You know those weeks when it feels like you’ve started to get a handle on things, the to do list is getting shorter and then BAM everything blows up? This week was one of those in my world.

There was no one thing that went sideways – instead, the week was filled with a meeting that ran slightly over, a to do list item that couldn’t be completed in the allotted time, and a whole host of things popping up that required attention.

Though I’d love to rest up this weekend, dorm duty calls! I love working in the dorm, especially on weekends. Hanging out with the kids and getting to hear the stories they share at the desk is so much fun. That being said, the 1am end time to a day that started at 8am is a difficult pill to swallow!

Books:

None Shall Sleep by Ellie Marnie – You’d think I would’ve learned from watching the season 2 premiere of Yellowjackets the night before that consuming scary media leads to a poor nights’ sleep but….   Readalikes: Silence of the Lambs (Harris), The Naturals (Barnes), The Monster of Florence (Preston), Bonfire (Ritter)

The Silent Patient (Michaelides) – Admittedly, I likely would’ve DNF’d this one if I hadn’t been reading it for one of the student book groups. The main character is oily – problematic from the first page. I have a much lower threshold for psychiatrists who manipulate than I do for manipulative psychopaths (as in None Shall Sleep!). I did enjoy this one more than Michaelides’ sophomore effort, The Maidens, though I must say that this author’s toxic masculinity oozes from every page of his work and I can’t say I recommend the experience. 

TV shows/Other media:

• Season 2 of Yellowjackets – If you somehow missed Yellowjackets season 1, it’s time to jump in! Here’s the premise: a soccer team’s plane goes down in the mountains on the way to a tournament. They aren’t found for many months and are forced to survive. The story is told in dueling timelines (1980s and today), allowing it to be part Lord of the Flies, part the horror of living after that kind of trauma.
• The evolution of a book cover: The Prophets – It’s always so fun to see how books are marketed. This short video shows the process from concept to publication!

Web Articles:

• How dyslexia changes in different languages – Since my graduate program courses on learning differences, I’ve been much more cognizant of how literacy and language shape what we do and how we interact with the world. This article is a fascinating look at some particular challenges with English.
• In a Swift Decision, Judge Eviscerates Internet Archive’s Scanning and Lending Program: Ebook lending is a tricky business, largely because publishers are scared of digital rights management…but that doesn’t make the Internet Archive okay. I’m glad to see this decision come out.  
• Reckoning with an Upbringing in a ‘Noah’s Ark’ of a Family, With ‘Two of Every Race’ :  As an adoptee, the politics, trauma, and psychology of adoption are always top of mind. This NYT piece explores the newest book by transracial adoptee Matthew Guterl. In his new memoir he reckons with the ethics surrounding his parents’ decision to create a “Noah’s Ark” family and what it means to own your identity when it doesn’t match that of those around you. I am excited to read the memoir and would bet it rockets to the top your your list after you read this piece.