1. “The door is open. Go.” I recently finished Louise Erdrich’s masterpiece The Sentence. This is the first pandemic book I’ve read, and it’s probably the only one I want to read. Erdrich handled it so graciously and gently and somewhat peripherally, framed around a beautiful story about a bookstore and a ghost and love. She won the Pulitzer Prize for her novel The Night Watchman (which is also a masterpiece). Next up on my list is her novel, The Round House, which won the National Book Award in 2012. For more entertainment, here’s Ann Patchett and Louise Erdrich discussing The Sentence.
2. Every Tuesday morning during the summer my family and I watch a documentary or docuseries together. So far we’re wading through High Score (Netflix), which traces the history of video games; Welcome to Earth (Disney+/National Geographic), which is a look at some of Earth’s amazing places and mysteries, hosted by Will Smith; We Are the Champions (Netflix), a sometimes humorous look at the world’s most unique and bizarre competitions (you must watch the Cheese rolling episode); The Great British Baking Show (Netflix), a competition show that features bakers baking cakes, cookies, breads and all sorts of desserts in sometimes humorously disastrous ways; and The World According to Jeff Goldblum (Disney+), a charming docuseries that takes ordinary topics and explores the connections of history and science to make a fascinating trip through the world. We’re thoroughly enjoying all of these documentaries.
3. I know, I know. I had an article from National Geographic in last month’s newsletter. But I really do enjoy this magazine. And July’s cover was so arresting I couldn’t help but share about it. The cover photo featured Chasinghorse, an Indigenous model and activist, and was taken from the cover story, “We Are Here,” which explored how North America’s Native nations are reasserting their sovereignty. It was a fascinating look at this important culture and the ways Native nations are keeping their culture alive. If you don’t subscribe to the magazine, I’m sure your local library does; check it out there. You don’t want to miss this story. Here’s a little background on it, as well as a short interview with Chasinghorse.
4. “The way to keep going? Never stop reading. Say more than you thought you knew how to say in sentences better than you ever imagined for the reader who reads between the lines.” Verlyn Klinkenborg’s Several Short Sentences About Writing was one of the most enjoyable books about writing that I’ve read in a long time. It’s a short book packed with wisdom about writing short sentences and communicating clearly. A great read for both beginners and seasoned writers.
5. “Sometimes a person who has survived losing everything builds the hardest shell over the tenderest soul.” It’s been a while since I’ve read a young adult novel I liked as much as Cory Anderson’s What Beauty There Is (with the exception of all A.S. King’s books). This book was a 2022 William C. Morris YA Debut Award finalist, and it’s easy to see why. It’s full of poetry and motion and tells the story of a boy, a girl, and survival. Highly recommended for those who read and write YA.
