What I read in May
May's online and offline reading recs. Including: Olivia Laing, Lauren Oyler & Max Porter.
Hello!
Lots of library borrows this month, which I speed-read so I could take them back (I’m still waiting for Katherine Brabon’s Body Friend to come in — hopefully soon!)
Books
The Garden Against Time, by Olivia Laing
I really did this a disservice when my husband asked me what it was about and I said “gardening,” but of course, Olivia Laing writing about gardening is miles better than anyone else writing about gardening, and I loved this.
It *is* about gardening, but it’s also about trying to build something when you might not get to see it out; about patience; about learning how to be gentle at a time when things are decidedly not gentle. Beautiful.
No Judgement, by Lauren Oyler
Having read some reviews (yes, including the skewering on Bookforum), I actually thought these essays were fine? It’s very pretentious (I kind of loved the pretentiousness of it though - if you’re going to do it, just lean in), but it was readable enough.
And, of course, we’re buddy reading Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar this month and I’ve even scribbled all over my new copy so that I can find all the bits I want to talk about. (You can still join in - it’s free for everyone, you just need a copy of the book!)
Online reads
^ Something *not* on Substack(!) - A.V. Marrancini’s Hephaestus Contra The It Girl: A Manifesto.
^ Classic recs from
.
^ Fig trees, always. (this one is from
)
^ As a person who has been Very Online for a Very Long Time, and who has a truly frightening amount of screen time, I thought this piece from
was really interesting about the directions social media is moving in…
It’s the Brisbane Writer’s Festival soon, so I’m hopefully going to get some good recs there. I’m partway through Miranda July’s All Fours and it’s great, and I’ve got some Netgalley catching up to do!
What did you read this month?
Terri-Jane x
Considering a subscription? For just £2 a month paid subscribers gain access to writing prompts and community posts, plus discounts on our courses and workshops. This Substack is reader-supported, and paid subscriptions mean I can do more of it! Please feel free to share it with friends who would enjoy it.
Thanks for mentioning me, so sweet! 🩷 The Garden Against Time by Olivia Laing is also on my TBR...I can't wait to read it!
I liked the Lauren Oyler too! I read the Talented Mr Ripley which was good but then I watched the Matt Damon movie and where instead of being kind of an anxious sociopath they were just liked actually he’s gay! and it kind of ruined it for me. Jude Law is good though.