More Than Meaningless Marks
Words are funny little creations when you stop and think about it.
This month’s newsletter will be a little bit different. Let me start with an update. Many of you stumbled onto this newsletter via Twitter, which has historically been the platform I’m most active on. But recently, Substack announced a new feature called “Notes” that will allow creators to share updates and resources with their readers in a timeline on the platform. I’m excited about the update, but the CEO of Free Speech is not.
When Substack announced the feature last week, Musk ordered the blocking and then throttling of any tweet with a Substack link attached to it. As it stands currently, anyone who tweets out a Substack link has downgraded visibility on user timelines and may even disallow other users from liking or retweeting their post.
This move doesn’t hurt Substack—it hurts the creation and sharing of content. As Berny Belvedere notes in his rundown of the situation, Musk’s decision restricts the access of Twitter users both in their ability to engage with and distribute freely created content. And if it stands, I’m more than likely going to migrate completely to Substack and shut down my Twitter account. I’ve met some great friends there and love the access it provides, but it’s devolving further into an outrage machine these days. So if you enjoy following me, just keep that in mind. I won’t be leaving Substack, but my time on Twitter may be nearing its end.
Now, let’s get to the fun part.
Words are funny little creations. They’re little more than lines, dots, and curves joined together, yet somehow, when paired with human comprehension, they take on a transformative agency. I recently read Colin McAdam’s Black Dove and resonated with this scene.
Sometimes he stared at the words he wrote, like meaningless marks. How do they go from letters to meaning to story. Abracadabra comes from the Aramaic: I create as I speak. Letters are a conjuring. Mystics making monsters from incantations.
I’ve written before about how books I’ve read have mixed with memories that persist every time I reread them. Words are powerful—and we don’t always have to read them to experience them as such.
Last week, NF released his latest album, Hope. And while it was one knew I wanted to listen to, I hadn’t realized it was one I needed. NF is a rapper who’s built a career crafting emotion-packed songs detailing his mental health struggles and contending with the demons of his past. Growing up, he was abused by his mother’s boyfriend and then lost his mother to a drug overdose while still a teenager. So he has his fair share of scars.
His honesty has earned him a faithful following. (Odds are you’ve heard this track.) But this new album marks a serious turn in his journey, from feeling trapped to seeing “the sun is coming up.” NF’s previous albums were never hopeless, but this one hits different. You can tell right away from his new single, “Happy,” which I’ve been playing on repeat.
The best word I can think of to describe this album is “triumphant,” especially by the time you reach the final track, “Running.” Throughout his career, NF has created a kind of dual personality where he talks to his darker side as though it were an actual person, much like Twenty One Pilots did with Blurryface. And this is how he closes out the album.
I wish you well, but I can no longer stand aside
And watch you sabotage the two of us
I love you to dеath, but I can't spend the rest of my
Lifе in this darkness, I'm done
These meaningless marks shifted into a story that left me with tears in my eyes as the final note faded out. To be clear, I’ve never experienced trauma like NF, but hearing someone who has make statements like these gives you reason to believe the sun will rise on any dark night of the soul you face.
Words are funny little creations. They find us in unexpected ways, and in the best of times, they meet us right where we are, bearing the gifts we need most.
March Reads
Black Dove by Colin McAdam—I still haven’t figured out exactly how to describe what I thought about this read. I loved it. I was confused by it. I was repulsed by it. And I can’t stop thinking about it. So maybe you should just read it.
The Secret Place of Thunder by John Starke—Where do you draw meaning for your life? Starke contends that without realizing it, many of us have focused on visible markers of success while ignoring our interior life with Christ. And I think he’s on to something.
Saving Time: Discovering a Life Beyond the Clock by Jenny Odell—Odell explores the history of time as we know it today—a 24-hour span we’re constantly attempting to fill with productivity—and demonstrates how our modern notion of time is inhumane.
The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett—I devoured this book. Just like The Appeal, I couldn’t put it down. Told through audio recording transcripts, the story is about cracking a secret code within the works of a children’s author. It’s clever, mysterious, and includes an ending with plenty of heart.
Most Anticipated of April
Ozark Dogs by Eli Cranor—I enjoyed Cranor’s debut novel, Don’t Know Tough, and it gave me David Joy vibes, which is more than enough of an excuse to pick up his new release.
The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann—You’ve likely heard of one of Grann’s previous works, like Killers of the Flower Moon or The Lost City of Z. He has a knack for writing non-fiction that reads like a novel, and his newest, about a secret mission, a sunken ship, and castaways with conflicting tales about what happened.
Ascension by Nicholas Binge—Speculative sci-fi is very hit-or-miss with me, but this story about a mysterious mountain that appears in the Pacific Ocean and “leads a group of scientists to a series of jaw-dropping revelations that challenge the notion of what it means to be human” sounds worth a try.
Second Star: And Other Reasons for Lingering by Philippe Delerm—Apparently, this little book is a #1 bestseller in France and offers short meditations on the simpler moments in life. I’ve been drawn to writing like this lately, the kind that forces you to slow down and pay attention.
On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden and Gift of Living by Alan Noble—I’ve known Alan for a few years now and found his writing both encouraging and practical. His latest, inspired in part by one of my favorite articles he’s written, speaks to the burden of daily life with the encouragement that sometimes the act of getting out of bed is faithfulness in the eyes of God.
Reading Roundup
Behind the Scenes of Barack Obama’s Reading Lists—Every year, I look forward to Barack Obama’s favorite lists, and this article, exploring whether or not the former president actually curates these lists himself, is a fun read. (Spoiler alert: he does)
How Bookshop.org Survives—and Thrives—in Amazon’s World—If you’ve ever clicked through to one of the books I’ve linked in this newsletter, you’ll find yourself at Bookshop.org. And this dive into how the online retailer is competing with Amazon is all you need to know why.
Meet the Champion of Debut Authors—Adam Vitcavage began with a podcast that has now grown into a website aimed at introducing readers to debut authors. This interview with Vitcavage is a delight.
Afterword
Ever wondered what librarians do all day? Brooklyn Public Library’s podcast Borrowed will give you that answer and so much more. The episodes have a broader focus than just the library, ranging from topics like starting a new business to playing Dungeons & Dragons. But it’s always accompanied by plenty of talk about books. Borrowed majors on storytelling, which is the key to good podcasting. Plus, it’ll give you an even greater appreciation for the role of libraries in our communities.
Until next month, happy reading, friends.
As always, love reading your thoughts, and your recommendations.
By the way, I just started The Secret of Thunder this week, and find the thesis compelling. Also I am eager to get my preordered copy of On Getting Out of Bed :)