Kelley Lebahn, Editor in Chief-

Last summer, my beach read of choice was R.F. Kuang’s Babel. Babel is a historical fiction/fantasy novel set in Oxford, London, in the fictional school of Translation. A book about international power, espionage, magic, and the exuberance of the global superpower that was 1830s England, Babel is not a beach read for everyone, but with its new paperback version out, it is the book for those who want to be whisked away to a powerful place and time (and can now fit in a beach bag). R.F. Kuang, author of Poppy Wars and Yellowface, is a tour de force in gutwrenching and intriguing novels, and this is no exception.

In the opposite direction, I would like to recommend a newer YouTube channel. SarahSerif is an expert (or at least expertly researched) on Disney and Dolls. Her Exploration into the History of American Girl Dolls revitalized my long-lost love for them. Her knowledge and research into Disney’s Tinkerbell Universe is incredibly detailed and well thought out. If you ever wanted a History Channel but for things marketed to twelve-year-old girls, Sarah Serif may be a choice for you.

Brigid Barry, Content Editor-

I spent the majority of this year engrossed in one of the strangest novels I have ever read.  Compared to a lot of modern fiction, Submarine by Joe Dunthorne leaves you asking one consistent question: why? Set in Swansea, Wales, the novel follows fifteen-year-old Oliver Tate, an awkward yet intelligent character with no concept of social cues. He’s in this period of self discovery, finding out who he is destined to be, whilst getting distracted by other aspects of his everyday life. His parents’ relationship is on the decline, and Oliver takes it into his own hands to fix it by interrogating his father or following his mother on retreats with past friends. Meanwhile, he forms a fascination with his classmate Jordana, a quiet arsonist lacking any sort of self-respect. Oliver needs to learn how to manage his own life without getting involved with others and find his place in his world. 

Additionally, I’d love to recommend one of my favorite movies, (500) Days of Summer, directed by Marc Webb. The story follows Tom, a melancholy, hopeless romantic who works as a greeting card company employee, going through the motions of falling in and out of love with the most interesting girl he has ever seen, Summer. Tom learns what it’s like to love and be loved, fall out of love, and discover new people in new situations. Tom and Summer have eccentric personalities that are so similar yet contrast perfectly to create a captivating chemistry. You can’t help but sympathize with both of them; an equal amount of mistreatment and confusion about how this relationship should go and what the outcome is going to be. I love recommending this movie because there is so much substance to it; each character has their own little quirks that make it all the more enjoyable. 

(I would also like to add, for the sake of everyone involved, a simple exploration outside and enjoying the world around you). 

Briar Gagne, Staff Writer-

Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus: This book managed to capture my attention while being incredibly droll. It gave me hope for the future, even while showing incredible struggle. It remained laser-focused on feminist ideas that remain present to this day yet still said so much more. This book, despite being uncomfortable to read, clawed its way into my Favorites list. 

Darknet Diaries by Jack Rhysider: This cybersecurity podcast is so fun and digestible! I love listening to it in line at the grocery store, on long drives, when I’m in that sort of time-killing mood. Or at the end of a long day when I just want to relax. Rhysider’s voice is hypnotic, his explanations of cybersecurity jargon are concise as well as effective, and his storytelling is mesmerizing. Whenever I don’t know how to be engaging with my writing, I think about Darknet Diaries.

Tanya Lee Stone, Advisor–

For movies: I love a good time travel/mixed with a romance marathon. Cueing up: Midnight in Paris, The Lake House, The Vow, The Time Traveler’s Wife, and The Greatest Hits. Books this summer will include a few poetry chapbooks by fabulous local poets Alison Prine, Meg Reynolds, and Maria Hummel; The Bonobo Sisterhood by Diane Rosenfeld; Bloodchild and Other Stories by Octavia Butler; and Ariadne by Jennifer Saint. I also highly recommend The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller if you haven’t read it yet. I found it to be the most powerful love story–starring Achilles and Patroclus–I’ve ever read.