This & That: January 17, 2023
Happy Tuesday, readers!
I loved getting all your sci-fi and fantasy recommendations last week! Check out the comments from last week’s This & That if you haven’t yet.
I’ve been obsessing over this genre for the last couple weeks and I feel my next reading project coming on. These books don’t get much attention from book critics, and yet they’re some of the bestselling and most beloved books/series of all time: Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, A Wrinkle in Time, Game of Thrones, Outlander, and more!
They tend to get written off as escapist drivel, but often contain ideas and insights into the human condition that are just as true as what you’d find in realistic fiction.
Okay, enough about that! This week I have some thoughts on Dry January, a reading list about the power of stories, and a peek at the books my 7.5-year-old is really into right now.
Something I’m Thinking About: Dry January
This is the first year that Jane and I have ever taken part in Dry January. When we started, I hadn’t realized what a cultural phenomenon it’s become — and an increasingly commercialized one at that.
But now that I’m paying attention, I’m seeing it show up just about everywhere.
Not only are companies cashing in by making non-alcoholic versions beer, wine, and spirits (which generally don’t taste that good, but cost the same amount), apparently sober-friendly pop-up bars have started appearing in major cities. People spend a lot of money on booze; if even a fraction of that cash disappeared, brewers and distillers wouldn’t be too happy about it.
Anyways . . . during the first few days of January, we discovered that an evening beer or cocktail after the kids were in bed had become rather habitual. After experimenting with mocktails and kombuchas for a couple weeks, we realized that the habit was actually the ritual of something tasty as a reward for making it through another day — rather than the alcohol itself.
We’re quite enjoying Dry January and have both noticed a marked difference in our overall energy levels and especially in the quality of our sleep. We’re waking up far more rested than before. After January, I suspect that alcohol will become more of a weekend treat than an evening staple in our household.
What about you? Have you experimented with Dry January? Are you participating this year? Have you seen any benefits, be they short-term or long-term?
What Graham Is Reading
My curious 7.5-year-old is obsessed with WhoHQ’s series:
His review of Who Was Thomas Alva Edison?:
“I liked this book! I have a connection to it because he liked technology and inventions and I do too. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️”
What Was the Boston Tea Party? is next on his list since he’s learning about it in school right now.
These short non-fiction primers are full of fun pictures, approachable facts, and eye-opening stories about how history’s most famous people and places came to be. There are hundreds of books in the series, so he should stay occupied for a little while. Check ‘em out for the all the curious kiddos in your life!
The Mini List: The Power of Storytelling
I recently finished and really enjoyed Celeste Ng’s Our Missing Hearts, which features some powerful ideas about storytelling as a form of resistance and protest. It got me thinking about a couple other novels I loved that offered meaningful and lyrical meditations on the power of stories.
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng — In the near future, you can be jailed and have your children taken from you for disagreeing with the government. One poem, though, has catalyzed a movement and sent shockwaves through one small family.
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr — Set in the ancient past, the present, and the future all at the same time, Doerr’s latest novel weaves a masterful tapestry that connects the power of the stories over the course of centuries.
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon — One of the great literary mysteries ever dreamed up. The first lines is one of the most memorable I’ve ever read: “I still remember the day my father took me to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books for the first time.”
Miscellany
After taking a couple weeks to compile the numbers, Publisher’s Weekly released its list of the bestselling books of 2022. Not a surprise: Colleen Hoover dominates. Somewhat of a surprise: backlist titles (those not published in ‘22) made up 70% of the top 200. I’m a begrudging, very occasional runner, so I appreciated this piece on the benefits of slow running. Need a new show? Jane and I both really enjoyed Welcome to Chippendales. It’s a wild story and Kumail Nanjiani is perfect, as always. If you’re in search of a good bookish laugh, look no further than @goodreads_reviews on Instagram. It curates the funniest 1-star reviews. It took me a while to find an Apple Watch strap that didn’t irritate my skin, but 9 months later, I’m really happy with this stainless steel band.
Thanks so much for the time and attention — I deeply appreciate it.
-Jeremy
I’m a random drinker at best because of medication I take so I’m not really participating lol. It’ll be interesting to see what happens if this catches on because as you said this industry will not appreciate it. My two sons love books - 2 year old loves Sandra Boynton and the almost 4 year old is nuts for the Berestain Bears.