Books.
I don't love them because I am a librarian. Nor did I become a librarian because I love books.
This blog post is about books- BTW.
I want to like adult fiction, but I find that when I read fiction it is teen/YA fiction. Last year while I was working at the public library I stated in a grand gesture at the reference desk that I was going to read all the "classics" in the summer.
There is a teen classics section where many of the books that are required reading for the high school across the street live. Over the summer I walked up the stairs to the teen area 100 times to show someone where "Catcher in the Rye," "Treasure Island," "The Iliad," "Diary of Anne Frank,"
and so on and so were located.
My grand gesture lasted 2 books- "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "Count of Monte Cristo."
I prefer non-fiction. Especially about (or by) musicians/music,writers, you know- artist types.
The Beastie Boys book was a great read. It took me awhile to read it because there are more than the Mike D and ADROCK's voices, having guest authors contribute to the narrative. It is a (mostly) linear history of the band- how they met, musical influence, stupid stuff they did, the complex relationship they had with Def Jam and some reflection into their young lives by their 50 year old selves. There are some embellishments intentional or not in their recounts, but it doesn't matter because the book seems to be coming from an honest place. The Beastie Boys were never one of my favorite bands, but I always liked their records and saw them live.
During the time I was reading the book (590 pages), when I came to a specific record in the book , I would only listen to that one. It made for a nice soundtrack and re-familiarized myself with their amazing discography.
MCA was always my favorite and I think the book is a love letter, eulogy, and ode to their lost brother.
Another book that I read recently and I think I liked was "Night Moves," by Jessica Hopper. I am a fan of her writing typically. A handful of years ago an anthology of her writings was published called " The First Collection of Criticism by a Living Female Rock Critic,"
which I very much enjoyed.
It kind of reminded me of Chuck Klosterman mixed in with some Sara Marcus.
"Night Moves," is different. The excerpts are more journal entries cleaned up to be vignettes. It is about her time in the mid-2000s in Chicago. I enjoyed the book and it is a super quick read at 184 pages. But whereas I connected to the material in the collected work, I found that her experiences, though entertaining kind of missed the mark for me.
The book that I finished yesterday was excellent. Michelle Tea has once again created a raw, unapologetic look into her life and psyche with "Against Memoir." It seems like I have known about Michelle Tea since forever. A founding member of Sister Spit, a roving literary group of folks who speak from the heart and can take and throw a punch. Literally for some, metaphorically for others. They have been together (on and off) since 1994 and I think the first time I came across them was at Club Junk or maybe it was the Albion or Dalva, the nineties were at times blurry, ANYWAY I remember being in awe of their (for lack of a better word) realness. I saw them on and off while living in SF and then again when Sister Spit 2.0 happened in the late 2000s. Michelle was always one of my favorites to hear and once I started to read her books, they did not disappoint.
To state that reading her books are fun and are enjoyable, meh--- I don't think is what I mean. Her books make think and feel. She is not afraid to share her mistakes to anyone who wants know. Though some might think she is throwing up herself all over the page, I think there are parts of her life that she doesn't share and I appreciate the way she curates herself in her writing. The snapshots are also puzzle pieces. "Against Memoir" is a great anthology of her work and like the Beastie Boys and Hopper books the look back into their younger selves is honest, forgiving (not without apology), and real.
