JUL.2023
Have you ever wanted to visit the locations in many of your favorite novels? This year in July, I was able to achieve that very goal.
I started at the Charles Dickens Museum in London, where I stepped back in time and explored the author's former home. An exciting portion of the museum focused on the fog of London. Charles Dickens was fascinated by fog. He often wrote about fog in his novels and used it to create a sense of mystery, suspense, and danger. In his book Bleak House, Dickens describes the fog as "a dense, dark fog, with a muddy brown tint, that seemed to have been brewed out of smoke and soot." He uses the fog to create a sense of claustrophobia and isolation and to highlight the social and political problems of Victorian London. The fog Dickens wrote about was a real phenomenon — caused by burning coal, which released pollutants into the air. The fog was often so thick that it was difficult to see and could cause respiratory problems.
From there, I made my way to Oxford, where I visited the Bodleian Library and browsed the shelves of its many bookstores. Oxford is home to the oldest university in the English-speaking world. The University of Oxford was founded in the 11th century and is still one of the most prestigious universities in the world. The university has produced many notable alums, including 27 Nobel laureates, 26 British prime ministers, 38 world leaders, and one R. F. Kuang with an MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies. Undoubtedly, I took a stroll along Magpie Lane and caught a glimpse of the fictional residence of Robin Swift, the protagonist of R. F. Kuang's "Babel: An Arcane History."
Next, I flew to Stockholm, where I visited the Nobel Prize Museum and learned about the history of the Nobel Prize. I also visited Gamla Stan, the Old Town, where I browsed the shelves of several bookstores, including Gamla Stans Bok Handel and Gamla Stans Science Fiction Book Store. Gamla Stan is the oldest preserved medieval city center in all of Scandinavia. The city was founded in the 13th century and has been the seat of the Swedish government ever since. It has appeared in novels like "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," "The Book Thief," and "The Man with the Golden Touch." I also visited the Swedish National Library, which houses a staggeringly expansive collection of books and manuscripts. They collect, preserve and give access to almost everything published in Sweden – from manuscripts, books, and newspapers to music, TV programs, and pictures. Their ever-growing collections currently hold over 18 million items. Most of these are stored in underground storage rooms.
On display, while I was visiting was "The Codex Gigas," also known as the Devil's Bible. Famous for two reasons; it is believed to be the world's largest preserved medieval manuscript and contains a large, full-page portrait of the Devil.
During these past two weeks, I had a great literary adventure full of excitement. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. I now have a more profound admiration for the written word and a rejuvenated enjoyment for the hidden locations in the books we read.
Below are all the bookstores and locations if you want to explore a few on your literary adventure.
Charles Dickens Museum
Paddington station
Oxford bookstores
Oxford University
Bodleian Library
Magpie Lane
Gays The Word
Libreria
Common Press Books
Nobel Prize Museum
Gamla Stans Bok Handel - Old town Bookstore
Gamla Stans Science Fiction Bookstore
Swedish National Library
Currently reading:
Exhalation: Stories
by Ted Chiang
In the vast landscape of speculative fiction, few writers can craft narratives as profound and thought-provoking as Ted Chiang. Exhalation: Stories, a collection of masterful tales, is a journey of wonder and self-reflection that leaves readers contemplating the complexities of existence, the human condition, and the boundless possibilities of the universe.
From the first story, Chiang captures the reader's imagination with his unique blend of science, philosophy, and heart. Each story serves as a window into an alternate reality, a parallel universe where ideas and emotions intermingle, resonating with our deepest thoughts and desires. Chiang's storytelling prowess is evident as he delves into intricate worlds, presenting concepts that challenge the boundaries of our understanding. Although I am not yet finished, I strongly recommend this collection.
Recommendations
Trust
by Hernan Diaz
The novel "Trust" is a collection of four distinct stories that may seem unrelated at first glance, but it is much more than that. The author, Hernan Diaz, has crafted a captivating and radiant piece of literature worth reading multiple times. One of this novel's greatest strengths is its pleasing unpredictability, which guarantees the reader an exhilarating experience. In addition to its cleverness, the book boasts a captivating and entertaining plot with touches of humor. The story explores itself from various angles and avoids cheap literary tricks. It promotes self-reflection and aims to gain our trust.
At the heart of this searing examination of capitalism, class, and wealth is a fundamental question about the power of storytelling and the meaning of fiction. Having already been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his debut and winning the Pulitzer Prize for "Trust" firmly establishes Diaz as one of the great American authors working today.
The Days of Abandonment
by Elena Ferrante
Do yourself a favor and pick up this gem! The novel "The Days of Abandonment" delves into the raw and emotional journey of a woman grappling with the sudden dissolution of her marriage. The story is set in contemporary Italy and follows the life of Olga, the protagonist, who seemingly has it all — a comfortable life, two children, and a seemingly happy marriage. However, her world comes crashing down when her husband, Mario, abruptly announces that he is leaving her for a younger woman.
