Side Quest: Every Book I Read in my 29th Year

The bday book list to end all bday book lists.

Hey folks,

Changing up the newsletter with a bonus feature reviewing every book I read in my 29th year on planet earth. I’m 30 now! It’s fine! This bonus letter is inspired by a blog from Emily Horne, the artist behind beloved webcomic A Softer World, who used to post annual book round ups. As a highschooler, my mind was blown by how many books she read and her thoughts on them. Now I’m an adult (officially, with health insurance and everything) and I’ve read a lot of books and have a lot of thoughts too! Fear not bookstore lovers, I’ll be back to my typical irregularly scheduled bookstore review posts soon.

Every book I read in my 29th year on planet earth: part 1.

Shadow and Claw by Gene Wolfe

Where I got it: Book People in Austin, TX!

Shadow and Claw is some of the headiest, heaviest scifi/ fantasy I’ve ever read. Originally published in the early 80s, this book follows Severian, a young apprentice in The Commonwealth's Torturer’s Guild. Severian gets caught up in all kinds of bizarre political intrigue which sets him on a quest with plenty of detours to bizarre religious cults, public duels, and even a few wacky mythological theatrical productions. As Severian learns more about the world outside the Torturer’s Guild, we too learn more about the bizarre future in which he lives, where strange magic mixes with discarded, repurposed remnants of technology of our time. This book was often confusing but utterly compelling, and far too immersive for my typical subway reading habits. This book had me running around Prospect Park imagining my black hoodie was Severian’s fulgin executioner’s cloak and my umbrella was his sword. Thanks to my long time friend and fellow nerd Jake Wilk for the recommendation!

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh

Where I got it: borrowed from my girlfriend Marissa

Ottessa Moshfegh attracts a ton of controversy for her books which are edgy, gross, depressing and incisive. You either love her or hate her, and I come down on the side of love, especially after reading her 2015 novel Eileen. Her 2018 book My Year of Rest and Relaxation keeps the gross bodily stuff, the borderline sociopathy, the malaise of the previous book but this time puts it in a way more relatable context– the Upper East Side of New York City and the downtown art world in the early 2000s. This book follows an unnamed narrators’ quest to sleep for a year using all kinds of sketchy medical aids, a unique premise which urges the reader to question our own motivations, our own habits of rest, and our own secret desires for oblivion. The genius of Moshfegh here is that her characters are completely insane… but just sane enough for you to see your reflection in them. My mom, though a lover of naps, was not a huge fan. Thanks to Dylan Fugel for the rec!

Darryl by Jackie Ess

Where I got it: Bluestockings Cooperative

Coming off the grimy vibes of My year of R & R, I needed something light and relaxing to cleanse my palette. Instead, I went even further into the darkness with Darryl. Darryl, the titular protagonist has a cuckolding fetish, a drug problem, a deep black hole of emptiness in his heart. Darryl’s trying really hard to find himself and has a whole lot of missteps along the way, including doing some true-crime style sleuthing within his city’s fetish community. This book was a fascinating read with a unique narrator. As a reader, I at times related to Darryl, at times pitied him, and at times was revolted by him. I struggled to view the events unfolding and Darryl’s perception of them in the context of his humiliation fetish. Darryl is not an easy read, but it is a challenging one that will encourage you to think in new ways.

All Star Superman by Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely 

Where I got it: Silver Age Comics

Why is Grant Morrison the greatest comic writer of our time? The answer is simply that they get comics, distilling generations of lore and storytelling into compelling versions of iconic characters that both honor and subvert their legacies. All Star Superman is a series from 2005 that brings Superman back to his roots as a product of Golden Age science fiction. The stories all feel more “strange adventures” than “superguy vs. other super guy” and come together in a way that is really satisfying to the reader. I’ll admit I am a bit torn on Quitely’s art– he is clearly a master of composition and storytelling but his character designs always seem a bit off putting to me, especially the faces. This comic will be sure to convert Superman skeptics and captivate super fans. For fans of this series, I highly recommend the Cartoonist Kayfabe deep dive on Youtube!

1984 by George Orwell

Where I got it: borrowed from Marissa

Despite my over 20 years of receiving education, I somehow never read this classic by George Orwell. I’m not going to say anything new or interesting about this book– it’s been reviewed by many greats including Margaret Atwood, but I will say this: for a book that has been ripped off, homaged, parodied, decontextualized, recontextualized, assigned, and banned so many times over, it holds up. This book is an utterly heartbreaking, devastating read. Orwell’s sophisticated understanding of politics and language keeps this book perpetually relevant in a world where the greed and cruelty of those in power will always find parallels to the world of Airstrip One. “If you want a picture of the future,” writes Orwell, “imagine a boot stamping on a human face – for ever.”

T zero by Italo Calvino

Where I got it: Mercer Street Books

Italo Calvino has two modes, the magical realist and the mythological mindfuck–- the short stories in this book from 1967 fall solidly in the latter. The stories in this book are perplexing and enchanting, developing an alternate history of the world that involves a lot of crystals, immortal higher consciousnesses and sex. The stories in this book feel both scientifically researched and completely made up. As always, Calvino’s voice is clever and captivating, inviting you into parallel realms of possibility.

I read WAY more books than this! See y’all soon for part two.

Did you read any really good books this year? Let me know in the comments!