Music, movies, and books are things that are incredibly important to my life. I would not be who I am or where I am without them. I am an avid music nerd, and I try and watch at least a few movies a year. I have compiled my list of reccomendations here. I want you, as the reader, to experience what I would consider core parts of my being. Some of them aren't very serious, but they are all meaningful. I would appreciate it if you took the time to read my reasons why as well, as you listen or before you consider reading or watching. Thank you. Thank you. - R
HoL is a book that was reccomended to me by a dear friend. I read it in the summer of 2022. I continued reading it over the next few months. It was a beautiful book. It is, in my worst description, a book about abuse and also love. I remember reading it and I ended up crying. Every single page in my copy is covered in notes. Strangest thing is, when I purchased my copy, I found a one-way ticket to Boston and a photo of a girl named 'Pip' inside. A photo of the pope was in the back. I have never loved a book more.
The Kennedy Detail - Gerald S. Blaine & Lisa McCubbinThis was a book I read during my hour long commute to and from class on the bus. It was quite a good read, for a Kennedy enthusiast like myself. It is about the inner-life of those who were around Kennedy (and Eisenhower) during the time of his presidency. I only finished reading it very recently, so unfortunately I don't have a lot to say on it yet. I will update this as I update my feelings.
The Partisan - Patrick WorralA book I am currently reading. It is about a chess game, and espionage. I enjoy both of these things, as I find the topics quite interesting. So far it is an interesting novel, however I will also have to update my feelings here as I read it. Worral is very good at grabbing the attention of the reader, and forcing them to pay attention to every detail.
American Psycho - Bret Easton EllisWhat is there to say? I liked it better than the film? I thought the writing was captivating? I felt quite grabbed by it, and while I came in with certain expectations, I left feeling very satisfied. I couldn't describe it here in any way that doesn't mirror what people already say. It's a classic, to me.
1984 - George OrwellI feel kind of basic putting this here, but I truthfully do reccomend it. It's a novel that has hung over my head since I read it when I was 14. I remember never truly feeling scared by a concept before reading it. I remember reading it on the swings at the local park, and not letting anyone else have a turn (oops, in retrospect). It still captivates me, and I'm always due for a reread. I love 1984, I own it in several versions and have seen all the adaptations for a reason.
The Eltingville Club - Evan DorkinsThis one is a comic, and one that I have most recently found myself in love with. It is a graphic novel about a group of nerds who make 'fandom worse' for everyone else. I see a lot of my old friends in it, and it's very funny to me. The humor is often quite offensive, so if that is not your speed then I can't say I reccomend it-- these group of characters are considered the worst of the worst for a reason. Two panels from the comic are the two images on my index page. I can thank it for getting me back into comic writing.