Substack!

 Hi! It's been awhile, friends. While this space is still over, I have started a substack! Here's the link to subscribe:

(make sure to hit the "no pledge" option- this is free! I don't need to deal with extra tax issues from Substack income, thankyouverymuch)

https://open.substack.com/pub/bookishlyboisterous/p/bookishly-boisterous-20-has-arrived?r=2rctgr&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

And That's All She Wrote

Back in 2010 I started this blog as a way to distract myself from the infamous teacher pink-slipping that plagued districts far and wide in California. Since then I've had a child, bought a house, traveled, endured a pandemic, had dogs, read so many books, taught about 2000 students, seen dozens of authors speak, and have tried to live the best life I’ve been able to, no matter what the circumstances.

My blogging has dropped off quite a bit over the last few years, due to how busy life has been and the general slide over to different platforms for the bookish community. I’ve always loved keeping this space afloat and have never felt a lot of pressure to post a certain number of times or promote specific books.

Over the last few weeks I've had a change of heart and I’ve decided to say goodbye to this little corner of the internet. There are many reasons, but at the end of the day it’s just… time. I won’t close the site, since I want to keep this snapshot of my life and I’m not discounting the occasional return. I will be keeping my bookstagram account, @bookishlyboisterous , so follow along there!

To those who have read and commented over the years, I appreciate you so much.

Happy reading!

LA Festival of Books!

 It's been a few years since I've been to the LA Times Festival of Books and it was good to be back! I went with two friends we spent the day buying books and attending panels. The highlights:

- The Vroman's tent did not disappoint we each bought a few books

- We stopped by Octavia's, a new black-owned bookstore in Pasadena. The booksellers were delightful and they had some really cool stuff

- We went to a panel with Ottessa Moshfegh and Rachel Kushner

- Another panel featured Gabrielle Zevin (she's just the coolest)

- The last panel had a few guests, but I was there by Andrew Sean Greer and Rebecca Makkai

A few drawbacks

- It was pretty warm

- It was at USC; it used to be at UCLA and that was much better (says the Bruin)

- There isn't a lot of shade or benches

- The food situation is always a pain; they have food trucks, but they're spread out and it's hard to see what all is there before you decide 

- The panels felt a little shorter this year

March Reads Three Weeks Late

Honestly, I think I'd probably blog more if I brought my laptop downstairs more often, but I loathe clutter, so it stays on my desk in my office/gym/whatever I call it on that particular day. Oh well. 

March reads! Over half way through April! It's fine. It really is. If you'd like a more updated account of my reading-life just follow me on Instagram at @bookishlyboisterous

Three fiction and three nonfiction! I eagerly awaited Rebbeca Makkai's book and enjoyed it, although not as much as The Great Believers, which everyone needs to read. I am so happy that she's finding so much success with her newest book- she's so talented and deserves the recognition. I can't wait to see her (again) and the LA Times Book Festival Saturday!

I felt the same way about Maggie O'Farrell's The Marriage Portrait- it was super solid, just not as good as some of her older books. 

I bought two books about overthinking since it's Anxiety Spiral City over here to the absolute max this spring, but, spoiler alert, neither changed my life. It's who I am. I just need to harness the energy for good... like... Spiderman? Or something? 

I appreciated the message behind Mohsin Hamid's book, but the style prevents you from really becoming connected to the characters, which I would have liked to.

The writer's routine book had a lot of potential, but there were too many dead white guys in there for me.

Squeezing in Reading Time During Busy Seasons

Despite this being an incredibly busy year so far, I have still managed to stay on track in terms of meeting my reading goals. Here's a few things that work for me:

1. Always, always, always have a book on you (I don't count audiobooks, or else this would be a no-brainer). I read during Sawyer's swim class, if I get to an appointment early, or when I'm waiting to meet a friend (I am a chronic early-arriver).

2. If I'm on my phone I ask myself if I could be reading instead. I am still a die-hard Forest App user!

3. I read for a few minutes of my lunch period every single day- ten minutes, five days a week adds up! 

4. I read when Sawyer reads for his homework independent reading time, most days, which is a nice way to transition from work to home.

5. I do a lot of what I call "indoor hiking" (aka crank the incline way up on the treadmill), which I can read paperbacks while doing. 

6. I very rarely watch TV- I get it, we all unwind differently, but I would rather read. I have lots of other hobbies, but on weeknights after Sawyer is in bed and my husband is still working, I pick up a book instead of a remote. 

And, the kicker:

7. I read a few books at once now. I got the urge to reread Lonesome Dove, but that book is a beast at almost 900 pages, so carrying it around isn't super practical. I'm also reading an oral biography of Anthony Bourdain, but I'm not always in the mood. That means I need to have a third book to fill in the gaps. I finished the Strayed one in the picture above and just started Curtiss Sittenfeld's new one, which I'm really enjoying. Having a few options makes it even easier to read!