Author Archives: Kasia Bartoszynska

I had very mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, the prose is great — it really gets under your skin in a very visceral (and sometimes pleasurable) way — and there are some really interesting observations, and ways of bringing different facets of a topic together. A lot of the essays reallyContinueContinue reading “Girlhood, Melissa Febos”

It’s sort of interesting that this book is not better, because the story has so much promise — a young, fairly naive, Mexican woman goes to Cuba in 1970 to teach ballet — and the author seems to be a skilled writer who knows a lot about Latin American politics (and writes wonderfully, and vividly,ContinueContinue reading “Dancing with Cuba, Alma Guillermoprieto, tr. Esther Allen”

I saw the movie over a week ago, but I’m still thinking about it. It’s a travesty that Sarah Polley didn’t get a Best Director nomination for it. The movie is beautiful — a really moving portrayal of women being in community together. I was just finishing reading Adrienne Maree Brown’s Emergent Strategy when IContinueContinue reading “Women Talking”

This book was absolutely incredible, to be placed alongside writing by Alexievich, or Herrera, on historical atrocity, and the attempt to find the words for it. This one stands apart for its interest in dreams, and its uncanny mythic quality.I’d be curious to know what my Turkish friends think of it though, especially the wayContinueContinue reading “The Wounded Age and Eastern Tales, Ferit Edgü, tr. Aron Aji”

This is a really odd novel, hovering between realist critique and surreal symbolism. The premise is that the protagonist, Shibata, fakes pregnancy out of frustration with her colleagues at work and their sexist demands. Although there is initially some attention paid to the logistics of such a hoax, as the novel progresses, it fades intoContinueContinue reading “Diary of a Void, by Emi Yagi, tr. David Boyd and Lucy North”

Because I actually kept track of them for once: Petite Maman — a haunting, wondrous movie about mothers and daughters and childhood and grief Everything, Everywhere, All At Once — it’s just as great as everyone says Brian and Charles — a sweet and gentle movie about social misfits Nope — spooky and gorgeously shot,ContinueContinue reading “My favorite movies of 2022”

First, the books published in 2022 (in no particular order) Cold Enough for Snow, Jessica Au — A wonderful slender novel about a mother-daughter trip, and ways of being alone, together. Dinosaurs, Lydia Millet — A lovely, gentle novel about new beginnings and trying to be a good person. Let Us Believe in the BeginningContinueContinue reading “My Favorite Books of 2022”

This is refreshing in its lack of sugar-coating. Of course, that will put many people off, and raise defensive hackles, but a little dose of rage may have its benefits. It’s less a guidebook of what to do differently than a very clear-eyed account of the various ways that white women manifest racism (on theContinueContinue reading “White Women: Everything You Already Know About Your Own Racism and How to Do Better, Regina Jackson & Saira Rao”

I fully expected to dislike this, despite having admired A Woman’s Story, and the opening did make me roll me eyes a bit. Woman obsessed with man, can’t even function in her day-to-day life because she’s so obsessed with him. Yawn. I bemusedly thought: what a torment it would probably be to date Annie Ernaux!ContinueContinue reading “Simple Passion, Annie Ernaux, tr. Tanya Leslie”

Just some quick thoughts (with no real spoilers) — my last post, the list of books I wish I had had time to read this year but am looking forward to next year, included Emma Donoghue’s Haven, but I’m having doubts… So, listen. I will watch Florence Pugh in anything. I uncritically adore her. Yes,ContinueContinue reading “The Wonder”