A random, but somewhat related question so I thought I’d drop it here. When buying books, is it better to buy directly from the publisher or from a local bookstore (like BookPeople)? I’ve recently made a conscious effort to not buy books from the likes of Amazon, but am often torn at where to buy them from. Does buying directly from publisher mean more money in the authors pocket? I also recognize the importance of supporting local bookstores, but don’t know how the economics work out. Anyways, curious on your intel and thoughts on the buying preferences (and then of course where libraries fit in with that!).
PS - I read about 5 of these books and 2 of them in your book club and I’m forever grateful being introduced to new authors and books. Hoping to read the rest of this list in the future!
Thank you for your book club. I ordered almost all of the books and have very much enjoyed the ones I've read so far. How to Do Nothing was a particular favorite. I had already read and adored The Summer Book. Still have half a dozen on my shelves waiting their turn, looking forward to them all. PS: I came to Three Men in a Boat via a Robert Heinlein juvenile I read in junior high school, where the main character's father frequently refers to it as a guide for assessing and handling problems. I loved it and still do. And I second V. Heinrich's recommendation of following it with To Say Nothing of the Dog. Great stuff, and boy do we need some fun escapes these days. Be well.
I wanted to share with you all- I have just started re-reading Allan Shepherds Curious incidents in the Garden at Night Time. It was written in 2005 when awareness about climate change was just beginning to be mainstream. Beautiful and poignant reading.
Hey, Austin 👋 Thanks for the book club picks. You helped kick off another great reading phase of my life. Thanks to you, I found The Art of Noticing, Understanding Comics, and my new all-time favorite book What It Is. Like you mentioned feeling with other books, I keep reading it and saying out loud, you can do that in a book?! It's magical ✨
Such a great list, already bought Understanding Comics and Four Thousand Weeks and can’t wait to read. Recently, I read Emily St. John Mandel’s Sea of Tranquility and was absolutely blown away. I know you’ve read Station Eleven (which I haven’t yet) but if you haven’t checked out Tranquility yet I highly recommend it. It’s a perfect short read with an intricately structured narrative and some fantastic characters. I just love how she writes and experiments on the page. Plus, both the US and UK covers are gorgeous. Thank you for all the other new recs!
I guess there’s some consolation in hearing that Jenny Odell’s book didn’t click for some of your readership—I feel like it sailed over my head quite a bit. I do want to give it another look though, I’m wondering if I just wasn’t ready for it or just read it at the wrong time. (I also read it as an ebook, not always my favorite medium.)
I’m currently reading another of your suggestions, THE WRITER’S MAP, which is a whole lot of fun, nostalgic and otherwise. Other reading includes some of the Eisner Award (comics/graphic novels) nominees conveniently in one place on Hoopla (library e-reader app) starting with Brubaker and Phillips RECKLESS, a noir/pulp series set in ‘80s LA.
On deck is the BILLIONAIRES graphic journalism book you recommended last newsletter, a 33 1/3 entry on Kraftwerk’s Computer World, and BOOTLEG: THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE OTHER RECORDING INDUSTRY.
wait wait WAIT. There's a 33 1/3 on COMPUTER WORLD? Must get immediately.
I must admit, I am a little surprised by the wild success of HOW TO DO NOTHING, as it can be pretty dense! But I think it was the right message at the right time.
Came out just this month! I read KRAFTWERK: FUTURE MUSIC FROM GERMANY by Uwe Schutte (Penguin) late last year too, that was very good and thorough. I knew they were into cycling with the TdF soundtracks but I didn't realize *how much*.
Also, when I bought the book from my local indie bookstore, the bookseller said "we sell a lot of these" ::surprised face emoji::
I’m reading the Annotated Mrs Dalloway, and the annotations really help me see the times and circumstances that Virginia Woolf was living in and writing of. I had just finished reading the non-annotated version so this is a great follow-up.
The remarkable creature is the caracara, and, while the book is certainly about this truly remarkable bird, it is also about much, much more. A Dallas Morning News reviewer wrote, “Calling this a bird book is like calling Moby-Dick a whaling manual.” And I very much agree with this comment in a Texas Monthly review by Brian C. Parker: “With striking prose and talon-sharp wit, the book delivers on [Meiburg’s] lofty ambitions. After reading it, I found myself looking at birds differently, as well as the world at large and humans’ relationship to it.” The author is a member of the band Shearwater, which is about to release its first album in six years. Strong local connections for this book.
