Tonya Morton runs a lovely little Substack called Juke. I sent you her page when I contributed an essay called Fall Apart in My Backyard. This time she’s asked me to contribute to her forum of writers asking, What are you reading lately?
It doesn’t really matter what we read, though, does it? It’s much more about what we’re picking up and why and how we respond to it! How do we share it and what do we let in?
It’s a lovely little writing prompt and I was happy to contribute. If you’re inclined, please click below to read my response. And you can totally be that guy who scrolls past all of the other geniuses to see what trifle I’ve written, or you can glory in the company of writers and fellow travelers far more intelligent than I.
Here’s a hint of what I wrote about!
And since I’m talking about Momfluenced, I should also share Sara Petersen’s Substack with you -
And why not make your first foray into what Momfluenced is all about by reading her take on Barbie? I found her to be rather spot on, although I don’t really like her ruining Ethan Hawke for me. She also provides links to a few other perspectives as well. Listen, Barbie, it turns out, is a great movie and it brings up SO MANY topics worth discussing with the people you love.
OK, so I thought, since I don’t have a poem or essay for you this week, you might want to contribute in the comments section for me. Will you indulge? If so…
Tell me about your summer reads! What is hitting a chord and why?
I’ll tell you one more of mine…
I read and loved March by Geraldine Brooks. It tells the story of Mr.March, father of The Little Women who is based on Louisa May Alcott’s father. What was Mr. March doing while his children waited for him in that beloved book?
Well, it turns out that he was preaching, but not preaching hell and damnation as the soldiers wanted, and fighting but not with a gun, and teaching, a job that has its own dangers.
It was a great book. It embodied the ideology of the Transcendentalists during the Civil War - did you know that Alcott was a VEGAN who started a Utopian society after a lifelong friendship with Emerson and Thoreau? I didn’t! Mr. March’s lofty idealism is based on Alcott and it’s fascinating because it is so admirable but often so naive.
So relevant! It was quite a message for the current often white, cis-gendered allies of Black Lives Matter or the LGBTQ+ community. We think we are helping (and of course, it helps) but there is always more to do, and more power to be given to others. Mr. March sees so many failures and setbacks but there are these glimmers of what could be...
The best moment, for me, happened when Mr. March is taken ill towards the end of the book and so his wife arrives and takes over the narrative, only this time it’s from her perspective. Suddenly you can see his heroics as being a trifle selfish! Suddenly you realize that women haven’t had any power in this damned story at all and here they are picking up the pieces! So good.
I’m sure you could even draw a line from Mr. March to the Kenergy theme of the Barbie movie! Now there’s a college thesis for you. Either way, I thought March was romantic and fascinating and flawed in the best way - lots of food for thought.
OK - last thing. Look at this pretty picture of three wonderful presents that three wonderful ladies gave me in the last week. I mean, am I the luckiest? Am I telling you this because I just want to be the kind of person who appreciates pretty yellow things or because I want you to be jealous? Am I trying to be a Momfluencer? You tell me.
I’d love to hear from you this week. Summer reads, Barbie thoughts, Ken dreams, Little Women fantasies… it’s all up for grabs.
Lots of love,
March sounds fascinating!! I'll have to check that one out. I decided to get acquainted with Edith Wharton this summer, and I've read both The Age of Innocence and The House of Mirth in the last month. I was crazy about both of them--super relatable, conflicted, rebellious characters--right up until their SUPER DEPRESSING endings. Apparently she's famous for this? I don't think I can put myself through any more of it. I've retreated to a collection of Grace Paley stories to recover...
Anyway, I could talk about books all day. Thanks so much for being a part of our Juke conversations, Jodie!!
I know "What are you reading?" is usually asking about a book, and I've got one of those: It's "Secret Stars" by Matt Berenson. It's definitely not a beach read, but it's fantastic. Matt also has a Substack that I wish cam out more often.
But anymore, most of my reading these days is newsletters, and there are a ton of good ones out there right now. I'd like to spotlight 2 in particular. Both are very different, but both are very good.
The first is Deep Midwest by Robert Leonard, and it covers life in Iowa at the local level and 50,000ft view both. Robert feels like the kinda guy you hope sits next to you at the counter in a small town café.
The second is "What Am I Making" By Matt Carlson ("Matty C."). Matty is a lot like me in that he's a middle age suburban dad living in the Midwest, albeit on opposite sides of lake Michigan. He also happens to be a musician, and just wrapped up a tour of house shows. His last few newsletters have been equal parts travelogue and reaffirming in humanity.