What I've Been Reading

It's been a while since I've written a new post. January ended up being a bit busier than I expected, although the last week was a bit slower and more relaxed. When AJ and I got back to Boston, after spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Connecticut, it seemed that we had a constant stream of visitors! First it was my mom and sister for a few days, then my cousin for a week, and then my in-laws for a weekend. I went back to Connecticut with them for a few days and then my mom and her cousin brought me back to Boston and stayed for a few days.

But now things have calmed down enough for the new semester to begin.

Despite how unexpectedly busy winter break got, I still got in a lot of reading time. Reading really is the best way to pass the time during these chilly winter days. To get back into the blogging habit, I want to do a quick recap of the books I've read so far this year.


A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
I read this book for the third time around Christmastime and it felt like a completely different book. This is probably because I was in high school the first two times I read it and a lot of things have happened in my life that have allowed me to read this book in a new way. I found I could relate to it much more. I love the fact that this book has endured through many years even though it is not part of the typical literature canon—never once in my years of schooling have I been assigned this novel even though it is undoubtedly a classic. Smith captures a specific time and place and brings it to life. Reading this book, I felt like I was living the lives of her characters. I doubt that this will be the last time I reread it.

The Faith of a Writer: Life, Craft, Art by Joyce Carol Oates
As you might assume from the title, this book is a collection of essays all regarding being a writer and what it entails. There is a lot of autobiographical information of Oates, herself, along with bits of information and knowledge from other famous writers throughout history. I liked learning about Oates because I am always fascinated by writers and their lives, especially writers who have such productivity  like Oates. I was a bit let down by it, though, because I did not feel like I learned so much about the craft of writing itself—but that might not really be the objective of the book. Regardless, it is full of useful and insightful information. It's a thin text and can easily be read in a day.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
I picked this one up right after Oates's book and found that it was a bit more helpful in the writerly advice arena. This book, too, had a lot of autobiographical information. I skimmed a bit of the areas that didn't seem to pertain to being an author because the rest of the book was very focused on the craft and I was so eager to read those parts! King gives a lot of advice and discloses what kind of writing habits work for him and why they work. While his techniques might not work for everyone, they're definitely worth knowing, trying, and understanding—I mean, look at how successful he is. He must be doing something write.

I'm reading two books right now, The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova and Black Dahlia & White Rose: Stories by Joyce Carol Oates. I'm reading two because The Historian is close to 700 pages long so sometimes I need to take a break and read something else!

Literary Links

photo via

These are my favorite kinds of articles to read. Reading about books and writers inspires me to write more and to write better. I thought I'd share with you a few of my favorite articles from this week.

For people that are wondering what MFA creative writing programs are like, this article will give you some insight! All of it reads true and I'm glad someone was able to eloquently put this experience into words.

This article about making it through writing critiques kind of goes along with the first. When you're in a grad program for creative writing, you have to go through workshops a lot and being well prepared to take whatever comes at you is essential!

I'm going to be adding these titles to my list of books to check out from the library. Debut novels are always inspiring to read. I love seeing how writers achieve such great first novels.

Feel like spending the summer in Paris? Why not write while you're at it! The expats living in Paris provided us with phenomenal works of art by prolific writers (Hemingway, Stein, Fitzgerald, I could go on) and I imagine there's no better place to write than in the cafés where they created their classics.

The Dud Avocado

This book is one of those books that makes you wonder why you couldn't have thought to write it first. It makes you wish you could right as well as the author—it's that good. Written and originally published in the 1950s, The Dud Avocado, by Elaine Dundy, is more than a simple coming of age tale. It's the story of Sally Jay Gorce and how she tries to find herself amid the scandal and temptation of Paris in the 1950s. The story opens with her, walking through the city streets in an evening gown on the way to meeting her Italian lover.

