Welcome to Litsy!

Bee Season, Goldberg‘s first published novel, is one of my favorite books. Its focus on language, mysticism, obsessive/compulsive behavior, & beauty meant that it felt tailor-made just for me. I haven‘t read anything by her since. I can‘t say why. But the synopsis of this, her newest book, felt like a funny sort of destiny. It includes both photography & punk rock music, which are my husband‘s dual professions. Again, so relevant to my life! 👇🏻

“Being inside the play was like being inside a chrysalis that broke open for the first time every time the curtain went up.”

“Not to say I wasn‘t showing work by women artists, because I was, but that doesn‘t mean I had to call it anything. It‘s not like the Tenth Street places were calling themselves men‘s art galleries, even though that‘s exactly what they fucking were.”

Morning. ☀️🐰📖

After reading this I know I was never cut out to suffer for art. This book is raw, beautiful and eye opening. Women before now put up with a LOT of shit. We need to make sure we keep moving forward and up into the light. Our lives. Our bodies. Our choice. Our right.

Driving the first born back to uni. Holidays are officially over 😢

I‘m going to miss watching the blue jays have breakfast at the feeder each morning at our ski trip condo

I really enjoyed this. I thought the author did a great job writing about mothers/daughters, the pursuit of artistry while being a single mother, the art of photography, abortion, and friendship. All told through letters, journals, and memories of the daughter as part of a retrospective of the mother‘s photographs. Thanks to @Lindy for the review that inspired me to pick it up.

There I am, returning books to the library on Sunday because then I won‘t be tempted to get more books, & I run across this amazing stained glass house in front of the library and a book sale! The famous church in Stowe, VT can be seen in the bottom right photo. A NYRB book and a memoir for $2. My plan is to read my own books and the Universe finds a twisted way to laugh at me, adding to my pile while I quietly try to stay away from the library.

“Carrying that baby made her radiate serenity in a way I‘ve only seen in Buddhists and Californians.” It‘s so true! All the Buddhists and Californians that I know have a specific look that I have never been able to experience myself.

On the Jersey Shore. LBI. Hard to read when the sound of the ocean keeps lulling me to sleep.

Told in multiple voices—interviews, letters, journal entries—plus a daughter‘s reminiscences, this novel is uniquely presented as a museum catalog for a posthumous photo exhibit. Lillian Preston & her art are based (in composite form) on real photographers & images; I could clearly imagine them. I was enthralled by the characters & the central question, which is how a woman can be both artist & mother.

I told Lilly there was a difference between a promise and an aspiration. The whole point of an aspiration is to make yourself reach. The only people who achieve everything they aspire to are lazy or cowards.

After three years of folk songs, hands-on learning, and Quaker meetings, nothing short of electroshock therapy could have prepared me for public junior high.
(Internet photo)

She knew kids had the built-in cuteness of baby animals but that real childhood was what went on underneath.

Road trip: that means no weight restriction on my luggage. 😁

This is why I go to events!! Last night I had a fabulous time listening to Myla Goldberg, questioned by Hannah Tinti, discuss her process & inspiration for her latest book. I left feeling so inspired. 💕

Book haul from shop #1 of the Brooklyn Crawl ! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

tfw you get a lot of mail from Goodreads & you typically care only the smallest bit but then...BAM! You get one that‘s like a sacred message from the Divine. Guess how much I care that Myla Goldberg has a new book coming out after *ten years* of literary silence? SO. FREAKING. MUCH.

“Bee Season” is one of my fave books. And her new one‘s a mother-daughter story about art & gender. Hallelujah! Praise be to Myla! 🙏🏻😭😍

Goldberg‘s latest novel is formatted as an art gallery catalogue curated and commented upon by the artists daughter and supplemented with the photographer‘s letters and diaries. The format is clever but slows the pace and distracts somewhat from the real and heartbreaking mother/daughter story at its core. Well worth picking up, but slow to start, in spite of the creative format. #netgalley

#TBRTuesday

Here‘s what I hope to read to finish up my March reads!!