The following podcast is, I think, a great introduction to the book and its author:
Currently reading THE CANDY HOUSE by Jennifer Egan and am loving it. Very smart commentary on our internet world, weird and realistic characters. Also I have to mention again PURE COLOUR by Sheila Heti. I’ve become quite the fan girl for her work. Also read Louise Erdrich THE SENTENCE—a book for our time. Wanted to love it more then I did but 🤷♀️
Egan is coming to Austin soon, and I'm hoping to catch her. I've heard good things about PURE COLOUR. And the Erdrich is just straight up solid. I want to give THE NIGHT WATCHMAN a go at some point
Range is one of my favorite books from the last few years. I picked up Tim Kreider's book but have yet to read it. I feel like I NEED to read Oliver Burkeman's book. I subscribed to his newsletter and have read several of his columns, so I know I will love it.
I'm currently reading a book you referenced in last week's email, Austin: Maps of the Imagination by Peter Turchi. I just read the first chapter yesterday and it seems like it will be a really cool read. I'd love to hear any thoughts you have on it.
For fiction, I'm reading Swamplandia! by Karen Russell, about a teenage girl whose family runs a declining gator wrestling park on an island off Florida. I read Orange World, a book of short stories by Russell, and fell in love with her writing style. So now I'm working through her older work.
Bookish regret! I should have joined the book club! Thank you so much for sharing all the pics and author discussions. I’ve read a few of these, and now I’m going to add many of the others to my summer reading list. Right now I have Twyla Tharp’s The Creative Habit out from the library. She’s one of my favorite choreographers, and I’m excited to dive in.
I own (and love!) several of these, but it makes me especially happy to see Hold Still on here!! As a photographer who loves to write myself, Sally Mann has been a tremendous influence on me. It always makes me so happy when this book gets noticed outside of photography circles. ❤️
I find it so interesting that her degrees are actually in English and writing! The image of Cy Twombly people watching outside the Wal-Mart is worth the price of admissions for me
Totally! Her mix candor and humor, and her ability to conjure an image exactly... I just love her writing. And she fascinates me as a person. Have you watched the documentary What Remains? It's so dang good.
Just finished Spring Cannot be Cancelled, loved it, and started Georgia Okeeffe,(1976). I am enjoying G. O. very much. It is a large format paperback, fun to hold. It is written by her. Many artworks in it.
Oh excellent. SPRING... will be on my year-end list, I'm sure. Hockney is lucky he's had several authors write well about him: Laurence Weschler and Martin Gayford in particular
Dear Austin, I was not part of the book club but investigated some of the titles this past year (I am not much of a joiner). But I am a grateful devotee of your Friday Newsletter, and a subscriber. Thank you, thank you, thank you for introducing me to Lynda Barry and Scott McCloud. Looking forward to whatever your next book might be.
A random, but somewhat related question so I thought I’d drop it here. When buying books, is it better to buy directly from the publisher or from a local bookstore (like BookPeople)? I’ve recently made a conscious effort to not buy books from the likes of Amazon, but am often torn at where to buy them from. Does buying directly from publisher mean more money in the authors pocket? I also recognize the importance of supporting local bookstores, but don’t know how the economics work out. Anyways, curious on your intel and thoughts on the buying preferences (and then of course where libraries fit in with that!).
PS - I read about 5 of these books and 2 of them in your book club and I’m forever grateful being introduced to new authors and books. Hoping to read the rest of this list in the future!
Thank you for your book club. I ordered almost all of the books and have very much enjoyed the ones I've read so far. How to Do Nothing was a particular favorite. I had already read and adored The Summer Book. Still have half a dozen on my shelves waiting their turn, looking forward to them all. PS: I came to Three Men in a Boat via a Robert Heinlein juvenile I read in junior high school, where the main character's father frequently refers to it as a guide for assessing and handling problems. I loved it and still do. And I second V. Heinrich's recommendation of following it with To Say Nothing of the Dog. Great stuff, and boy do we need some fun escapes these days. Be well.
