5 From Fitch: September
Will Palmer
?? Listening to: Recomposed music
What is it?
Much more inspiring than recycled paper, it’s great works of baroque and classical music broken down and put back together in new forms, played by musicians who give it more oomph by addings synths and other modern instruments. Two that I’ve had on heavy rotation are “Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi, The Four Seasons” and Christian Svarfvar and Johan Ullén’s “Infinite Bach.”?
Why I love it.
As an editor, I need to work to music that has no words, so a lot of the time I have Philip Glass or Brian Eno playing in the background. Classical music is good for some days, but often it feels fusty, a relic of times when men wore wigs and stockings. There’s something about these reimaginings — the melding of the minds of a great composer who lived 300 years ago and a great one working today — that breathes new life into it but (the key) still preserves the character of the original.
Caroline Morris
?? Reading: “Whoever You Are, Honey,” by Olivia Gatwood
What is it?
The debut novel from Olivia Gatwood, also author of poetry collections “Life of the Party” and “New American Best Friend.” It follows the budding friendship between neighbors Mitty, who’s lived in Santa Cruz with her elderly best friend Bethel for a decade, and new arrival Lena, a gorgeous and unoccupied live-in girlfriend whose life seems to have something dark lurking under the perfect surface.
Why I love it.
“Whoever You Are, Honey,” sucks you in and doesn’t let go. While it has dark, thriller vibes, the book is far more concerned with internal realities than the consequences of crime. It masterfully delves into the world and morality of tech and artificial intelligence without getting beatifically heavy-handed with it (a balance many writers fail to achieve), and explores what it means to be a woman and exist in a woman’s body. And of course, the prose is stunning; Gatwood’s poetic prowess showing its worth and translation into fiction, all set against the backdrop of the eccentric Santa Cruz. I couldn’t put it down!
Christine Gibson
?? Watching: “Happy Valley,” Amazon Prime
领英推荐
What is it?
Noir, Yorkshire style.
Why I love it.
We could argue forever about which British cop show is the best, but this one is my undisputed favorite. The characterization, dialogue and acting — especially by Sarah Lancashire as the beleaguered Sgt. Catherine Cawood — are brilliant, adding up to a minutely observed indictment of the effects drugs and poverty in northern England. That sounds grim, but its bleakness is leavened by the empathy the writer and creator Sally Wainwright shows even to her villains and the warmth radiating from Sgt. Cawood and her family as they face tragedy with fatalistic humor and endless pots of tea.
Amy Kover
?? Reading: “The Long Island Compromise,” by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
What is it?
A novel loosely based on a real-live kidnapping of a wealthy businessman on Long Island.
Why I love it.
This book seems to be a parody of the upper class, but it’s way more intimate than that. It’s about the lecherous ways trauma shapes us. Turns out our reaction is as singular to us as our fingerprints.
Dianna Delling
?? Traveling: To Michigan
What is it?
Northern Michigan in autumn.
Why I love it.
Beautiful lakes and so many trees. When the weather cools down and the maples and oaks go red, orange and yellow, it’s spectacular. The season for cherries and peaches has passed, but bring on the fresh-pressed apple cider!