read with me: february 2023
It’s been too long. I spent so many months last year reading Middlemarch (which I finally finished!! And it was incredible!) and I kept putting off sending this. Hi again.
Reading has been slower going lately. Work was out of control in January, I’ve been traveling and tried to spend all of my free moments outside. I also just restarted my pre-pandemic book club so I’ve been reading a lot of nonfiction, and at night before bed, I read mysteries and thrillers, which is the best way to lull yourself to sleep. Let me know if you want suggestions.
I’m now procrastinating, and what better way to procrastinate than to write to you all? Here’s what I’ve been enjoying lately.
BOOKS...
Diane Arbus biography: I’ve made it a goal to read a biography about an interesting person every year. I mostly choose biographies of women artists who flouted conventions and norms. If you’re not familiar with Diane Arbus, she was a prolific photographer (here’s one of her most famous images) who photographed New York street scenes. She was known in the public imagination for photographing “freaks” like circus performers and other people living on the fringes of society. This is an excellent biography that details her evolution as an artist and also her complex and often difficult personal life. Unfortunately, the author couldn’t get access to publish any of her photographs so you’ll want your laptop nearby.
Mermaid of Black Conch: This is a quirky little novel that is so hard to encapsulate. It’s a fable about people's desire to conquer landscapes and nature. It’s a love story between a fisherman and a mermaid. It’s a love letter to the Caribbean. I loved it.
Generation Dread: This is kind of a niche recommendation, but a great book for anyone who has experienced negative emotions about the climate crisis or who has grappled with the complex ethics of having children right now. Britt Wray is a climate communicator who has extensively researched climate grief. She focuses on how to become psychologically resilient in the face of ecological disasters. Britt writes a terrific newsletter about climate emotions if you want to read more of this kind of stuff.
OTHER READS...
Why everyone feels like they're faking it
Our attention spans are being stolen
Who gave the battery such power?
The complexity of gorilla conservation in the DRC
Why we need stories on climate
MY MONTHS WERE BETTER BECAUSE...
For my bay area friends: Purity wine and the study wine bar, Daeho for the best korean beef soup, pearl spa for a body scrub, Rosalind bakery in Pacifica, Good Hot, the milk pudding at Beit Rima, Cinderella Bakery, public izakaya, the annual sake festival at kabuki, Batteries to Bluff hike, stand up paddle boarding at Aquatic Park, and York Street pop up, which has lovely coffee and pastry pop-ups in the Mission. I've also been cooking lots of warming meals like miso soup balls, lemon-y orzo soup, chicken pozole soup, tomato egg drop soup, and eating birria tacos. I loved Cure, Cat Daddies, and finally watched Russian Doll (10/10). went to see Gillian Laub's incredible photography exhibit and Joan Brown’s exquisite art at the SFMOMA. I've been trying to meditate again and Sebene Selassie's meditation on enoughness is a good start for a reluctant meditator. I’ve also taken any excuse to be outside or move my body…I rediscovered my love for running, went mountain biking for the first time, have been nursing a budding ski obsession, and tried ecstatic dance. This is also the best face oil if your face is dry like mine.
Tell me what you’re reading or listening to or enjoying. And if you know anyone who you think would like to receive this sporadic email, send them this link.
All my love ❤,
Julia