A subscriber asked for a reading list, so here you go. This request is a little funny to me because a) I feel like I never read anymore, and b) I am a very unoriginal media consumer, so I really don’t know what selections I have to offer. But you asked, so Mother will provide.
But first, I have to come out publicly as an English major. To be perfectly transparent, I do not typically read theory for fun (gasp). For my most comprehensive reading list, I recommend reviewing mandatory literature course offerings on any university website so you can see exactly what I’m slogging through on a weekly basis. Most of the more intense texts I will mention have appeared on my syllabi, meaning I read them for a conference discussion and then thought about them for weeks. While I would love to exercise my superiority complex here, I cannot take credit for appreciating these works and any of their insight.
Also, most of these texts were unintelligible to me on the first read. I usually groan about them to my roommates and wait until my professor spoon-feeds them to me in class the next day. It feels almost comical to tell you what to read when I didn’t really choose to read it (major essays are highly motivating factors in wading through 40 pages of jargon) and likely missed the point until corrected by my prof or TA.
Anyways, I have been fortunate with my course selections and have read some really Cool Stuff, which I am excited to share with you. I will divide my reading list into sections based on interest and give a little blurb on the piece and what I got from it. I’m interested in various topics, so you can pick around and figure out what you might like. I’ve tried to find links wherever possible, so hopefully you can access some of these works for free without having to comb the internet.
Again, if you find any of these readings insanely tricky, you are not alone. Feel free to ask for an explanation, my personal notes on the paper, or reach out for a conversation! I love these texts and would be glad to tear into them together. We can have a weird digital book club or something.
Cultural Theory:
If you’re here from my RFQ essay, you’re probably expecting cultural criticism from me, and maybe a corresponding wealth of cultural theory. Unfortunately, I am just in an excellent theory class this semester, which happened to line up really well with her talk at McGill. Regardless, this class introduced me to some awesome literature, including but not limited to Lauren Berlant’s aforementioned “Cruel Optimism.” Here are some other key points.
“Axiomatic,” Eve Sedgwick
This is a significant text in queer theory. It talks about the arbitrary construction of sexuality into a repressive binary, destabilizing many assumptions of sexual identity that we take for granted in social life. This text is very interrelated with “The Repressive Hypothesis” by Focault and Sedgewick’s other work Epistemology of the Closet; definitely check those out if you’re interested in queer theory or studies of sexuality more broadly.
“Unburdening Representation,” Tavia Nyong’o
This paper is about the issues of representation for artists of colour. Nyong’o details how artistic production faces pressure to be “truthful” and “authentic,” which can lead to problematic stereotypes or generalized visions of marginalized existence. He then suggests potential solutions, explicitly drawing from Delueze’s idea of “fabulation.” Using this piece, I wrote an essay on fabulation in the movie Get Out for my cultural theory class. It’s extremely interesting and very relevant in modern artistic production.
“Terrorist Assemblages: Homonationalism in Queer Times,” Jasbir Puar
I’m about to turn in a paper on this one, so I had to include it. Puar examines the relationship between queer identity politics and nationalism, arguing that the US’s acceptance of a normative form of homosexuality has been appropriated for nationalist purposes, specifically to legitimize violence in the Middle East during the War on Terror. It draws on Foucault’s notion of how power works, and leads into discussions of biopolitics— a wild ride.
Feminism:
I took a really great Feminist Theory class last semester. The papers and TAs completely kicked my ass, but I think about the readings we did alllllll the time.
“Feeding Egos and Tending Wounds,” Sandra Bartky
This a fascinating paper on how female emotional labour factors into sexism and capitalist production. Its discussion of labour also ties into the Communist Manifesto, which I’m not including separately in the reading list out of sheer obstinance– I will leave your relationship with Karl Marx up to you. However, if you were to read some Marx, I would reccomend the section on human productivity and alienated labour, because it’s awesome very relevant to this text.
“Performative Acts and Gender Constitution,” Judith Butler
This might be a good time to mention that despite my recommendation of their work, I do not agree with everything these authors say or believe! Here, I disagree with Bulter’s essentialist view of sex, but I think their account of gender as a performance aptly describes how gender functions socially. Butler also describes the negative implications of naturalized gender binaries and social identities, which ties nicely into Sedgewick’s account of naturalized sexuality and leads to some interesting feminist understandings.
Science:
Besides my obvious obsession with the Arts, I also have a secret science side. I’ve always been into biology, but I have limited practical knowledge and no innate talent. Luckily, my partner adores science (big into chemistry and engineering) and is equipped with endless patience for my questions, which has led me to some pretty interesting discourses. Here are a few scientific (ish?) things I have been interested in recently.
“Do We Understand the Outlines of Literary History?” Ted Underwood
This paper discusses the prospect of using AI as a new reading method. I think AI is super interesting theoretically and practically, with many cool and unexpected applications. Besides describing the utility of this technology, Underwood also touches on key points about the purpose of AI, which I believe are often missed in AI discourse.
The 2022 Nobel Physics Prize finding on quantum entanglement
I absolutely love theoretical physics. Actual physics is insanely dull; if you talk to me about a lever or velocity, my ears will bleed. But quantum stuff? Don’t even get me started. So cool. I feel very strongly about Schrodinger’s Cat, and this finding is like the nth degree of that conversation. If you can’t find any good articles, try Hank Green’s TikTok.
Prose and poetry:
Ok, I know you were not asking for these kinds of readings. I get it. But I love creative writing so much that I had to include some. I warned you– English Major!
“Crush,” Richard Siken
Richard Siken and I have a secret psychological commune in this book. He clearly wrote it for me (because I Get It), but I’ll share it with you because I’m really nice and generous. However, fair warning, his poetry is not for the faint of heart. It is gay and tortured. Read it and weep.
“This is Water,” David Foster Wallace
I read this essay in high school and still think it’s great. I always find it uplifting; it’s one of those pieces that makes you think about being alive for a second, like the feeling you get when setting a New Year’s Resolution.
“The January Children,” Safia Elhillo
This is one of the best volumes of poetry I’ve read this year. Unfortunately, it has not reached mainstream popularity; my roommate read it for one of her classes and graciously shared it with me. The book details Elhillo’s experience as a Sudanese-American woman, so I (and likely most of you) don’t relate to the particulars. However, her writing is so gorgeous and accessible that I think anyone can enjoy it. It reminds me a bit of Ocean Vuong’s work (if you haven’t read Vuong, where were you in 2019, and how did you get here).
That’s it! This list is far from exhaustive; I can continue posting these if you’re interested, so let me know what you think and maybe stay tuned for future editions. I hope you found some reading material. Until next time.