The story is reminiscent of Plath's The Bell Jar and Moore's Chocolate for Breakfast in the sense that the female protagonist has to deal with difficult internal issues while navigating through the world around her. The story is enticing, captivating, and all-consuming. Sally Jay's life is as decadent as it is complicated and base. It is impossible to guess what will come at her next and what she will do to deal.

It really is an entertaining read and the fact that it's party autobiographical makes it all the more fascinating. Anyone who is a fan of Plath will enjoy this book and all girls and young women who have dealt or are dealing with hard times will see Sally Jay as a kindred spirit.

Currently Reading: Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay

Yay! I've been waiting for a while to finally read this book and now that I have it and it's available in the US, I'm not wasting any time! I finished reading Russian Winter last night (spoiler: it was great. I'll post on it soon) and I began Elena Ferrante's final installation of her well-known Neapolitan Trilogy.

I'm already so engrossed and invested in this story of two friends, Elena and Lila, from having read the first two installations—two books that I suggest everyone read. Ferrante's writing is exceptional. She explores the true elements of a sometimes hurtful, sometimes inspiring friendship. She writes of Naples and Italy in the 1950s and 60s in such a way that it becomes real and relevant to today's world.

I find myself getting genuinely excited for Elena, the narrator of this story, when she finds out that her fiancé has been offered a tenure professor job at a university in Florence in the first few pages of this book. It's not always easy for me to feel the emotions of a character I read about, but Ferrante writes in a manner that makes it feel as if this excitement is part of my own life, as if this is happening to a close friend of mine or even to me!

Another reason that I love this story so much is because of Elena, the narrator's, life. She was born into a family that is preoccupied with hard work, not education or self improvement. Elena has always felt that she is in the shadow of her best friend, Lila, even though Lila only has an elementary level education and has been stuck in an unhappy marriage and now finds herself a single mother, working in a sausage factory. Elena, however, graduates high school and goes to a university in Pisa. She writes a novel, based on her childhood and her Neapolitan neighborhood, that is quickly published. Further, she finds herself engaged to an intelligent professor with a good, strong family. But somehow, her friendship will Lila constantly causes anguish and will always cause her to doubt herself and the life—far away from their Naples—she has chosen.

I love the fact that Elena succeeds, that she becomes highly educated though she comes from a community of people who do not necessarily support or encourage it. I love that she finds herself as an accomplished and well-recieved author. I love all of these details and I can't wait to see how they unfold through this last book of the trilogy.

I'm sure I will read it quickly out of sheer enjoyment, but I will miss it when it's done and when Ferrante has written all she can about the lives of Elena and Lila.

Currently Reading: Troubling Love

My love for Elena Ferrante novels is well known around these parts and this book of hers I'm reading right now only amplifies the respect I have for her words and writing style. It's unlike anything I've read by other authors; her descriptions, the way she weaves seamlessly through time, and the deeply personal thoughts and feelings that most people experience but leave unsaid are hallmarks of her prose.

This novel, Troubling Love, takes place in Ferrante's native Italy and follows the story of a woman, Delia, trying to find out the truth about her mother's mysterious death by drowning. Of course, the reader is given insight into complicated relationships between mother and daughter as well as buried childhoods memories, such as watching her father nearly kill her mother's lover and budding sexual relationships as an adolescent.

Among the first clues in Delia's possession, is a bag of lingerie that, even though it belongs to her mother, is uncharacteristic of the deceased woman. Aside from that, Ferrante develops all the odd characters that are necessary in a story such as this: a one-armed uncle, an abusive husband who claims to act out of love, a nosy neighbor who might know more than she says, a childhood playmate who becomes more, and an old man who may have started it all.

The book is not very long, only 139 pages. I'm going through it slowly, though, in an attempt to catch every words, phrase, and reference because this is a book that you could read 100 times and find something new with each read.

The Way To My Heart Is Through Books

And more specifically, through Elena Ferrante novels. I came home from babysitting on Monday to a package from Amazon. At first I got nervous that I was going crazy and shopping online without remembering buying anything! But as I tore through the package, I realized I was in fact not going crazy. Instead, I realized just how very lucky I am.

