reading habit
Books Editor’s note
Can you believe that we’re done with a quarter of the year already? Although I don’t really believe in these kinds of checklists, I am hurtling towards an important birthday milestone and I’m not quite sure what all I should do before getting there. Write a novel? (Be realistic, godammit) Register for a lottery to be on the next billionaire’s flight to space? (Anyone have $28 million dollars they can spare?) What do you guys usually have on your checklists for such occasions? Let me know! But for the time being, some bookish links and recommendations for your Thursday morning.
A list of good literary reads
One: Something funny to start your day off: LitHub has rounded up 100 of the very best—the very angry, unsatisfied, annoyed, just-can’t-see-the-hype-behind-it—one-star reviews of a little-known book called ‘The Great Gatsby.’
Two: Ukraine is seeing some terrible things happening to it, but there are glimmers of hope amidst all the destruction too. Washington Post tells the story of the 1,300 volunteer librarians and archivists from across the world who have banded together to preserve—so far—over 2,500 of the country’s museums, libraries and archives on digital servers.
Three: “Dictionaries aren’t mere catalogues of words; they are snapshots of the culture—the time and place—that produced them. The definition of the word ‘love,’ for instance, isn’t only different in English, Spanish, German, French, Russian, Italian, Portuguese, and other dictionaries; within those languages, the meaning of the word has shifted along with the historical context.” These opening lines, on dictionaries in Los Angeles Review of Books, are an instant sell.
Four: Book Riot has a cheeky take on formulaic book titles and bookish trends in this list of eight ‘bestsellers’ that don’t exist. . . but who’s to say that they never will?
Five: I cannot wait for the whole Oscars-Will Smith-slap discourse to die down, but if there’s one Oscar thing that I’d like you guys to check out, it’s this super short Twitter thread of book covers as Oscars 2022 looks. My favourite among these is somehow Jessica Chastain? Although based on the clothes alone, I’d go Timothee Chalamet. Dude looks relaxed as hell.
Six: Over at Electric Literature, one listicle that made me chuckle (“I know, I know—Frankenstein’s the scientist, not the Monster. But did you know that neither had a smartphone?”) and one that makes me want to read every damn book on it (have read ‘The Likeness’ by Tana French and can recommend wholeheartedly).
Seven: New York Times makes a case for the commonplace book, a kind of “intellectual database” filled with quotes from books you’ve read and liked, stray facts you find import in and want to record, conversations that struck you—a blueprint of your life in your observations. It’s quite beautiful, actually.
Quick fixes, aka, a few varied recommendations
Bookish adaptation to watch out for: April is the opposite of the cruellest month, for all the adaptations of crime books that have been coming out one after the other. See this list of all the gold that’s getting churned out this month. But the best of the lot? ‘Slow Horses’ on Apple TV+. Based on the truly marvellous book of the same name, the first of a series, by Mick Herron, the show looks at the failures and the rejects of MI5 and say try to make something of their careers in a dilapidated building in a corner of London far away from all the action. But they won’t stay for long. Just go watch it guys.
Book adjacent rec of the week: Do you like reading but also like cake? If the answer to that stupid question is a universal “yes,” may I interest you in checking out Books & Bakes? Each week, you’ll get three book recommendations on a specific theme and a recipe for a treat, sweet or savoury. Haven’t seen a better deal in years.
Speaking of books and bakes, a kind, talented friend of mine and her friends host an Annual Book and Bake Sale in Delhi. This year, it is on April 24. Check out the incredible work they’ve done so far here. Details of the time and venue are here. Please go visit them and see their amazing efforts first-hand, buy some books and eat some cake!
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.
