The heart wants what the heart wants, and our hearts want books.

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Tomorrow dear readers, we gather for Virtual Book Club and I’m SO looking forward to seeing you tomorrow as we discuss  The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray!   Registration is open here, and I think we’re using a new meeting platform.  Sign up now to get the link (which we will send out by noon Friday, but we’ll check back for any last minute registrants too).  Oh, and also, in case you missed our sassy Facebook banter, we both finished the book earlier this week!  

One month ago today, we shared about ReadaBook!withKara and invited you all to join us in this new book club.  An amazing bookish friend shared it with me, I immediately signed up, purchased Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, and sent Ashley the link.  To quote Kara’s recap: “because stories help you not be an asshole and it’s important to know what you’re talking about.”  Neither of us were able to watch the Read a Book! With Kara discussion live, but I did catch it this week, so now I’m trying to figure out how to squeeze in next month’s title.  If you want more information on the August 30 event, or to check out the video of the August 1 event, click here (more on the video below).  

Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God feels like a book that I should have read during school but didn’t, and not because it wasn’t assigned, because either I read it or I have guilt about it (yes, I’m a recovering perfectionist and people pleaser).  This title is about Janie, her life, her struggle, and, as you know I adore, includes the story of her mother, at least in part.  It’s so much more than that though, originally published in 1937, this is the story of a Black woman who chooses for herself (much like Vivian, who we discussed last week).  Janie is raised by her grandmother, who was born into slavery, as was her mother, but barely.  That, along with the occasional presence of cars, provides our semblance of time in history.  

Hurston writes the narrative pieces of the story in gorgeous, descriptive prose and the dialogue in a strong dialect, which took me some time to settle into as a reader, but added so much to the experience of the book.  The contrast was stark and a testament to her skill as a writer, and the way the dialects vary slightly from character to character is inspired.  When I first finished the book, I wasn’t sure what the message was, what I was supposed to learn from this tale of Janie’s life.  It took me a few days of reflection (I blame vacation brain), but I figured it out, or at least part of it.  Hurston tells the story of a woman who takes life into her own hands, makes of it what she can, and pivots when she gets the opportunity and also has the inclination.  She pursues her dream, and doesn’t let what anyone else says or thinks get in her way.  Janie is her own person, living her best life, and seeking out love.  This doesn’t feel revolutionary at first, and then you consider Janie is a Black woman, living near the turn of the twentieth century in Florida.  She is a character in a novel written by a Black woman in 1937.  This is absolutely revolutionary!  This is Black feminist writing, on top of being a beautifully written, well-developed story, and I am so thankful for the experience of reading it and of listening to Kara’s book club discuss it.

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Kara and her guests, Janet Mock and Samantha Irby, made me feel like I was a fly on the wall of a fabulous cocktail hour.  Yes, they discussed Their Eyes Were Watching God with all the sassy, direct, and sometimes crass, wit I didn’t know I wanted in a conversation about this classic novel.  They dig into the writing, the vernacular, the story, Janie’s love life, and her self-care tactics.  They discussed movie adaptations, and even did some fan casting (yes to Denzel, always).  Live viewers asked these women their opinions about the men in Janie’s life and I was crying because I was laughing so hard (and texting Ashley snippets of their conversation because she still has no internets).  These women also shared their experiences of reading this title as a teenager in school and now as adults.  They shared their personal, vulnerable reflections on the work, and it was such a gift to listen in on their conversation.  I do not suggest it for listening with any children below high school age, and even then, parts may be too crass for some listeners, but I found it a delight.  

I give Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston a solid four stars.  The ending wasn’t wrapped in a bow, but it felt right for Janie, and for the book.  I am not likely to reread this title, but I am interested in her backlist and have Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick: Stories from the Harlem Renaissance on my nightstand (yes, in paper form) as we speak.  I give ReadaBook!withKara a solid five stars and hope I can join in (or listen later) the next conversation she has, which will be on August 30 to discuss What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky: Stories by Lesley Nneka Arimah.  

~Nikki 

Yes, dear readers, you read that right, Ashley is still without interwebz. I’m at a friend’s house stealing some WiFi. I also just finished reading Their Eyes Were Watching God this very morning. It was both beautiful and harrowing, which is my usual response to tales of humanity. Like Nikki, it was a little difficult to get my mind around the dialect, as Hurston changed the cadence and depth of the accents depending upon the character. This is not a surprise as Hurston was an educated and trained anthropologist.