Inside the package were two of Elena Ferrante's novels that I don't have yet, Troubling Love and The Days of Abandonment, along with a sweet, little note from AJ. He knows I love surprises and he knows I love books and it was such a nice gesture and a wonderful treat to come home to! I'm a lucky, lucky girl and you better believe I've already jumped into these two books! I had a good four or five books I was already reading but I've set those aside to enjoy these.

Plus, AJ hinted that he has already pre ordered me the last book in Ferrante's Neapolitan trilogy which comes out in September!

MFA Stuff

A little update. As some of you may know, the day that AJ and I moved to Boston for his internship back in March, I found out that I was accepted to an MFA Creative Writing program in Boston. From the moment that I received my acceptance email, my mind has been preoccupied with MFA related thoughts: what my classes will be like, all the writing I'll be doing, and what my future will look like upon graduation. If there's an article that has the letters MFA in the title, I read it. I can't get enough.

So, a few days ago, on a whim, I checked to see if any changes had been made to my previously blank class schedule for grad school. I was oh so pleasantly surprised to find that it was no longer blank! I have a schedule! And it's a wonderful one, too. I am taking two classes (they suggested only 2 for your first semester). One is Teaching College Composition and the other is Fiction Workshop. Each class is once a week for 3 hours and 45 minutes. I have class Tuesday night and Wednesday night and that's it!

Having my schedule makes me realize how soon school will be starting and that it is very real. It's coming! And it just so happens that in the same week I got my schedule, Bustle.com has put out two great articles regarding books and writing.

The first is about books that you should read before starting an MFA program. It's a great article but it freaked me out—I haven't read any of the books listed! I have to get on that. Now.

The next article is also about books. These, however, are books that you should read before writing your first novel. This might not be universal for all MFA students, but one of my goals is to write a novel (at least a draft) by the completion of my degree so this is a handy list!

I love articles that suggest great books for different reasons. I hope you enjoy these, too!

Currently Reading: Bellefleur

Most books are best read with a cup of coffee or hot tea. With Bellefleur, I've found that it goes best with a glass of red wine. I think this is because the book is decadent. It's full of luxurious and rich descriptions that are intriguing yet dark. This book is dark, as if every image is shrouded in clouds or a dark shadow.

Joyce Carol Oates, the author of Bellefleur, is the queen of literary gothic writing and this book is absolute proof that she is one of the greatest writers of our time.

This novel, more of a family epic, was published in 1980 but is timeless. It is 729 pages and I cannot offer you a summary of the plot. It is far to complex and is structured unlike most novels, comprised of five books and many chapters. It centers on several generations of the Bellefleur family and their enormous mansion in a mythic place called Lake Noir.

The characters are surreal, as are their actions. They are powerful, exclusive, and mysterious. The small yet distinct character traits are beyond creative: a grandfather who wanted his flesh stretched over a drum, an aunt who is never seen in the daylight, and countless other quirks. The characters are so imaginative and display qualities of magical realism that I find this book mirrors Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude. There are small details offered to the reader throughout each page which seem frivolous, but all of them are built upon later and their importance is extracted.

Is is suspenseful and filled with symbolism. It's like a big, epic, literary ghost story. I was reading it in bed the other night and my cell phone vibrated on my bedside table. I was startled so badly because I was engrossed in a particularly suspenseful and frightening part.

I'm still very close to the beginning of the book, especially considering its length, so it will take me quite a while to finish but I'm not in a rush. This is a feat of human talent. I want to enjoy it and carefully read each word to get the most out of this tale. I've mentioned before that Joyce Carol Oates writes her novels out longhand and I can't imagine how a book this long could have all started with a pencil and blank piece of paper.

What to Read Next?

