Does listening to audiobooks count as reading? Here it does. Let’s discuss your favorite reads — or listens.
All tagged essays
An uneven but occasionally rewarding listening experience, “The Book of Delights” is structured as a yearlong project in noticing joy, in the form of short essays—some only a paragraph, others a few pages—each documenting a small delight from Ross Gay’s daily life.
Ultimately, this collection serves as both a time capsule and a stepping stone in Abdurraqib’s evolution as a writer. It lacks the full polish of his later work, but the rawness and energy make it an essential read for those who appreciate music, culture and the ever-shifting landscape of America.
Alexander Chee’s essay collection is first and foremost a showcase of his nearly unmatched talent. It's a celebration of the craft, of teaching and of the relentless pursuit of one’s artistic vision. Yet, for all its brilliance, the book is dreadfully boring.
Between the bloat, uneven pacing and self-absorption you’ll quickly find yourself tired of the lecture and wondering how a book that started promisingly can derail so quickly.
While there were a few laugh out loud moments within each of the 18 essays, “Wow” didn’t fully capture my attention.
bell hooks’ essays on love were exactly what I was expecting and not what I expected at all given the authors’ reputation. While delivering her famous explorations of intersectionality – in this case the internal and external factors that influence how we love ourselves and others – it was also deeply religious and more self-help in nature than expected.