Zora Neale Hurston was born on January 7, 1891 in Notasulga, Alabama, but moved with her family to Eatonville, Florida in 1894. Eatonville was the setting for many of her works, including Their Eyes Were Watching God. She resumed formal education in 1917 after a brief job as a maid for the lead singer of the Gilbert and Sullivan theatrical company at Morgan College, the high school division of Morgan State University, a historically black college in Baltimore, Maryland. From there, she attended Howard University in Washington, D.C. for her associates degree, followed by Barnard College of Columbia University where she was the sole black student in 1925 earning her bachelor’s degree in anthropology in 1928 at the age of 37. She conducted copious amounts of research on African American folklore and culture throughout the next three decades. She published academic and fictional works throughout this time, and traveled extensively through the American South, Caribbean Islands, and South America. She died on January 28, 1960, in Fort Pierce, Florida, where her grave was unmarked until author Alice Walker placed a headstone in 1973 which reads: ZORA NEALE HURSTON / A GENIUS OF THE SOUTH / NOVELIST FOLKLORIST / ANTHROPOLOGIST / 1901–1960. 

Several of Hurston’s life experiences are reflected in Their Eyes Were Watching God, specifically Janie’s three marriages, her research in north Florida lumber camps that could be paralleled with the Everglades farm hand quarters, and of course the experience of Eatonville’s growth. It seems that much of Janie’s character can be found in the history of Hurston herself, notably their independent search for work and love that is worthwhile. They each created their own timeline, living life as they each decided they needed to live — Hurston in academia as an older, non-traditional-aged student and researcher, and Janie through choosing the three men she married and the lives that she experienced with each of them.

Many of my highlights throughout the novel were as regards women’s experiences in marriage or courting, like how “the way Joe spoke out without giving her a chance to say anything one way or another that took the bloom off of things.”  After reading and journaling along with Me and White Supremacy, I also highlighted a lot of the black woman’s experience with colorism – where all races gravitate towards and raise up the women and men of color who have whiter characteristics. Janie herself experiences this often with her ‘coffee and cream’ skintone and straight, shiny hair. Men desire her for these looks and women are jealous of her for these same reasons. Janie doesn’t seem to allow these feelings of others to change her character, she just wants to be able to love whomever she loves and enjoy life with fulfilling work during the day and laughter with the company of others in the evening.

Because of my lack of interwebz, I have not had the opportunity to watch the recording of ReadaBook!withKara, but it’s on my radar for as soon as AT&T gets on with giving me that gig speed internet.  I am additionally excited to add Hurston’s posthumously published works to my TBR, especially 2018’s Barracoon. Four stars from me for Their Eyes Were Watching God.

What have you been reading to keep up with social discourse that also changes the way you see your own life’s timeline and personal relationships?

~Ashley

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4, Four

Sometimes I text Ashley a number.  Last time I did (yesterday) her reply was “Lawd.”  Your reply to “4” should be something like “oh, only 4 days until Virtual Book Club!  I should make sure I’ve finished (or started, whichever) The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray!”   Registration is open here, and remember, you’ll need the link we’ll email you to join in the discussion!

Perhaps not where you are, but where we are, it’s back to school month.  We start in August (earlier and earlier it feels) and end (unless we have a rough winter with lots of ice and snow days) before Memorial Day.  We realize some of you/your people won’t go back until next month, so if that’s the case for you, consider this preparatory reading.  We’re still enjoying our #lemonadesummer a bit on the weekends, but very soon (this week in fact) most of our area schools will be back in session, either online or in person.  (Remember last week, “I’m so proud of you!  I know it wasn’t easy making that decision.”)

I know we’re all settling into the hard/new/experimental times of back to school during a pandemic. There are no littles who live in my house, but I am feeling the back to school excitement for those who are going to be learning from home or from the school building. And this girl loves some school/office supplies. I have several tubs full that I am getting to unpack and go through now that we’re settling into our new house.

Part of settling into our new house is I have a brand new home office! I painted it the weekend after we closed this lovely blue color. I bought a dry erase board which we hung over the weekend which is set up on the same wall with my calendar, corkboard, and desk. Behind me is the exciting part, though, dear readers…I have a whole wall of white IKEA bookshelves that I get to fill up with all of my books! Oh the wonder and joy of being able to look at my books again.

There has been one pretty large hiccup in our settling in… we haven’t been able to get internet yet. The wire needs to get buried under our yard from the pole down the street and when the technician came to upgrade our line to a fiber cable… well, he wasn’t able to pull it through to the house like he’d planned. We’re still waiting on that to get repaired before the technician can come back and install the wire here at the house. Yup. Don’t know where I’ll be for Virtual Book Club on Friday, I might be at the RE/MAX office rather than in my brand new home office. Total bummer, guys. Send all the good interwebz vibes.

