My mini-series for the time-poor/ short attn-spanned continues. Also: an interview with Esther Perel and a must-read for anyone filled with self-loathing
Greenland looks huge because of the map projection Substack has chosen (it’s impossible to represent the map of the world in 2D keeping both the shapes of the countries the same and the areas consistent). To reassure you, in real life, the continent of Africa is 14 times larger than Greenland, which the map does not show! There’s a serious point here, which is that the popularity of this map has given countries nearer the poles like the UK an inflated sense of their own size (and hence importance) relative to countries nearer the equator (many of which we would have termed “developing”). Google “Problems with the Mercator Projection” if you’re interested and want to know more 🙂
I loved Claire Keegan's Foster (another of her novellas). I think it's genius to be able to evoke such a strong sense of place and community with so few words. I must check out Small Things Like These.
If you like Foster, I’d highly recommend the film which was made as an adaptation of Foster (“An Cailín Ciúin”). It’s a heartbreaking but absolutely gorgeous film.
Love this!!! I spent a month this past summer reading only 100 page books, and I had so much fun doing it. Best part is that there’s no overlap with your list so I can add all these to mine!!! Except Claire Keegan, but I read Foster (so good, so heartbreaking, so sweet). I wrote a roundup of all the shorties (affectionate) that I read, which I will link if I can figure out how to :))
Thank you for sharing this — I've just saved your post as I'm always on the lookout for short fiction reccs at the moment! I loooved Foster too, just gorgeous.
I'm re-reading Nora for the third time! I turn to it like I turn to my own mother for comfort. Her voice and even the size of it is soothing when the world feels overwhelming.
And don't forget the movie version of Heartburn with Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson! There are certain scenes in the film (the NY apartment wedding! The final pie scene! Renovation hell!) that I think about all the time. It's one of the few book-to-movie versions that can completely stand alone...
Thanks Pandora. Loved your section on novellas. I’ve never been a massive fan of them simply because I feel they always end and I want more!
The last few books I’ve really enjoyed have been The Bee Sting and Demon Copperhead. The bigger the better (!), I love getting my teeth into an epic. But, I do get your point that you have to have time to get into tomes like these.
I’m actually reading Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye (so I can listen to the book chat ep), which might be a little bigger than the traditional novella but it’s incredible the themes, moods and politics she packs in under 200 pages. Being able to be succinct is an art and it probably isn’t praised enough.
Gatsby was once upon a time my favourite book but A-Levels and the film beat it out of me. However, I read a passage recently and was struck by the timelessness of it all.
“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy- they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.”
I adore Small Things Like These and think Claire Keegan beautifully captures place and community. As for Nora, I just adore her. I think I have my entire copy of heartburn under lined as it is just that good.
Small Things Like These is so gorgeous - my last book club read which I think we all agreed on being brilliant. It’s such talent to convey such depth and feeling in such a small story. I could have stayed with Bill for a whole novel
Have absolutely loved this series of shorty recommendations — I'm really into short fiction at the moment as I find it a little hard to keep track of juicier books while mothering my teeny one 👶 Popping them all on my Goodreads for later!
Greenland looks huge because of the map projection Substack has chosen (it’s impossible to represent the map of the world in 2D keeping both the shapes of the countries the same and the areas consistent). To reassure you, in real life, the continent of Africa is 14 times larger than Greenland, which the map does not show! There’s a serious point here, which is that the popularity of this map has given countries nearer the poles like the UK an inflated sense of their own size (and hence importance) relative to countries nearer the equator (many of which we would have termed “developing”). Google “Problems with the Mercator Projection” if you’re interested and want to know more 🙂
Yes!! I did know this - I read this great piece by Coco Khan last year where she asks an expert about that https://amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/jan/28/should-the-world-map-be-more-realistic-we-ask-an-expert
Although lol to Greenland being QUITE so outsize
this was fascinating, thank you!
I loved Claire Keegan's Foster (another of her novellas). I think it's genius to be able to evoke such a strong sense of place and community with so few words. I must check out Small Things Like These.
A lot of love for Foster, I’ll purchase
If you like Foster, I’d highly recommend the film which was made as an adaptation of Foster (“An Cailín Ciúin”). It’s a heartbreaking but absolutely gorgeous film.
I also loved foster -wept buckets at the end
i also loooooved Foster...!
Love this!!! I spent a month this past summer reading only 100 page books, and I had so much fun doing it. Best part is that there’s no overlap with your list so I can add all these to mine!!! Except Claire Keegan, but I read Foster (so good, so heartbreaking, so sweet). I wrote a roundup of all the shorties (affectionate) that I read, which I will link if I can figure out how to :))
Here it is! https://www.somethingeveread.com/p/last-months-reads-a60
That’s such a fun reading project to set yourself
Thank you for sharing this — I've just saved your post as I'm always on the lookout for short fiction reccs at the moment! I loooved Foster too, just gorgeous.
I'm re-reading Nora for the third time! I turn to it like I turn to my own mother for comfort. Her voice and even the size of it is soothing when the world feels overwhelming.
And don't forget the movie version of Heartburn with Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson! There are certain scenes in the film (the NY apartment wedding! The final pie scene! Renovation hell!) that I think about all the time. It's one of the few book-to-movie versions that can completely stand alone...
Oh yes you’re so right. I’ve actually only seen it once! I’ll try it again on your recommendation
I hope you like it after that very full-throated endorsement!!!!!
They are the only kind I listen to!
Thank you for such a great list of short but fabulous reads. Some are new to me so I'm off novella hunting for Christmas!
Thanks Pandora. Loved your section on novellas. I’ve never been a massive fan of them simply because I feel they always end and I want more!
The last few books I’ve really enjoyed have been The Bee Sting and Demon Copperhead. The bigger the better (!), I love getting my teeth into an epic. But, I do get your point that you have to have time to get into tomes like these.
I’m actually reading Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye (so I can listen to the book chat ep), which might be a little bigger than the traditional novella but it’s incredible the themes, moods and politics she packs in under 200 pages. Being able to be succinct is an art and it probably isn’t praised enough.
I’ll definitely give more novellas a try now!
Thank you so much for listening to Book Chat! I LOVED The Bluest Eye (and DC is one of my faves of the yr along with Soldier Sailor and Still Born)
Pandora, you always say what I think.
Gatsby was once upon a time my favourite book but A-Levels and the film beat it out of me. However, I read a passage recently and was struck by the timelessness of it all.
“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy- they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.”
I adore Small Things Like These and think Claire Keegan beautifully captures place and community. As for Nora, I just adore her. I think I have my entire copy of heartburn under lined as it is just that good.
Small Things Like These is so gorgeous - my last book club read which I think we all agreed on being brilliant. It’s such talent to convey such depth and feeling in such a small story. I could have stayed with Bill for a whole novel
Adored Small Things Like These and This is Pleasure.
Have absolutely loved this series of shorty recommendations — I'm really into short fiction at the moment as I find it a little hard to keep track of juicier books while mothering my teeny one 👶 Popping them all on my Goodreads for later!
aka baby-friendly books
Anything I can get through in a few feeds gets a big tick from me rn.