I’ve been pretty quiet here since we wrapped up the Butler reads. I’m back now because an IJ guy I follow on Twitter (disclosure: I pay only occasional, brief attention to Twitter) shared a link to a YouTube video about 2021 reads and upcoming plans for doing some group reads in 2022. I’m a sucker for reading lists and for group reads, so my interest was piqued. Here’s the video:

If you read the notes on the video, you’ll see that this reader (who goes by the name @nr_wayne on Twitter) is considering some interesting pairings of novels with shorter things like stories or poetry. And some of the pairings are pretty interesting — Gaddis’s J R paired with stories by Lovecraft? Yes, please! Alan Moore’s Jerusalem paired with poems by Mary Oliver? I’m listening!

I’m not entirely sure what the format will look like here. I’m thinking about whether I can fit any of these monthly reads into what’s likely to be a very busy year for me. I figured I’d mention the opportunity to the sort of folks who pay attention to this site, as it’s the sort of thing we all seem to like.

So, give it a look if you’re itching for more shared reading experiences, and reach out to @nr_wayne on Twitter or Instagram if you’d like to learn more. The list of pairings is given in the notes beneath the YouTube video at the link above.

I’m not planning any group reads here any time soon. I’m just a combination of too busy and focused on other things right now. I will share that I’m reading Jim Gauer’s Novel Explosives, and hooboy is it a good one so far (about halfway in). Gauer is his own distinct self with his own distinct writing, but I think that if you’re into Gaddis (especially J R) and Pynchon, there’s a good chance this weird, smart book will be a treat. I’d love to group read it one day.