I love coming across a good HEART OF DARKNESS reference.
Briefly | I’m feeling so sad and so defeated by the mass shooting in Orlando yesterday. I’m not sure what it takes to accept that there’s a problem in the United States related to gun violence, and that we need to do something to address it. President Obama’s comments after a PBS News Hour town hall earlier this month have been on my mind, even more so since yesterday.
Reading | Reading has been incredibly slow so far this month. I decided to put Swamplandia! aside for something a little more fast-paced, Before the Fall by Noah Hawley. It’s a pretty good page-turning thriller so far, and comes with a Liberty Hardy endorsement, so I’m optimistic it’ll stay good.
Watching | I missed watching the Tony’s last night — we were at a friend’s house for game night — but I’m hoping I can catch the highlights from the broadcast online today.
Listening | The boyfriend and I are off to the lake this weekend, so we’ll need an audio book for the car. I’m trying to settle on something we’ll both like — I’m thinking Lab Girl by Hope Jahren, but we’ll see.
Cooking | Summer salads are here! We had a caprese salad over the weekend that was pretty delicious.
Blogging | I reviewed some books this week — Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi and LaRose by Louise Erdrich. Yay!
Promoting | I got to interview Mary Roach for Book Riot! I learned a bunch of new stuff about the reporting and writing of her newest book, Grunt, that I managed to pull together in a relatively coherent Q&A.
Hating | I had a lot of things percolating for “hating” this week, but the events in Orlando over the weekend made all of that seem petty. So I’ll just say I hate that we’re at such a polarized moment in our country that there seems to be no interest, by some, in having a reasonable conversation about what should be done to start addressing an epidemic of gun violence.
Loving | This weekend was also my sister Jenny’s birthday. She’s an amazing sister, and has grown into such a good friend and travel companion. I couldn’t ask for a better sister in my life.
Can’t Let It Go | I’m stealing this last one from the NPR Politics podcast, which uses this prompt for their last segment every week. This week, I can’t let go of the fact that two of my favorite actors from Hamilton — Leslie Odom Jr. (Aaron Burr) and Chris Jackson (George Washington) — had small roles on Person of Interest! Leslie Odom Jr. played a privacy terrorist/advocate named Peter Collier for a multi-episode arc, and Chris Jackson was Random Inept Security Guard for one episode. So funny!
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Speaking of Hamilton, did you see the viral video with James Corden from the Late Late Show? You probably have, but if you haven’t it is so great! lol One time I miss having cable is for the Tony’s. I will be looking up the highlights throughout the day myself.
Carpool karaoke with Lin-Manuel and other Broadway folks? I did! It is THE MOST DELIGHTFUL thing.
Summer salads made a comeback for me too this week! They make me so happy. I hope you have a great trip to the lake!
Based on your Can’t Let It Go, I think you’ll like the Law & Order spot from the Tonys when you catch it 😉
I haven’t see that online as it’s own little video… I’ve just been watching the clips I’m interested in. Now I need to do some more Google ninja-ing because the idea of that sounds delightful.
I can’t get Orlando off of my mind either. It’s time to do something about guns and violence but, with so many guns out there already, I don’t know what that something is. Last week, I read there are more guns than people in this country and that really scares me. I was talking to my mom yesterday and told her I wonder why people want to immigrate here.
The “something” is the hard part, especially, as you say, with the volume of guns already out there.
I had BEFORE THE FALL in my vacation book stack last weekend and didn’t get to it, but it does look like a good summer read.
Today feels like WAY too much Monday. It’s hard to look around and feel how lucky we are to be alive right now. (At least we have HAMILTON. At least I finally got on that train!)
HAMILTON! One of us! 🙂
I just finished Before the Fall – pretty good thriller! Hope it stays good for you! And I read Grunt recently so will have to go check out your interview!
Happy birthday to your sister! Up with Jennys!
I don’t usually watch the Tonys, but opted to this year because of Hamilton, and also because I really, really needed something joyful to think about for a little while. I was pretty emotional all during it — all the Hamilton winners got me weepy. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s speech when he won Best Music was, of course, perfect.
I was glad they ultimately went ahead with the performance. It was something that brought some joy, if briefly, during a really sad time. I shed some tears watching videos from the show. Lin-Manuel Miranda is such a light.
I’m right there with you. While I was saddened from the moment I found out about Orlando, as the week wore on and I percolated over it more and more, I just got angrier and more beaten down. Really had to take stock of how to move forward and try to make a tangible difference. Tough stuff.
Congrats on talking with Mary Roach! I enjoyed reading your piece. Also I just read & reviewed Before the Fall — it’s a pretty good summer read. Enjoy. I met Noah Hawley at BEA, fun.
Thank you! Mary Roach was just as delightful to interview as you might expect.