Books About Books & Writing
It's getting meta in here for #59
Books and writing about books and writing (“oh, meta” as we used to say mock-sagely in college) are not always the best.
Which is funny, because aren’t you supposed to write what you know? Writers should be writing about authors! Which does beg the question as to why writers are out here in these streets writing about doctors or detectives or MOVIE STARS, for the love of Pete.
And yet I often find that when writers are writing about writing or writers, it can be ponderously self-important about craft, or just so clearly bleeding their own anxieties and resentments onto the page that I want to courteously look away and give them time with their own thoughts. Perhaps the powers of observation are blunted when it’s self-reflection?
But when books of this genre are great, they’re such a gift, coming from a wellspring of personal experience, writing for and about their community of book writers and book lovers in a way we can all appreciate. And often writing about writing is also about how we live our lives - what we value, what we hope for, how we approach the hard things. So what better way to kick off a new year of books than with books about books? Here are a few of my recommendations (plus one to skip, you’re welcome).
Writers & Lovers is about a young woman who’s struggling to follow her passion of writing while barely keeping her head above water financially and emotionally. It’s a beautiful but plainly honest conversation about what it means to prioritize art and creativity, and what sacrifices are required. Smart, lyrical, grief-stricken and messy, but with a few dazzling rays of sun. Just excellent (thanks for the reco, Danielle!)
If you prefer a happier story about a writer, don’t miss Beach Read! Better than its name suggests!
Readers of a certain age will remember a time when the breathless celebration of Michael Chabon was inescapable alongside his Hallowed Male Contemporaries like David Foster Wallace, John Kennedy O’Toole and the Jonathans (Franzen, Lethem, Safran Foer), all known for a certain kind of spectacularly literary male ennui. It was a little much, non?
Which makes Wonder Boys feel like a weirdly out-of-touch suggestion, but there’s no denying that Chabon is a tremendous writer. This novel, about a successful author struggling mightily with his second novel (as well as aging, fidelity, and any kind of sobriety) amidst a literary festival, is both satirical and earnest, world-weary and hopeful, funny and wise, and very elegantly written. Worth checking out if you missed Michael Chabon on the first go-round!
I cannot believe that it’s taken me 59 weeks to get to Anne Lamott, a writer of tremendous warmth, hilarity, and insight amongst whose myriad of fans I am but one. Her fiction is excellent; her essays on aging, sobriety and Christianity are best-sellers for a reason (go for the earlier collections); but this non-fiction? memoir? writing manual? Bird by Bird is an essential guide to writing and life. For anyone who’s ever struggled to write, or simply to figure out how to live a moral, brave and meaningful life in the face of all this nonsense. Plus, like, actually good tips on writing, editing and criticism. And very funny.
Ugh, now I need to go read this again.
Writing My Wrongs reminds us how powerful, how liberating, and how radical reading and writing our stories can be. This is the author’s memoir of a hard childhood in Detroit that led to 19 years in prison for murder, and how words (books, journals, letters from his child) paved the way for his reformation and transformation. (Also an excellent examination of the carceral system and second chances.)
Another in this vein: Sparrow in the Razor Wire
The Lions of Fifth Avenue has all the makings of a great book - libraries! mystery! writing! feminism! - but ironically, it’s just good on paper. It was Creative Writing 101 the whole way through, with unbelievable characters, stilted dialogue and obvious word choices. Go ahead and skip this one.
A final accounting of 2021
… which feels like ten million years ago already, but how did your first week of the year go? Anyway, 2021 was the first year of my life where I kept track of all the books I read. As the tech bros like to say, we measure what matters.
While we’ve already gone through my top books of 2021 (here and here), overall, here’s the overall reading picture:
125 total books read
80% of which were fiction
65% were by female authors
21% were by authors of color
Plus a few Shakespeare plays but not the entire works as I naively intended to do last year. O! What a retrospectively ridiculously unmanageable endeavor!
I’m not sure if these final stats will lead me to change how I approach reading this coming year other than to actively seek out more authors of color (especially Latino authors, I’m open to any and all suggestions). Nonfiction will need to make a case for itself in 2022 and also stop being 600 pages at a pop because who has the time for that?
Now you: share your 2021 reading journey or 2022 reading goals in the comments!
New in town?
Hi! Welcome! Bienvenue! Thank you for being here! A few things you should know:
Every newsletter offers a different set of books (some old, some newer), so if you didn’t find anything you loved here, check the archive for past genres ranging from non-fiction to YA to mystery to fantasy.
All links go to bookshop.org, which admittedly may not get you a book overnight but will support independent bookstores. You can view my entire catalog of recommendations here (any money made via these referral links will be donated to Defy Ventures, a good and noble organization.)
If you found a book you love here, or if you know a reading buddy who always asks you what to read, please share this newsletter! And thank you kindly.
Wondering what those little lamb ratings are all about (other than cuteness?) Look no further:
Have you read “seven days in June” yet? It’s about two black authors. I’m not even done yet but know it’s gonna be at the of my 2022 favorites