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I was in London this past summer, I don’t even know why. My phone got stolen the first night I arrived. Then the following day, the queen died. I was having kind of a bad time. I came across this book in a Blackwell’s and it stunned me out of my malaise. Gave away my copy and have since bought a few more to gift to friends.
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Bought this for cheap in Berlin and read this on the plane + train back to London. had to fight tears. Such a quick and beautiful read.
3d ago
⭐
In the latter half of 2019, Sloane Crosley’s New York apartment was broken into. Luckily she wasn’t home, but the burglar(s) had ransacked her bedroom and made off with several pieces of jewelry, much of it handed down from her maternal grandmother. That neither she nor her mother were particularly fond of said grandmother was neither here nor there, they were still Sloane’s things and now they were gone. Dealing with such an intrusion and the material loss that went along with it would be hard enough, but only one month later her best friend and one-time boss Russell Perreault hanged himself.
This sudden shock sets her adrift as she struggles to come to terms with the reality of it. He had been a constant in her life for so many years and the mere act of accepting that he was gone was challenge enough, let alone learning to live with it. In a way, having the robbery to focus on proves to be a blessing, as investigating it provides at least some brief moments of distraction. When COVID-19 sends the city into lockdown a few months later, she is left with little but time to reflect on the loss and finally try to make peace with it.
Much of this book was written essentially as it was happening to her, though of course edited and rewritten later, which gives it a confessional tone. Crosley’s writing is eloquent and often funny, but still down-to-earth and easily relatable. The affection she has towards Russell is obvious as she takes us through several fond memories, but this isn’t a hagiography, and she delves into some of his faults in an effort to try and understand what could have led him to take his own life. Despite the weighty subject matter this brief book is a joy to read. As someone who has experienced the loss of a best friend and also the suicides of others who were close by, the emotions and thoughts documented within ring true, and reading about someone else going through them is a surprisingly cathartic experience. ★★★★★
Mar 6, 2024
😃
This book was insanely hard for me to get my hands on. It is the first and last book I bought off Amazon was one by Durga Chew-Bose, a fellow Canadian who made me feel a little less homesick amidst UK living. Her style of writing reminds me of the dinner conversations I have with my sisters. The pages kept me company as I sat outside on the ground, locked out of my house. The fastest five hours of my life
Sep 18, 2024
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I grew up being painfully shy with anyone other than my closest friends. I got sick of that. Over the years I’ve grown into a confident person by doing as much scary shit as I can. If there’s something I find particularly terrifying, like accepting an invitation to attend a clowning class, it means to me I have to just fucking do it. I don’t always end up having good experiences following my fear, but more often than not, I do. And you know, worst case scenario I end up with a funny story? Eating shit is good for you. If there’s something that keeps floating into your consciousness, but you’re afraid to poke it, I recommend walking towards it!
Apr 5, 2023
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I first got into Devin The Dude (shoutout to Houston) during a lil chopped and screwed phase in high school, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that I first heard “See What I Could Pull,” and it caught me. I get obsessed with things, but I’ve never gotten unobsessed with this song. It’s unlike any other song I know of, and it’s stayed in my weekly rotation.
Apr 5, 2023
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I work out unclothed in my room. It’s less restrictive than working out in athletic wear, and of course it means I cut down on laundry days. On YouTube I bounce between Caroline Girvan and Madfit. Outside of YouTube my friend Sadie lets me use her Sculpt Society account (I almost called it Pilate Pals). Working out is so addictive–mostly I love to feel strong. I had a phase of using fitness metaphors often and sincerely, but I think that’s behind us now.
Apr 5, 2023