My new podcast, Feedback, launched. We have a lot of exciting interviews coming up with authors, critics, and book editors! Subscribe now so you don’t miss an episode. For book lovers: my episode with Natan Last, crossword puzzle constructor for The New York Times and The New Yorker, was really fun, and we discussed how constructing puzzles is like writing fiction, how the jazz age created the crossword puzzle boom, Vladimir Nabokov’s love of crosswords, Joyce Carol Oates’ hatred of crosswrods, and why he’s obsessed with The Real Housewives of Rhode Island.
The podcast A Lesson Before Writing did a very thorough and positive critique of my debut fiction piece, “Selling Vermont.” It starts at the 40 min mark. “Selling Vermont,” a horror piece, is available in issue 10 of Volume 0 or on the magazine’s Substack.
Frank Reads 📚
Everything I Read in July
I skipped New York Pride and the weekend of the 4th this year because in New York that’s just a two-week bender. I opted instead to take my annual London trip for those two weeks, which turned out to be one of my favorite recent vacations. The initial plans for the trip were to finish my novel. Well, that didn’t happen. I actually ended up doing a lot more editing and cutting from the novel than actual writing. Still, I did manage to get a lot of reading done and visit some fantastic bookstores (and spend way too much money on books, but thankfully they’re cheaper in London!).
The first couple of days of July included finishing Marlon James’ The Disappearers, which I reviewed previously: “In these 617 pages is a gorgeous blend of history, language, pop culture, and magic. To say it’s a masterpiece feels like an understatement. This is his Song of Solomon.” The Disappearers has since been longlisted for The Booker Prize! Marlon has previously won for A Brief History of Seven Killings, which I still have not finished1, but The Disappearers immediately became one of my favorite books I’ve ever read. I’m going to document my reading of all the longlisted Booker Prize books, so look forward to that post sometime next month. I am also interviewing Marlon this week for my podcast Feedback (!), so you can also look forward to that next month too. And subscribe to the YouTube channel so you don’t miss it! If you have any questions for him, drop them in the comments!
Anyway, back to London.
The first book I read was Rachel Cusk’s Outline. My friend Satya recommended I listen to the audiobook on my trip, because Kristin Scott Thomas narrates the recent version. Bet. I am not one of those losers who thinks audiobooks aren’t reading. Still, I also get extremely distracted while listening to them (I attempted to listen to Middlemarch earlier this year and failed miserably), so I opted to alternate between reading a chapter and listening to one. I didn’t completely fall in love with it, but I found the book utterly fascinating and bought two other Cusk books immediately2 just because I love her voice. I wrote a bit about Outline already in my review of Madonna’s Confessions II.
I had to get my hands on Fruit Fly by Josh Silver, the book every gay has been talking about this summer. It was finally released in the U.S. last week, but until then it was only available in the UK. I’ll admit, I was worried it might not be good. The description — a YA author looking for her next hit exploits a gay drug addict to write her next hit — sounded fun, but it felt like it could also be a gay Yesteryear (meaning: not good). Thankfully, my worries were unfounded because the book is pretty fab. It’s hilarious, it’s thrilling, and it kinda felt like A Simple Favor in how the protagonist was so comically dumb yet calculating. A24 recently bought the rights to the book, so hopefully we get a really fun, messy TV version. Also, I hung out with Josh recently and showed him around Bed Stuy, and he’s a ki. Get his book; it’s one of my faves this year.
My year-long goal of reading every Toni Morrison book continued with The Bluest Eye. I thought the book was fantastic, but I do think I did myself a disservice by not reading it first. I was more impressed by Morrison’s construction of the novel and how she discussed her mission statement in the afterward than I was personally moved by the story, especially in comparison to Sula and Song of Solomon. I think the narrative distance from Pecola’s inner thoughts kept me from being devastated at the end, which is what happened to me when I reached the end of Sula and Nel and Milkman’s journeys. I plan to reread it soon, however, and maybe it will hit me differently the second time.
The absolute best book I read in July was The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. The hype is definitely real. I’ve always been a Greek mythology obsessive, so I knew the story of Achilles and Patroclus’ queer romance. But this story was rendered so beautifully that it felt like I was discovering it all over again. This book was recommended to me by François Arnaud on Threads (his only post, because he saw how the Heated Rivarly fans act on there and quickly deleted his account 😭). He suggested the book when I asked for romances, to which many people responded that The Song of Achilles isn’t a romance because it doesn’t have a Happy Ever After. Look, the book is devastating, but the ending is the MOST Happy Ever After, if you ask me. Especially if you know Greek myths and know that these two are dead when you start reading the book. You’re already anticipating the incoming trauma. And the way that Madeline Miller manages to subvert that into one of the most gorgeous endings I’ve read in a book? That is fucking romance, baby.
Other books I enjoyed this month:
The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman by Deeshaw Philyaw. This book isn’t out yet, so I don’t want to spoil anything, but Deeshaw is such an exciting writer whose work I’m happy to have discovered this year. If you haven’t read her debut, the short story collection The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, you must.
The Living Realm by Jordan Tannahill. It’s a story about a man in Berlin who sees the ghosts of his dead lovers at a cruising site. Jordan is a friend of mine and his writing is so gorgeous and moving here. It’s completely different from the insanity of the play Prince Faggot, his recent Off-Broadway hit, but both left me with the warmest feeling in my heart about being alive in this moment. This book also isn’t out yet, but it is next month!
