When I hosted Largehearted Lit at Brooklyn’s WORD Bookstore, each event featured two writers (who would read and share a couple of music anecdotes) and a musician (who would play a handful of songs and talk about books). Artists talking about art outside of their own sphere has always inspired me.
The Book Notes series was born because I had discovered much interesting music through author profiles and interviews, so I was interested what a playlist for their book would sound like to them. The same for the Note Books feature, where musicians discuss their literary influences. Musicians have inspired my reading for as long as I can remember through their press and, now, social media.
I was thinking about this while reading Sadie Dupuis’ forthcoming poetry collection, Cry Perfume (out in October from Black Ocean). Dupuis is one of my favorite musicians, fronting the band Speedy Ortiz and performing solo as Sad13. Her debut collection, Mouthguard, impressed me, and the new book is innovative, playful, and energizing. Check out her Book Club column at SPIN, where she talks books with musicians.
So many musicians have become published writers. Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner, John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats, Jenny Hval, Josh Ritter, Alina Simone, Wesley Stace…the list grows every day. And the books are good, often brilliant.
I wonder why there are fewer writers who publish first, then become touring musicians. One of my favorite Largehearted Lit moments was when Libba Bray borrowed a musician’s keyboard to belt out a couple of Tom Petty covers. I still wonder if she missed her true calling.
When I hosted Largehearted Lit, I often asked musicians/authors which profession they enjoyed more. The answer was almost universally writing. Less time on the road. Financially more stable. I’m grateful they often continue to write and make music.
Largehearted Links
Books shaping artists’ practices now
Buy vintage deadstock lockets (with a handwritten note) from Ottessa Moshfegh
A list of unconventional diaries, curated by Cara Blue Adams
Michelle Tea interviewed about her new memoir
of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes covered T.Rex & Syd Barrett
Roxane Gay on recasting T’Challa in the Black Panther films
Want to be a barefoot bookseller in the Maldives?
An excerpt from Eva Baltasar's novel Boulder
“What an English degree did for me.”
Last Week on LHB
Dashiel Carrera's playlist for his novel The Deer
Emma Seckel's playlist for her novel The Wild Hunt
Kate Gavino's playlist for her graphic novel A Career in Books