september coffee and slow reading

Well, August came and went and September is half gone by. Aside from stating the obvious, I have been finding a great deal of solace in reading. Slow reading. Deep reading. Re-reading (my favorite pastime).

Funnily enough, the news and state of the world is so heavy that I've found myself needing to keep up with some of the news, but that means I need the depth that good literature brings to me even more.

a few of my morning 

I sit in the morning with a piping hot cup of pour over. After a short stint and few wasted hundred dollars in two brand new Nespresso machines, I returned to my love of freshly baked, direct-trade, fairly waged coffee and I have never felt more whole.

The idea that saving 15 minutes in the morning was worth drinking conventionally grown, old coffee with no filter was a mistake I wish I could go back in time and undo, alas here we are. If you are a Nespresso lover, help me understand it. AND all that unfiltered coffee is a sure way for my LDL to raise, but now my age is showing. (No shame there).

Slow Reading Mornings

My early mornings are a bit cooler and while my water is boiling for my pour over, I stand and read a poem or a few pages from one of my ereaders or one of The Letters of Gustave Flaubert which has turned into one of my favorite reads of this year so far. I am not even sure I will finish it in 2025.

I know it's beneficial to drink my coffee and get to my work, but my slow reading philosophy promotes reading in my free time, and once I sink down into something great, I want to wait until the chapter is over before getting started with the heavy day.

I've been reading poetry, making coffee, drinking lots of tea, journaling and keeping one audiobook going at a time, and baking lots of new dishes. 

What I've been valuing  

1. Slow mornings
2. Pour overs
3. Early mornings
4. Baking
5. Decorating
6. Silent Time
7. Decluttering
8. Fall scented candles

It's easy to get lost in all of the chaos of the world, and lots of anger is palpable in the street, but I won't give away my soul. My inner peace is invaluable, and reading brings me so much inner silence. 

Moving through September, I am working towards a reality that includes space and time (both in my physical world and mentally) to watch good films, read great literature, writing more intensely and quite frankly moving towards a reality where the stress that a new venture (soon to end), and all of the craziness that the world keeps providing, is muted. 

women in translation month 2025

I absolutely love reading women writers in translation. There is something magical that happens when I read translated literature.

My most recent translated purchase happened at McNally Jackson in the city after a long few days of visiting. The magic that happens only in bookstores brushed across me and I spent some time with a few bookstore workers looking for the last copy of Hunchback. This slim novel has started off with a bang and I adore it. 

My choices for Women in Translation Month 2025:

Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa 
Translated by Polly Barton

The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector
Translated by Giovanni Pontiero

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
Translated by Megan Backus

Apple in the Dark by Clarice Lispector
Translated by Benjamin Moser

Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro
Translaed by Frances Riddle 

my stack

I had a focus this year for reading more Clarice Lispector and this is a great month to hone in on that. I'm also always reading Jane Austen and Persuasion is up to bat. Whenever I step away from Austen for too long, I can feel the call of her sarcastic wit and dry humor to keep me anchored down.

Reading really is a religious experience for me, and my life runneth over with stress. I find my solace between the pages of books, and I am so grateful to have shelves filled (though I constantly donate and cull my shelves) with the words of authors I love and read and re-read from.

Rereading is my love language

I reread as much as I read new works to me, and as I usher out summer (IN the dead of summer), I am preparing my shelves for some of my favorite Fall rereads. I will squelch my joy and share that at a later date. I know some people loathe those of us who rush the Fall to come, but loathe as you will... I'm done with this heat and humidity and am eagerly anticipating slower days :)

Wishing you a happy Women In Translation Month and happy reading ☕️ 

a stack of books, a cup of pour over (light roast) and a changing bedtime routine with reading

what i'm reading physically

Listen, it's no secret. I love books. I love reading. I love ereaders, hardbacks, paperbacks, new books, and old books. I don't let the algorithm tell me what to do. I don't need to niche down what type of reader I am.

I don't read for show, for numbers, for profit, or to impress anyone. I don't keep up with the cool kids, nor do I have an opinion about the bookish community.

It's high time we focus on what type of readers we each individually are and reserve judgment and criticism for what other people are doing.

With that in mind, let me talk about what I have been doing at night...

Nighttime reading ritual

I stack up books and ereaders on my night table, make a hot cup of decaf coffee, and read and sift through anywhere from 6-12 titles each night. 

My anxiety has been high due to some medical family issues, so my ability to sit with one novel has been difficult, and I don't believe in shoulds and ought to, so when one title grabs my attention and heart, I let that choice carry me.

