Scan barcode
A review by murrderdith
How to Read Now by Elaine Castillo
challenging
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
I love essays about how, what, and why people read. Castillo’s writing is sharp and insightful. Listening to this book reminded me of my favorite people from grad school.
Really enjoyed this collection and Castillo’s threading of her life as the “unexpected reader” (non-white, child of immigrants, queer) throughout and how that has informed her reading life (and by extension how she watches tv and film.) As a fan of Didion that chapter was rough, but a fair critique of the absences (i.e. when Didion writes about people in California or Hawaii, she is only ever writing about and for white people in those places) in her work.
My only quibble is with all the astrology asides. But this is a personal pet peeve that should in no way deter anyone else from reading this.
Really enjoyed this collection and Castillo’s threading of her life as the “unexpected reader” (non-white, child of immigrants, queer) throughout and how that has informed her reading life (and by extension how she watches tv and film.) As a fan of Didion that chapter was rough, but a fair critique of the absences (i.e. when Didion writes about people in California or Hawaii, she is only ever writing about and for white people in those places) in her work.
My only quibble is with all the astrology asides. But this is a personal pet peeve that should in no way deter anyone else from reading this.