Ava: Raymond Carver, Rachel Cusk, Brontës, Glass Essay, Dear Sugar
Our curator this week is Ava (@noampomsky). Ava writes Bookbear Express, a Substack about psychology, relationships, and living with intensity that she's been publishing since 2019 (it’s the only blog Tim Ferriss has recommended twice on his podcast!). She's currently writing a book and spending time with her friends and her two dogs, Akko and Yumi.
Please enjoy these words that have mattered to Ava.
Ava's Picks
What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver
My favorite short story ever. I won't spoil it other than to say that the premise is two couples discussing what it really means to love someone. I think about this story all the time.
"I Don't Think Character Exists Anymore" by Alexandra Schwartz
An interview with Rachel Cusk that I'm obsessed with.
Reader, I Married Him by Judith Thurman
An excellent piece on the Bronte siblings.
So you wanna de-bog yourself by Adam Mastroianni
An amazing Substack piece on the reasons why people get unstuck and how they can get unstuck.
The Glass Essay by Anne Carson
The ultimate down bad poem.
Rachel Rumi's TikToks
I'm really into this woman who goes by Rachel Rumi on TikTok and has the most incredible manner.
Cheryl Strayed's The Truth That Lives There
This is the only thing anyone who is contemplating a breakup ever needs to read.
This Female Consciousness: On Chris Kraus by Leslie Jamison
A writer I love writing about another writer I love.
Spotlight on Ava's Work
If you're new to Ava's work, start with these: