Stuck in a reading slump? Book columnist Kate Jones PO ’24 suggests that it’s okay to read fluffy books — and even fun.
Books
Literary wanderings: A 240-mile cycling trip
After an impromptu 240-mile cycling trip, book columnist Ryan Lillestrand PZ ’23 discovered the inspiring and illuminating “Bike Battles: A History of Sharing the American Road,” a galvanizing read for any cyclist.
Shelf life: Saga #55 is a gloriously familiar fever dream
Despite the fantasy genre of returning novel “Saga”, the sex-drugs-and-aliens packed comic remains deeply human, asserts book columnist Kate Jones PO ’24.
Literary wanderings: Portrait of a novelist on the brink of stardom
Anthony Veasna So’s “Afterparties” showcases the late author’s immense talent and potential, writes book columnist Ryan Lillestrand PZ ’23.
Literary wanderings: Getting a prescription at the poetry pharmacy
Have a fear of the unknown? Loss of zest for life? Anthology “The Poetry Pharmacy” will prescribe you a poem to address your ailment.
Literary wanderings: The ghost of Ueno Park
Book columnist Ryan Lillestrand PZ ’23 explores how the magical realism in “Tokyo Ueno Station” works to highlight sharp inequalities in Tokyo.
Throw away the junk mail in Sally Rooney’s ‘Beautiful World, Where Are You’
Master of the beach read, Sally Rooney experiments with emails in her new book, “Beautiful World, Where Are You” — but these confusing messages are the novel’s downfall, book columnist Katie Hanson SC ’25 writes.
Literary wanderings: On fiction as environmental activism
Book columnist Ryan Lillestrand PZ ’23 argues that despite its fictional nature, Richard Powers’ “The Overstory” is a powerful vehicle for environmentalism.
Literary wanderings: Getting lost in Lyon
Book columnist Ryan Lillestrand PZ ’23 praises Bill Buford’s “Dirt” for its vivid imagery and reflects on the merits of the modern personal narrative.
Read it and weep: Coming-of-age in Phoebe Gloeckner’s ‘The Diary of a Teenage Girl’
Book columnist Nina Potischman PO ’21 examines how Phoebe Gloeckner’s “The Diary of a Teenage Girl” successfully portrays a nuanced coming-of-age tale.