Reader and Writer Recs
Also: Book Club for Writers meets Thursday!
Popping by this week with a few recommendations for the writers and readers out there.
But first: if you’ve been subscribing a while, you may notice that the newsletter has a new look! It’s about time, considering how it’s the FOUR-YEAR ANNIVERSARY of Lonely Victories. Big thanks to designer extraordinaire + top-notch friend Aysha Miskin for the makeover!
A BOOK FOR EX-GIRLBOSSES
I excised my inner girlboss in the year 2020, but since then, I’ve never quite fit in with the anti-work, quiet-quitting crowd. I think that’s why Cal Newport’s idea of Slow Productivity really speaks to me.
The Deep Work and Digital Minimalism author suggests doing fewer things really well and offers solutions for cutting back our workloads.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Becoming a Writer in the Girlboss Era
I became a writer in the throes of hustle culture. It was the time of Lean In and #Girlboss. The time of cute to-do-list notepads complete with “hydration trackers.” The time of desktop wallpapers with centered productivity mantras in brush lettering.
AN ALBUM FOR WRITING
I hopped on the Khruangbin train when Con Todo El Mundo came out in 2018 and never really stopped listening to it during my writing time. Their latest record, A LA SALA, is just as good!
I learned this week that Khruangbin bassist Laura Lee Ochoa has never changed her bass strings and doesn’t use effects: to which I say fuck yeah. I love a no-frills musician who just wants to be really really good at their instrument as-is.
A LOVELY NOVEL
I’m late to the party on this one, but I adored Jenny Xie’s debut novel, Holding Pattern. This story of a listless twenty-something who moves home as her mom is getting remarried addressed certain family dynamics I’ve never seen portrayed in fiction.
The novel also dives into the fascinating world of professional cuddling, and while I wished that aspect had been more of a focal point of the novel, it got me thinking a lot about the economics of human touch.
A DESK-FRIENDLY SNACK
I found it. The best hummus in the world. Lantana Sriracha Carrot Hummus. It was BOGO at Publix. I took a chance. It paid off. When Wayne Gretzky said that thing about missing 100% of the shots you don’t take, he was talking about hummus.
Pairs best with baby carrots (I know, seems superfluous, but trust me) and pretzel snaps (the kind that look like tiny windows).
The comments are open this week. I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading, listening to, and snacking on!
Book Club for Writers meets Thursday, 4/25, 8-9:30 PM EST!
I’d love to have you at our discussion of poet Maggie Smith’s memoir, You Could Make This Place Beautiful. We’ll address the question of how to write about the real people in our lives.
There are a couple ways to join our book discussion on Thursday, 4/25, 8-9:30 PM EST.
OPTION 1: Subscribe for the month for just $5. Cancel your subscription anytime. (Seriously! I know we all have subscription fatigue!)
OPTION 2: Become an annual subscriber for $50. You’ll also get 10% off writing workshops and access to occasional co-writing sessions.
Paid subscribers will receive the book club Zoom link on Wednesday, 4/24. Hope to see you there! 📖
Happy reading and writing!
💛 Hurley
It’s been 4 years already?! Such an accomplishment, my dear friend ❤️
New design looks so cool. I live for a hummus recc. And I am a new Khruangbin listener and literally just had the thought yesterday, "wait, this is perfect writing music??" so this is a ~sign~ and will hopefully compel me to perform (writing) miracles this weekend!