Read All The Time
Disco, Occasionally
“Don’t you think that’s a disease of the contemporary age? It feels like these days our value is determined by how much effort we make from day to day. That matters even more than our results. After a while, the concept of effort starts to become mixed up with things feeling difficult, and then you reach the point where the person seen as the most admirable is the one suffering the most.”
— Butter by Asako Yuzuki
Reading
I’ve been enjoying making lists lately. I made a list earlier this year of the books I absolutely must read this year:
Aspects of the Novel by E.M. Forster
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Stoner by John Williams
God of the Woods by Liz Moore
Butter by Asako Yuzuki
Let me know if there are any others I should add to this list. These will be included with any other books I find throughout the year. I’m a big mood reader, so this list will take the whole year to check off, depending on when I feel I’m in the mood to read them.
Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead (Finlay Donovan #2) by Elle Cosimano. According to the internet: Struggling single mom and novelist Finlay Donovan is behind on her deadline but managing with help from her nanny and confidant, Vero. When she learns someone wants her ex-husband Steven killed, she sets out to protect him—only to get tangled up with hitwomen, the Russian mob, and a persistent detective from her past. As secrets pile up and danger grows, Finlay must keep her family safe while trying to finish her book. The Finlay Donovan series is a good one if you’re feeling like reading something light with a little bit of mystery, but nothing too heavy. I had been reading a couple of books that required a bit more concentration and were a bit more dense, so spacing out my reading with this one was good. Not a must-read series, but enjoyable.
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. According to the internet: During the Dust Bowl of 1934 in Texas, as drought and the Great Depression devastates farms, Elsa Martinelli faces a painful choice: stay and fight for her failing land or head west to California in search of hope. The Four Winds tells the powerful story of one woman’s courage and sacrifice during one of America’s hardest eras. Kristin Hannah is always a solid read. I’m still currently reading this one, but loving it so far. It’s devastating to read about past events that impacted so many lives. Although this is historical fiction, it still gives you a glimpse into what life was like for those going through this environmental and economic disaster. This is an example of a dense book that I’ll need to balance with a light read after.
My Recent Posts
Book Profile: Butter by Asako Yuzuki. a blog post.
Genre: Literary Fiction, Japanese Literature
Synopsis: Rika Machida is a journalist investigating Manako Kajii, a gourmet cook convicted of killing men with her cooking. As Rika becomes obsessed with understanding Kajii, she is drawn into a world of rich, indulgent food, challenging societal pressures and beauty standards in Japan.
the pines. a poem.
a waltz to the falling sky in evergreen to the rising of the forest floor the earth drowned in beads of opal from trees dripping in an encore a gentle wind caught on fallen leaves a scent of peated moss emerging the flare of solace through trees, alluring a halted tempest from the clouds of fury the Lyrebird whistles to the tune in memory a sea of tinsel and streamers lay testimony "How sublime, brilliant! An admirable performance!" a collective sigh from the mist at morning
Music
Update: I’ve finally acquired a CD player. I believe it’s from 2003/2005. It didn’t work at first, but a little cleaning helped. It was so dusty inside. Who knows when it was last used? Very excited to finally play the stack of CD’s I’ve collected.
As many of you may know, Harry Styles released his latest album, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally. A bit of a different sound for him, but I like it. Here are a few of my favorite songs from the album:
Season 2 Weight Loss
Coming Up Roses
Carla’s Song
As we await Lana Del Rey’s new album, Stove, she recently released the next single, White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter, alongside Henry, Come On and Bluebird. White Feather reminds me of some of her older stuff with both the eerie-feeling lyrics and sound. I love how she can remain true to her sound, even when her lyrics are about her happy recent marriage. I can’t wait to see the dynamic this new life change brings to her album.
On another note, we’ve got tickets to see Men I Trust in November. Very excited about that.
Thanks for reading! I hope your month is filled with 5-star books, exceptional playlists, and perfect cups of coffee xx