Flesh by David Szalay. Okay, believe the hype! Last year’s Booker Prize winner is absolutely a fantastic read. I really, really enjoyed this book and its fast pacing and sparse sentences (Hemingway is shaking, sis). For people who claim that MEN are being pushed to the side as writers (they mean white men), give them this book. Because it’s By Men For Men. But also, it’s really great.
Transcription by Ben Lerner. Another book by a MAN. Another straight, white man too. This book wasn’t grabbing me at first, because the three chapters are connected, but not necessarily continuous. By the third chapter, I found myself getting kind of lost until I decided to listen to the audiobook instead (the third chapter is a monologue, essentially). That’s when the book really clicked for me. In a way, this is much better as an audio drama than as a novel, but I really love what’s done with the medium here.
On Witness and Respair by Jesmyn Ward. I am late to the Jesmyn train, I’m aware. Her writing is excellent; I can’t wait to dig into her fiction.
Homebodies by Tembe Denton-Hurst. I think Tembe is such a dope writer. I loved her prose and her language and how this story about a Black woman who gets fired from her writing job actually turns into a story about going back home and how to survive in the places we grew up.
Palaver by Bryan Washington. Bryan’s writing is gorgeous, moving, and tender. This story is about a mother who surprises her gay son by showing up in Tokyo to mend their relationship. The outcome is predictable, and there’s not really much conflict, but it was such a pleasurable read! Although when people discuss “MFA writing,” they’re probably talking about books like this, because describing the son and the mother as just “the son” and “the mother” did annoy me at first. I got used to it about 1/3 of the way through the book, however. I’ve only ever read “Arrivals” by Washington, but I’m excited to dig into more of his work soon.
Book I didn’t love:
Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash. This just didn’t vibe with me. It has been described as The Simpsons meets The Corrections, but the humor was only half there for me. And I didn’t like The Corrections! Still, a lot of my friends enjoyed this, and I could tell Madeline had a great time writing this, so I’m eager to see what her second novel brings. The final chapter was actually the most exciting to me, when the book is suddenly narrated by a young boy who has been observing the family. His observations are so interesting that I kinda wish the book had been narrated by him in the first place, rather than bouncing around from family member to family member.
My full July reading list:
Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash
Outline by Rachel Cusk
Homebodies by Teme Denton-Hurst
Transcription by Ben Lerner
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman by Deeshaw Philyaw
Flesh by David Szalay
The Living Realm by Jordan Tannahill
Fruit Fly by Josh Silver
On Witness and Respair by Jesmyn Ward
Palaver by Bryan Washington
My favorite bookstores in London
Foyles is a huge megastore, but my favorite part of it was the café on the top floor, which I used to write nearly every day of my trip. There was always a seat there if you popped in early or late enough, and I always grabbed the soup of the day and a glass (or three) of wine.
The Common Press Shoreditch is a cute, tiny queer bookshop. The salesperson working the day I visited was lovely; we had a fun chat, and I overheard them giving extremely helpful (and good!) book recs to other customers.
Daunt Books is very popular right now thanks to their cute tote bags, so I didn’t get one and instead bought a tote from London Review of Books. Both stores have a great selection of books, however, and a stellar collection of recs from their employees.
Gay is the Word is a staple. I always visit when I’m in London. Love their new space, too!
My favorite restaurants in London
The chicken liver agnolotti at Vesper was one of my favorite dishes I had on my trip. I also popped into sister restaurant Below Stone Nest, which is a restaurant and a jazz club
I had a lovely lunch at Funky Noodles with Stephanie Wambugu! If you haven’t read her book Lonely Crowds, it was one of my faves of last year.
Impala is one of my new favorite restaurants. Period. Its menu is a blend of North African, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern food. I truly loved everything I ate, but I have to shout out the white crab wrapped in shiso leaf and the birds tongue pasta, slowly braised with spiced oxtail. I’m still thinking about both of those dishes, weeks later.
My favorite parties in London
I attended the first Club Confessions in London, which had a dope lineup of Horsemeat Disco, Jodie Harsh, and Honey Dijon, who played a two-hour closing set. Madonna came out during Stuart Price’s set, and it was insane seeing the crowd sing along and dance to old Madonna songs and the new singles. The New York one felt more intimate because so many of my friends attended, but for my money, the London one was better because the stage was elevated and we could actually see Madonna.
I discussed New York’s Club Confessions night in last week’s episode of Feedback:
Despite trying to avoid Pride in New York, I was there for London Pride. Two of my fave parties to attend whenever I’m in London are Adonis and Howl. Adonis is very sceney and full of hot, shirtless gays with muscles. Howl has that too, but it’s a little more avant-garde and queer. Both are great times!
Links
Speaking of Rachel Cusk, her new novel Life of M is out in two weeks, and allegedly it’s about Natalie Portman and allegedly Natalie is pissed. I can’t wait to read it.
Caro Claire Burke sold 1.4 million copies of Yesteryear. White women are reading, okay?
The New York Times discovered the DNF craze. I have some thoughts on DNF culture that I plan to write about later this month. In short: everyone is being extremely annoying on both sides.
Recession indicator: Obama is becoming a book influencer.
I am, however, in the middle of The Book of Night Women. It’s phenomenal.
Second Place and Parade, btw.
Love Bryan Washington! LOT is my favorite of his and one of my favorite books generally.
Ira, I agree with you. The Song of Achilles is romance!