I’m an academic librarian, and I was working the desk a couple of weeks ago during our interim between spring and summer quarter when a young woman came up to check out a copy of Real Life. We are never, ever supposed to comment on what a patron checks out but I slipped just this once and asked her if she was familiar with your work and she grinned at me and said, “Oh I’ve already listened to this on audiobook and I loved it so much I had to go check out the actual book.” So I asked her if she’d read your newest, and she replied, “Oh, Filthy Animals? Yes I loved it!” I said, “No, The Late Americans, it just came out in May.” Her eyes went wide and she said, “I had no idea! Oh my gosh, I’m going to go get a copy right now!”
In academic librarianship, it’s rare to have the chance to recommend a book to read for pleasure, that’s more the realm of the public librarians, in my experience. But what a delight to be able to do so for someone so clearly interested, and for a book I also personally loved. Thank you for your work and for your newsletters, I always read them immediately. I hope you have fun in Paris and Edinburgh!
Your account of going to John Lewis for the first time was really funny. And as a British person I can confirm, I have no idea what a fluid ounce is. But neither does most of the planet.
Seattle is my Bath. Hoping to get back there sometime soon. But Bath and Brighton are both high on my list of places to travel. Did you get to do any Austen-related touristy things in Bath?
This is such a delightful tale. I hope you have better luck finding a filter coffee machine in Paris and remember to bring your British one with you when you return to Edinburgh. Enjoy home for the bit you're there!
I'm so glad your book tour went so well. Feeling deep respect for your ability to follow the coffee train all the way to the cup of coffee you wanted to drink in the end, that 100% would have defeated me. This life of writing and being interviewed by book nerds who made it (relatively) big looks great on you.
There are some writers who make the quotidian so absolutely engaging, and you absolutely have that gift and it's why I love reading you. I could have read many, many pages about you in that coffee store. Sally Rooney does this too; I want to just sit (as a reader) in the spaces she creates, whether it's an apartment or a store or a house or whatever. Enjoy Edinburgh! Not sure if you've been there before but it's an absolutely magical (and very cold to my Caribbean blood--bring sweaters!) place.
This was a riot to read! Particularly, after your coffee odyssey: "I also managed to find a canister of Cofffeemate creamer in a Sainsbury’s"(!) Truly, we are two nations separated by caffeine culture.
It's the Nespresso plague, it seems to have taken over every other way of preparing coffee, but there are still some of us resisting (me and my 4 Italian mocha pots to be precise)!
Your description of a place that feels right, where you feel right, resonated. It was how I felt when I first stepped onto the streets of New York. I grew up in Hong Kong and the big city vibe was home. I reread Persuasion recently and found it such a joy. It was always my favourite but I found so much funnier than I remembered. This! ‘The sight of Mrs Clay in such favour, and of Anne so overlooked, was a perpetual provocation to her there; and vexed her as much when she was away, as a person in Bath who drinks the water, gets all the new publications, and has a very large acquaintance, has time to be vexed.’ Best wishes with your 'new publications' also.
I loved this! I am a Brit living in Paris. It's so enjoyable to see you look at the UK curiously, how I look at France. Bienvenue in Paris next week! I shall look up where you're appearing.
"espresso and brewed coffee are different. I didn’t want an espresso. I didn’t want an Americano. I wanted filter coffee. Like something you brew in the morning before work." YES x1000 -- this happens to me every time I'm in Europe. The very cutest coffee shops with the most disappointing coffee menus! And very often, the menu SAYS it's a cup of coffee, i.e. it does not state "espresso" but then they make it for you and it's two espresso shots + hot water. Non! thanks for another relatable Brandon Taylor travel tale.
What a beautiful piece of writing about my weird country. Your coffee quest is as mystifying to me as it would have been to the nice lady at John Lewis, and I loved reading about it. The description of Brighton is also perfection. So glad you were well looked after here (mostly).
When I was on my book tour and stopped in Bath, I stayed here: https://www.thebathpriory.co.uk/ Upon arrival, I immediately morphed into Elizabeth Bennet. It was terribly pleasant--unlike the brewed coffee odyssey, which is a consistent problem. How can they NOT have Chemex??? It's practically a Brexit scandal. But I'm just stunned and agog that you will already be done with your next novel by Aug. Now, you've lit a fire in my petty writer's heart. I'm going to do the same. Off to the hermitage. Glad it's all been wonderful--so is your book. Kudos completely deserved :)
I’m an academic librarian, and I was working the desk a couple of weeks ago during our interim between spring and summer quarter when a young woman came up to check out a copy of Real Life. We are never, ever supposed to comment on what a patron checks out but I slipped just this once and asked her if she was familiar with your work and she grinned at me and said, “Oh I’ve already listened to this on audiobook and I loved it so much I had to go check out the actual book.” So I asked her if she’d read your newest, and she replied, “Oh, Filthy Animals? Yes I loved it!” I said, “No, The Late Americans, it just came out in May.” Her eyes went wide and she said, “I had no idea! Oh my gosh, I’m going to go get a copy right now!”
