From Vladimir by Julia May Jonas

Books Read in October:

1). Vladimir (Julia May Jonas)

2). The Glutton (A.K. Blakemore)

3). The Late Americans (Brandon Taylor)

4). By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept (Elizabeth Smart)

5). The Pleasure of Reading (ed. Antonia Fraser)

6). I Capture the Castle (Dodie Smith)

7). The Pleasure of Eliza Lynch (Anne Enright)

8). Let Us Descend (Jesmyn Ward)

9). Eichmann in Jerusalem: The Banality of Evil (Hannah Arendt)

10). Things Are Against Us (Lucy Ellmann)

11). Sleepless (Marie Darrieussecq, trans. Penny Hueston)

12). My Husband (Maud Ventura, trans. Emma Ramadam)

13). So to Speak (Terrance Hayes)

14). Artful (Ali Smith)

15). Time Shelter (Georgi Gospodinov, trans. Angela Rodel)

16). Dandelions (Thea Lenarduzzi)

17). The Sign of the Cross: Travels in Catholic Europe (Colm Tóibín)

So many um wtf moments here, so so many! But I didn't mind being inside this woman's mind, seeing each raw and unfiltered thought of hers. And that's probably because of this author's excellent writing, this is confident, honest prose and I find myself so impressed and entertained by it. And what's better than being stressed out? Being slowly stressed out by a functioning sociopath. This novel takes its time, letting you soak in every little thing the main character does, and keeping you there. I wanted to shake this woman, like can you take a trip overseas and think about your life please wtf

Le délicieux professeur V., Julia May Jonas

Rentrée littéraire 2023

C’est un constat sans appel : elle est la femme du « porc ». Son mari, professeur à l’université, est accusé d’attouchements sexuels envers des étudiantes. Elle a soixante ans, est également professeure à la fac, et elle a toujours su que son mari avait des aventures. Elle était même d’accord, cela lui octroyait la liberté dont elle avait besoin. Mais alors qu’il est mis au pilori, elle s’interroge : sur sa féminité, son féminisme, son désir. Et voilà qu’elle est fascinée par le nouveau professeur V., de vingt ans son cadet… Une fascination qui tournera rapidement à l’obsession malsaine.

J’ai dévoré et plutôt apprécié les premiers chapitres de cette histoire. Pour son premier roman, Julia May Jonas propose une histoire forte, post #MeToo, dans le monde (plutôt méconnu pour nous) des universités américaines. Son personnage principal est intriguant : cette femme qui se rend compte de la fracture entre les générations étudiantes d’aujourd’hui et les enseignants dépassés. Qui s’interroge : elle savait que son mari avait des liaisons avec des étudiantes, mais elle ne savait pas tout ; est-ce que cela fait d’elle une complice ? une victime ?

La quatrième de couverture envoyait du lourd, mais j’avoue que c’est un rendez-vous manqué pour moi. Ça ne tient pas trop ses promesses ; on est davantage dans un loooong monologue intérieur digne de James Joyce, avec cette femme qui s’interroge sur son désir, qui veut plaire, et qui fait une fixette (à force c’est un peu trop) sur sa soi disant vieillesse. Et puis il y a une ou deux scènes quand-même vachement craignos entre elle et le fameux professeur V… Après, l’omniprésence de la littérature et de l’écriture dans ce roman est très intéressante, les thèmes abordés le sont aussi, mais je ne sais pas, j’ai trouvé tout ça un peu plat. Ça manquait d’un petit quelque chose ! Encore une fois ce n’est que mon avis, et ce n’est pas parce que ça ne m’a pas particulièrement plu que ça ne plaira à personne.

06/07/2023 - 09/07/2023

Julia May Jonas

Ehh idk it didn’t do anything for me. I guess I saw a lot of hype for this book so I was excited but I was left disappointed. Did come away with one quote that I like.

“What did I want with a husband who wanted my attention? I wanted to avoid, and I wanted to be avoided.” It could have just stopped at what did I want with a husband. Because seriously who does lol.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

obsession as transformation syllabus by Julia May Jonas

'They were girls, they didn't know what they were doing.'  'Do you think that about yourself? Do you not know what you're doing? Is that how you want to be treated?'  'I know that I would do a lot of stupid things if I felt like I was allowed, but I don't have that privilege.' I could see that despite her best effort, tears were once again pressing against her eyes. 'Would I ever have pursued a teacher? No,' I said,' but everyone has the privilege of having experiences and making mistakes and being forgiven.'  She sat back and huffed. Hurt dimmed her expression and she took a few deep breaths to calm herself. 'No, they definitely don't.' Her mouth twisted, dismissing me.  I knew I had made a misstep. The students she was surrounded with, all the white non-scholarship kids, these kids with so much money, they could make mistakes and have them cleaned up in a way that was impossible for her. 'I understand what you're saying, but they should, right?'  'I'm confused,' she said, though she wasn't; she was using the word confused in the way so many of my students did, to mean they disagreed or didn't like what one was saying. 'Do you mean John should be forgiven? Or the women?'

