The Curator: nine backlist novels on my TBR - ladies-only edition
plus the Women's Prize for Fiction and finding a Space of One's Own
Look, listen. It’s ladies’ night.
Don’t worry, not that kind. The kind where we talk about important female writers! And by important, I mean to me and Instagram.
I’ve been thinking a lot about what kind of reader I am and what type of reader I want to be and why those two things might not be the same. I tend to either search for novels that don’t exist and get disappointed when a substitute fails or turn to things that feel safe and/or are popular.
What I want is to read things that light me up inside. I need something to write about for godsakes! So I’ve been restocking my shelves and rearranging my workspace to continue romanticizing my reading [& writing] life.
Whenever I start philosophizing about my creative life, inevitably Virginia Woolf comes up (::cough:: Roman Empire). A Room of One’s Own is Woolf at her most dangerous because she asks women to require more - more space, more time, more freedom. So I yelled GIVE ME SPACE at my husband until he left the apartment.
Just kidding I bought myself something from Amazon instead.
Its impossible to find more actual space in my home. We live in a 400-square-foot apartment with two kittens and all our clothes - the fact that we haven’t done irreparable harm to our relationship is a bloody miracle.
My solution? Buy this mobile adjustable table and make a corner of the couch or bed into my own mini room of my own (earplugs not included).
So far it’s working. I actually have a place to put my computer and my coffee and use a mouse and I’m LIT. I think this might really work out for me...
You know what else lights me up inside? LADY WRITERS KILLIN THE GAME.
The Women’s Prize for Fiction longlist was announced this week and I wish I had more to say about that but I have not read or even considered a single book on the list. Clearly, I need to up my lady writers game. I will circle back to these titles later, but for now, please enjoy the following backlist exposé.
Nine Backlist Titles on my TBR
Remember how last week on Notes everyone said to buy the books?
These are the books! (well about half are).
All of these authors are new-to-me, meaning I know of them but this is my first time reading their work. I was drawn to each not by fancy marketing but by thinking about what I look for in a story. Ann Patchett would be proud.
Outline by Rachel Cusk - the first in a trilogy, Outline is the story of a writing teacher who ends up as witness to her students’ stories. The NYT calls it “lethally intelligent,” but I want to read it because it’s a story for writers.
Ghost Lover by Lisa Taddeo - I have such an aversion to short stories which I don’t think is deserved. This one caught my attention because it has the word ghost in the title and kept it because “Ghost Lover” refers to a fictional dating service. These are all stories of wild women and it sounds exciting.
Near to the Wild Heart by Clarice Lispector - Lispector is the new Didion? Instagram is going crazy for her right now. It’s the Lisepctorssance. It feels a bit cool girl but I’m highly intrigued by a debut novel written by a 23-year-old Brazilian woman called “utterly original and brilliant, haunting and disturbing”.
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan - Everyone loves this book. What got it a spot on this list are the reviews that it says so much with so little. Anyone with a paucity of words but an excess of meaning is a heroic writer indeed.
Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors - I’ve been holding out on this one because of my active avoidance of complicated marriage stories. But the relationship between Cleo & Frank is only the narrative frame - come for the impulsive marriage, stay for the madness that is young adulthood.
The Flame Throwers by Rachel Kushner - Even though I am well past coming of age myself, I am of an age and can appreciate a big, artsy ‘70s New York American novel. With eight rave reviews and a blurb by Franzen, I’m surprised I don’t see this one around more.
The Idiot by Elif Batuman - I have a penchant for campus novels, especially set in the ‘90s. The charm of the pre-internet days is inescapable! As someone who has worked on a college campus for almost a decade and claims The Secret History as a top ten novel, what else did you expect? I’ve heard mixed reviews but that only makes me want to judge for myself even more.
Milkman by Anna Burns - This won the Booker and is described as “black humor and adolescent anger at the adult world and its brutal absurdities”. I love a novel that has a big something to say but says it compellingly and with humor.
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo - I know I already said I wanted to read this and I didn’t along with 800 other books so restating once again it is important to me. This one also won the Booker, and there are twelve central characters (!). This is a feat I have to witness for myself.
Bonus Nonfiction:
Monsters by Claire Dederer - I started this on audio which was a bad choice por moi, but I think this topic is interesting and important and deserves attention. It’s about how we engage with art made by people who are complicated, messy, and sometimes plain bad. Plus this cover is badass.
Have you read any of these? Leave us a lil’ note if so!
READING →
I am in love with Justin Cronin there I said it. Just finished his newest novel The Ferryman so get out your ponchos because my next stack on this guy is going to be a [taseteful] gush fest.
Taking it slowly through Karin Slaughter’s Kisscut (Grant County #2) because as I promised last week my ears are much more exclusive now.
Next up, one of the ten books I just said I wanted to read above…😬
WATCHING →
DUNE PART II.
Honestly, it pains me to relegate these words to a little roundup at the end of an email but this is a bookish stack and I will never read Dune the book. It was a perfect film.
Elvis (Austin Butler) and a Skarsgaard face off against Wonka (Timothee Chalamet) with help from Rue (Zendaya) and an Avenger (Josh Brolin). The cinematography, the ambient score, the costumes, the world-building, THE WORMS. Go see it in theaters.
NEW BOOKS →
This is a big day in publishing for 2024. Here are a few that have me interested: a literary thriller on toxic female friendships, three books from my wishlist including a meta-suspense novel from a translator about translators gone missing, a “metatextual masterpiece” about a bachelorette party gone wrong (seeing a theme here…), a follow-up from a beloved Irish crime writer, and a memoir from a fabulous icon.
BOOK NEWS→
Two famous writers announced they are writing new novels. Only Sally Rooney and Haruki Murakami could cause this much excitement over books still without a cover.
RESTACK(S) OF THE WEEK →
It’s almost baby shower season so be like
at and curate little libraries for the kids in your life.In case you didn’t trust me last week,
at will have you crying real tears over the Willy Wonka experience. Also the intro about Gaza/Israel.- at proves that everyone who goes to AMC Theaters is obsessed with Nicole Kidman and her sparkly pinstripe suit.
AND CATS →
What we do instead of letting mom write her Stack, including evidence of said table.
YOUR TURN. SHARE WITH THE CLASS
Who is your favorite lady author?
Have you seen Dune? If so tell me all your thoughts!!
What are you reading and is it any good?
In Case You Missed It 🖤
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See you around the bookshelf!
Natalie
I've also been "meaning" to read Girl, Woman, Other for agessss. My mom borrowed it and loved it. And yet I still haven't read it!! I think I'm a little intimidated?
400 sq feet?! Y'all in love IN LOVE. You bought all the books! I love it! That means more fire reviews from you 😍 I've been eyeing Cleopatra and Frankenstein. Def want/need to read RuPaul's memoir.
I can't name just one favorite lady author. Hélène Cixous, Anaïs Nin, Violette Leduc, Françoise Sagan, Laura Esquivel, Marguerite Duras, and more!
I have not seen Dune yet but I've heard great things from people with taste what I trust.
Still trudging along with Splinters by Leslie Jamison. Last week was brutally busy. I'm vowing to finish it this week.
THE KITTIES LOOK LIKE FUR HEAVEN!!!!