Inspiration from the Sun Valley Writers' Conference
Books for book lovers #86
First: only a writers’ conference would confidently name themselves “writers’ conference” despite knowing that, like “Mother’s Day” and “Fathers Day”, general civilians would absolutely butcher the apostrophe placement.
Second: if reading a single book can spark inspiration like the first glimmer in a night sky, the Sun Valley Writers’ Conference (SVWC) is like gazing up at an entire wilderness horizon with its rivers of bright stars. With so many accomplished, insightful, verbal people coming together, for three days, my mind was fireworking with new thoughts, marveling at how smart everyone is, and frantically adding new books to my “must read this” list. Is this what it’s like being out in the world? I, an avowed introvert, may have to try it more than once every few years!
PS pretty sure these authors would question the use of a starry night metaphor next to a firework metaphor. Guess that’s what editors are for.
As multiple speakers said, “what a joy it is to be here celebrating words, with people who love words.” Not only were most of these speakers intelligent, informed authors, they were also compelling speakers. It was a special three days and if you have the chance to be in a group like that, you should take it!
I hadn’t read most of the books that were discussed (TBH, many of them were about the death of democracy and just, like, do I have to, do I not read this in the Grey Lady every day?) But that’s the point of these conferences, I guess - to be introduced to authors, books, and ideas you might never organically seek out. So here are a few of the books from the conference that compelled me to add to my reading list, alongside a few out-of-context idea fragments; maybe you’ll be inspired as well!
Have you read any of these? Leave your thoughts in the comments!
“It’s not charity to fund public goods, it’s an investment. The ‘solidarity dividend’ pays back.”
Keynote speaker Heather McGhee kept the entire audience enraptured while talking about a sociological treatise on historical and system racism, so I have to think her book The Sum of Us is probably pretty good too.
“Everything we believe about the world is because someone told us a story.”
Prior to his talk, I had zero interest in reading Anthony Doerr’s Cloud Cuckoo Land, even thought his previous Pulitzer-Prize winning book All the Light We Cannot See is an absolute stunner (it was literally the very. first. book. I recommended back in embryonic newsletter number uno!)
I had some unformed thought that it was a sci-fi book or something, but after his truly magnificent and unflaggingly energetic talk that ranged from rockets to Elon’s poop emojis to rhizomes to Greek history to his love for libraries, I’m sold. Also, I think it’s more about preserving a book, and stories, and ideas, from ancient history to the future. Which seems pretty compelling.
Here’s a picture of a conversation between novelist Lauren Groff and memoirist Kathryn Schulz, which was so balletically verbal and eye-wateringly intelligent, I was sent to Dictionary.com multiple times to look up words like ‘labile’ and ‘polysyndeton,’ words these actual (presumed) humans used in the natural flow of speech. What?
Kathryn Schulz (another Pulitzer winner, did they have a roped-off Pulitzer section backstage?) spoke about her book Lost & Found, a memoir about the grief of losing her father and the joy of meeting her now-wife. It sounded beautiful, tear-stained, and grateful.
“Grief is boring and unbelievably tedious. It suffers from the problem of going on too long; you wake up in the morning and it’s still the same.”
Lauren Groff also spoke about historical fiction in the context of her book Matrix, the story of a nun and writer in 11th century France, which is absolutely in my top books of the year. You can see all my thoughts here about why I recommend it.
“The Greeks called words “fleeting Gods.”
Two first-time authors read from their novels, rather charmingly transitioning from giggly young women to deeply thoughtful, confident authors and back again.
I Will Die in a Foreign Land follows four people during the 2014 Ukranian revolution, preceding Russia’s annexation of Crimea. It sounded timely and harrowing.
The Margot Affair is set in Paris, about a young woman who is the secret daughter of a French politician and famous actress. This sounded like an interesting exploration of family and young adulthood.
No. SVWC was not heavy on the light content. Petition to have Jasmine Guillory at next year’s conference?
Evan Osnos was another keynote speaker, strangely speaking about “The Future of America’s Contest with China,” which does not seem to have anything to do with his book Wildland! (It does seem to have to do with a previous book, Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth, and Faith in the New China, which was just a Pulitzer finalist. Sorry, Evan! No VIP backstage for you!)
This is typically not something I would read but he was so accessible, so fascinating, so effortlessly substantive on the important topic of America and China, that maybe we should all read it.
“The future is not ‘us or them.’ It’s ‘us and them.’ … The leadership today do not hold the diminishment of American power as necessary. It’s a strategic competition, not an existential threat.”
A few last things to note:
All of these stunning photos were taken by Sebastian Buck - go follow his photography on Instagram here and tell him how talented he is.
All of these links go to Bookshop.org, which supports independent bookstores, which support writers, which support life. A better way to buy books!
All of these books are not for you? Check the archive for 85 weeks of every kind of book under the sun (Valley)!
And finally … all of this writing requires the occasional hiatus to replenish. Your lil’ ol’ newsletter will be on and off throughout the rest of the summer, including the next two weekends. I’ll miss you but can’t wait to come back with a bunch of new books to recommend. OR NOT. Books, don’t get complacent.