What we're reading: Taylor & Plath
Each week we bring you a sample of the books we’re reading, the films we’re watching, the television shows we’re hooked on, or the music we’re loving.
Rosalind McClintock is reading Search History by Amy Taylor
I have just finished reading Search History by Amy Taylor, and absolutely loved it. Taylor's writing is sharp and funny. Her characters are flawed and real. Based in Melbourne (which I always love), Ana has moved over from Perth running from a bad break up and looking to start a fresh. She is lonely in her one bedroom apartment, her only friends Sophie from work and Maria downstairs until one night she meets Jake at afterwork drinks and is enveloped into his world. But, he is not opening up to her as she would like, she has done a deep dive into him online and knows his last girlfriend, Emily, died suddenly, something he is not divulging. Ana can't help but compare herself to Emily and wonder why Jake is holding back ...
As someone who missed internet dating and having my teen years and early 20s documented online, it is an eye opener to me just about how much you can find out about a person, their friends and the timeline of their lives. It was such an easy read, but covering some important ground.
Angela Crocombe is reading The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
I recently read the beautiful new illustrated edition of The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, which I’m embarrassed to say I had never read before. Of course, I’d heard many things about how depressing it was, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The writing is sharp and still so powerful and immediate, even 60 years after first publication.
Set during a hot New York summer, the main character, Esther, is working as an intern on a magazine, and is frustrated by the endless parade of society events and the lack of serious journalism. I was immediately struck by Esther, who was so stifled by societal expectations of womanhood and the lack of opportunities for smart, ambitious women. In a society that valued women only for their prettiness and taught them to focus on their marriage prospects, it’s no wonder the main character became so despondent she ended up in an asylum. There just weren’t many other options in her day. With a somewhat hopeful ending, and stunning, insightful writing along the journey, this is a glorious feminist classic that I am so pleased I have finally enjoyed.
