How do you do it? Make me feel like I do?

Currently I am reading Love is a Mix Tape by Rob Sheffield, which was highly recommended by my music loving friends.

The book made me so nostalgic for the mix tapes I made 10 years ago that I went digging through my drawers and boxes looking for the cassettes that had all my old favorites on them. I found one with some Incubus and Sarah McLachlan songs and happily popped it into my stereo.

I was bopping around singing “Stellar,” and generally having a grand time, when suddenly the tape stopped. Funny, I could have sworn there were more songs on this one. When I opened the deck, a whole blooming ribbon of cassette guts tangled the spindle, forcing me to do something I haven’t done in a decade—rewind the damn thing with a pencil*.

It’s funny how time forces you to remember the correct course of action for a problem that now feels utterly alien. Rewinding ribbon?!? I know I could just as well listen to an mp3 of the song or listen to the CD, but the low-fi, static buzz of my ancient recording takes me back to 1999, belting out this song with my best friend, and making it my secret love song for some boy I can’t even remember the name of right now**.

Incubus- Stellar
(Buy the album- Make Yourself)

(Buy Love is a Mix Tape by Rob Sheffield)

*- Almost completely sure that the tape is ruined. :(

**- Henry? I think it was Henry?

Bitten.

The most enduring character created by the first lady of chick-lit is reincarnated for the next generation of book lovers. And I’m not even trying to be metaphoric.

You see, it’s kind of hard to resist, “Mr. Darcy with fangs.”

The last novel in Stephanie Meyers’ Twilight series came out this weekend and by all accounts, was well received. As for me, I read the first book last week just to see what everyone was fussing over. Despite myself, I’m hooked. Although I stumbled over some of her flowery language and over dependence on “perfect” and “angel” as descriptors for Edward Cullens (Vampire Darcy), I have to hand it to her for making me giggle and sigh like a schoolgirl. What is it about Darcy-esque characters that just won’t quit?

I was also reading on her website about how the Twilight series came about and it’s a good read for anyone who wants to get published.

Read a short interview with her in EW where she talks about where she gets her inspiration. (Spoiler: It’s music!)

For You, A Thousand Times Over

After finishing A Thousand Splendid Suns a few weeks ago, I eagerly picked up The Kite Runner. I stayed up until the wee hours last night finishing it because I couldn't’t bear to put it down. Khaled Hosseini is such a brilliant writer, and it’s been a really long time that I’ve read a novel worthy of getting under-eye dark circles.

It's been a couple of years since I've really enjoyed a book, and I don't mean reading on the subway during morning commute, or catching bits and paragraphs whenever I can. So last week when the weather was beautiful, I went to Bryant Park, and sat in the park, soaked up the sun, marveled at how green the lawn was, enjoyed a warm breeze and just read and read. There is something so satisfying about getting knee deep in a novel with no distractions except when the wind gets ahead of itself and turns the pages for me.

What should I read now?

A paraoh, a poet, a big deal.

This week I went to Barnes & Noble at Union Square to see one of my favorite poets, Nina Cassian, who was doing a special reading for Poetry in Motion. New Yorkers know Poetry in Motion as those poetry ads you let your eyes wander to when avoiding the gaze of fellow straphangers on the subway.

There was a book signing afterwards, and I brought an old collection of poems with me. As I ascended the steps onto the platform where she was seated, my heart started to beat really fast. To me, she's kind of a big deal. Lots of thoughts started to run through my head. What would I say when I get to speak to her? I wanted to tell her how I found her book of poems by accident—it was sitting on a pile of free books at the English department in college a few years ago. No… then she’ll think someone didn’t think her book was worthy enough to keep. That might hurt her feelings. Oh shoot.

So when I met her, all I could squeak out was, “Oh my god, it’s so nice to meet you.”

She sees the book I have for her to sign and she is pleasantly surprised that it’s an old edition, as if someone had dug up a favorite sweater from a box in the attic. She asks me who she should make it out to, so I give her my name. “Is that all? Just your name?” she asks in her heavy Romanian accent. I give her kind of a geeky smile, “That’s it!” Well, no, that’s not it, I thought. Give me some insight into the meaning of life! How did you know you were meant to be a writer? What is the secret of humanity?!

But that’s a lot of words to ask for from a person, even if she is a poet.

From Life Sentence, Selected Poems by Nina Cassian--

Pride

I have no time to offer proof to you
Of the great, astonishing virtues I possess; therefore,
Those who have eyes will see, those who do not see,
My eyes will remain undiscovered as before.

Some there are who, meeting me, have said:
“Welcome to my life, you living wonder!”
Other had nothing whatever to say to me,
And I left them far behind, wanting upward to wander.

Time sweeps on, and I have precious gifts,
And I constantly seek out those who merit them.
If I do not find them, then let me be buried
Like a paraoh, with my riches, so the Earth may inherit them.

Dig books? Bring a shovel.

I love book fairs, don't you? Don't miss this one---

That's this Saturday! All the money goes to a good cause-- read more about the bookstore.

Besides, if you love a good bargain, be it books, or old, obscure vinyl, you can't miss this sale. Seriously, what can you buy in New York nowadays for $1? Even my corner deli guy won't sell me coffee for a dollar. And that's just messed up.

Pinback- This Red Book

(Buy Summer in Abaddon)

Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton- Reading In Bed

(Buy Knives Don't Have Your Back)

"That lightning bolt was mine"

Gabriel Garcia Marquez is a great writer, although he has his moments where the surrealism goes way over my head. Not this time, and not with Of Love and Other Demons. I remember I was reading this particular passage on the subway, and I was just completely blown away. I was having a Rory Gilmore moment and was going to whip out my highlighter so I didn't forget what I just read. You know when you're reading something and there's just a quality about the writing that just resonates with you? The moment is something you don't forget, and despite all that can be wrong with the world, in that second, and point in time, everything just makes sense.

A little background: A marquis is in love with a woman named Dulce Olivia. She is an expert in paper folding and would communicate with him through messages written in little paper birds. However, she is deemed unsuitable by his family and he is forced to marry Dona Ollala. One day, Ollala is sitting underneath an orange tree in a storm and is struck by lightning.

The Marquis ordered a queen's funeral, at which he made his first appearance in the black taffeta and waxen color he would wear forever after. When he returned from the cemetary, he was surprised by a storm of little paper birds falling like snow on the orange trees in the orchard. He caught one of them, unfolded it, and read: That lightning bolt was mine.

A flurry of paper birds... that is love no?