dermografia XIII - panic/caution
Hello friends,
I was very close to not sending this today, but then I figured if there's ever a time for connection and distraction it's now right?
Hope you are all staying healthy - mentally and physically. It's strange times indeed and I want to say, my inbox is open to you all. Just reply to this if you want to chat or check in or share reading recommendations or literally anything.
Ann Friedman wrote in her last newsletter about the fine line between panic and caution that we've been walking. Am I overreacting if I cancel this thing or am I being considerate and careful? That question has at least been answered for me by needing to self-isolate this week. But I'm also feeling a thin line between staying up to date on the news, and overwhelming myself with rumours, worst-cases and speculation. The answer isn't to avoid all media/social media, but I don't know if I've found the right balance yet.
//happening
We've had to make the horribly sad decision to postpone Tempting Failure until 2021. Read the full details as we are planning some activity this year.
I was going to write here about a few bits of bad news I'd had lately, a few things not going my way, and then a pandemic hit so that put a few things in perspective.
//read
I was lucky enough to have bought a few new reads before social distancing was a thing, and then luckier still to have got some excellent titles as gifts for my birthday this week (Thank you TJB x) so I thought I'd share what's on my 'to read' stack for the next few weeks. A few strong themes will emerge.
First up fiction
++ On The Beach (Nevil Shute) - that cover is so much better than the edition I have - after meaning to for years. I did pick this up pre-pandemic and it does feel a bit too bleak for the moment, but if you do want to dive into reading how a group of Australians handle the end times then this is for you.
++ Convenience Store Woman (Sayaka Murata) -not started it yet but it's been highly recommended and talked about a lot so I'm looking forward to it.
I've got a lot more non-fiction reading lined up. First up were gifts from TJB -
++ Good and Mad by Rebecca Traister and...
++ Witches, Sluts, Feminists (Kristen J Sollee) - both diving in to female rage and transgression, witch archetypes and more. Really enjoying this one so far, and I really like Rebecca Traister's journalism so I'll be checking her title out next.
Related to this I took advantage of Verso Books International Women's Day sale and got:
++ Burn it Down by Breanne Fahs a huge compilation of feminist manifestos with sources ranging from Valentine de Saint-Point to Bikini Kill. I love a manifesto and look forward to coming out of this book ready for the revolution.
++ Full Surrogacy Now by Sophie Lewis I'd read a few brilliant essays by Lewis so when I saw this in the sale I snapped it up. I admire the radical nature of saying 'Let us overthrow 'the family' and am looking forward to exploring how she reimagines it.
And Verso books are running a 'Reading in the time of coronavirus' sale with a selection of ebooks available free and 80% off the rest of their ebook collection.
What else was there. Oh yes.
++ Catamania: The Dissonance and Pleasure of Female Dissent (Adele Olivia Gladwell) - this was referenced in TJB's book manuscript and the quotes there were enough to entice me to buy the book (oh and it was available for a second hand bargain price). This is part of my 'female fury' reading list I guess.
and lastly
++ Hedge Witch by Rae Beth - this is exactly the sort of thing that teen goth me would have been all over - doing spells! by yourself! - but I saw this in a charity shop and thought it would be a good accompaniment to my other witchy reading.
--
ok, that's all for this time. Love, rage + reading your way through isolation
//Hellen