I finished The Bell Jar and then shortly after that I picked up and finished Trains and Lovers. Now I'm faced with the difficult but so enjoyable decision of what to read next. I'm trying to decide between Jane Eyre, Bellefleur, and The Years. I haven't read Jane Eyre in a few years and I've been wanting to read it again for a while now, but I feel like books I've never read take precedence. There's only so much time to read!

Bellefleur is by Joyce Carol Oates, an amazing writer that everyone should look into if you really want to read great work. I've had this book waiting for me since Christmas!

And The Years, by Virginia Woolf, is one I picked up at a used bookstore for a few dollars when we were in Boston and it's been on my mind since.

All three of the books are a bit long—Bellefleur is over 700 pages—and all of them are probably better suited to be read in the fall or winter rather than summer. But the last two books I read were short and quick so I think it's time I delve back into one that is going to take more time.

I'm leaning towards Bellefleur right now. What do you think? Any suggestions out there?

Currently Reading: The Bell Jar

Remember when I said that Ficciones was not an easy read? It's not an easy read, it is hard. I'm struggling and I'm almost ashamed to say I am setting it aside. There are so many books that I still want to read that I don't want to get bogged down by one that I just can't pull myself through. I'll pick it up again one day but for now I have moved on and oh, what a great book I have moved on to.

I feel like this book is one that all girls should read at whatever point in their lives. I'm surprised it has taken me this long to finally read but I think I am at the age where I can appreciate it more thoroughly.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath follows the path of Esther Greenwood, a Smith college student who suffers from depression and mental illness. The story begins when Esther is living in New York City and working at a magazine during the summer before her final year of college. That plot would be story enough, but Plath takes us through Esther's life when she returns home to Massachusetts for the rest of her summer during which time her mental state continues to decline.

I'm over halfway through the book at this point because it is impossible to put down. This morning I had to force myself to get out of bed, not because I was tired but because I just wanted to lay there all day and read about Esther.

The depiction of the way her brain works is clearly drawn and makes her depression understandable. Her suicide attempts are extremely detailed and almost excruciating to read, you feel for her so deeply and you want to help but there's nothing you can do! It's painful but I think it's important for people to read, especially because these scenes are written by a woman who dealt with her own depression and internal demons.

I won't go in to much more detail so that I'm not repeating myself when I write a review once I finish the novel in it's entirety, but this book is very similar to Pamela Moore's Chocolates for Breakfast so if you enjoyed that, you will enjoy book too.

Again, this is a book that many, especially female English majors, have read by the time they hit their twenties and I think that's phenomenal. This is a book that everyone should get their hands. You will find yourself in Esther if you have ever dealt with depression. If you have never had to deal with mental illness, you will be shocked and awed at this depiction of it. I think that in the world today, there is so much discussion of mental illness, that it will do every well to have a great understanding of it. Reading this novel is the perfect way to begin to grasp this issue.

Currently Reading: Ficciones

Last night I was wondering if I should write this or if I should start reading a new book for this post. But this book is one of those books that all writers and avid readers should read, according to the praise I've read and I thought that if I put it down now, I may never pick it up again. Plus, writing this post will hold me accountable for finishing the book.

I'm reading Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges. Borges is a writer that highly influenced fiction writing in Latin America. He was born in Argentina but grew up traveling in Europe and lived in both Switzerland and Spain. His writing in philosophical, surreal, and over my head. In my opinion, Borges takes fiction to a new level. His fiction is about fiction.

Ficciones is a collection of short stories split into two parts; the first titled "The Garden of Forking Paths," and the second is titled "Artifices."These stories are about fictional writers, fictional books, and fictional countries or worlds that have never existed in real life but somehow Borges makes them real. The stories don't feel like stories so much as they feel like accounts of places and times that Borges and only Borges knows. And I think this is why I feel myself struggling to read these stories. I got half way through the first one, had know idea what was going on, and started over from the beginning. It felt like I was reading a new story because I had missed so much! I think this is only because I am not used to the writing style. That being said, he's a brilliant writer and has talents and an imagination that no one else will ever experience.