Vladimir, Julia May Jonas

My July & August Reads

The No-Show, Beth O'Leary - I always fall for this author's characters, but whew, The No-Show is upsetting. That plot twist!

The Summer Book, Tove Jansson - A weird little book—and another book that made me wonder if I should move to a sleepy island town—I loved it. The ending sure did make me cry.

Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead, Emily Austin - A sad-girl stunner. Lovely writing, quirky story, but watch out, our gal is depressed. One of my favorite final sentences, I feel an adrenaline rush just remembering it!

Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner - Dear lord, I read a lot of sad books this summer. Crying in H Mart is spectacular, a memoir about mothers and daughters, food, music, and connecting to your roots. This was a book club pick, but alas, we never discussed it because my book club did what book clubs do best: it fell apart 😭.

Birds of California, Katie Cotugno - Never stop writing romances, Katie Cotugno, they are so reliably wonderful.

Honey & Spice, Bolu Babalola - This book made me laugh so much. I loved the characters and their friendships, nicknames, jokes, and Beyoncé references. A fun, sweet story—where's the movie deal, Netflix/Hulu/etc.?!

Vladimir, Julia May Jonas - Ahhh yes, my kind of beach read—a campus novel featuring some truly miserable English professors.

The Mutual Friend, Carter Bays - I loved this book! I couldn't stop reading it and I've recommended it to so many book friends. A totally unique read that made it to my favorites list.

The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again, Catherine Price - "Playfulness, connection, flow." Sorry to be dramatic, but I'm not ready to write about this book, which I borrowed from the library because a Cup of Jo commenter claimed it changed her entire life. Did it change mine? Too soon to tell, but this book has the most compelling argument for cutting back on mindless phone scrolling: it's making you BORING. Pursue hobbies/skills/activities/whatever instead, and you'll become more interested and more interesting, and presumably happier, too.

But what I was becoming so frustrated with, and the reason I felt more and more like not teaching, was that I believed that art was not a moral enterprise. That morality in art was what happened when the church or the state got involved. That if you insisted on infusing art with morality you would insist on lies and limits. Truth could be found only outside the confines of morality. Art needed to be taken and rejected on its own terms. Art was not the artist. Were these all simply platitudes I had absorbed without question? I felt more and more mixed up about it recently. Should we only portray the world we wanted to see? Should we consider certain stories 'damaging,' and restrict them from a general audience, not trusting them to take in the story without internalizing the messaging? Hadn't we all agreed that morality in art was bad? But art did cause damage, and I was affected by films I had seen when I was young, and I was ashamed when I watched an old film and saw racist depictions I hadn't seen before, and I was glad to be ashamed. But did we all have to see ourselves in the presentations of types? Did I have to feel like every wife and mother was presenting an overarching narrative of Wife and Mother that reinforced or rejected my own experience?

Julia May Jonas, Vladimir

I fucking h a t e myself for deciding to write this book in first person why did I do this

should i buy books

hi my reader friends lithub has a new syllabi section that has some great (u guessed it!) syllabi from much beloved writers like ocean vuong and ross gay here's the full list that i have already added half of to my tbr:

ekphrastic poetry with victoria chang (featuring works of john ashbery, joy harjo, paul tran)

the literature of obsession with julia may jonas (obsession as transformation, destruction, catharsis and form)

place, space and landscape with alexandra kleeman (featuring didion, okorafor and hernan diaz)

lyric research with ross gay (books that combine research with an "I" like nelson's bluets or christle's the crying book)

hybrid poetry with ocean vuong (traditions, innovations and possibilities featuring bhanu kapil, rimbaud, clifton)

multigenre experiments in form with paul lisicky (for writing that explores connections between genres)

reading about writers with peter ho davies (books that teach the craft and give writing advice, think 'the outline' trilogy)

speculative women with lina maria ferreira cabeza-vanegas (a look at speculative works by women writers like jemisin, butler, k le guin)

writers and the world with viet thanh nguyen (rankine, baldwin, and coates)

sports and contemporary writing with sam lipsyte (exactly what it says on the tin)

Best Character Named X Poll

I'm doing a series of "Best Character Named X" polls where all the characters have the same first name but are from completely different media, feel free to send in name/charcacter suggestions, I'm posting one poll a day. New polls scheduled for 1:30PM BST everyday. Run by @femmehysteria

please send suggestions via ask so i can see them, replies get lost in the notes. I reply chronologically so very sorry if it takes a while for me to answer

If your favourite character is not included in the poll very sorry i have either never heard of them or actively chose not to include them as theres only 6 characters per poll. Characters will only count of that is their first name, surnames do not count.

