Virtually Well Read - Judging A Book By Its Cover
Choosing a Virtually Well Read book is scary.
You all are a tough crowd.
Of course, you are also a generous crowd, because I've been getting lots of recommendations and requests.
I've been keeping a list and it runs the gamut from "anything I can take to the beach that has lots of sex in it" to J.M. Coetzee (It's summer, Matt, take a rest. Your brain will still be there in September, I promise).
So I couldn't figure out which way to go. I mean, I don't want people to think I'm an airhead with no intellectual curiosity, but I also want people to WANT to read the books I choose and not feel like it's so much heavy lifting. It's summer, so any kind of "cuddle up by the fire and read this saga" won't do. I'd rather not choose brand, spankin' new books because everybody is already talking about those, and 9 times out of 10 there's a waiting list for them at the library.
Enter BFF Cindy Guidry, who send me this recommendation the other day:
"I just read a book that I loved by a writer I'd never heard of, and I've now
ordered everything else she's written and intend to attend one of her
writing workshops in San Diego in the future. The book is WINNER OF THE
NATIONAL BOOK AWARD by Jincy Willett. Ever heard of it? Her? I loved it.
Carry on. "
1) I trust the Guidry.
2) Jincy is either the coolest or most adorable (can't decide yet) name I've ever heard, and I'm THIS CLOSE to making everybody start calling me "Jincy" because my name is nice and all but it doesn't end in "-y" like all cute people's names do.
3) According to La Guidry and something else I read somewhere else, when David Sedaris was asked what book/author he'd like people to discover and read, he said Jincy Willett. So. David Sedaris.
4) Cindy Guidry is making aprons out of vintage dishtowels and writing a book about food and people and people and their food.
5) That has nothing to do with why I'm choosing this book for Virtually Well Read, but the aprons are really cute. And I couldn't actually just "carry on," because I immediately had to start looking into a) Jincy Willetts and b) aprons and c) lots of cake.
Jincy Willett's Winner of the National Book Award it is.
Discussion on and after July 20th.
You can get started on Willett's own HI-larious and refreshingly non phony website.
what are the chances you'll send a used copy transatlantic?? jokes jokes...i'll find one over here.
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I'm in. I'll be away from July 18-15, but I'm still in even if I don't comment.
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I don't mind calling you Jincy. It certainly beats that awful Muff. Of course, you will always be Beemie to me. Count me in for the July VWR!
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yer killin' me, woman. really.
you MIGHT have had me at "David Sedaris," though. Maybe.
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Reading. Hmm. Instead of writing. Actually absorbing words instead of puking them. Interesting concept which Bossy will one day try.
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Coming out of lurkdom to join this! I just downloaded the book on my Kindle and started reading it last night. I cannot thank you enough. This is great!
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