Right now I am reading and sifting through the titles above including:

- Boredom by Alberto Moravia

- Emma by Jane Austen

- An Unexpected Cowboy by Stacey Shannon (been reading this short romance for two weeks, maybe I should give up on lighter reads for now?)

- Vanishing World by Sayaka Murata

organic light roast at home

Early morning pour overs always win over my Nespresso pods. Even though I love the convenience of them, I am really missing the 15-20 minute meditative time investment in my morning routine. While the days have been slower, I have been focused on accomplishing this simple act of calming self-care.

I haven't bought a single book or ebook from Amazon since the inauguration, and the Kobo store is soooo expensive and nowhere near as user friendly, but I won't let it stop me in my pursuit of digital downloading. I have been getting on 6 month waitlist at my local library which has been exquisitely painful. 

I have my eye on a few titles, but I wait until the list reaches 3-5 until I purchase them. I have enjoyed not shopping at Amazon, it has made me more intentional with my book purchases, and honestly I am skipping past, "This video is sponsored by Skillshare, this jewelry company, this light company, this this or that that." I'm working to source my books from used online sites, and I love it.

Wishing you a wonderful, coffee-filled, book reading weekend ahead.

Happy reading ☕️ 

leaning into memoirs (still selective) and tea and coffee on rainy days

loving this memoir so far...

 This week has started off in a rainy and contemplative way. I've been nursing copious cups of coffee and culling my BookTube feed to keep me connected to creators that aren't overly loud, and I pretty much avoid videos with lots of jump cuts. I like having a curated YouTube feed.

How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair has started off very strong. I love Safiya's voice as she describes her parents origin stories. This set up is very much grounded in fact, but the emotional thread of the story is very strong. I absolutely love this. 

safiya sinclair

from safiya sinclair's website

I've been taking to making decafs in the early afternoon because I start my morning strong with espressos and reading The Letters of Gustave Flaubert (you can access them free in the public domain here) in the NYRB edition. 

"For me I can imagine nothing in the world preferable to a nice, well-heated room, with the books one loves and the leisure one wants."

"Think only of Art, of that and that alone, because that's all there is. "

these are still going... 

Wishing you a well-curated YouTube feed, lots of hot cappuccinos with oatmilk, and a peaceful end to your Wednesday.

Happy reading ☕️ 

home lattes, fresh berries and dostoyevsky in spring

 It's a hard season in my life. I oscillate between re-reads of classic literature, philosophical literature and personal development neuroscience style books. This is the perfect set of reads for me.

My nighttime has been full of worry and anxiety, but I am working to make a change to my streaming habits so that I can read more at night. This is what i do when I am very stressed- I watch shows (that I don't even like) rather than read, but the class to the slow night schedule has called me back.

homemade oatmilk lattes

I've been making a few lattes each morning as I journal and read a few pages from The Letters of Gustave Flaubert. I've been reading so much slower this year and I am loving it 100%. I did a culling of my physical library. I will not buy more bookshelves or organize them in a way as to fit more titles. I only want to own books that I want to read and re-read repeatedly.

This is mainly classic literature and some scientific textbooks that I use for reference. I have a collection of beautiful hardback journals that I use one by one as well on my shelves. 

fresh strawberries in spring

Fresh fruit ushers in springtime for me. I've been enjoying the most perfect strawberries each night while reading and relaxing. 

this was life changing

Of course nothing quite pierces my consciousness like Dostoevsky. Notes from the Underground started as philosophical and quiet and turned into an exploration of loneliness, belonging, and the human condition. This is a short work, but I took my time with it. I absolutely loved it and I enjoyed this translation as well.

As I prepare for a calming weekend I am reflecting on how lovely it has been to keep zero count on the books I am reading and just allowing myself to sink down into what I am reading. I've also taken to having classics or cozy mysteries on audio to keep me company as I am caregiving and taking care of things around my house. It is so entertaining honestly. I can only put on re-reads or fun/funny books, but I am enjoying getting them from the library and having a few to choose between.

Wishing you a happy weekend filled with transformative or entertaining reads. ☕️ 

august reading plans

Oh my... I've been busy busying used books from nonprofits lately. I have a few still left to come in and then I will "record" a haul here. 

I thought I would have reread Anna Karenina, but I was in the mood for War and Peace. I took my time to read it, and finished it while on vacation in New York this summer. Some don't think of War and Peace as a traveling summer story, but I do. It was the best companion for my train ride, and to sink into in the morning with my coffee before the busy hot days, and late at night after getting back in.