It may take me a little while to read this one. It's by no means a light or easy read. It requires complete focus, absolutely no distractions, and you really need to digest every single world because every word is necessary and adds to the story. This might mean flipping back a few pages every so often if feeling lost but, since one of the motifs in this book is labyrinths, I think the sensation of getting lost in the stories is intentional.

Currently Reading: The Group

I really did just start reading this book but it's one I have been eagerly anticipating! Written by Mary McCarthy in 1963, it's the story of a group (of course) of girlfriends who graduate from Vassar College in 1933. I'm less than a full chapter into the story (it has really long chapters, but still) and I can already tell that this is another one of those books that is an absolute treat to read! McCarthy's word choice is impeccable. It's so smart and witty and impossibly perfect for her characters and for the feel of this novel. The girls (there are 8 of them in 'the group') behave just as you would expect a group of Vassar graduates from that day to behave. All of them are interesting and a little quirky and even a bit envious.

The story begins at the wedding of Kay, one of the girls, to a man named Harald. It is a week after their commencement and following the reception, all of the girls will go on their own way through the adult world. Some go to Europe, some go into publishing or nursing, and some go on to form new relationships. McCarthy follows the paths that the girls travel through their lives apart and they are only brought back together when one of the girls dies.

Some call this McCarthy's best book, which is saying something because she has a large repertoire of extremely praised books. So far, I am greatly enjoying this novel. Something people who might want to read this book should know, I do not view this book as a light, summer read. The paragraphs and chapters are long so you have to be able to devote good chunks of time to reading it. Also, the verbiage requires constant and close attention so it is not easy to read if there are other distractions present otherwise you will find yourself going back a bit in the book to reread things you may have missed or to find out who is speaking. I don't mind any of that, the content of this book is well worth the necessary attention. The only thing that is troubling me about the novel thus far is the abundance of women in the group. As I said, there are 8 of them and I often am confused as to which girl belongs to which previously written backstory or character description. However, I am hoping that as I continue reading it will become more clear.

I definitely recommend this book to women that are interested in the lives of academic women of the past, to anyone who enjoys a witty novel that requires some concentration, and to anyone who loves good prose and a well-written sentence.

Currently Reading: Chocolates for Breakfast

I love when I get the feeling that I have stumbled upon a literary treasure and that is the feeling I get whenever I open this book. Chocolates for Breakfast was published in 1956 and is written by Pamela Moore. I was especially drawn to this book when I found out that Pamela was only 18 when this book was published, not to mention in her last year of college...at 18 years old. The book was translated to many languages and was an international bestseller. Pamela Moore continued writing but none of her other novels compared in success. At 26 years old, she committed suicide. 

The book is amazing and is often compared to The Catcher in the Rye because it deals with youthful angst and anxieties as well as depression and the desire to grow up. It is considered to be autobiographical as Pamela and her main character, Courtney, were both children of divorce and were shuttled between their parents' separate homes in Los Angeles and New York City. 

The book begins when Courtney is at boarding school in New England. The end of a relationship with a female teacher leaves her upset and causes her mother, a struggling actress, to pull her out of school to move in with her in California. There, Courtney grows up as she mingles with movie stars and lives the life of an adult far too early. 

What is most amazing about this book is, of course, the writing. Moore is able to grasp the feelings, confusions, and contradictions of youth without shoving it in her reader's face. She's subtle in her writing but so powerful. The simple sentences that hold so much more meaning than one realizes upon first reading. It really touches on the life of a young adult with such perfection and with extreme realism. 

The book went out of print decades ago and was brought back by the help of another author, Emma Straub. The edition of the book that I have was printed in 2013 by Harper Perennial and contains lots of interesting extras such as old articles about the author and book as well as photocopies of early drafts of the novel. 