Round 172: Jake

Round 173: Ellie

Round 174: Leo

Round 175: Annie

Round 176: Julian

Round 177: Lily

Round 178: Chris

Past Polls

Poll Ideas under the cut

Names that I have a complete list for*

Caroline, Rebecca, Steve, Victoria, Katherine, Robin, Clark, Phoebe, Julian, Nancy, Penny, Erica, Theresa, George, Felix, Michael, Charlotte, Diana, Zoe, Connor, Daisy, Maya, Andy, Alma, Nora, Juno, Otto, Donald, Todd, Angel, Judy, Jo, Hazel, Diego, Miranda, Lila, Duncan, Dexter, Meredith, Pearl, Malcolm, Napolean, Joan, Nico, Jamie, Kiera, Tam, Klaus, Luna, Laila, Zack, Imogen, Felicity, Cindy, Alicia, Kelly, Alan, April, Astrid, Delilah, Jodie, Claudia, Juliet, Jonas, Milo, Celia, Joy, Katya, Atticus, Ian, Cynthia, Boo, River, Corey, Minerva, Ebony, Zia, Beverly, Rudy, Quentin, Marvin, Miriam, Roxy, Percy, Bianca, Shirley, Beatrice, Amara, Cleo, Cecil, Amaya, Ryan, Mabel, May, August, Leela, Manny, Francis, Matilda, Deborah, Josh, Jared, Sabrina, Kendra, Angus, Ophelia, Liesel, Zelda, Fitz, Aurora, Ramona, Misty, Talia, Orion, Roy, Kala, Madeline, Anastasia, Anna, Kit, Marian, Lena, Polly, Cora, Leah, Jules, Artemis, Irene, Margo, Laurie, Laurel, Hilda, Valentine, Reggie, Felicia, Joe, Monty, Quinn, Skye, Walter, Christine, Marissa, Edmund, Hope, Oberon, Lorna, Ace, Wally, Calvin, Alana, Jasper, Fergus, Bridget, Ulrich, Roger, Mason, Stella, Lenore, Wanda, Miguel, Winona, Hannibal, Newt, Aiden, Oscar, Tobias, Dorian, Dorothy, Una, Marnie, Mirabel, Wendel, Dora, Mort, Olympia, Toby, Chip, Harvey, Mara, Fearne, Axel, Gil, Bo, Remy, Rue, Leslie, Isabelle, Silas, Agnes, Luther, Sally, Delia, Zeke, Richter, Skylar, Scarlet, Bernard, Rusty, Ray, Nigel, Cosmo, Ruth, Selina, Harley, Blue, Cain, Warren, Missy, Perry, Paige, Duke, Tao, Gemma, Cornelius, Declan, Wendy, Apollo, Celeste, Clyde, Nicole, Summer, Hugh, Esther, Cole, Jean (french), Tatiana, Carl, Kieran, Melody, Adrian, Travis, Vivian, Haley, Elle, Prudence, Hans, Ralph, Azrael, Constance, Lauren, Molly, Agatha, Pauline, Athena, Darcy, Stan, Dana, Lee, Ford, Red, Stuart, Camille, Bruce

Names I have an incomplete list for (welcome to send character suggestions)

Richter, Dylan, Chad, Moe, Dean, Guy, Yasmin, Woody, Alina, Freya, Adora, Piper, Gabriel, Owen, Noah, Taylor, Dawn, Ayesha, Parker, Chase, Hunter, Tina, Tanya, Cameron, Rudolf, Melvin, Melanie, Melissa, Melinda, Wolf, Orlando, Adele, Adeline, Jem, Dolores, Jude, Callie, Irma, Lara, Ginger, Terry, Bellamy, Jacob, Jackson, Reese, Nemo, Addison, Adelaide, Candy, Harriet, Abraham, Ragnar, Rupert, Ella, Destiny, Wendy, Bernard, Hero, Drew, Anita, Raphael, Wallace, Jean (feminine), Elena, Cheryl, Rita, Blair, Hugo, Ike, Gaius, Lance, Lois, Riley, Shane, Cliff, Rod, Tegan, Matthias, Liam, Jed, Caeser, Ellis, Dennis, Josie, Mick, Mike, Heather, Trixie, Amber, Bailey, Esme, Ada, Briar, Puck, Eden, Annette, Letitia, Giselle, Suki, Zain, Keith, Ron, Olaf, Wilfred, Blaine, Pam, Brianna, Clive, Sabine, Roman, Carina, Kalina, Mindy, Wade, Julia, Marlene, Lex, Edith, Monet, Marina, Zara, Tsukasa, Octavia, Marcus, Elias, Mira, Sasha, Glen, Yukari, Dinah, Sloane, Farah, Norman

Feel free to send more suggestions

*subject to change, you can still submit a character if there is no strikethrough if you think theres a character that its an absolute crime i dont add. Please don't suggest anything for the names with a strikethrough as they are polls that are already in my queue waiting to be published.

