Short Books for When Your Brain Is Mush
And otherwise all you can do is watch Taylor Swift on TikTok
I had a plan for going to Australia: read short books. Mostly, when I travel, I listen to audiobooks, because that’s easy when you’re on and off planes and walking through airports. It’s probably not healthy, the degree to which I always want to multitask, but there you have it. This last month, though, in addition to audiobooks, I’ve also been mainlining short books. Backlist classics! Some rereads, some new to me, all mind-blowing and terrific. Perhaps you too need a short book to make you feel zippy and alive again?
Here’s what I’ve been reading.
Jean Rhys, Wide Sargasso Sea
You’ve read Jane Eyre, but have you read this, Rhys’ novel about Mr. Rochester’s first wife? Of COURSE the poor woman had a backstory! Dang! Colonialism, racism, mental health, Caribbean heat. Justice for Bertha. Jean Rhys also has an amazing story, and was presumed dead (!) for decades, just because she didn’t publish anything. Ouch. This book was published when she was 76 years old.
Shirley Jackson, We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Oh, Shirley. Shirley is the greatest. Shirley is hilarious and as sharp as a switchblade. I could read her books about child poisoners all the livelong day.
Rachel Ingalls, Mrs. Caliban
Ok so if you’ve seen The Shape of Water, imagine that, but it’s never scary, and no one is in any danger, except for a few quick murders, and it’s basically a housewife in love. So weird, so good. A perfect dollop of a book. Like, why wouldn’t you have sex with a giant frogman who shows up at your door and pays attention to you, unlike your stupid husband? It’s about tragedy and hope and I loved it.
Now I’m onto my galley on Ann Patchett’s Tom Lake, which I am loving. Of course. Because it’s a book by Ann Patchett. And yes, I’m also watching clip after clip of Taylor Swift concerts. I thought about making this newsletter just about my feelings about Taylor Swift but decided that was too weird. If you want the Taylor Treatise, let me know in the comments. Otherwise, I’ll keep it inside my brain.
Who else has a great short book for me?
Very much here for the Taylor Treatise!
Roddy Doyle's A Greyhound of a Girl. It's a YA novel, but like all the best YA novels, it really doesn't matter how old you are. One of my all-time favorite stories. And in Taylor news, played chauffeur to my daughter and 4 friends to the rainiest of all rainy shows at Gillette on Saturday night. They wore ponchos over their fabulous outfits and spend 6 and half hours out in the rain, much of the time a full on downpour. Every bit of them was soaked and they all poured water out of their shoes as they climbed into the car and they were so very, very happy. They'd do it all again in a heartbeat. Taylor gave them a great show, an utterly uncomplicated feeling of joy, and memories they'll cherish. She's got my vote.