Most of the books I write about I would recommend to other readers but this one I recommend above and beyond all others! Anyone will enjoy it and will relate to it. To prove my point, I will leave you with a small quotation that is one of my favorites thus far in my reading:

"It's gray. It's gray and dim. Do you know what I mean? It's dead leaves in the swimming pool and smoke in the bedroom. But I guess that doesn't make sense to you."

You can learn more about the book and author here. 

Also, how awesome are all these older covers of the book from past editions? I think they are more representative and truthful to the content and feel of the book than the newest cover.

Currently Reading: Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932

This is the first book that I have ever had signed in the presence of an author, not to mention by one of my favorite authors, Francine Prose. I had it signed in April at the Boston Athenaeum after Ms. Prose gave a reading from this book, her newest novel.

I am over halfway through the book now and I am really enjoying it! It does not have me sucked in like Elena Ferrante's novels, but it is such an interesting read! It took her five years to write and you can tell; it is so full of interesting facts that are presented so simply that you don't realize you're learning about actual historical moments. Not to mention, her prose in this book is amazing. Every word is curated to give the desired effect. It's beautiful, like a painting, and so incredibly impressive!

The story is not written like a typical novel. It is written by different threads of people in the form of fictional autobiographies, biographies, letters, and memoirs. Most of the characters are based on real people, but Prose fictionalizes the unknown parts of their lives and certain events but you still learn so much about pre and post war France, including the Olympics and the nazi occupation.

It's a long book, pushing 500 pages but it is read so quickly! The characters are quirky and so complex. Sometimes you love them and in the next section, you hate them completely! It really is an impressive book and you can tell that it took a lot of work and research. It is so well done that as you read it, you can't believe someone could possibly write a book that is so complex but is so full of beauty!

I really recommend this book to everyone, especially those that love historical fiction. I don't typically gravitate towards historical fiction—and I keep saying that I would never have picked up this book if it was not written by Francine Prose—but this book is exceptional. It may seem a bit long and daunting for a summer read but it's so entertaining, no one should put this book on the back burner!

Currently Reading: Blue Angel

BLUE ANGEL

During the Spring semester of my freshman year at Fairfield University, I was a little awkward and out of place for a few weeks, maybe months. I transferred to Fairfield U the day after classes started for the new semester. It was a rash and rushed decision on my part to transfer but it is one of the smartest decisions I ever made. I'm so glad I changed my major and decided to go to a different college than the one I first attended.

But that's for another post!

Anyway, one of the things I vividly remember about that first semester in which I was accustoming myself to my new school, is sitting on the benches on the second floor of Canisius Hall between my Elementary Italian class and Mass Media sociology class. I had 50 minutes between the two classes and I didn't know what to do with myself! I didn't know where the cafeteria was (I still don't really know) and I didn't know the library well (I do now) so I just stayed in the same building rather than venturing out. I would sit on the bench and, for my first few weeks of that semester, I would read "Household Saints" by Francine Prose. A wonderfully strange but somehow realistic and relatable book, it kept me company when the hallways were dead quiet and it was engrossing enough to be distracted by the noise when students would start milling about around me. Since reading the first page of that book, I have become an obsessed Francine Prose fan and, once I finished "Household Saints,"I quickly bought 5 more of Prose's books at the same time.

And, getting to the point, I am now reading her novel called "Blue Angel." It was published in 2000 and was a National Book Award Finalist. I'm less than 100 pages in and I'm really enjoying it. I don't think it's her strongest book—her short stories and "Household Saints" are forever my favorites—but it's kind of illuminates the life of a writer/professor and it makes me wonder if there's a touch of prose in her protagonist as she, too, is a writer/professor. It makes me feel like I'm getting a little peek into her life, but of course, it's fiction so I'm not supposed to assume something like that.

