Writing and divining a story is an exercise in extremes, superstitions and eccentricities. From Jack Kerouac’s amphetamine-fueled writing benders that birthed “On The Road” to the rigor and intentionality that bore Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye,” the rituals that create the craft bear the marks on the work itself. Otto Fritton, PZ ‘27 provides a view into his ritual and the authors he is inspired by as he wraps up his first manuscript.
Books
Speculative Fixations: Once upon a stereotypical time in ‘Cinder’
Reading “Cinder,” a dystopian Cinderella retelling set in Asia written by a non-Asian author, Vivian Fan PO ’28, examines whether or not the Asian representation in the book is problematic, entertaining or both.
Speculative Fixations: Who runs the world? In ‘Herland,’ it’s girls
What does Trump’s recent anti-trans executive order have in common with the 1915 feminist utopian novel “Herland”? Both explore what it means to be an ideal woman. Reading “Herland,” Vivian Fan PO ’28 examines this ideal and its present-day implications.
Word for Word: Stop calling ‘Naomi’ the Japanese Lolita
Is “Naomi” by Jun’ichiro Tanizaki the “Japanese Lolita,” or is this nickname just a way to inferiorize a non-Western book? Anna R. Naigeborin PO ’28 compares the two novels and settles this debate.
Word for Word: The allure of ‘Bonjour Tristesse’
After an improbable book recommendation from her grandpa, Anna R. Naigeborin PO ’28 wonders if a book written by a teenager in 1954 could move her teenage self in 2024. The charm of “Bonjour Tristesse,” she finds, holds true even 70 years later.
Word for Word: Finding solace in Osamu Dazai’s ‘Schoolgirl’
Could a young girl possibly identify with a female character written by a man? Literature columnist Anna R. Naigeborin PO ’28 writes about her experience reading Modern Japanese author Osamu Dazai.
Word for Word: Dipping your toes into the stream of Clarice Lispector
Books translated into other languages are often described as being “lost in translation.” Literary columnist Anna R. Naigeborin PO ’28, a Brazilian herself, writes about the experience of reading the works of Brazilian author Clarice Lispector in English.
The Library of Translations: From international stages to translated pages – book recommendations from around the world
Columnist Caroline Kelly PO ‘27 highlights these cinematic pieces with corresponding book recommendations to escape the post-movie blues.
The Library of Translations: Reading Pop Culture – Book Recommendations from Iconic Moments
Ranging from reality tv scandals to petrifying politics, 2024 is off to a wild start. Columnist Caroline Kelly PO ‘27 highlights three iconic pop culture moments with corresponding book recommendations. Afterall, reading about the drama is far better than experiencing it.
The Library of Translations: The indescribably magical worlds of New York City’s best bookstores
In eight hours, book columnist Caroline Kelly PO ‘27 visited four of the most iconic bookstores in New York City. To her, each location offers a different literary world, realizing any and every bibliophile’s greatest dreams.