Books

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

This is by far my favorite work of fiction, and I’d recommend it to just about anyone. It follows a narrator known only by the nickname Piranesi as he explores the vast dimension he calls the House. The mystery that unfolds throughout the second act is extraordinary, and the prose is unbelievably gorgeous.

All The Single Ladies by Rebecca Traister

One of those rare books that changes your entire worldview when you read it. It’s a nonfiction look at the history of how single women have shaped America, and should be required reading for every young woman today. The mix of historical accounts and personal anecdotes is masterful: you’ll never once be bored.

The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson

Real life will always be stranger than fiction. This book tells the story of Edwin Rist, an American flautist who broke into the British Museum to steal almost 300 extinct bird specimens for reasons you will quite literally never guess.

Honorable Mentions

• Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
• Turtles All The Way Down by John Green
• Also A Poet by Ada Calhoun

Poetry Collections

I Love Information by Courtney Bush

I found this book through dial-a-poem.org, and as “I Love Information” played, I looked up from what I was doing and stared at the wall. That feeling, of being seen if not being watched, continued through the whole book.

Graffiti by Savannah Brown

You never forget your first. I read this book as a 7th grader, that age where every decision will prove to be the most important decision you’ve ever made.

Lunch Poems by Frank O’Hara

Every poet wants to be Frank O’Hara, but few are willing to commit to being professional museum curators writing poems on their lunch breaks. I, despite my best judgement, see myself on these pages.

Honorable Mentions

• Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky
• Bright Felon by Kazim Ali

Movies

The Fall dir. Tarsem Singh

An absolute feast for the senses, a beautiful story, and my favorite film of all time.

Dear Lemon Lima dir. Suzi Yoonessi

A film from my childhood that apparently only I watched. That’s a shame, because it perfectly executes its tone and captures what it’s like to be a slightly pretentious, always-daydreaming teenage girl. There’s an emotion I only ever feel while listening to “My Goldfish Riggoberta” off the soundtrack.

Batman Returns dir. Tim Burton

The best superhero film ever made, mostly because it’s far more concerned with Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle than with Batman and Catwoman. Visually stunning, perfectly casted, I watch it every year at Christmas.

Honorable Mentions

• Amélie dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet
• Wake Up Dead Man dir. Rian Johnson
• Last Holiday dir. Wayne Wang
• Conclave dir. Edward Berger
• Superman dir. James Gunn

Podcasts

For starters, I recommend the app Pocket Casts for all podcast listening.

Dear Hank and John

The asylum where they raised me.

99% Invisible

If you like seeing the world in new, appreciative ways, or noticing things no one else notices, I highly recommend this architecture and design podcast from Roman Mars.

Sidedoor

A podcast from the Smithsonian that reveals behind-the-scenes stories from the collection. For fellow museum nerds.

Honorable Mentions

• Welcome to Night Vale
• Bridgewater
• Lore
• Cruising
• Ologies

Video Games

Night In The Woods (2017)

“Nothing is going to save us forever, but a lot of things can save us today.”

Undertale (2015)

Does this game need any introduction? Undertale is one of those modern classics that will always, always be the story we need.

Detroit: Become Human (2018)

Listen, this game has its flaws and I can and will rant about all of them. But, in spite of its grand social ambitions, this game has fantastic characters and a fantastic story, which is all we can really ask for.

Honorable Mentions

• Life is Strange (2015)
• What Remains of Edith Finch (2017)
• White Shadows (2021)
• Minecraft (2011)

Phone Games

I, like many of my generation, am making an effort to stop doomscrolling, but there will always be moments when you’re stuck in a waiting room and just need to kill time.

Timeguessr

Like Geoguessr, but with the added challenge that the still image can be from any year after 1900.

Gubbins

A word puzzle game, where creatures called Gubbins can appear to help or hinder you. I always play on Pencil mode.

Monument Valley

Puzzles that are more like moving art than true challenges, but I always return to it when I need a quiet distraction.

Fountain Pens

I am a huge lover of fountain pens, you have no idea. If you write by hand any significant amount, I cannot describe how big of a difference a quality pen makes.

Pilot Metropolitan

For those who are just starting out and want a basic fountain pen for daily use, I recommend the Pilot Metropolitan. Easy to fill, glides across the page, reasonably priced (and it’s pretty).

Kaweco Sport

For folks who carry pocket notebooks and want something durable and ultra-portable, I recommend the Kaweco Sport. They’re small, but hold quite a bit of ink and have never once jammed on me even after being thrown around all day in my backpack.

Parker Vacumatic

For the true fountain pen lovers, hear me out and get a vintage Parker Vacumatic. Mine is from 1942. It’s beautiful, classic, and writes like an absolute dream. Is it a little pretentious? Absolutely, but writers deserve the best.