Otherwise, I’m very excited that we’re into the month of August. Summer is hot and here, but autumn will be here before we know it. Don’t forget to take time out during these back to school time for yourself, read good books, drink refreshing beverages, and replenish your patience with the world. We’ll be here sharing our wins, woes, and the reading life.

~Ashley

As there are new school supplies in my house all ready for both my little people to be in elementary school, I’m feeling my general August feeling even more.  A combination of my love for school/office supplies and a Billy Madison ear worm.  I’m refusing to open the boxes of the kits I ordered from school (I usually go to the store, but when I can’t sip a soothing beverage while I’m shopping, I’d rather not) because I don’t want the six dozen pencils and 18 glue sticks (I confirmed these numbers with the supply lists) to disappear during the first week of classes when we still have ample glue from last year, and their pencils from March are still kicking, at least the ones the dog hasn’t eaten.  As has turned into the usual for this year, I’m mourning not being able to walk my kindergartner to his first day of class and join in his wonder at belonging to such a big school.  But you know what dear readers, his class is going to have one of the more unique kindergarten experiences by starting school during a pandemic.  I’m holding tight to the joys of no commute (and trying not to mourn the loss of my alone time, still), the time my children have to play together, and all the creative play that goes on because I’m mean and won’t let them play video games all day (I don’t judge you if that’s what happens at your house, but my little people 100% judge me).  

I’m so excited about the books we’re bringing you this month.  Among this month’s titles are a classic some may have read in school, a 2019 favorite I’ve been wanting to reread since about the time I finished it (I wish I could remember how I talked Ashley into revisiting several of my favorites so I can do it again next year), a fun book turned series, and an Advanced Review Copy that’s been burning a hole in my TBR pile since it arrived in November (I am NOT kidding when I say I NEED deadlines).  We’ve got some surprises planned too, and not just for you, for us too.  Because what fun would it be not to have an opportunity for a surprise along the way? (Read: we don’t have the whole month planned out yet, just most of it.)  Wherever you are, whenever you/your people start school, if this is the end of summer or just the final hoorah, we’ve got some fun titles coming for you, and I’m excited to find a new routine (anyone else craving it?) and see how books will fit into it for me, because 100% they will!  What are you buddy reading with us this month?  Let us know in the comments!

~Nikki

Books, oh yes, we’re reading books this month and even posting about them, and telling you in advance.

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
August 6 

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
August 13

Inspection by Josh Malerman
August 20

The Bromance Book Club + Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams August 23

And your bonus pick, which releases on September 22:

The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi
September 3

What does August say to you dear readers? What title(s) are you anxiously awaiting?

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Perhaps our favorite thing about Heart.Wants.Books is getting to share our favorite titles with you.  Help us find new favorites by joining us for Virtual Book Club on August 7 at 7:30 p.m. This time, we’ll be discussing The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray!   Registration is open here.  Even if that doesn’t turn into a favorite book, you can still tell us what titles you’re loving or suggest a book for us to review.  Sign up and show up to share, and find out if we finish the book before the day of book club (as we’re hoping to start this weekend)!

When a book hits the favorite of the year list, it gets a book buddy’s attention.  Actually, I think City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert may have had Ashley’s attention before that, as I read it last June, the same month that it came out and gave it five enthusiastic stars.  I’m not certain where I heard about it to recommend it to my library before it came out (and get in early on the holds), but THANK GOODNESS.  While a good chunk of this book took place in the 1940s, let me say now, THIS IS NOT WWII FICTION, not really.  This is a coming of age tale of Vivian, as she’s looking back on her life.  City of Girls is also about women and society and finding oneself, recovering from mistakes, reinvention, and adaptation, with a side of family saga and a sliver of mystery and romance.  The sliver of a mystery begins on page one with a letter from his daughter, Angela, because now that her mother has passed away, Angela wants to know what Vivian was to her father.  That starts us down the path following 19-year-old Vivian through the twists and turns of being sent to live with her Aunt in a New York City theater, finding her place in the company, her way in the world, and ultimately carving her own path.  This book is told by Vivian, who at 95 years young, takes a nearly 500 pages journey through the last 75 years (but mostly in the 40s) to address Angela’s question.  While she can’t say what she was to Angela’s father, Vivian seeks to explain who he was to her.  