I do love making lists and plans, and it just works with my personality and makes me so happy (and I have a new collection of post its to prove it), and I am surrounded right now by my commonplace journal, my favorite Japanese pens, and a few books (and a kindle).

It's 9:00 pm (on the dot!) and this is a favorite way to spend a Friday night. I had a cup of green tea, a homemade brownie with walnuts, and I am eager to see where my mood will take me for my novel choices for this month.

Starting in a few weeks, my life is going to get very very busy. As much as I wish I had prepared more for this month, I've been treading and keeping my head above water with all of my responsibilities at home. 

This post is an attempt to organize my bookish plans and thoughts. Remember, this blog is my personal reading journal- much like my BookTube channel used to be.

Women in Translation Month pick

Classic Continuation

Letters

Non-Fiction

I'm sure I will other novels alongside all of this, but as I am gearing up to go back to graduate school after decades of being away from a full-time academic course (terrified), I don't want to bite off more than I can chew.

I'll keep all updates posted here. Happy reading ☕️ 

stealing minutes to read

as the month ended i read these

There are so many "how to read more" videos/list, but that isn't what this is about.

It's more a "how to make more time to do the things that help you to feel sane" kind of thing. 

I carry a small tote/bag with books/journals/kindles/highlighters wherever I go. Period. 

I also keep a kindle in my purse at all times. Nothing will ever change my mind. 

reading in the car in between appointments

I am gearing up for a very busy fall of 2024, and this is my favorite reading time of the year. I am up this Friday night making August reading plans, school plans, caregiver plans, life plans.

Without reading, I would not be able to maintain my sanity. I've been loving my re-reads in 2024. My classics tbr has fallen a bit apart, but I don't mind. :)

I don't mind "stealing" even 5 minutes to read. It's great to have a night to myself with nothing to do, but even 20 minutes during a busy day is sufficient until the night time. 

Happy reading. ☕️ 

books i want to read to finish out the summer

The summer has been extremely busy, and quite overwhelming if I'm to be honest. Reading (my constant companion) has been littered with dnfing up a storm- anything moderately uninteresting or boring GOES immediately.

Sorry not sorry.

I'm slowing working my way through War and Peace. I love Tolstoy so much, and his characters are so remarkable. So rich. So real. I don't think I am in the minority with this thought (though I may be), but I love even all of the war bits.

It's interesting to read alongside the Napoleon biography that I picked up. 

I am getting the itch to re-read as my life gets super busy in the heat of this summer. I'll allow myself to be pulled towards books I haven't read, and will reserve my favorite re-reads for the Fall when I am back in graduate school (unrelated in every single way from literature).

Here's what else I'm reading this summer...

getting the proustian itch again- reading the best of literature

Busy days mean I am only reading the best of what literature has to offer. I don't have a lot of time to "test out" new narratives and decide if it works for me. That's why watching bookish content online is so fun- THEY can read it for me, and I can experience the novel that way.

For me, it's been a slow reread of Emma, a deep journey through Romantic Outlaws, several nonfiction books, Nabakov's letters to his wife, Game of Thrones (first time), and a myriad of other things.

coffee + cake= love

Long gone are the days of seeing how many novels I can finish (residue from my time on BookTube), and I've said hello again to the deep, slow, immersive reading style that I've always loved.

Some judge me for always seeking out 5 star reads or 5 star experiences, but this is my reading life. And the key word is life. I don't get the breaths I take back, and I won't get the time I spend on books back either. 

There is nothing wrong with reading ANYthing that your heart desires, but for me I use literature to maintain my sanity through the tough times of my life, for transformation, and for a clue into the universal experiences of humankind. It's a tall order, but there are several novelists who absolutely hit the mark, so why not read and reread them???

My days are long, and my nights are sleepless. I've been getting the itch to begin all 7 volumes of In Search of Lost Time again. GASP. I read it in 2022. It could maybe do with some more air in between readings, but the heart wants what it wants!

always coffee

I'm thinking that if the itch doesn't go away I'll start Swann's Way and allow myself to read one volume every 6 months or so. This way it's a few years worth of reading projects, and I can slowly languish over his memories while creating my own. 

I love this edition. Gorgeous.

Either way, I'm grateful for the reprieve that literature offers me from how hard things can be sometimes. I am also grateful to read that these struggles of the human experience have been documented for hundreds of years. It's why I have always and will always love the novel form. 

re-reading the days away

Nothing can make me feel excited about "romance" or "gossipy" reads like Thomas Hardy. 

Every time I want a lighter or just dysfunctional read, I reach for Thomas Hardy. I've been rereading Far From the Madding Crowd for the countless time.

I found myself DNFing book after book, and whenever that is the case, I have to pay attention to exactly what I am picking up.

I've toyed with ideas of returning to BookTube with a standard channel, and have revisited the reasons I left. They all hold up as true. I have decided to return (more later), but in a MUCH different way. 

As spring break approaches, I have a plethora of books on my currently reading schedule and I don't care about dates finished/ page counts, or any other such thing. It's all about reading books that transform and change me. Books that can be companions with cups of coffee

one of my favorites of all time

I find that the more heavy-hitting, great literature I read, the harder it is to return to lighter, contemporary works. 

It's a cold + sunny Sunday, and I am off for a slow treadmill walk while reading and planning what books will accompany me along my relaxing week's journey.

Classics I Want to Read in 2024

It's gearing up to be an even busier year than 2023, so I want to have a classic focus for each month and in total a baker's dozen in case things with post-grad school and caregiving go better than I anticipate.

2024

Classics I Want To Read in 2024

Not sure what happened. I read classics all year, but these few evaded me. Will reevaluate the titles. 

1. A Simple Story by Elizabeth Inchbald
2. Moby Dick by Herman Melville 
3. Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky
4. Desperate Remedies by Thomas Hardy
5. Villette by Charolette Brontë 
6. Aurora Flyod by Mary Elizabeth Braddon 
7. Deerbrook by Harriet Martineau OR
8. Story of Ivy by Marie Belloc Lowndes

Rereads For 2024

Take this list with a grain of pink himalayan salt because I oftentimes reread the SAME book twice in a year.

1. Persuasion by Jane Austen ✔️ 
2. Jane Eyre by Charolette Brontë (december)
3. Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy ✔️ 
4. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy ✔️ 
5. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky ✔️ 

Side Reads for 2024

1. Macbeth by William Shakespeare ✔️ 
2. Clarice Lispector (The Hour of the Star) (december)
3. Anita Brookner ✔️ 
4. James Baldwin (2025)
   
5. Lots of nonfiction ✔️ 

There are no rules for my reading. I just like to feel or learn something that will change or transform me. It's asking a lot from my literature, but it's my time. I can demand from authors in and out of copyright for this very thing. 

Hot Coffee and Reading Late At Nite

Busy days, cold days, cloudy days = reading and more coffee.

The more coffee I drink, the harder it is to go to sleep ... obviously... but I can't stop drinking it :)

I've acquired quite a few titles, but I won't detail them here. I'll just talk about what I've been reading.

Bought a Kindle Scribe (will talk about it this week). I actually do love it. I got it on the Black Friday sale and it is fantastic! As a kindle lover, this was the next logical step for me.

always with coffee

In truth, I've been reading The Bee Sting. It is a physically and emotionally uncomfortable read. It's quite a long book and there is A LOT going on in this one.

I attended The Booker Prize live show for the announcement and the winner. Spoiler alert: It's Prophet Song. A novel I own on kindle, but may be avoiding due to the violence depicted in it. I'm exhausted at this time of year, and not in the mood for that.

new scribe

Alas, attending the event was sort of exciting, even though I don't buy into the "book prize" world. Just seeing how much excitement goes into it is a bit contagious. 

As the end of the year approaches I will be posting more so that I can keep up (in the future) with what I was reading and loving during 2023. I'll also be posting about what I want to read in 204 and my favorites from this year.

My blog has very low readership. I keep it as an online diary for myself. I know it can seem crazy, but in truth it's okay to capture things JUST for yourself even if no other person will see or comment on it. (If a tree falls in the forest and there's no one to hear it, does it even make a sound?--- my answer: yes).

I imagine a day about 15 years from now, and I am scrolling back through photos and videos of my reading life from this phase of my development. THAT is what keeps me updating here. 

Time to gear up for my week of posting all of my bookish thoughts for my future self!

I Woke Up and Deleted 25 Books From My Kindle

Nothing precipitated this mass digital cleansing.

I read mainly on kindle therefore cleaning it out often is a normal part of my reading life.

I fell trap to the "stuff your kindle day" hyped up BS in one of my "FOMO" type reading weeks.

