May in the Garden

Quiet days, creative beginnings, and the books and shows that shaped my month

I always feel that May just flies by. This month was fairly uneventful, but months like these are just as important.

I took a couple of vacation days and started working in our garden, scattering bee-friendly flower seeds, replanting bushes, and pulling weeds. There is a kind of mindfulness in gardening that cannot really be found elsewhere. Being in nature feels far more natural than sitting in an office building in front of a computer for eight hours every day.

I also started writing again, creatively this time. I do not know where this project is leading me, and I am honestly a little afraid to hope too much. But I know this story needs to be written down. I am excited to see where this journey takes me.

Here is a summary of my month:

Reading

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

I had hoped to finish this book by the end of May. As I am writing this, I have fewer than 200 pages left, so maybe I will still manage to reach that goal. At the same time, I do not want to rush through it.

As for the book itself, my enjoyment of it has been wildly inconsistent. Reading it feels a bit like being on a roller coaster. At times I am completely absorbed, and at others I find myself utterly bored. The historical sections involving Napoleon are the parts I appreciate the least, while the sections focused on the families are by far my favorites.

Purchased

Since I have been focused on finishing War and Peace, I have not read any other books this month. I did, however, buy a few more books, adding to my already overwhelming pile of unread titles.

A Girl’s Story by Annie Ernaux

I have never read anything by Nobel Prize laureate Annie Ernaux before, but the premise of this particular book immediately caught my attention. If you are unfamiliar with Ernaux, her works are often autobiographical and centered around different periods of her life. This one is set in 1958, when she worked as a summer camp instructor, and explores the lasting emotional impact of losing her virginity to an older man.

Life for Sale by Yukio Mishima

A 27-year-old man who has given up on life places an advertisement in a Tokyo newspaper offering to sell his life. This decision unleashes a series of bizarre and unimaginable events.

I feel like there is a certain voice and atmosphere that only Japanese writers can create. I have never read anything by Mishima before, even though The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea (a wonderful book title!) has been on my reading list for years. But I think I will start with the above one first.

Women Without Men by Shahrnush Parsipur

This book was longlisted for the International Booker Prize this year, although it was originally published in 1989. It follows five Iranian women who, through very different circumstances, eventually end up living together in a lush garden on the outskirts of Tehran.

Watching

Euphoria (HBO Max)

I am still watching this deeply twisted TV series. Honestly, it is often uncomfortable to watch, especially with its heavy male gaze and the way it portrays young women. Still, Zendaya is such a compelling actress, and her performance as Rue feels incredibly believable. At this point, she is the main reason I continue watching.

The Sopranos (HBO Max)

I started rewatching The Sopranos again, probably for the fourth time. It is honestly one of the best TV series ever made. The dialogue, the attention to detail, the atmosphere, everything about it is exceptional. I genuinely cannot think of a single criticism. If I could recommend only one TV series for someone to watch, it would be this one. They simply do not make television like this anymore.

Here is what I wrote on Substack this month

A Murakami Girl

Why You Should Read Classics

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