The weekly post
The one where we dive into the world of Quinta Brunson
Hi friends, we are officially in the dog days of summer, and after a few weeks without writing, it feels so good to be back. I’ve been making extremely slow - and steady! - progress with my reading, truly only managing a few moments at the beginning or end of each day. While certainly not my ideal reading cadence or commitment, even these few, quiet minutes every day have made a world of difference in navigating the nonstop work-and-life-curveballs. I’m headed to the beach at the end of this week for a much needed break, and I am so delighted to get plenty more reading time in (and hopefully make meaningful progress towards my annual reading goal).
This week, I’m sharing one new recent recommendation, lots of TBR mentions, and your reminder that Silent Book Club is upon us once more. Wherever you are and whatever you’re reading, I hope you are taking plenty good care. I’d love to hear from you about what the books you’re enjoying this summer!
Currently Reading
WELCOME HOME, CAROLINE KLINE by Courtney Preiss. It’s early days for me on this one so I truly have no idea where it’s headed. The description caught my attention while on a recent Politics & Prose shopping excursion, and it’s set in the Jersey Shore - a place after my own heart and quite fitting for my upcoming vacation. This is the debut novel for Courtney Preiss, and I’m looking forward to sharing updates soon.
Recent Recommendation
SHE MEMES WELL by Quinta Brunson. This review is a mixed one for me to write, and I hope I can properly convey the nuance. On the whole, I enjoyed this because I set out to learn more about Quinta Brunson as a person, before she become known as the star actress, writer, executive producer, and creator of the hit show Abbott Elementary, and I did just that. She Memes Well serves as part essay collection, part memoir, part social commentary, taking readers through Quinta’s childhood, young adult years, and the start of her comedy career. Let’s dig in.
My introduction to Quinta Brunson came through Abbott, and I have been blown away by her immense talent as the show has evolved and swept various award seasons since late 2021. She Memes Well was published before the show’s release, and it is aptly titled for how Quinta leveraged internet memes and short videos to get her foot in the door of the entertainment industry. This was absolutely fascinating for me to learn because (1) I had no idea (or at least have never considered) that memes could be credited to one creator and (2) my perception of memes is that they are fleeting and topical, but certainly won’t lead to lasting star power. In Quinta’s case, and as documented through this book, she uses her own observations, frustrations, and aspirations about everything from dating to finances to friends’ weddings to grow her brand and make her mark on comedy. I truly had no idea how exactly Quinta Brunson became the star she is now - was it Second City? A family connection to the industry? - and I really appreciated hearing about her journey moving from Philadelphia to LA, and cutting it as an Apple Store Genius to an eventual Buzzfeed creator and sketch comic.
Where this book fell slightly short for me - and something I am admittedly struggling to articulate - is that it felt as though there was an intentional distancing between Quinta and the reader. I have read a lot of personal essays and memoirs of comedians, including Mindy Kaling, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Samantha Irby, and Colin Jost, to name a few. In those, there is this universal and deeply relatable thread of, “Hey, I was the dorky/awkward/unpopular/weird kid in high school, but look at me now! My weird quirks became good material!” I laughed out loud (and occasionally cried) while reading those because I could see myself in those stories, as well as the author’s insecurities. I expected something similar of Quinta Brunson’s story, but instead, She Memes Well pulls back the curtain to reveal that even through high school, Quinta had a pretty clear understanding of who she was and where she was headed. On more than a handful of occasions, it felt as though right when we were about to delve into something more vulnerable, she pulled back or glossed over and tied the essay with a neat little bow. There are creative and personal reasons to make these decisions; as a reader, it makes it hard to feel more connected to the writer, but as someone who also often looks to find the bright side or the lesson learned, I could very much understand this tendency in her writing.
As mentioned, this book came out right before Abbott Elementary ever graced our screens, and I am so hopeful that Quinta’s next book will allow us that behind-the-scenes scoop. Ultimately, She Memes Well was well written, thoughtfully curated, and a positive reading experience. I am delighted to keep following along in Quinta’s journey. I have a feeling we have a lot of laughs left.
Recommend for… fans of Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling, the writings of Jesmyn Ward, and fans of Abbott Elementary (of course)
Next in Queue
I am so delighted about what’s making it into my beach bag, even if I’m being just a touch overly ambitious with my goals for the week. I’ve landed on taking Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle, How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang, and The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue. Each of these were gifts or came highly recommended from dear friends so I cannot wait to share full reviews soon!
Up Next
Silent Book Club is back, and this month we are meeting on a different day. Please join us at Lost Generation Brewing this Thursday, July 11, starting at 6:30pm. For those who haven’t joined before, folks start to gather between 6:30 - 7:00pm to order food and drinks (rotating food truck on-site and outside food is welcome!), we read from 7:00 - 8:00pm, and then feel free to hang out afterwards to meet other lovely readers. The link to RSVP is here and inviting your friends is highly encouraged. See you Thursday!
Three Words
Vacation mode activated.