Well this morning the last cup of coffee was hot, and I was sick of scrolling past tons of silly looking titles that were clogging up my reading interface.

I feel lighter.

I don't do "unhaul" posts and never did so I won't share any of the titles, but let me say that as a result of deleting those titles, I added 4 more to my currently reading folder on my kindle!

It's like I suddenly could see and focus on them and BAM-- I felt so inspired to add them and read a paragraph or two.

There are so many more that I want to permanently delete, and I can see a late night of book deletions in my very near future!!!

Off to scroll through more titles. Happy reading. 

Autumn Morning Reading

freshly ground organic coffee

I'm so excited for a simple and easy morning with no appointments. 

I sat for an hour with my kindle and a small pot of hot coffee just bouncing around between my top novels this morning.

What a glorious way to start the day. I really enjoy exercising early in the morning, but NOTHING beat the calm and slow start to the day that reading with coffee brings.

It sets the tone for something calm and autumnal. 🍁 

🕯️ Cozy and peaceful 🕯️ 

I flipped between Yellowface (loving), The Book of Disquiet (deeply moving), Rouge (intriguing and moving in a way only Mona Awad can do), The Babysitter's Club (book two)- and I had such a great time with each one.

I'll spend this weekend getting things done around the house, and adding books to my currently reading folder.

If (like me) you're dealing with difficult life circumstances, I hope you can use reading to relax this week and find comfort. 

Books On My Currently Reading for October

I love the start of a new month.

My life is taxing and oh so stressful, and it's high time that I did two things:

1. Get my coffee pot out of storage (did I really think I could do without coffee in Autumn?)
2. Read some page-turners

Reading page-turning books is NOT my go-to, but desperate times and all.

Here's what I have lined up to start off October. So happy I skipped and will always skip Victober, but that won't stop me from reading for the SECOND time this year, my beloved Jane Eyre. I have a new physical copy that I will read slowly and deeply annotate. I am so excited about that.

Skipping the Sweet Valley High novel.
Read 2 lines. Didn't age well. Hated it.

I am so excited to read every single one of these and in true fashion, I'll have most going AT the same time. :)

I'll be re-reading for the second time this year:

My Penguin English Deluxe Edition

I will be reading the physical format of this one and I am so excited to read super slowly and annotate this. Of course, I will follow it up with watching the screen adaptation with tea and snacks hopefully one windy, blistery Autumn night in the future.

If what you're reading doesn't overly excite you, CLEAR the tbr and pick new books!

Happy Autumn Reading. 🍁 🍂 

September Reading Start: Hot Days + Book Buying

I don't fool myself into doing "book buying bans" or anything like that. Life is hard. My life is really hard and buying and actually READING books brings me so much contentment, I'd never pretend I will stop.

Toying around with returning to BookTube, but in the meantime focusing on managing my schedule and reading as much as I can in my limited free time.

I feel myself in the mood for "page turning" books, but after one or two, I get bored and long for a deep read.

Let me be honest, I ALWAYS have a classic going. Always. 

I'm picking my Anita Brookner project back up with Incidents in the Rue Laugier. So far ( one chapter in) our narrator has announced herself as unreliable. LOVE that. I'll be continuing this challenge until I have her entire oeuvre completed. 

Also, I'm checking off my Classics I Want to Read in 2023. I'd have read more if I weren't constantly rereading - which I will never stop :) 

Here's how the month begins...

Classics, Translated, Epic Poem + My First Murakami: Currently Reading

I am working on deep reading and am having a great time with these reads. I am going to add a cozy mystery and/or thriller, and I am cycling through so many books these days and I love that feeling. 

I think I am going to go back to keeping a physical book journal as well. I miss that tactile process. 

My life is very stressful and I need reading and comforting reads to engage me. Literature is saving me these days. 

my current reads as the week of august 13th begins 

Women In Translation Month (August 2023) TBR

I am always reading women in translation, but I love helping to bring attention to them during the month of August.

I'm pretty removed from the online book world, but I don't see many announcements for it. It's okay, I won't be doing any prompts. :) 

I'm having a really tough time in life and I am working to make my reading as relaxed and am only seeking 5 star experiences.

I actually loathe the star rating system, but that's another story for another time :)

There are 23 weeks left in this year and I have a ton to do before the  year is out. I am being very particular about what books I am choosing during the next 5 months.

I'm excited about each one of these...

If you don't normally seek out female translated authors, see this as an invitation to do so. 

I'll make sure that I make suggestions of previous books I've read during the month of August.

Happy translated reading