One Headcanon for everyone one in the neighborhood! (Except for u Home D:<)

Note that this is when everyone was still alive / human sooooo yeah.

🍎Wallace would sometimes weirdly talk to the puppets and would call them by his friends' real names. Example : "Julia's hair is soft today, Right Barnabus?... Yeah she's like a.. Hair master, hehehehe" "Said something about my hair? uhhhh.. Dory (Dory is a nickname for devil dorelaine) said not to touch the puppets during lunch... Hello? Wally?"

🐶Barnabus likes to have an airhorn to sneakily sneak up and it's kinda like this, "BWAAAAAHH!! hahahaha, I'm never getting tired of Aira" "*huff huff* First.. YOU KNOW I CAN'T STAND NOISE!!! Second... You.. Named your airhorn Aira? Third... Your paying for my book.. Do you have a 50? Thank you." "Aaalright alright sorry, Ayy how ya doin lil buddy?... Ehh.. Wally?"

🌸Julia would often give people nicknames that are fun (and may or may not be from Jonas (Jonesy) heres a look. "Hiya Bya! Sup Franko! You too Eeedee! Hello Popsie, good day to ya! Lookin good Barney! Howdy Howdy! Oh hi walls, Said something about my hair? uhhhh.. Dory said not to touch the puppets during lunch... Hello? Wally?"

☀️Byeol / Sally will come up with episode concepts with sammy Julia as they got a good story to tell and would show it to Dorelaine as an Episode Proposal kinda like this, "Ronald Dorelaine, What do you think of our most Astounding, Most Remarkable episode?" "Hope ya like it Dory! I like a new side character move in :>" "Oh just in time! What is your Creative Brain thinking about this Spectacular Script huh Wallace?"

🦋Frank will always have a book or two during Lunch Breaks so they can keep up with entomology / lepidoptorology while on the job, Why not we take a look? "Hiya darling, What's the new topic? Is it okay if I can see?" "It's about Chimeras, It's a rare thing with butterflies that can give them Asymmetrical Wings and yes dear, you can see the pages" "How you two lovebirds doin?" "Hiya Howdy, Doing great. Say, Do you know any sneak peaks for the new episode?" "Nada, But I got one more readin' buddy! Say, How'd ya like to know things about my favorite bug? ay Wally? "

✉️Eddie is clumsy in work, It's obvious that Byeol added this trait cuz he would ACTUALLY trip on set. Here's a nice preview. "Hiya Frank! I got the package ya- AAGH!! oof!... I'm A -Okay!" "CUUUUTTT!!! Eddie, You really need to stop being a klutz or else it will fuse into your characte- Ohhhh! That needs to be written down, this WILL be added to your character! Now I'll just ask Dorelaine for approval" "Aaand there's my clumsiness fused into Mr. Dear. Which is actually kinda cool. Ya hands still sweating Wally?"

🐛Howard is the person that prepares the sets and Eddie helps out, I feel like Howard would be indecisive about how the layout of it should be, Heres a snippet. "Gee.. I-I dunno if the flowers should be pansies or marigolds..Uhhhh I think both! then it'll be the main focu- THAGHH!! I CAN'T THINK OF A LAYOUT!!" "Ay! ay! Calm down Howdy! ya just need some brain rest and actual rest, Ya stayed up 'till 4! I think the 'Bodeguero' thing is getting to ya head. So, Whaddya say?" "uhhh, Sure thing barn. EDDIE!! TELL DORY THAT I NEED A BREAK!! AND TELL DORY MS. PERDIZ'S NOT FEELIN' WELL AIGHT!?" "Got that covered!" "*heavy exhale*... Oh howdy - do lil guy.. Didn't notice ya Walls"

🐦Poppy is prolly the one with the sewing / repair puppets as she can do the job either at Home or Work cuz she's convalescent like my mom. So she's rarely in the Poppy suit and Voice Acting, That's why Partridge is rarely seen. Last part I swear. "Hello dearies, I'm back from my doctor's appointment." "Hiya mothe- I mean! Ms. Perdiz! How's your stomach doin?" "Doing well dearie! now, you said something about Mr. Darling puppet having a tear? Hello? dearie are you okay? Mr. Darryl? Wallace?"

❌ Samuel is dead, He has no info on him. We are so sorry.