The novel revolves around the life of Swenson, a writer and creative writing professor at a university in New England. One of his students starts bringing him chapters of her story in progress and, so far, he's enthralled by her talent. To be honest, if this book weren't by Francine Prose I might not have been drawn to it (however I think just coming off of an amazing Elena Ferrante book could be part of the issue) but I do like what it offers as far as a view into the life of an academic creative writer.

I'll post about it once I finish the entire book, and perhaps I'll write about it again in the middle if it's taking me a while to finish!

Recommended Read: The Story of a New Name

THE STORY OF A NEW NAME

Last night I finished reading the second novel in the Neapolitan Trilogy by Italian author, Elena Ferrante. I barely even want to write this post because I know I won't be able to do this book justice!

It's an exceptional novel and rare in its style, subject, and depiction. The scope of the novel, a Neapolitan city and its inhabitants throughout the years, is so broad that it seems like a large undertaking to write about but Ferrante does it with ease! It feels as if this is the story of her life because she writes with such simplicity. Even though its a deep, at times disturbing and unnerving, depiction of a girl's life, it reads easily. It's natural and organic, I've never read another novel that is written so perfectly. 

Some readers might initially be turned off by the subject matter of this book. It's vague, does not include crazy plot twists, mysteries, or extreme scandals. This places the novel in its own category and excellently portrays the author's skill as a writer. She makes this depiction of daily life engrossing and impossible to escape. As you read, you are placed in Naples in a time that is so unlike our own. The characters are tangible and complex. You want to get under their skin to know what makes them behave as they do. 

I'm not going to go into plot because that would take a long time (I'd have to talk about the first book in the series, too) but I can't praise this book enough! This is a book everyone should have and should read cover to cover, again and again. It's not just a novel, it's a life and one that should be known and recalled. 

The first book in the series, "My Brilliant Friend," is just as good as this one and, unlike the typical issue of sequels being huge let downs, that's not the case here! And the third and final book, "Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay," will be published September 2nd. "My Brilliant Friend" and "The Story of a New Name" are perfect reads for this summer and will leave you ready for the last book by September. 

Currently Reading: The Story of a New Name

I finally finished the last book I was reading—I wrote about it here—and now I am moving onto a book that I have been eager to read since I got it for Christmas this year. It is the second in a trilogy by the reclusive and incredibly private author, Elena Ferrante. The first book of the series, My Brilliant Friend, was published in 2012 and the third and concluding book of the Neapolitan Trilogy, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay, is slated to come out in September of this year! Can't wait! 

I first became interested in Elena Ferrante when I read an article about her in The New Yorker. The article compared her to Salinger because of her reclusive character; she does not promote her books nor does she do phone or television interviews. She will only, and rarely, respond to press questions in hand written letters. No one has ever seen Elena Ferrante, fueling theories that she is a famous author using a pen name or that she is really a he. 

She writes in Italian and her books are translated into English by Ann Goldstein. Her translated titles include Trouble Love, The Lost Daughter, and The Days of Abandonment. Once I read the last in the trilogy, I hope to move onto her other novels. 

I read My Brilliant Friend over the summer and loved it. It's heavy and follows a whole neighborhood of characters so I'm afraid I might need to refresh my memory as I start reading the next installment. I would really recommend these novels to everyone; Ferrante has a very unique style. She writes about the everyday but with far more insight and attention; things that seem banal to most become exceptional fragments of life. The characters are realistic and toe the line of likable and awful on every page. I'm really looking forward to reading this and I will keep you updated along the way! 

Sunday Journal Prompt #1

In a post about journaling from last week, I promised to post a journal prompt to guide those hoping to get started or get inspired for their personal writings. I think that Sundays are a great day for writing. It's a calm day, for most, and it's a day where you can carve out a chunk of time dedicated to yourself. This is a perfect time to write, to get out the thoughts and feelings that have been cluttering your brain all week. Then you will be able to start afresh on Monday with a clear mind and the satisfaction that writing gives. 