When I started this book, I’d only read one of Gilbert’s other titles, Eat, Pray, Love, and have since read Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear.  If you’ve read either of those, you know her writing is gorgeous (and if you haven’t, well, there you go, just don’t judge any book by the movie), but it’s not just that with City of Girls.  While I may have connected with this title because my grandmother was only a few years younger than Vivian and I felt like she could have been one of my great aunts (just with extra drama), I don’t think that’s all.  Gilbert writes Vivian in a way that makes her real and relatable.  She comes alive on the pages, as do her companions.  There are moments in this book where I was laughing so hard I was crying and parts that were gut-wrenching (and got to relive them as a friend of the blog texted me periodically while she read through this book last fall – thanks A!), but I think my favorite part was the wrap up, where readers learn about the life Vivian has created for herself.  This isn’t the life her parents envisioned for her when they sent her off to Vassar, but the life Vivian designed through trial and error, finding her way slowly but surely by following her heart, picking herself back up again, and continuing on with energy and passion.  

In case this title being on my 2019 favorites list wasn’t clear, I give City of Girls five enthusiastic stars, and I will be rereading it at some point.  Also, because endings are a big deal, this one was solid.  It was everything I wanted it to be.  Mysteries explained, a clear image of Vivian’s present, and how she got from 1940 to 2010.  Just a really complete, gorgeously written novel!  

I think the pandemic has led me to a lot of introspection (or at least a desire for it), and Vivian has helped (as has Gilbert herself).  From the first chapter of City of Girls, we know of her passion and skill for sewing.  Throughout the pages we learn how Vivian uses this to find her way, in whatever place she finds herself.  I know I’m passionate about impactful stories, well-told.  I do some of that in my day job, and I get to do more of it with you here dear readers.  What are you passionate about, and how has it led you to finding your way?  

~Nikki 

City of Girls is the newest release of bestselling author and journalist Elizabeth Gilbert. Most famously known for her non-fiction travelogue Eat, Pray, Love, which was made into a movie staring Julia Roberts, Gilbert has written more novels, a collection of short stories, and other non-fiction works, including Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear. While living in New York, she wrote for Spin, The New York Times Magazine, and GQ – where one of her essays about bartending on the Lower East Side became the basis for the movie “Coyote Ugly.” Now, back to the novel.

The first thing I messaged to Nikki immediately upon finishing City of Girls was: “OMG, it’s so beautiful and so sad and so full of life and I’m dead.” I wanted more of Vivian’s story, but, there was literally nothing else that could have been said that would have made the story any better. Except for maybe lots of wine and several girlfriends with whom to discuss it. The only tricksy thing is that the best parts are the parts you don’t want spoiled, so it’s hard to discuss here on the blog the things that I truly loved about this story.

Nikki said it well, that it’s NOT WWII FICTION, it’s a coming of age story set in a NYC theatre, where the majority of the book happens between 1940 and 1945. The Lily Playhouse is where you learn to love or hate the players in the novel with equal and sometimes surprising ardor. There were times when I despised the choices that Vivian made, but as her story unfolded we see the pieces of ourselves in her that we try to keep hidden. For much of her story, I was jealous of the life she was able to lead, but that life came with a considerable amount of economic privilege. She lived with her Aunt Peg at the Lily and worked as the costumer, using her sewing machine to best outfit the actors, but she wasn’t paid for that work, she received a weekly allowance from her parents for her upkeep. I want the problem of leaving Vassar and then being able to do as I wish around the shops, bars, and clubs of New York. To sleep most of the day hungover and then turn around to party all night. I will say that, barring a few experiences during college and after, I have never been a partier, but I can see the appeal even now. I am jealous of others’ ability to let go and have no fear of the consequences of letting one’s responsibilities go with every drink one finishes.

My favorite part came later in the story, and I don’t want to give too much away, but she learned what it was to forgive, because she saw herself in the one who was asking for forgiveness. By seeing herself in that person, she was able to give to them the forgiveness she had not previously received. If only we could all be forgiven our stupidity and other transgressions as Vivian forgave, what a happier world it would be. She realized that in that moment the forgiveness wasn’t about her feelings, it was about the other person needing to feel the release of guilt that had plagued them.  

I am so glad I was finally able to get City of Girls off my holds list and onto the Reading Life Review. I had been waiting since Nikki had highly recommended it as I was skeptical about the possible WWII timeline, and had been #1 since about February, and finally had the break in our reading life to commit to the 400+ pages. (Y’all, the holds game is real!) I had read Eat, Pray, Love and its follow up, Committed, during and after college respectively, and I am happy to place the rest of Gilbert’s works on the TBR. Her writing sucks you in and makes you FEEL things, enough that I thought I died. 😉

~Ashley