I can literally smell autumn in the air
cue Linger by The Cranberries
“We eat the year away. We eat the spring and the summer and the fall. We wait for something to grow and then we eat it.”
— We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
Reading
I’ve recently discovered that listening to classical music while reading helps me to stay focused and not allow my mind to wander, especially if there are other people around or other distractions/loud noises. However, I have to make sure that the music isn’t an instrumental version of a lyrical song that I’m familiar with or that the music isn’t too intense or fast-paced. Here is one of the playlists I’ve been enjoying: Classical Music for Reading
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. I really enjoyed this book. It’s short but so well written that I felt connected to the main characters and felt that I knew so much about them by the end of it. The overall atmosphere of the novel is eerie, but there’s also good amount of dry humor mixed in, which I appreciated:
“I disliked having a fork pointed at me and I disliked the sound of the voice never stopping; I wished he would put food on the fork and put it into his mouth and strangle himself.”
The Little Friend by Donna Tartt. According to the internet: The setting is Alexandria, Mississippi, where one Mother’s Day a little boy named Robin Cleve Dufresnes was found hanging from a tree in his parents’ yard. Twelve years later Robin’s murder is still unsolved and his family remains devastated. Robin’s sister Harriet sets out to unmask his killer. If you love language and the true art of storytelling, you will thoroughly enjoy Donna Tartt’s writing. I haven’t finished this one yet, but so far I’ve found it to be a combination of mystery, character depth, and literary craft.
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins. According to the internet: At the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes. When Haymitch’s name is called, he’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. This is the second prequel to the Hunger Games trilogy which goes into Haymitch’s backstory. I’ve only just started this one because it was only just released on March 18 and it already has me at the edge of my seat.
My Recent Posts
i saw you in a february sun. a poem.
blazing, slowly melting like colors fading in hues of serenity a tangerine honey-glazed february, why are you so different in the water, where you sparkle next to the willow tree? lemon-drop sugar, blinding
Author Aesthetic: Mary Shelley. a blog post.
The Goth subculture is often associated with its emergence during the 1980s, defined by fashion, music, and lifestyle. And while most of the gothic influence was largely associated with gothic rock and the post-punk music era, the culture emerged even earlier and was heavily influenced by gothic literature ,which emerged in the late 18th century. Mary Shelley was amongst the first to mark a shift gothic literature.
Music
There’s something about concerts that make us feel inspired, energized, euphoric. I’ve been finding creative motivation by making playlists of a concert setlist that I found memorable in some way. It’s amazing how the brain works in recreating feelings attached to memories through music. You can literally relive any concert with just a little research and imagination. Here’s the one I made of Paramore’s This Is Why Tour when they came to Sydney: Paramore 2023 Setlist
Have you every listened to The Cranberries’ 1993 debut album Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? all the way through from the beginning? Do it now. It’s literally perfect for any setting. These are my favorite tracks from the album:
I Still Do
Not Sorry
Still Can’t…
If you’re an Oh Wonder fan, you’ll appreciate that they’ve re-released a few of their older songs from 10 years ago with a fresh, new sound. Technicolour Beat, in particular, has a more fluid sound and is so easy to listen to.
Also, please listen to The Lumineers’ new album. Specifically, the songs Sunflowers and So Long in that order.
Thanks for reading! I hope your month is filled with 5-star books, exceptional playlists, and perfect cups of coffee xx
