friday round-up: may 2
just chatting
We’ve made it to May!
I hope everyone is doing well. My April was fruitful and exciting, even though I wasn’t able to read as much as I wanted to.
I’m starting these Friday round-ups as a way to document the little achievements in my life. Sometimes, I get a lot done during the week. Other times, the most notable things I did were blow bubbles at the park with my son or cook a new recipe.
This week, I managed to get a lot of writing done for my job (ghostwriting), which is always a good thing. I’ve also only been listening to Lana del Rey, who has been my favorite artist since 2013. Her new music is shifting towards a soft, folk sound that I’ve been loving. And perhaps, it encapsulates the slower, calmer life she’s living now that she’s married.
Onto the books! I started reading No More Tears: The Dark Secrets of Johnson & Johnson by Gardiner Harris. I’m 50 pages in at the time of writing, with another 300 pages to go. So far, the book has talked extensively of the history behind America’s beloved company, as well as the scandal behind the talc-based baby powder.
I’m a bit nervous to get to the Tylenol section since that’s a medication I use every now and then. I think it’s safe to say that I won’t be using many Johnson & Johnson products anymore. The fact that they knew for decades about the existence of asbestos contamination in the baby powder, and not only did nothing, but lied continuously about it, is enough for me to avoid that company. If they’re willing to lie about that, what else are they capable of?
I also managed to get my hands on two other books that I plan to read and review soon. One is Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. I often see think pieces on this book, so I would like to read it for myself and form my own opinions about it. I personally really enjoy books with an unreliable narrator, because it really forces you to think outside of what’s being presented to you. I don’t like being told what I’m supposed to think. I like reading between the lines. I enjoy creating theories on what’s going on when things aren’t explicitly stated. And I think Lolita is a complex tale that has been misunderstood and mischaracterized for a very long time, so I’m intrigued to document my thoughts as I go through the book.
Another book I bought was The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I decided to go for this one instead of Blood Meridian on my husband’s recommendation. For some reason, my high school never assigned this book to read during my AP Literature class, and I think that’s a shame. I’ve heard a lot of good things about McCarthy and his writing. When reading the synopsis for this book, I was reminded of Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler because of the post-apocalyptic aspect of it all. Butler’s book was incredibly bleak and difficult to get through sometimes, simply because I’m sensitive to depictions of children getting harmed in any way. I wonder if The Road will be the same. This will be another one I’ll be pleased to review when I get to it.
For my Substack, I really hope to continue discussions on the books I read, delving deep into themes and concepts across all genres of fiction. Eventually, I plan on creating a podcast on this Substack, but it’s been difficult to figure out how to record episodes. I’m a homemaker, so I have my toddler with me all day every day. And unless everyone doesn’t mind a few toddler babbles in the background, I don’t know how I’ll be able to do a podcast seamlessly. Or perhaps people won’t end up minding in the end so long as the substance is there. I’m not sure, it’s something I’m still thinking about.
There’s a chance I may expand the topics I cover on this Substack, too. I have a deep love for history, so maybe I’ll devote a portion to intriguing historical events and their significance in a broader historical context. I may also start talking more about cultural topics because right now, I speak on books, literature, and their intersection with culture at times.
I don’t know for certain, but what I do know is that I plan to expand and grow this Substack in the coming months. Writing is fun, and writing about literature specifically brings me a joy that I haven’t felt since my teenage years. The level of analysis I used to be capable of amazes me, and I would like to polish up that skill again.
If you’ve read this far, thanks so much! I want to keep doing these Friday round-ups, so stay tuned for next week! Hope everyone has a wonderful, restful weekend ahead of them.