booklist for the first days of sun

top stories was a prose periodical published from 1978 to 1991 by the artist anne turyn in buffalo, new york, and new york city. Over the course of twenty-nine issues, it served as a pivotal platform for experimental fiction and art through single-artist issues and two anthologies. the entire run of top stories is collected and reproduced here across two volumes. top stories primarily featured female artists, though in turyn’s words a few men “crept in as collaborators.” i’ve been really enjoying reading these; it somehow feels close to mnemotope, in another place, another time. find it here.

i read minor detail by adania shibli a few months ago, and despite it being just over 100 pages, different parts of the novel have continuously played around in my head since. shibli’s writing is subtle and sharply observed. in minor detail’s world of shifting borders, the past cannot be simply denied; it bleeds into the present at every turn. greatly recommend. get it here.

still haven’t read this! but got the HIGHEST recommendations. pedro paramo by juan rulfo is a haunting exploration of love, power, despair and death. the narrative delves deep into the mexican psyche, the oppressive social structures, and the damaging effects of unchecked power, ultimately painting a tragic image of a ruined town filled with lost souls. it directly influenced the famous novel 100 years. find it here.

wisława szymborska’s poetry has been, to me, the wisest, wittiest, and most accessible poetry i have read this year. conversation with a stone was the first poem i read opening the book - gave me all that i needed in that moment, can’t recommend strongly enough! find it here.

ghassan kanafani was a palestinian writer, teacher and activist. he experienced the nakba firsthand at the age of 12, and this defining event of his lifetime informed much of his work. his family found refuge in syria, where he studied arabic literature before beginning his career as a writer. in 1972, whilst turning on the ignition of his car, a bomb planted by the israeli intelligence agency mossad exploded. he died at the age of 36, alongside his 17 year-old niece, who was accompanying him at the time. his writing is the embodiment of the inherent grief and melancholy of postcolonial literature. this particular collection has been an important journey; the book is organised according to prominent themes in the writer’s work. each chapter includes an introduction by leading writers, adding current context seamlessly. i haven’t read any of his fiction work yet, but have been recommended the land of sad oranges. get it here.

re-reading this one during long travels. i first read it a few years back, and it opened my eyes to what a book can be. people I know have either hated it or loved it, rarely anything in between. either way, it’s the most wonderful journey you can take as a reader, in my opinion. find it here.

probably the most intriguing thing about this novel is the way the story is told. rather than simply using a first person perspective the entire book, dr. pereira’s testimony is ‘read’ to us which is why, every now and then, the narrator inserts “pereira maintains” into his reading. at its core it’s a political thriller set in lisbon in 1938, but really what it is is a story of a man’s awakening to what’s going on around him. a very political novel which deals intensively with the dictatorship in portugal. find it here.

another independent magazine for you! based in toronto, upping the anti publishes theoretical and critical articles, interviews, and roundtables. it also includes a book review section where activists assess new writing on the left. get their newest issue here.

roughcast puts the experience of the freelance contributors first. focusing on the freelancer experience, they cover art, photography, fashion, film, music and sociological writing. each edition presents responses around a theme, weaving them into a colourful tapestry of off-beat culture. great mix of things, great to read, can tell it was put together with love and care. get it here.

great to look at, great pieces of fiction. fun one to get lost in - greatly recommend. find it here.

mad and wonderful and utterly indulgent - such a beautiful foray into the creation of writing and of yourself. one of those books that you put down with the full intention to be more melodramatic in your own life which, in my mind, makes it a perfect spring read. find it here.