So I sat down with Charlene Elsby‘s Poor Damned Souls one evening and found myself reading a book about a relationship about to collapse. That quickly turned into something much bleaker, which evolved into a scenario that left me wondering how much worse things could get. It’s transgressive fiction at its best, and I chatted with Elsby to learn more about this book’s genesis.
In our morning reading: remembering Marjane Satrapi, some of the year’s best books, and more.
Cat Rituals
by Alex Behr
In our weekend reading: a playlist from Cat Fitzpatrick, nonfiction from Jonathan Lethem, and more.
Hello and welcome to the month of June. We hope that you started out the month with the traditional utterance of “rabbit rabbit.” We are currently immersing ourselves in Ibrahim Alfa Jnr.’s Infinite Black Inside (thanks for the recommendation, Hearing Things) and planning out our June reading. Here are some of the books we’re most excited to explore.
In our morning reading: a literary prize for Julia Elliott, an interview with Courtney Maum, and more.
In our afternoon reading: an excerpt from Deb Olin Unferth’s new novel, reviews of albums from Iceage and Fire-Toolz, and more.
Nostalgia, A Cautionary Tale
by Emma Davey
I have an excellent memory. If I close my eyes, I can drop myself into a favorite kindergarten field trip or the way I would always eat Grandma’s-brand vanilla sandwich cookies before dance class. I remember the first time I saw Shrek, the first time I visited New York, and the leopard print outfit I wore during my seventh birthday party. That acute degree of recall means I spend more time than I care to admit ruminating on the past, my thoughts constantly rubber-banding between house things were and how they are now