Austin, I started reading this yesterday and it strikes me as something you would really enjoy: NASTY, BRUTISH, AND SHORT: ADVENTURES IN PHILOSOPHY WITH MY KIDS by Scott Hershovitz. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/639701/nasty-brutish-and-short-by-scott-hershovitz/
It does! I have another book called PHILOSOPHY AND THE YOUNG CHILD that argues children are natural philosophers
I wanted to share with you all- I have just started re-reading Allan Shepherds Curious incidents in the Garden at Night Time. It was written in 2005 when awareness about climate change was just beginning to be mainstream. Beautiful and poignant reading.
Hey, Austin 👋 Thanks for the book club picks. You helped kick off another great reading phase of my life. Thanks to you, I found The Art of Noticing, Understanding Comics, and my new all-time favorite book What It Is. Like you mentioned feeling with other books, I keep reading it and saying out loud, you can do that in a book?! It's magical ✨
Have you read Prayers for the Stolen by Jennifer Clement? I found it on the curated picks table at my local bookstore. I devoured it in two reads. https://bookshop.org/books/prayers-for-the-stolen-9780804138802/9780804138802
Cheers, friend! Here's to more books and less BS.
Best — Jaycee
Have not read it! Three cheers for curated tables at local bookstores :)
Such a great list, already bought Understanding Comics and Four Thousand Weeks and can’t wait to read. Recently, I read Emily St. John Mandel’s Sea of Tranquility and was absolutely blown away. I know you’ve read Station Eleven (which I haven’t yet) but if you haven’t checked out Tranquility yet I highly recommend it. It’s a perfect short read with an intricately structured narrative and some fantastic characters. I just love how she writes and experiments on the page. Plus, both the US and UK covers are gorgeous. Thank you for all the other new recs!
I guess there’s some consolation in hearing that Jenny Odell’s book didn’t click for some of your readership—I feel like it sailed over my head quite a bit. I do want to give it another look though, I’m wondering if I just wasn’t ready for it or just read it at the wrong time. (I also read it as an ebook, not always my favorite medium.)
I’m currently reading another of your suggestions, THE WRITER’S MAP, which is a whole lot of fun, nostalgic and otherwise. Other reading includes some of the Eisner Award (comics/graphic novels) nominees conveniently in one place on Hoopla (library e-reader app) starting with Brubaker and Phillips RECKLESS, a noir/pulp series set in ‘80s LA.
On deck is the BILLIONAIRES graphic journalism book you recommended last newsletter, a 33 1/3 entry on Kraftwerk’s Computer World, and BOOTLEG: THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE OTHER RECORDING INDUSTRY.
wait wait WAIT. There's a 33 1/3 on COMPUTER WORLD? Must get immediately.
I must admit, I am a little surprised by the wild success of HOW TO DO NOTHING, as it can be pretty dense! But I think it was the right message at the right time.
Came out just this month! I read KRAFTWERK: FUTURE MUSIC FROM GERMANY by Uwe Schutte (Penguin) late last year too, that was very good and thorough. I knew they were into cycling with the TdF soundtracks but I didn't realize *how much*.
Also, when I bought the book from my local indie bookstore, the bookseller said "we sell a lot of these" ::surprised face emoji::
I’m reading the Annotated Mrs Dalloway, and the annotations really help me see the times and circumstances that Virginia Woolf was living in and writing of. I had just finished reading the non-annotated version so this is a great follow-up.
A Most Remarkable Creature, by Jonathan Meiburg
The remarkable creature is the caracara, and, while the book is certainly about this truly remarkable bird, it is also about much, much more. A Dallas Morning News reviewer wrote, “Calling this a bird book is like calling Moby-Dick a whaling manual.” And I very much agree with this comment in a Texas Monthly review by Brian C. Parker: “With striking prose and talon-sharp wit, the book delivers on [Meiburg’s] lofty ambitions. After reading it, I found myself looking at birds differently, as well as the world at large and humans’ relationship to it.” The author is a member of the band Shearwater, which is about to release its first album in six years. Strong local connections for this book.