Struggling to cope with the shock and devastation of her husband's abandonment, Olga descends into emotional turmoil. The narrative takes readers through the intense and complex emotions she experiences during this period of abandonment. Ferrante delves deeply into Olga's psyche, exploring her anger, grief, self-doubt, and self-discovery that unfolds in the aftermath of the separation.
Ferrante's writing skillfully immerses the reader in her characters' intricate thoughts and emotions with stunning sentences that can quickly turn beautifully obscene in a slip of verse.
Bookish News 📚
Smithsonian abruptly cancels Asian American literary festival
In a move that stunned the institution’s event partners and writers who value its sense of community, the program was canceled just weeks before it was to take place in August
– Sophia Nguyen for Washington Post
How a Jay-Z Exhibit Took Over the Brooklyn Public Library
“The Book of Hov,” an elaborate summer exhibition at the borough’s main branch, was quietly conceived by his team as a surprise tribute.
– By Joe Coscarelli for NYTimes
How TV Writing Became a Dead-End Job
The writers say Hollywood studios are increasingly limiting their roles in television productions, highlighting a trend for white-collar workers.
– By Noam Scheiber for NYTimes
Obama releases his summer reading list
Former President Obama released his summer reading list Thursday, a yearly tradition he has kept since leaving the White House.
– The Hill
Lake Forest Park names street after sci-fi author Octavia E. Butler
What do an asteroid, a crater on Mars, a school in Pasadena, California, and Lake Forest Park, Wash., have in common? They all have features named after sci-fi author Octavia E. Butler.
– Dyer Oxley for NPR
Ta-Nehisi Coates Shows Up to SC School Meeting Over Removing His Book From Class
The writer's critically acclaimed memoir has become a flashpoint in a small South Carolina town.
– Dailybeast
Buyouts and Layoffs Hit Penguin Random House
Departing employees include veteran editors who oversaw best sellers and prizewinning books by Anne Rice, Joan Didion and Amor Towles.
– By Elizabeth A. Harris for NYTimes
San Diego Library Protest Against Pride Books Draws a Backlash
Two San Diego residents cleared out the Pride month display at their library and said such materials shouldn’t be available to children, one of several recent clashes over L.G.B.T.Q. issues in California.
– ByJill Cowan for NYTimes
Booksellers Move to the Front Lines of the Fight Against Book Bans in Texas
With a book-rating law set to take effect in September, a group of booksellers, along with publishers and authors, filed suit to argue that it is unconstitutional.
– By Alexandra Alter and Elizabeth A. Harris for NYTimes
Announcing The Center for Fiction 2023 First Novel Prize Longlist
We are pleased to announce the longlist for The Center for Fiction 2023 First Novel Prize. The twenty-five debut novels were selected from over 160 submitted titles with U.S. publication dates between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023.
– The Center for Fiction
‘It’s exciting, it’s powerful’: how translated fiction captured a new generation of readers
From Argentinian horror to Japanese thrillers, under-35s are reading more internationally than ever before, with iconic covers becoming status symbols and fans swapping their discoveries online
– By John Self for The Guardian
Recent bookmarks 🔖
Amanda Gorman: In Memory of Those Still in the Water
“On June 14, 2023, the migrant boat Adriana capsized off the coast of Greece, killing more than 600 men, women and children who had been crammed onboard the trawler by traffickers…”
– Amanda Gorman for NYTimes
The Art of Translation
See how a translator carries a book from one language to another, line by line.
– Sophie Hughes for NYTimes
How Manga Was Translated for America
Open a Japanese comic in a bookstore — say, the latest edition of “Dragon Ball Super” — and you’re likely to find a note saying, “Stop! You’re reading the wrong way.”
– Gabriel Gianordoli and Robert Ito for NYTimes
Hernan Diaz: ‘If ever I find myself on the page, I view it as an immense failure’
The Pulitzer prize-winning author on the punk rock provocation of his writing, an epiphany at the gym, and working with Kate Winslet on the HBO adaptation of his novel Trust
– Anthony Cummins for The Guardian
Writers Where They Work
Bookshelves, typewriters, pills and booze: Writing spaces can evoke romance, glamour and despair at once.
– NYTimes
Joyce Carol Oates Figured Out the Secret to Immortality
“I have,” Joyce Carol Oates says, “so many ideas.” That’s putting it mildly. It’s hard to think of another writer with as fecund and protean an imagination as the 85-year-old, who is surely on any shortlist of America’s greatest living writers.
– David Marchese for NYTimes
The 17 Best Book Covers of July
Another month of books, another month of book covers. Every month is pretty good in this area, but this month, my cup runneth over: we’ve got clever covers, sexy covers, beautiful covers, and just plain cool covers.
– By Emily Temple for Literary Hub