reading habit
Book Editor’s note
Has anyone felt that the news cycle has been faster than usual of late? For me, the big stories have jumped from the US Open to Queen Elizabeth II’s demise to the Emmys and back to the strange thing the British are doing where everything is supposed to stop for the mourning period—from the release of new video games to even surgeries in hospitals. Anyway, to take a break from all this, I’m focusing on pleasant things—like reading. To get you started as well, here are some literary links.
A list of good literary reads
One: An emphasis on taking care of oneself has seen a surge lately and with the world the way it is now, we certainly need more resources to help us on our wellness journey. In this handy Book Riot list, 20 wellness books that will help you achieve your desired level of peace and calm.
Two: Who among us hasn’t wanted to be at the ball at Netherfield Park, watching as Lizzie fails to tempt Mr. Darcy? On Book Riot again, a writer collects the signs and symptoms that you may in fact, be in a Jane Austen novel, making all of our dreams come true.
Three: On LitHub, an author recounts her experience with an exploitative vanity press—where you pay a publishing house to print your book for you, but then deal with their subpar services thereafter. She published with them when she was 17-years-old and their predatory nature still continues to hound her. It’s a glimpse into an oft-overlooked side of publishing that many authors find themselves caught up in, even here in India.
Four: If you’ve ever felt that you’re underdressed—or overdressed—for a party, you’re not alone. Your favourite fictional characters are right there with you. BBC News chronicles some of fiction’s best “fashion disasters,” from the infamous scene where the Narrator in Daphne du Maurier’s ‘Rebecca’ unwittingly wears a dress too similar to one worn by her predecessor, to a protagonist of Virginia Woolf’s whose ‘The New Dress’ leads to a sense of self-loathing and uncertainty.
Five: A common trope in fiction is the “redemption arc”—when a character starts out bad but eventually turns good. Lately however, there has been a ditching of the redemption arc, with authors choosing to keep their baddies just that—baddies—until the very end (think Walter White in ‘Breaking Bad’). Gawker looks at this new phenomenon and the many avenues it opens up for creativity and criticism.
Six: And finally, for those of you who cannot get enough of Queen Elizabeth II, the New York Times has a list of 9 books that will give you a better understanding of the former monarch’s life and family.
Quick fixes, aka a few varied recommendations
Book adjacent rec of the week: I personally love it when a medium decides to focus on a singular topic or a niche subject (thank you, most podcasts). Which is why I was thrilled to find out about the upcoming newsletter called Notes from Three Pines which will talk about the world of the Inspector Gamache books by Louise Penny.
Bookish adaptation of the week: I am almost done with the mini-series ‘Under the Banner of Heaven’ on Disney+Hotstar, based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Jon Krakauer (of ‘Into the Wild’ fame). It stars Andrew Garfield and the terrific Gil Birmingham as two detectives in a Mormon community in Ohio who are solving a brutal double murder that has religious motivations. It is a harrowing story, based on a real incident, and comes with a number of trigger warnings (please look them up). It’s a well-made show, with Garfield giving a powerful turn as a Mormon man himself torn asunder when confronted by the darker side of his faith.
Note: Reading Habit is curated by our books editor Anushree Kaushal. Want to send along recommendations, feedback or just say hi? Email her at kaushalanushree@gmail.com.
