours and hours flipping through books and getting a bit too familiar with the Dewey decimal system, the general idea of which somehow sticks with me to this day. But what I loved most was working in the children’s room. The woman who was the children’s librarian when I worked there was the stuff of legends—a human sparkle, creative and wild, with great hair and jewelry that clinked when she talked with her hands. Every summer, she decorated the room to fit the theme of the summer reading program and dressed up as characters. She made reading fun, and I loved her for it. Working with her was by far the most coveted assignment amongst us library pages.
Working in the children’s room on a shelving assignment, on the other hand, was a unique form of torture. Where 40 books fit in another department, 300 picture books could be crammed into one little sagging shelf. I spent a lot of time hunting down old childhood favorites to avoid putting away the books that were torn off the shelves on an almost constant basis, and that’s what I was thinking about yesterday when I wandered into the children’s room of my local library.
Every so often, I get vivid flashbacks to certain picture books that still influence the way I think today. One of those books is Weslandia, a book by Paul Fleischman with illustrations by Kevin Hawkes. In the book, a nerdy middle school outcast turns over some dirt in his garden, grows a magical plant, creates his own civilization, language, and sporting league based on said plant, and makes friends as a result. It’s easy to see why this resonated with me, yes?
Re-reading Weslandia was just as magical as I remember. There’s just something about a good picture book that a novel just plain doesn’t do for ya. Poring over the pictures and finding all of those little details is like a scavenger hunt to make the story your own. I love it. My challenge to you (WOW, look at me, issuing challenges now!) is to find a picture book you loved as a child and read it this week.
In non-picture book news, I have found my favorite book of the year, and yes, I know it’s only July. I finished Still Life by Sarah Winman, and while I was excited to have seen the characters of the book all the way through their adventures, I was so sad the book ended that I actually put off reading the ending for a few days. It was the kind of fiction that I love—poetic, vivid, and written as though narrated by fortune herself. Chef’s kiss perfect does not begin to describe. Read it!
Lastly, I was chatting with my sister and recommending my more-typical non-fiction reads when the subject of the genius of Patrick Radden Keefe came up. If you haven’t read his brilliant Say Nothing (one of my favorites of all time) or Empire of Pain, start with Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels, and Crooks. The book is a collection of his shorter-form pieces, and they are all absolute jewels.
Much like during my days of maintaining a book blog, I’ve found myself a little short on for-pleasure reading time, so that’s all I’ve got for you this month (*melting smile emoji here*). However, I HAVE been maxing out my library card every week for some research for a looming personal project, and it’s been wild. Can I just take this opportunity to step onto a tiny soapbox and remind you that libraries are FREE and you should go and get a library card yesterday so you can take advantage of your local public library? Didn’t you watch Arthur?! I’m done now, promise.
Upcoming! A newsletter from a woman with an *actual* editorial calendar. You heard me! I made a list of the rest of the Tuesdays in the year 2023, and on each one of them, you’re getting a letter from me that has been drafted in advance and edited. Next week, we have an essay about pet-nats for free readers! Subscribers are going to get a recipe for beet hummus because my mom asked for it. And, as a reminder, these links are affiliate links. Thanks for your support as always!