For Journal Prompt #1, I want you to do just that. Reflect on the past week. What was your favorite moment of the week and why? How were you feeling in that moment? Was there a particularly difficult obstacle or conflict that you endured? Was there anything that you had been worried about, but it turned out you didn't really need to be so stressed? Happens to me all the time! Finally, was there a time this week that you were able to slow down and take in the small joys of life: the nice weather, a good book, a moment with loved ones? Write about these moments and reflect on how they affect your life! If you're comfortable with sharing, leave a comment! 

Currently Reading: Special Topics in Calamity Physics

Whenever I write about a book I’m reading, I always feel a few steps behind the rest of the game. I’m always writing about books that were published and had their heyday long before I got to them. But, I suppose, a truly good book never becomes irrelevant and therefore can be read and praised at anytime. I think Marisha Pessl’s debut novel, Special Topics In Calamity Physics, fits into this category. Published in 2006, Pessl got an insane—I mean INSANE—advance for her first novel, to the tune of $615,000 according to the New York Times magazine a few weeks ago. I do not know how that happens! How can someone get such a big advance on their first book? I know Donna Tartt did it too, as did Chad Harbach and Karen Thompson Walker but still! How does a publisher get that invested in someone with no sales data? And how do you get an agent good enough to negotiate such a high price? Seriously, if you know, tell me! These questions are not rhetorical.

Anyway, Pessl had a good agent who had 20/20 vision into the future sales of this book. It was a bestseller and paved the way for Pessl’s sophomore novel, Night Film, which came out at the end of last year—it’s not surprise I haven’t made my way to that one yet but it’s on my list! 

I picked up Calamity Physics at the bookstore the day after Christmas. I was eager to read a novel by a writer who has a career that I aspire to achieve. Pessl published her first book young, was very successful with its publication, and then got started on her second novel with an inspiring amount of creativity. Her career thus far seems to be ideal and I feel that reading books by writers who you hope to one day be like is a great way to start towards that achievement and a great way to improve your own writing.

The front and back cover of this novel will entice any bookworm or lit nerd. A book that promises “A sudden drowning, a series of inexplicable events,” and a narrator as witty and unassumingly brilliant as they come sells itself, as far as I’m concerned. Open to the table of contents, and you’ll be pulled in even more. This book is structured around “Required Readings.” Each chapter is titled after a great literary work. The abundance of references to literature and academia will have you wishing you were as smart as Blue van Meer, our narrator.

I’m almost halfway through this novel and I am definitely reading at a slower pace than usual in order to preserve these brilliant words for as long as possible (and my To Read list is getting longer each day!) because it is that good. Pessl is a skilled wordsmith. She writes in a style, filled with information, that many readers could get bogged down under, but her diction is so light that you can imagine her writing this with a pencil hovering gently over clean paper, rather than with her hands typing quickly across a keyboard.

Pessl easily builds the drama and mystery behind each character, all of them having distinct personalities that round out this eccentric group of students and their scandalous teacher. This book pulls you in so quickly that you don’t notice you’ve read over 100 pages in a single sitting. That being said, there are long stretches in which little of significance seems to happen. We are let in on the fact that Hannah, a significant character, dies at the beginning of the novel and the rest of the novel will seemingly explain the events surrounding her death (and this isn’t the only similarity between Calamity Physics and Donna Tartt’s The Secret History). At the halfway point, I’m ansy to know about her death—it’s taking too long to get there! But that’s not necessarily a criticism, any writer would want to build enough interest and investment that makes a reader scramble for more information.

When you read Special Topics in Calamity Physics, you will undoubtedly feel as if you are in the presence of true brilliance, not only that of Blue but also that of Marisha Pessl. She writes as a writer should. It is effortless for her and therefore makes the task of reading effortless and pleasurable. She is the definition of a writer and should be considered one of the best of our times. She stands out and has carved her place next to the likes of the writers of classics. 

I'll write another post about this once I finish the book in its entirety! Have you read either of Pessl's novel? What do you think about her writing style?