On rereading (which I have mentioned before). I just love this quote:
I’ve been reading the old books, books that I’ve read before. The first time you read a book, you don’t read it at all carefully; you just read it for the story. You have to keep rereading.
from an interview with P.G. Wodehouse
For 899 (2 years, 5 months and 18 days, if you want the breakdown), I was a freelancer. I can wax poetic about all that I learned and accomplished in that time, but ultimately, 2011 was the year in which I finally was able to settle down somewhere. Which is most important, even if it did almost swallow this blog whole.
We moved, again. A mere few blocks away from the previous place, which I would have to strongly argue against. So much work, for such a short distance. But the new place has a backyard and that is just really awesome.
I turned 30, which is crazy. I don't feel 30. . .whatever that is supposed to feel like.
Let's do this 2012. I'm ready for you. Sparkly dresses and smiles all the way.
If You Knew Then What I Know Now by Ryan Van Meter is beautiful.
Beautifully, honestly written and highly recommended.
The stories are heart breaking in good ways and bad ways. I have a soft spot for creative non-fiction, and this book gets to me in all the most perfect way.
Buy this. Seriously. I can't imagine you regretting it.
Have I mentioned how much I love Lucky Peach? The second issue came out and just like the first one it was dense and awesome. There is A LOT to read. There is an entire section about Christina Tosi with some of her recipes, which, if you've never had a Milk Bar Corn Cookie, well, I feel badly for you.
(Side note: I gave my godson's mother the cookbook for Christmas. Totally self-serving)
By the way, if Lucky Peach ever needs a freelance photo editor, they should definitely call me.
I thought I would do this throughout the year. I was wrong.
January turned out to be the only month I pulled it off.
February: doctor patient confidentiality & a sparkly dress at a wedding
I've written about my love/obsession for The New Yorker before. I never know how to count The New Yorker to my final book list tally. Combined, a year of them equal much more than a book, but how much more? Does it equal 5? 10? I have no clue.
When I am done reading it, I always flag the things I responded to. This year, I've decided to overshare with you. Enjoy! (There will be a separate photography post before the end of the year)
Funnily enough, I already wrote about the first issue of the year here.
I became fascinated by the possible extinction of bananas, and the science of human nature.
I haven't yet gotten around to reading Gabrielle Hamilton's book, but this personal history piece leads me to believe that I will ultimately enjoy it.
This piece on reducing health-care costs was a lot more interesting than it sounds.
I love so much of what Nancy Franklin wrote this year, beginning with her write up of the OWN Network through her piece on Homeland (which you should be watching). Although I am really excited to see what Emily brings to the table.
It's highly unlikely that I would have to explain to the readers of this blog why I would like something that discusses The Feminine Mystique.
Since I love Rent the Runway, I had a personal investment in Patricia Marx on consumer rental services.
I've been following the concussions story for a while, so I was interested in this update by Ben McGrath, along with his profile of the guy who draws all the illustrations for the "for dummies" guides.
I love Elizabeth, and I enjoyed reading her take on Amy Chua's "Tiger" parenting.
The February 7th issue had a lot of awesomeness including - the peanut puzzle, crush point which is well-written to the point of inducing anxiety, a devastating personal history, and this profile of Guillermo del Toro which is sooooooo good.
I became worried for Lawrence Wright after he wrote this extensive piece about Paul Haggis, a former Scientologist. I was obsessed with the fact that the Church of Scientology clearly verified NOTHING for the poor New Yorker fact-checkers. It was such a strong (and long) piece that you could almost miss Tina Fey on juggling, or Andy-Pant's favorite writer, Gladwell taking a look at the college ranking systems.
While on the subject of Gladwell, I really enjoyed both of these technology-themed pieces, especially the one about the late, great Mr. Jobs.
I'd be remiss not to do a round-up of all of Sasha Frere-Jones profiles and articles - beginning with Bruno Mars, followed by the women of pop, and ending with Drake. I'll spare you the additional linkage, but he is also a dope blogger.
One of my favorite New Yorker writers is Adam Gopnik, and he did not disappoint this year. He wrote about giving up dessert (craziness!), the internet and the abundance of information we download into our brains, he wrote about learning to draw (which I have always wanted to do), this article which I am STILL obsessing over and recommending about owning dogs and how they run our lives. He wrote about the dioramas at my favorite museum, and about one of my favorite books from childhood. Most recently, he wrote about the history of the turkey, and young adult fantasy books. Basically, if you are reading this Adam, we really should be friends. E-mail me!
The New Yorker always handles grief in really interesting ways, like with Meghan O'Rourke writing about the death of her mother, or Aleksandar Hemon on his youngest daughter's illness.
Certain people I know have some issues with Kelefah, but these profiles of Ulli Rimkus (bar owner) and Aida Batlle (coffee grower) were well-written pieces about interesting women. Also, this was a wild mystery story that was too crazy NOT to be true.
As a girl who loves futbol, this was awesome and REAL. For another set of personal reason, this profile of a young chess phenom was wildly fascinating to me.
In the March 28th issue there was a style focus that had a profile of the woman who invented Spanx and Mr. Louboutin himself by Lauren Collins. (Later in the year, Collins wrote about IKEA and this very funny piece about a woman who collects wifi names.) Also about fashion in October, bulletproofing!
