5 Cool People, 5 Book Picks
Dispatch from the week 45 of January
Happy January 560th! How is it that the first month of the year gives us ready-made excuses to feel sad and unmotivated? The 17th was allegedly the day most New Year’s resolutions fail1, the 20th is Blue Monday (and the inauguration, which: WILD), and the 13th marked the seven-year anniversary of my move to Berlin—misery all around.
So, have your resolutions failed yet? Earlier this month, I wrote about my skepticism that making one of them an arbitrary number of books to read will help you put your phone away and enjoy a novel instead of the algorithm:
It seems the “more is not always better” sentiment is widely shared: I loved Ochuko Akpovbovbo’s essay on trying to read less on Pandora Sykes’ Books and Bits. While I can’t fully relate to reading hundreds of books per year and having it overconsume my life, Ochuko’s approach to reading less—granting yourself permission to scale back on something we’ve grown accustomed to setting goals for and tracking—feels refreshing.
But what if, you ask, you want to pick up a book, but January’s infinite bleakness leaves you completely uninspired? In search of inspiration and to step out of my reading bubble (dominated mostly by visually pleasing covers), I reached out to the five coolest readers I know2 and asked them one question:
In line with the “quality over quantity” philosophy, what is one book you’re most excited to read or revisit to this year?
Even though I told everyone I might slightly edit their answers for flow, I am absolutely not an editor and enjoyed every word and sentence I received far too much—so this is slightly longer than my usual Substacks. Consider it a challenge for your attention spans.
Without further ado, the delightful, wonderful answers I received are below—so blessed to know people way cooler than me!
Lynnly 吴 | Queer Artist and Singaporean Hottie | LynnlyBenson.com
“Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982” by Cho Nam-Joo
To reckon with the grief of being alive when so much we didn’t even know we could dream towards seems already dead, I shall finally return to “Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982” by Cho Nam-Joo.
Cho’s novel reveals the slow chipping away of female existence as a quiet second nature in South Korean society. I read a third of this book last summer but had to take a break from constantly finding parts of myself and women I love within it.
A story so confronting of violent misogyny persisting, I see why women in South Korea had to read it in secret.
With courage, may finishing this novel bring me a mirror, a plea, and maybe a glimmer of hope. Amen.
Esther Moisy-Kirschbaum | Head of Content at Orso Media, Writer at Oblique Forecasting | esthermk.com
“Heartburn” by Nora Ephron
This January, I'm picking up Heartburn again. The 1983 classic was written by Nora Ephron, one of my favourite writers and scriptwriters. You know her from When Harry Met Sally, You've Got Mail, Julie & Julia. The woman doesn't have any flops!
The pitch: A food writer is pregnant with her second child and finds out that her second husband is cheating on her. Hijinks (commutes between Washington, D.C., and New York, diamond robberies, potato recipes, etc.) ensue.
Like anything Nora Ephron writes, it's astutely observed and SO funny.
However. Don't bother with the movie. It stars Meryl Streep (!) and Jack Nicholson (!!) and I was sold on watching it after hearing there's a scene where they eat spaghetti in bed after their first night together (!!!). All great ingredients but the sauce doesn't take. It might even give you heartburn.
Caitlin Mayance
Founder of nouvôt and future Webby award-winner for nicest person online | nouvôt.co
“The Years” by Annie Erneaux
I originally started reading this on my birthday a few years back until (true to form) being distracted by another book. But this year is the year that I read Annie Erneaux’s ‘The Years’: “Considered by many to be the iconic French memoirist’s defining work, The Years is a narrative of the period 1941 to 2006 told through the lens of memory, impressions past and present, cultural habits, language, photos, books, songs, radio, television, advertising and news headlines.”
Given the polycrisis times we’re living in, and that the future sometimes seems less shiny than it used to be, I’m drawn to reading about history and the past collective memory - especially that this starts in occupied France. Somehow it gives me hope that we’ll all be ok.
Also Deborah Levy says it’s ‘One of the best books you’ll ever read.’ So…
Charlotte Cole | Writer of the female gothic (find some of her writing here!), working at Chisenhale Gallery in east London | @cjcole
“The Doloriad” by Missouri Williams
None of us asked to be born. Dolores definitely didn’t. But she is alive, and in a post-apocalyptic world where an unexplained climate event has ruined the planet. The story focuses on a matriarchal family living in isolation. The Matriarch is, of course, a manipulative, authoritarian figure, who leads a group of survivors, including her many children, each one a product of multigenerational incest. They all seem to hate each other. I can’t imagine why.
Dolores, a daughter with no legs, is sent on a wheelbarrow to find another nearby group of settlers and treat with them via an arranged marriage. On this adventure, curious, kind-spirited Dolores sees the world for what it is for the first time, rather than through her mother’s eyes. She comes back and reports on what she has found out there, only to find much more change on her own home soil.
Despite the tragic adventure premise, there’s not much of a discernible plot to The Doloriad; instead Williams takes us through a series of strange happenings for each character like a hostile, glitchy game of Sims4. This book is hard to read, hard to categorise, and I couldn’t look away. It is the product of commitment, a writing feat, brutal and perfect, read it immediately.
Isabelle Angele | Creator of Dreamspaces | @__dreamspaces
“The Power Broker” by Robert A. Caro
I judge a book by its cover and I'm not ashamed to admit it – it doesn't make sense to me that someone would spend so much time writing a book and not care to think about how their cover could be perceived. So when I saw The Power Broker by Robert A. Caro on a random IG reel, the big red font (in a serif!! It reminds me of the old Acne Studios logo RIP), the mean mugging bust of Robert Moses and the juicy tagline 'Robert Moses and the Fall of New York' pulled me right in – I was hooked.
I also like how big it is. I like the look of a big book on a big bookcase – it's hot – but I also just love the challenge. In the way that running can be a physical challenge, picking up a 1000 page+ book is a mental challenge I like to undertake at least once a year. Thankfully this book does seem to have a bit of a cult following, mostly neckbeard-y type guys, but I like the look and I've heard bits and pieces about this Robert Moses. I'm ready to get enraged and be informed.
I'm also pleasantly surprised at how readable it is (I'm 83 pages in), but tbh, let's see if I actually finish it.
I hope this is not the last time I involve people I know to give me some brilliant ideas. In the meantime, if you need even more inspiration I have a very aesthetic-friendly Pinterest board where I pin everything I want to read.
My mobility exercises are still going strong thank you for asking - who knew you have to respect your body to limit your running injuries?
Before you go at me for not giving men a seat at the table I just… don’t know that many men??
Easily the best line-up of women to be part of! merci for inviting me to join in 🤓 I’m adding everyone else’s recs to my list obvs x
Grateful to be one of the coolest readers in your life xoxo