One of the (many) good things of having a large staff is that you’re exposed to a variety of viewpoints. Diversity in book preferences and tastes is part of this, and thankfully there’s no shortage of interesting material when the talk turns to what we’re reading these days.
This week’s reads go from an overview of a particular aspect of Argentina’s economic history, poetry ranging from social struggles to the divine and an immersion into the life of a literary giant (plus a little nugget from a dear member of our staff.)
El Dólar: Historia de una moneda argentina (1930-2019) by Mariana Luizzi and Ariel Wilkis (Crítica, 2019, 336 pages)
Two sociologists of money explore how, exactly, the U.S. currency became so deeply rooted in Argentine culture, asking when it jumped from the realm of financiers to the general population, what the cultural meaning of dollars is, and what about Argentina’s circumstances makes this peculiar obsession so widespread. Despite a semi-academic register that is at times abstruse, it’s a tour de force for anyone, Argentine or foreign, seeking to understand what we’re really saying when we talk about the dollar. – Amy
A Portable Paradise by Roger Robinson (Peepal Tree Press, 2019, 81 pages)
This one’s a re-read for me: June 14 was the sixth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire and Robinson honors the victims with beautiful, raw, and haunting poetry that takes us back to that moment (particularly in the opening section). This collection, which won the T.S. Eliot Prize in 2019, includes evocative poems on racism, musicians, unsung heroes, and, as the title suggests, paradise. On a personal note, “The Father” makes me tear up every time I read it. – Valen
Monsieur Proust by Céleste Albaret (NYRB Classics, 2003, 374 pages)
A biography of the author of the monumental novel In Search of Lost Time by one of the few people who knew the man behind the legend. Céleste Albaret went to work as a housekeeper for the writer in 1913 and stayed by his side until his death in 1922, the critical years where he withdrew from the world to concentrate on writing his masterpiece. For almost ten years, she was a direct witness of what is one of the most fascinating literary enterprises of all time. A story at turns sad, at others hilarious, that delves into the intimacy of a man secluded in a Paris apartment desperate to finish his life’s work before his sick body finally gives in. – Juan
Es la economía, vos no sos estúpida by Estefanía Pozzo (Paidós, 2022: 192 pages)
Yes, this is our editor-in-chief’s most recent book! A primer on finance, money, and navigating the world of economics, with a particular focus on women. Estefanía’s clear, accessible and fun writing makes this a very digestible book for anyone looking to improve their understanding of these issues from a feminist perspective. – Amy
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