Another week has come and gone, so it’s time for another look at what’s been lighting me up this week.
I’m in full on nerdy research mode right now in preparation for my Summer blog series and it’s been a lot of work but also a lot of fun. It’s one of those projects that seems simple at first glance, but is uncovering fascinating depths. As I mentioned last week, some of the reading has been wonderfully revitalizing and I’m excited to see where the project takes me.
Overall, my reading week has been better than last week but still pretty hit or miss. The biggest hit was the sequel to the wonderful middle grade title Wolf Hollow (2016), Lauren Wolk’s My Own Lightning (2022), and a road trip travelogue published in 1962, John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley: In Search of America. It was fascinating to see just how many of the faultlines we see in contemporary American politics were also rumbling sixty years ago.
I’ve realized that I need to shift my perspective on the year’s new music. It’s true that nothing has really grabbed the world’s attention as so many songs, albums, and artists did last year. But there’s still been a lot of very solid music. It hasn’t been a bad year for music; it’s just been different so far, humbler perhaps in impact but still strong. Recent highlights include:
- Going into Heaven by Sedona
- Addison by Addison Rae
- Revelation by The Knocks and Dragonette
- ORDER chaos ORDER by Calum Hood
These are a few of the things that have been keeping me going and brightening up my way this week. So what’s lighting you up?
Matthew Root 