The weekly post
The one where all expectations are exceeded
Greetings from the west coast, friends! I am feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, all courtesy of the joys and power of a great book. In the midst of a busy week with demanding schedules, I fell in love with and couldn’t set down Dolly Alderton’s newest book, Good Material (review below). I’m so grateful I was able to keep setting aside time for myself each night, and it was a good reminder that even five minutes a day of reading immediately lifts my spirits. This, paired with the great conversations I’ve had as of late and the connections I’ve made with so many other fellow readers, has made for a fulfilling several weeks. Wherever you are, I hope you’re sneaking in some reading time and taking care.
Currently Reading
REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES by Shelby Van Pelt. It’s early days for me on this one, and I’m doubtful of how much reading time I’ll get in this week on work travel, but I am already fascinated by the perspective of the octopus, Marcellus, and intrigued by Tova’s backstory. Everyone I know who has read it loves the unexpected friendships plot line, and I’ve been warned it’s a real tearjerker (so will be keeping the tissues nearby).
Recent Recommendation
GOOD MATERIAL by Dolly Alderton (5 stars). What an interesting, fresh, hilarious treat of a novel. I have an inherent trust in Dolly Alderton to write a book that I don’t want to set down – to the extent that I didn’t even know what Good Material was about when I bought it - but this truly blew me away. From the first page, Dolly captured my attention: she’s writing a novel about a breakup entirely from the point of view of a 35-year-old man in London who has just been left by his girlfriend of four years. Let’s pause right there: you have to seriously know what you are doing to position yourself as a romance writer, only to write a book that takes readers painstakingly through the first year following heartbreak, and Dolly absolutely knocks it out of the park.
Our main character, Andy, is a struggling comedian who is desperate to understand why his ex-girlfriend, Jen, ended their relationship after a seemingly great weekend away in Paris. Readers accompany Andy on an archaeological examination of his break-up - this is a man who is truly stumped and desperate to return to status quo - and the novel is divided into three “seasons” to capture the many phases of heartbreak. In the initial aftermath, we witness Andy break the news to his best group of guy friends, sign up for a gym membership and cut all carbs, drink too much, and classically, check Jen’s social media presence with unwavering dedication. He navigates finding a new place to live, and I don’t know if I have ever laughed so much while reading a book as when Andy struggles to “rough it” on a houseboat (!) and 48 hours later moves in with a 70-year-old man named Morris (side note/plea to Dolly: please provide a follow-up novel focused entirely on Morris’ life). We see Andy start to experience glimmers of hope that maybe he can move on, only for those hopes to be dashed in the everyday, ordinary moments where he is missing Jen terribly and feeling further and further away from reuniting with her.
I must confess that while reading the first third of this book, I did question if I could really sustain a full novel from Andy’s point-of-view. He is insufferable in the ways we are all insufferable while dealing with heartbreak. Andy comes up with a “token” system to track how often he brings Jen up in conversation with his friends, and when he runs into another ex-girlfriend, he is self-indulgent, rather than self-aware. But just as soon as I had those moments of doubt, Dolly immediately reassured me, cultivating a sense of empathy towards Andy’s deeply flawed character. I could not predict where this book was going or how it would end, and that felt like part of the message. When you’re deep in the throes of heartbreak, it feels like you’ll never feel good again, and it’s unclear where the heartbreak really “ends.” This book is deeply relatable, and I found myself dog-earring the funny and poignant bits alike.
Perhaps what I love most about Dolly is that she writes with precision and sharpness, and she flirts with cynicism without diving all the way in. I don’t enjoy the cynical or pessimistic outlook, in life or in my reading, but I do want an author who can approach those harder, darker, more introspective questions. This book daringly broaches themes around relationships and singlehood, digging into what the value add of both can look and feel like; deciding whether and when to have children; understanding what it means to start over when you thought the finish line was in sight; and acknowledging the often unsaid, collateral losses that accompany the end of a relationship.
A book that makes me laugh out loud, cry, write in the margins, and feel overwhelmingly self-assured in my own choices is a 5-star read for me. While I don’t think this is the book for everyone, I’m deeply grateful to Dolly Alderton for taking a giant leap of faith and writing such a smart, honest, and thought-provoking novel.
Recommend for… fans of Dolly Alderton (of course!), Sally Rooney, The Way We Were, and Joan Didion
Read Ahead
Only a couple more weeks until we are reading together again in person! I am truly so delighted that Lost Generation Brewing has invited us to make this a monthly date. Our next gathering is Wednesday, March 13, and Lost Gen is conveniently located right off the Metropolitan Bike Trail in Northeast DC. I’d recommend arriving between 6:30 – 7:00pm to order food and drinks (Lost Gen has a rotating food truck onsite and allows for outside food), we’ll read silently from 7:00 – 8:00pm, and you’re welcome to hang out at Lost Gen from 8:00pm to last call.
I’d also like to offer the opportunity for a book swap, a great recommendation from a fellow reader who attended the February session. If you have any books at home you’re ready to say goodbye to, feel free to bring them on March 13 and pass them along for their next adventure. I’ll take any books that are left at the end of the evening to a little free library.
Please remember to RSVP here and spread the word with your friends!
Three Words
Poignant, contemplative, delightful