In academic librarianship, it’s rare to have the chance to recommend a book to read for pleasure, that’s more the realm of the public librarians, in my experience. But what a delight to be able to do so for someone so clearly interested, and for a book I also personally loved. Thank you for your work and for your newsletters, I always read them immediately. I hope you have fun in Paris and Edinburgh!
Just refreshing to read a column filled with happiness and gratefulness. Glad you had a good book tour
Your account of going to John Lewis for the first time was really funny. And as a British person I can confirm, I have no idea what a fluid ounce is. But neither does most of the planet.
Seattle is my Bath. Hoping to get back there sometime soon. But Bath and Brighton are both high on my list of places to travel. Did you get to do any Austen-related touristy things in Bath?
This is such a delightful tale. I hope you have better luck finding a filter coffee machine in Paris and remember to bring your British one with you when you return to Edinburgh. Enjoy home for the bit you're there!
this is such a great read, brandon. just bought late americans and can't wait to dive in. happy tour!
I'm so glad your book tour went so well. Feeling deep respect for your ability to follow the coffee train all the way to the cup of coffee you wanted to drink in the end, that 100% would have defeated me. This life of writing and being interviewed by book nerds who made it (relatively) big looks great on you.
There are some writers who make the quotidian so absolutely engaging, and you absolutely have that gift and it's why I love reading you. I could have read many, many pages about you in that coffee store. Sally Rooney does this too; I want to just sit (as a reader) in the spaces she creates, whether it's an apartment or a store or a house or whatever. Enjoy Edinburgh! Not sure if you've been there before but it's an absolutely magical (and very cold to my Caribbean blood--bring sweaters!) place.
This was a riot to read! Particularly, after your coffee odyssey: "I also managed to find a canister of Cofffeemate creamer in a Sainsbury’s"(!) Truly, we are two nations separated by caffeine culture.
It's the Nespresso plague, it seems to have taken over every other way of preparing coffee, but there are still some of us resisting (me and my 4 Italian mocha pots to be precise)!
Your description of a place that feels right, where you feel right, resonated. It was how I felt when I first stepped onto the streets of New York. I grew up in Hong Kong and the big city vibe was home. I reread Persuasion recently and found it such a joy. It was always my favourite but I found so much funnier than I remembered. This! ‘The sight of Mrs Clay in such favour, and of Anne so overlooked, was a perpetual provocation to her there; and vexed her as much when she was away, as a person in Bath who drinks the water, gets all the new publications, and has a very large acquaintance, has time to be vexed.’ Best wishes with your 'new publications' also.
I loved this! I am a Brit living in Paris. It's so enjoyable to see you look at the UK curiously, how I look at France. Bienvenue in Paris next week! I shall look up where you're appearing.
Love that you felt calm in Bath. That makes so much sense.
Have you tried Aeropress? It is my BFF.
"espresso and brewed coffee are different. I didn’t want an espresso. I didn’t want an Americano. I wanted filter coffee. Like something you brew in the morning before work." YES x1000 -- this happens to me every time I'm in Europe. The very cutest coffee shops with the most disappointing coffee menus! And very often, the menu SAYS it's a cup of coffee, i.e. it does not state "espresso" but then they make it for you and it's two espresso shots + hot water. Non! thanks for another relatable Brandon Taylor travel tale.
What a beautiful piece of writing about my weird country. Your coffee quest is as mystifying to me as it would have been to the nice lady at John Lewis, and I loved reading about it. The description of Brighton is also perfection. So glad you were well looked after here (mostly).
When I was on my book tour and stopped in Bath, I stayed here: https://www.thebathpriory.co.uk/ Upon arrival, I immediately morphed into Elizabeth Bennet. It was terribly pleasant--unlike the brewed coffee odyssey, which is a consistent problem. How can they NOT have Chemex??? It's practically a Brexit scandal. But I'm just stunned and agog that you will already be done with your next novel by Aug. Now, you've lit a fire in my petty writer's heart. I'm going to do the same. Off to the hermitage. Glad it's all been wonderful--so is your book. Kudos completely deserved :)