The following podcast is, I think, a great introduction to the book and its author:
https://www.tpr.org/podcast/book-public/2021-11-26/a-most-remarkable-creature-jonathan-meiburg-reveals-the-curiosity-and-charisma-of-the-caracara
I only know him from his music, so I am very curious about this!
Currently reading THE CANDY HOUSE by Jennifer Egan and am loving it. Very smart commentary on our internet world, weird and realistic characters. Also I have to mention again PURE COLOUR by Sheila Heti. I’ve become quite the fan girl for her work. Also read Louise Erdrich THE SENTENCE—a book for our time. Wanted to love it more then I did but 🤷♀️
I’m excited about The Candy House. I finally read A Visit from the Goon Squad in anticipation.
I read A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD years ago and I’m enjoying the new book even more!
Egan is coming to Austin soon, and I'm hoping to catch her. I've heard good things about PURE COLOUR. And the Erdrich is just straight up solid. I want to give THE NIGHT WATCHMAN a go at some point
A friend saw her interviewed and she’s a delight and so smart!
Range is one of my favorite books from the last few years. I picked up Tim Kreider's book but have yet to read it. I feel like I NEED to read Oliver Burkeman's book. I subscribed to his newsletter and have read several of his columns, so I know I will love it.
I'm currently reading a book you referenced in last week's email, Austin: Maps of the Imagination by Peter Turchi. I just read the first chapter yesterday and it seems like it will be a really cool read. I'd love to hear any thoughts you have on it.
For fiction, I'm reading Swamplandia! by Karen Russell, about a teenage girl whose family runs a declining gator wrestling park on an island off Florida. I read Orange World, a book of short stories by Russell, and fell in love with her writing style. So now I'm working through her older work.
Can’t recommend enough FOUR THOUSAND WEEKS. I felt totally vindicated on my life values and choices. Really a philosophy book!
Thanks! I really need to bump it to the top of my list.
I need to slot this in as well—I keep hearing about it and I may be at a point in life where it will really resonate.
I love that one too! The enjoyed the audiobook, then bought a copy I could highlight. Just pressed it into my sister-in-law’s hands yesterday!
I need to check out Russell’s work. Have heard good things.
Re: Peter Turchi: you might enjoy this conversation we had at the Texas Book Festival. https://austinkleon.com/2015/11/10/a-conversation-about-writing-with-peter-turchi/
Both his books are not only smart and interesting, they're wonderfully dense and beautifully designed and illustrated.
Awesome, I'm excited to read that! Thanks so much!
Thank you for doing all that you do Austin! Each newsletter continues to bring me joy.
Thank you for reading!
Bookish regret! I should have joined the book club! Thank you so much for sharing all the pics and author discussions. I’ve read a few of these, and now I’m going to add many of the others to my summer reading list. Right now I have Twyla Tharp’s The Creative Habit out from the library. She’s one of my favorite choreographers, and I’m excited to dive in.
Oh that's an all-time classic. Enjoy!
I own (and love!) several of these, but it makes me especially happy to see Hold Still on here!! As a photographer who loves to write myself, Sally Mann has been a tremendous influence on me. It always makes me so happy when this book gets noticed outside of photography circles. ❤️
I find it so interesting that her degrees are actually in English and writing! The image of Cy Twombly people watching outside the Wal-Mart is worth the price of admissions for me
Totally! Her mix candor and humor, and her ability to conjure an image exactly... I just love her writing. And she fascinates me as a person. Have you watched the documentary What Remains? It's so dang good.
Just finished Spring Cannot be Cancelled, loved it, and started Georgia Okeeffe,(1976). I am enjoying G. O. very much. It is a large format paperback, fun to hold. It is written by her. Many artworks in it.
Oh excellent. SPRING... will be on my year-end list, I'm sure. Hockney is lucky he's had several authors write well about him: Laurence Weschler and Martin Gayford in particular
I thought you already read it!
Dear Austin, I was not part of the book club but investigated some of the titles this past year (I am not much of a joiner). But I am a grateful devotee of your Friday Newsletter, and a subscriber. Thank you, thank you, thank you for introducing me to Lynda Barry and Scott McCloud. Looking forward to whatever your next book might be.
I know what you mean! It was my first book club, too. Pleasure is mine — Barry and McCloud are two of the best to ever do it!