Monthly Musings: I Did Not Read Any Fiction In May
Everything Kelsey read last month 🍒
Hi friends,
Happy Friday the 13th🐈⬛. Should I start by saying I still haven’t read Martyr!? In my defense, a work friend let me borrow an advanced copy of Empire Of The Elite with instructions that I needed to give it back quickly. That meant the rest of my TBR was put on pause while I speed-read another 300 pages on Condé Nast. More on that below.
I did not read a bit of fiction in May, and I felt it. Years ago, I was watching a YouTuber’s end-of-the-year favorite books roundup, and she said she preferred nonfiction because this universe was interesting enough. I have always thought about that take, especially when I have months like May, and I am here to say that fiction is important to “get away from it all,” if you will. Let me tell you, reading Emily Henry’s Funny Story in June is going to feel like that first sweet bite of fruit after only eating cabbage and root vegetables all winter.
See you next month,
🗞️💼 Empire Of The Elite by Michael M. Grynbaum (out July 15)
★★★.5
If you are new here, I worked at Condé Nast for about five years, and it is tough to recall a time when things were enjoyable when there were so many challenges. Maybe it is schadenfreude or maybe it is trying to learn what not to do, but I will always pick up a book about this place. All to tide me over until Anna Wintour inevitably publishes a memoir.
I am not sure I would recommend this to someone who does not work in media. Most of it was skimmable, but there were some interesting chapters about adopting the Internet, Trump, absurd expense accounts, and hiring practices.
RIYL: Dilettante, When The Going Was Good, Feed Me, The Apprentice (movie)
😈🤐All The Worst Humans by Phil Elwood
★★★★
Listened to the audiobook
I originally put this book on hold at the library because I wanted to see if I could understand anything about all these bad men in power. I said this when I was recommending Keith McNally’s book, that “not all memoirs are about people you want to emulate,” and this applies ten-fold to Phil Elwood, who spent twenty years in PR working for clients like Muammar Gaddafi. Reading this book is a bit of morality gymnastics. The Machine of it all is a bit terrifying. Through implication, Elwood is a pretty bad guy, but he also exposes an underbelly and suffers from PTSD and depression because of this line of work.
RIYL: Misfire, insider access, Succession, The Wolf Of Wall Street
🍽️🏚️The Meth Lunches by Kim Foster
★★★★.5
Listened to the audiobook
I mean this as a compliment, this was like one long John Oliver episode about poverty, food insecurity, mental illness, homelessness, welfare, racism, foster care, and meth addiction. Read more about my thoughts here.
RIYL: Raw Dog, Empire of Pain
💋An Honest Woman by Charlotte Shane
★★★
Listened to the audiobook
I am still looking for a good read on the topic of sex work, and I am hoping after the success of Anora, someone is getting the book deal of a lifetime. I was hooked on the premise, but was disappointed in the delivery. Shane worked in the industry for years and shares her experiences, but it lacked emotion in my opinion. The flow of the memoir was also a bit disjointed.
🏮🐍The Snakehead by Patrick Radden Keefe
★★★
Listened to the audiobook
Big PRK fan here! Madeline and I have even seen him talk at NYPL.
This is the fourth of his books I have read, and unfortunately, this is my fourth favorite. The topic was so interesting: Sister Ping is a New York City Chinatown grandmother running a tiny noodle shop as the front for a multi-million dollar human smuggling business. It was a little difficult to follow all the names on audio and it felt like it needed to be a bit shorter–this was over twelve hours.
I would love a docuseries on this subject.
RIYL: Patrick Radden Keefe, Interior Chinatown
Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar - This and James were on everyone’s end-of-year lists and I have heard such good things
Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte - I am not one for short stories, but once a year I give another collection a shot
Funny Story by Emily Henry - After a month of reading some heavier nonfiction I wanted a romcom (and I have read three of her other books)
When The Going Was Good by Graydon Carter - We know I love a book about Condé Nast and for the sake of completion at this point, I need to read them all
Wild West Village by Lola Kirke - Madeline liked this, and there was a very short wait at the library for the audiobook