what kind of reader are you?

an interview with a very special reader

Hey! You’re here. Thank you!

Hold on to your hats pals, because man do I have a treat for you. Today I am proud and pleased to share a bookish interview with my favorite reader and person in the world… my wife, Rebecca.

If you are lucky enough to know Rebecca, congratulations! She absolutely rules. If you follow me on instagram or are a reader of this here newsletter you know she makes my world go round.

Anyhow this is not a moment for me to be sappy or list the twenty million things I love about her. But I could!! Hit me up later if you want to sidebar.

Rebecca recently read a book she absolutely devoured and I knew I wanted her to share about the book here in some fashion. She is a good sport and that idea turned into this interview. I get to live my dream and pretend to be

Traci Thomas

of The Stacks Pod (from whom I stole many of these questions!), and Rebecca gets to share about her unique reading life and journey. And you, dear reader, are the real winner as you shall soon see.

two legends

Tell me about the last book you loved.

The last book I loved was The God of the Woods by Liz Moore,  which was actually recommended to me by Rosamond Reads! It can be hard for me to get into fiction, but I was gripped with this book from beginning to end, reading it at all hours until it was finished! When I was young, I loved mystery series, especially Nancy Drew, Encyclopedia Brown, and Cam Jensen. This book spoke to my inner child in that way as I was compelled to keep reading to solve the mystery. This book also takes place at a summer camp, and I have fond memories of attending camp as a tween and finding my people there, similar to one of the characters in Moore’s book.

What’s a book you can’t stand?

As an adult, if I can’t stand a book, I generally DNF (Do Not Finish) it. This is one way I reclaim the joy of reading after being forced to finish books in school. One of my DNFs was Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. I remember reading this book with you (Rosamond) during a long car ride. I did not care for, what felt like, his disregard of the spiritual experience of being human. I don’t remember this book too well, but I do remember the feeling with which it left me. Maybe if I picked it up now, I would view it differently.

What kind of reader are you? What are you looking for in your reading life?

I am generally a research reader. I like to read non-fiction that teaches me something new. In the past, I tended to gravitate towards psychology and religion books, and I suppose I still do. But more recently, I have been drawn to memoirs and biographies of famous creatives (Elliott Smith, Van Gogh).

Rebecca, Dunkin, (& Yaya - can you find her?)

What was your favorite book or books as a kid?

As I mentioned before, I was definitely interested in mysteries. In addition to my favorite series, a mystery book I read in middle school that I loved was The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. I also loved historical fiction, like the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I was never really into fantasy, but I was enamored with the Harry Potter series like a lot of other millenials. Reflecting on these books, particularly the Little House and Harry Potter series, as an adult, has involved taking a critical lens of them, especially of the depictions of racism (both in Little House and Harry Potter) and the explicit transphobia of the author (Harry Potter).

What’s your favorite indie bookstore?

My favorite seller of new books is Broadside Bookshop in Northampton, MA because of the incredible staff, especially that one queer bookseller who is always friendly and wears rotating book t-shirts (wink wink). My favorite seller of used books is The Book Mill in Montague, MA, because they have a large selection, an adjacent coffee shop and record store, as well as a beautiful riverside view.

taking in the view at the book mill

What’s your ideal reading set up - place, time, environment, snacks or beverages….

I often like reading at local coffee shops because it helps me to focus, and I can enjoy an iced latte while I read. I also like to read outside and, sometimes, before bed.

If you could have dinner with one author dead or alive who would it be and why?

This might sound cliché, but I would like to have dinner with Shakespeare because I need some questions answered. I am not trying to “out” him, of course, but I am definitely curious to find out if he was queer in some way. Why else would he have that single hoop earring? Because so much other art has been based on his work (including the 2006 film She’s the Man starring the incomparable Amanda Bynes), I am curious to hear what inspired him and his creative process. I also want to clarify the authorship question. Did he indeed write everything? Or did multiple people write his works? Also, why so much iambic pentameter? Really?!

okay but are the dogs invited to dinner with William?

What’s the most interesting thing you learned from a book, recently?

The most interesting thing I learned from a book recently is that household chores can be viewed as “care tasks” that are “morally neutral.” If you are intrigued and want to learn more, I recommend you pick up a copy of How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by K.C. Davis. The author, who is a therapist, proposes a way to engage in household chores and tasks generally that is accessible to the reader and draws upon her own experience. I have never read a book that helped me to practice self-compassion as much as this book. I consider myself to be an evangelist of this book and always recommend it to my own therapy clients.

If you could recommend a book to your dogs, what would it be and why?

A book that we already read to Dunkin and Yaya that I would recommend they re-read is Everything Will Be Okay!: Affirmations & Self-Care Reminders from Your Pup by Hannah Simpson, who encourages folks over on Instagram @macdaddyillustration. As the title suggests, this is a book of affirmations accompanied by the author’s illustrations. I would recommend this book to all dogs, but most especially to reactive rescue dogs like ours as a reminder that they are enough, and they are loved, not despite their behavioral challenges, but because of them.

What are you excited to read next?

I am needing a recommendation, I am craving a book that grips me as much as The God of the Woods!

Okay it’s Rosamond, again. How great was that?? I mean SWOON. Thank you for reading and you’re welcome. I’m never too confident how my newsletters will land, but this one is a HIT if I do say so myself.

Run to the comments to tell Rebecca what she should read next!

We love you.

Love,

Rosamond (& Rebecca!!)