Disconcerting novels and too much screen time
Plus a Jesmyn Ward profile and new fall mysteries
As I was putting the finishing touches on today’s newsletter, my phone lit up with an alert telling me that my weekly screen time was up 15% this week to… I’m not even going to type it because it’s just too embarrassing. For awhile I had taken Instagram off my phone and found that I was so much happier. I read more, felt more connected to my husband and toddler, and engaged in media I actually enjoyed when I was looking at my phone. But I keep going back and this week, in spite of Instagram (and I’m sure all social media platforms) being particularly terrible, I found myself unable to look away from my feed.
As early as Plato, humans have been wondering why we are often incapable of doing the things we know will make us happy and healthy. This thought is currently plaguing my day-to-day life. I feel so much better when I distance myself from social media, but I can’t seem to stay away. Is it habit? FOMO? An inability to forgo instant hit of dopamine in favor of a general sense of well-being? I know countless articles, podcasts, and books are dedicated to these questions and social media detoxing, but I’m not even sure knowing more of the why would help me make better decisions for myself.
For now, I once again deleting Instagram from my phone after my screen time alert. I’ll let you know next week if it stuck this time.
This week in books.
This week I read…
Trust Exercise by Susan Choi. This campus novel follows a brief and intense relationship between Sarah and David, two freshmen at a prestigious arts school. While they fall completely for each other, their budding romance is impacted by contrasting desires concerning the publicness of their feelings and a drama teacher with unconventional, even downright creepy, methods. I am so glad I finally read this book, but I can’t tell you anything more about it or why I loved it. Sorry! I think I knew too much going in and I didn’t know much at all, but this is a book that’s completely blind. Don’t read this if you don’t like dark books or books that appeal more to the head than to the heart or abrupt perspective shifts. Do read this if you like books that are a little disturbing and you tend to enjoy the same thematic elements as me…SORRY! That’s all I can say! Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm
Blind Owl by Sadeq Hedayat. This is our Novel Pairings selection for October and while I didn’t necessarily enjoy it, I’m very glad to have read it. It’s a very dark, very surreal modern Iranian classic. I certainly didn’t understand the entire novel, but I still got a lot out of my reading experience and enjoyed the scholarly feel of digging deeper into Hedayat’s symbolism and language. Our Novel Pairings discussion will drop Tuesday, October 24 so subscribe to get it in your favorite podcast player. Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm
Now I’m reading…
White Cat, Black Dog by Kelly Link. I’m taking this one story at a time and absolutely loving it. Link has such a unique way of repurposing fairytales and folklore. I can’t wait to see what she does with her first novel. Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm
I’m also reading And the Bride Closed the Door and Minor Detail. You can read more about why here.
If you are an international reader or just prefer UK covers, you can also order books through my Blackwell’s affiliate page!
Links I love.
Jesmyn Ward’s new novel Let Us Descend comes out this Tuesday. I loved it and this profile of her is a must-read.
I liked this book a lot, but this review helped me appreciate it even more.
5 new mysteries and thrillers to read this fall.
Scholastic Book Fairs—my childhood happy place—has been making some really upsetting concessions to the book banning crowd.
Natalie Haynes’ Stone Blind is still a favorite from this year, and I enjoyed learning more about her reading life.
In case you missed it.
End notes.
This week in views, listens, eats, and moments of joy.
I had a blast seeing the Eras Tour movie with two of my best friends and about twenty 10-year-old girls. I’m loving all the smart thinkpieces coming in about Swift and Swifties, including this, this, and this.
I saw Nathan Hill speak at The Tattered Cover and I got a chance to talk to him a little too! He was extremely funny and listening to the reading made me want to reread Wellness. Is it too soon??
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Happy reading!
Sara
I feel that pain re: going back to Instagram again and again, Sara ~ it's so hard! I finally cut the cord on Friday night and deleted the app from both phone and iPad. Even though I had barely been using it for months, it felt good to announce I wouldn't be posting any more and just ...... leave. I know you'll find your own balance in time ~ it took me many attempts :-)
I started deleting Instagram from my phone on the weekends. I think I got this idea from Erin Moon of The Swipe Up. It's been more challenging now that we have the Taylor/Travis coverage and all the post game pictures on the weekends. I'm not sure why I'm invested in the content but I'm mesmerized like everyone else.