Reading about Anna Faris made me like her more as an actress. I loved reading about Andrew Stanton who is the lead writer behind Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Wall-E. Anthony Lane on the Pixar studio later in the year was equally satisfying,
Anything New York-related is always a hit for me, so Widdicombe pieces like this one about the executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance and Bloomberg visiting Zucotti were highlights. (Widdicombe also wrote about Taylor Swift. Profiles about Swift are endlessly entertaining to me because of the fact that NO ONE can seem to make her break form. Ever.) Trunks in the deep recesses of Stuy Town? Yes please! Follow that cab? YES!
I should have been a neuroscientist because articles like this one linger in my brain longer than others. Another job I should have had? CIA. Confidential informants are prettttty cool.
This is an unbelievable article about people with mental illness who reject their diagnosis framed around one particular, devastating case. Equally unbelievable are these women (mostly) who get lured into war zones to work by the U.S.
I love Jhumpa. Strong women rock - Jill, especially. Also, French feminists. Daphne Guinness is not a feminist, but still interesting to read about.
I respect Thomas Struth even more after reading this profile. I hope to work with JR someday.
I was personally interested in Jerome Groopman's piece about preemies, since my sister was almost 2 months premature.
Universe, please don't ever let me have to online date. Maybe I should just get off of the social network? Or brand Strong Cookie?
I read this three times the week it ran. Not suprising.
Unfortunately, this is not about Mario or Luigi, but I still thought it was interesting.
How to be Good is all about morality.
November 14th was another strong issue - starting with the previously mentioned Gladwell on Jobs, McPhee on his progression as a writer, Lepore on Planned Parenthood, Schmidle on an insane murder trial times two,
Another topic that always wins with me is food:
Starting with the food issue
Eric Ripert's knives
Vendy Awards (Go Korila!)
eating bugs
how acai happened
true grit
They ended the year with the power of nothing, a massacre in Jamaica, and a record collector.
The Governor is one of the scariest villains of all time.
There, I said it.
I'm not going to lie, but I definitely had some really twisted nightmares after reading The Walking Dead when the Gov was featured.
I was really excited to read that Kirkman was planning on doing a few novelizations of characters who show up in the series who deserve/demand more back story. The Gov is clearly one of the characters. (Seriously? Am I STILL convincing you to read these?)
The book is utterly disturbing, which is not at all surprising.
I stupidly, mistakenly read it while in the Berkshires for the weekend. The completely quiet, pitch black, boonies that is Williamstown.
I need to learn how to choose my reading material more appropriately based on location.
I am never going to be one of those people who likes quirky, obscure music. I used to feel like I should somehow apologize for that, but guess what?
I don't care. I LOVE POP MUSIC. I love cheesy, catchy pop music. Some of it happens to be good, and some of it is not-so-much, but I still will play it 30 times in a row.
Here is my list of songs I played at least 30 times in a row.
1. "Bright Lights Bigger City" by Cee Lo Green
I ended last year with Cee Lo, and I feel like it would be disingenuous to say I didn't begin the year with him as well. His album was on repeat for quite a while.
I am a sucker for Gotham.
I entered the comic world through DC, and no other books ever consistently keep me entertained the way books set in Gotham do.
Black Mirror is no exception.
*SPOILER ALERT*
In this version of the Gotham-universe, Dick Grayson (the first Robin) is now Batman. This is an important distinction because Dick is a very different type of Batman. I should stop writing this second because I am in dangerous nerdy territory right now and I may never recover.
Anyway, I've always loved Dick Grayson, back when he was Nightwing, so him as Batman is pretty awesome. The book also includes my ULTIMATE girl, Barbara Gordon (also known as the first Batgirl who Joker paralyzes)(Sweet Lord, I am a nerd).
Look, I just need to stop because this is too embarrassing, but I highly recommend the book, okay?
This season, people have been complaining incessantly about The Walking Dead tv show.
They say it moves too slowly, they say that there aren't enough zombies. (Don't you love my use of the universal "they"? Who are these people?)
I feel like, from my view, these are people who clearly haven't read the books. Yes, ultimately, The Walking Dead is about zombies, but what it is really about, is what people do when everything around them is gone. Everything they knew, every social structure, everything that was familiar, is all gone. How do you react? That's The Walking Dead.
The comic books are clearly much farther ahead and books 13 and 14 are equally dark and twisty.
These two collections delve even more into the human psychology of it all as the group settles into a gated community situation.
I won't give much away, but if you've been reading this long, these don't disappoint. If you haven't started reading - get thee to book 1.
The second book for TBC was The Imperfectionists. Again, I knew nothing about the book prior to reading it, and was pleasantly surprised to discover it was about newspaper people.
I say newspaper people in lieu of journalists because the characters in these books are stereotypes. The type of stereotypes that are uncomfortably familiar. The cranky old copy editor, the quirky fact checker, the type-a financial officer, etc. The characters are all made up of bits of people who I have met before, who I have worked with before.
The Imperfectionists is dark and completely entertaining. The characters lives weave together, but not in a corny Love Actually way (well, not until the end anyway).
As with any short fiction, some of the stories were stronger than others, but as a whole the book is a great deal of fun.
Posts
All Comments
© ourblogtemplates.com 2008
Back to TOP
