Commonplace #2
Some things that caught my interest - September 2024
Exploring Life and Literature
Dear Friends,
As you read this I am visiting my hometown to celebrate my grandmother’s 90th birthday. I am grateful for the flexibility in my schedule that allows me this opportunity. One of my favorite songs by a great artist. Home for me will always be rural Missouri but the sentiment is the same.
Some things that caught my interest in September 2024:
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” - Howard Thurman
One of my favorite things to do is scroll through my subscribers list and randomly select someone so I can check out their publication if they have one. Unfortunately I don’t have the time to subscribe and read every single one but I have discovered some real treasures out there. One recent discovery was written by Charlene Lutz. Her artwork is beautiful and I was glad to find it. I hope you will check it out as well.
is one of my favorite writers. One of his recent articles, Napkin Toss, discusses the maturity and emotional intelligence needed to admit when we are wrong.
is the gentleman who introduced me to the Substack platform on which this newsletter is published. He leads several brilliant read-alongs and has just announced the plan for 2025. Check out what he has in store in a recent post, Endnotes August 2024 & Book Group Directory.
and I bonded over our love for our dogs (and books). In a recent essay, Here I Am, she shared the things her dog said to her.
has a new series called The Migrant Questionnaire. It is an interesting interview series looking at life through the lens of the expat and migrant.
writes one of the most fascinating publications I read. Noted is an exploration of note-taking, and on its two-year anniversary, she highlighted the note-taking habits of her readers. I was privileged to be among those she selected to feature.
In her recent article, There & Back Again... Again, explains why we all need to take a break from the internet now and then. Having had my own break from the internet this summer, I can vouch that her words ring true.
’s Friday Fragments are a must-read for me. They enable me to think deeply about a topic and examine my life in a different way. His recent fragment, Anchors, was particularly powerful.
I don’t recall exactly how Barrie and I first met, but we have been friends and colleagues for the better part of a year now. He and his lovely bride are British expats living on a small farm in France. When they aren’t restoring the property or taking lengthy bike rides, they write and encourage others. I encourage you to check out one of their encouragement sessions (free). You can find the details in Barrie’s missive, A New Season.
is always insightful and often entertaining. Recently he shared Eleven Predictions about the future of AI.
If you enjoyed my essays on magical realism but want to go deeper into the history behind the story, I recommend ’s article on Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
has a fantastic interview series called “8 Questions for…” where she interviews other authors. This month she interviewed Ted Gioia for what may be the best yet in the series. He discusses the benefits of indie publishing, why writers should get paid for their work, and much more. This is a must-read.
I have been listening to episodes of Strong Sense of Place, a podcast hosted by . Their written publication is also a great source of information for readers.
For those of you who receive this in your email inbox and have no idea what Substack is, has published an excellent guide to the Substack platform. If you want to learn more about the best platform for writers and readers, check out her article, How to navigate Substack.
has a great literary publication where she recently interviewed about her reading habits. Michelle has been using a spreadsheet to help her be more intentional about reading. I loved this article since I have done the same thing for years and was glad to discover someone else doing the same! Check out the interview in Issue 82.
shares her thoughts on the importance of artistic communities in her essay Grapple Friends to Your Soul with Hoops of Steel.
I am so grateful to have met through his exceptional publication, Personal Canon Formation. John is a brilliant teacher and writer. One of my favorite features of his publication is his music recommendations. In the past year, he has introduced me to so many new artists, allowing me to expand my appreciation of music. Here is a recent favorite that he shared which was immediately added to my regular rotation.
Books I read in September:
Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon is the first work I have read by this notoriously difficult author. Most experts agree this is the best entry-level book to start with. He definitely has a unique style that can be challenging. This book is a mix of crime noir and the hippie movement of the 1960s and 1970s.
America and Americans and Selected Non-fiction by John Steinbeck.
Viva Zapata! by John Steinbeck. This is Steinbeck's only full-length screenplay. It tells the story of Emiliano Zapata during the Mexican Revolution.
The Little Shop of Found Things by Paula Brackston. Usually when I go to the bookstore I have an idea of what I am going to buy. This was a spontaneous purchase and it was a great choice. Fun story that kept me interested.
Child of God by Cormac McCarthy. One of McCarthy’s lesser-known but truly dark works. I enjoyed the writing style of this one but be forewarned, the subject matter is disturbing.
Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How it Transformed Our World by Mark Pendergrast. I am doing a full review on this book and the topic of coffee coming up in November. Stay tuned.
A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami. Book 3 in the “Rat” series. This is a funny story and in true Murakami fashion it is about as bizarre as it gets.
Audiobooks I listened to in September:
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. Narrated by Sunil Malhotra. I enjoyed this book just as much as I did “The Covenant of Water.” Verghese is a master storyteller.
Master and Commander by Patrick O’Brian. Narrated by Patrick Tull. The entire O’Brian series of books was available for free with my Audible subscription so I downloaded the lot of them and will work my way through them as time permits. I love a good nautical tale.
Guest Author Opportunities
I am seeking writers (or readers who want to share their experiences) to write a guest post. They could be either non-fiction essays or original fictional work on the topic. The following opportunity is coming up in the next few months. If you are interested, please contact me at matt.m.long@gmail.com.
February—Short Stories—This short month will focus on short stories, and I will also showcase the works of Jorge Luis Borges. I am looking for a guest essay on your experience with short stories and would also accept an original short story for publication.
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Until next time,
Thank you so much for mentioning our Strong Sense of Place podcast and Substack. I'm very glad you're enjoying the show! It's a touch choice between audiobooks and podcasts, and I'm grateful you're inviting us into your ears :-)
You shouted out two of my favorite Substack writers, too! I love Simon Haisell's insights and commentary on the Wolf Hall trilogy, and I've found so much inspiration in Jillian Hess' Noted — I'm excited to explore your other recommendations.
Matthew, thanks for this, there is so much good stuff here.