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I’m starting a new section here in the newsletter: Guest List, a list of good things as recommended by a special guest! And this first installment features two guests!! I also have an important question for you at the bottom, so please let me know what you think.
OK, on to this issue:
Books to read in your cozy corner this winter:
Each winter, I put together a Cozy Map. Last season, it was a comprehensive Comfy Map Of Cozy Places that nearly put me into a cold grave. I tried to include nearly every cozy place that I could think of, and may have overwhelmed myself. So this year, I’m narrowing my focus to the art of the cozy corner.
And since we all know that this is the corner where we read books, I went out to Rough Draft Bar & Books in Kingston to get some recommendations from Drew Broussard and Nora Taylor.
Drew is the bookstore manager, and he’s also the host of the Lit Hub podcast. Nora is a writer and editor who you may recognize from The New York Times, Essence, Architectural Digest, and New York Magazine.
Clearly two very well-read individuals working at an iconically cozy and famous bookstore. Here’s what they recommend:
Drew’s picks:
"Probably my favorite cozy read of all time is Marie-Helene Bertino’s first novel, '2 A.M. at The Cat’s Pajamas.' It’s set on Christmas Eve Eve in Philadelphia, as the owner of a failing jazz club, an elementary school teacher, and a very precocious young woman who wants to be a jazz singer are all sort of swirling around in this lightly magical the-moment-before Christmas Day. It’s just like a big, old sweater of a book."
"I love to tuck into a series at this time of year. I also love British humor. Jasper Fforde’s 'The Eyre Affair' is the first book in what’s soon to be an eight-book series about a woman who is a detective of sorts in an alternate-history England, where the Crimean war is still going on, dodos are still alive, and you can jump into books. Hijinks ensue. It’s very warm and funny and fuzzy."
"And finally, I’ve been getting into romance, the most traditional of cozy genres, I suppose. 831 Stories is a publisher I really love. 'Big Fan,' by Alexandra Romanoff, is about a woman who is kind of going through a career crisis, decides to do PR for a boy band that she loved as a kid, and she and one of the singers of the boy band hit it off. It’s very charming while also still being smart and interesting, but also cozy."
Nora’s picks:
"'Foster,' by Claire Keegan, is a tiny little book, perfect for one afternoon under the covers with a cup of tea, about a young girl who goes to stay with relatives for a summer, and it is beautiful, and slow, and not quite sad but it fills you up with a sort of loving emotion. I think there’s nothing cozier than revisiting feeling really loved as a child."
"'Enlightenment,' by Sarah Perry, is kind of the opposite, in that it is kind of a dense, multi-storyline, follows a journalist who becomes obsessed with a woman who was an astronomer in the 19th century, but he’s also secretly in love with someone he works with on a project, and then he’s part of a religious group that he feels exorcised from, but there’s a young woman that he stays for to help her find her way out. There’s a lot going on. You will fall in love with every single person in this book, and it will make you want to discover hidden treasures in your life."
"And I, like Drew, am also picking a romance novel. Jasmine Guillory is my favorite. I think she’s the best of the best working right now. 'The Proposal' is one of hers, you can pick up any of them; they all kind of intertwine, but they’re great stand-alone. One of the reasons I think she’s the best is, not only does she write about love and friendship, her descriptions of food are really great. Which, right now, when you want to get cozy, you want a nice, fun snack, and this is just sensual in every way, and also an easy, fun read."
The concept of a wet book:
I asked them what clues about a book may hint that it’s a "cozy" read, and, among other signs (such as it having a tea cup on the cover), Nora introduced me to Drew’s concept of a wet book:
Wet book (n.) — "You know how sometimes if you leave a book outside in the summer it sort of expands a little bit, and you open it up and you’re almost afraid that water is going to come falling out. Julia Armfield is really great at doing this kind of thing. 'Ultramarine,' by Mariette Navarro, that came out this year. It’s just a book that is humid, or wet. It feels weird to say, right? But, I don’t know. I suppose you know it when you see it."
Here’s the full video:
@jamestheecave Get your cozy books from your favorite neighborhood local independent bookstore Here are six recommendations from my Cozy Corners series
a short selection of local events that look interesting!! We’re getting into Holiday Market Season ❄️
Thurs., 11/20: The Queer and Trans Connection Network is throwing a Thanksgiving Melting Pot-Luck, a "queer sober friendsgiving," on two dates: 11/20 in Chatham and 11/26 in Athens. Thurs., 11/20, at Columbia County Pathways to Recovery, 1 Taconic Place, Chatham, New York. Wed., 11/26, Athens Cultural Center, 24 2nd Street, Athens, New York.
Sat., 11/22 – Sun., 11/23: Seventy five makers, artists, designers, and vendors will set up at the Hudson Valley Hullaballoo, a "design-focused, hip-and-happening, family-friendly event whose mission is to introduce local artists, craftspeople, and designers to a community experiencing a renaissance as a center for the arts." $2 cash entry (free for those 12 and under). 467 Broadway, Kingston, New York.
Sat., 11/22 – Sun., 11/23: Foxtrot Farm and Flowers is hosting more than 20 vendors at their inaugural Farm and Friends Market, a "collaborative, warm and cozy, pre-holiday season gathering that blends the charm of a winter market with the connection and quality of a local food & makers fair. We will be highlighting quality, local (primarily land & food based) products that are both special & useful - whether for a holiday table, a host gift, or a special something to stock in the pantry." On Saturday, they’ll host an evening market with a light dinner, beverages, and cozy fire; on Sunday, the morning market will offer coffee, baked goods, and more. Sat., 3–7 p.m. Sun., 10 a.m.–2 p.m. 6854 Route 82, Stanfordville, New York.
Sun., 11/30: Marton & Davis will host their first Holiday Social, where you can have gift tags custom calligraphed by Melissa Gamwell, stock up your holiday greenery from Damsel Garden, and shop for everyone on your list. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. 33 Main Street, Chatham, New York.
Sun., 11/23: Corinne May Botz will guide visitors on a tour of her solo exhibition, "Ghosts, Mother’s Milk, and Other Stories," the first time more than 30 works over the past 21 years have been shown together. Hear her talk about her process photographing miniature scenes including haunted houses, crime scenes, and lactation rooms of male "bastions of power." 3 p.m., free, reservation required. Hudson Hall. 327 Warren Street., Hudson, New York.
Through November: The Kinderhook Memorial Library is holding their third annual Prom Dress Drive, accepting gently worn and clean prom dresses for their upcoming free prom dress boutique. You can donate your dress at the library or Chatham High School.
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An important question for you:
Throughout the end of the year, I’m experimenting with this newsletter to truly hopefully make it become something you look forward to reading each week. So far, I’ve asked you how frequently you’d like to see it (88.33% of you voted for a weekly newsletter, so that’s what it shall be!). My next question is: When do you want to get it? Would you like this as a weekend newsletter, or a Monday newsletter? You can let me know by answering the short poll below, or replying to this email to share your thoughts! When do you find yourself most in the mood to read about upstate New York’s culture, history, and interesting people?
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1 Purchases made through links in this issue may earn me a small, and I mean extremely tiny, but still somewhat helpful commission. Please buy these books.
