40 Someday: A reading journey
40 books for 40 years because what is Substack for if not assigning yourself homework?
Next month I’m turning 39, making Sally’s “I’m going to be forty” meltdown from When Harry Met Sally all too real. Not that I’m dreading 40, I don’t think it’s a big dead end like Sally (although the money and attention I spend on my skincare routine increases annually thanks to Nora Ephron’s warning about my neck).
If anything, as someone who is always looking for ways to celebrate, I fully intend to blow it out for this milestone birthday. This will hopefully include a theme party and a vacation, but I’ve been thinking about how to be intentional the entire year. I’m not going change my personality and train for a marathon. I’ve been inspired by writers I’d admire: author Ali Rosen is doing 40 new things,
is working on being more present, and chronicled her fortieth year in No One Tells You This.As in the past when I’m searching for the answers, I remember who I am, what this newsletter is, and realized there was no better way to mark the year than with books.
So, for the next year I’ll be reading a book published each year I’ve been alive and I invite you to join me!
That’s right, 40 books for 40 years. I’ve started to map out the coming year, but I want to hear from you. Tell me: What are your favorite backlist titles from the past four decades that I should consider adding?
To kickoff the journey, here’s what I have planned for the first month:
July Reading 1986-1989
1986: The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood
1987: Beloved, Toni Morrison
1988: Home Cooking, Laurie Colwin
As part of this series, I’ve turned on paid subscriptions. I waffled back and forth on this, but ultimately I believe in paying people to support and sustain the work. If you’ve been here and awhile, enjoy this newsletter and find it valuable, and also believe in paying people for their work, please consider upgrading to a paid subscription. I’m offering a discount ($40 of course) for the next month. Discussion threads for this reading journey are one of the added perks for subscribers.
I’m looking forward to embarking on this reading journey and hope you’ll join me for at least some of the 40 books!
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