Signifying Nothing

to read

i have been compiling a list of books i want to read this summer anytime i see something that catches my eye. here are some of the ones i’m looking forward to the most, so far:

1. Love and Obstacles by Aleksandar Hemon

this guy is so cool. i’m reading “nowhere man” right now, and it’s wonderful. he is brilliant and hilarious and didn’t learn english until he came to the US from sarajevo when he was in his late twenties. but for some reason he writes in english and writes better than i ever will. he is a genius. also i found out that a public space, the magazine i’m interning for, got its name from something he said in an interview.

2. The Invention of Everything Else by Samantha Hunt

about inventor nikola tesla, who turns out to have been a really weird guy who loved pigeons and thought he could communicate with mars. saw samantha hunt read the other night and she lives in my neighborhood. kewl beans.

3. Scape by Joshua Harmon

i don’t read contemporary poetry. it’s not that i don’t like it, i just have no idea where to start. and i have no idea what makes good poetry, which is kind of weird since i am always so shocked when people say they don’t know what makes good fiction writing, because it is so subjective and a matter of personal taste, you really can’t be WRONG (well, to a certain extent anyway). regardless, it’s true, i just don’t know poetry. but i do know josh harmon, my freshman seminar professor who is just a wonderful person and teacher, and really into experimental fiction. so i’m excited to see what kind of poetry he’s writing.

there are 6 more books and i’m sure the list will keep growing. i will keep you posted. what are you guys reading?