Welcome to Book Juice!

Finishing books is hard. Well, maybe not hard, but getting distracted is my number one skill. It’s what I do best. I start things, become hyper-fixated, then get distracted by a new hyperfixation, and boom—another book joins the many stacks scattered around my house. These stacks grow like weeds. Some might call this quitting, and sometimes, it is! However, in most cases, I always find my way back to the book I set aside weeks earlier because something—a new friend, a noise, an interaction—reminds me of what I was reading before. It’s part of the "flow," as I like to call it.

My favorite place is the library. I love weaving between shelves, scanning the colorful spines, and letting the books speak to me. I know it sounds a bit lame, but it’s true! When in doubt, I go to the library, just like Hermione does.

Anyway, enough about my love affair with books. Welcome to my new newsletter, Book Juice—a weekly newsletter with my thoughts about 3 books I'm reading, abandoning, or returning to. Follow along if you're into that sort of thing.

wgmi (as I like to tell myself).

cheers, carmen

Sergio Y • Alexandre Vidal Porto

Sergio Y. Wow. I finished it in two nights, but you could probably read it in one sitting because it’s nearly impossible to put down and will make your mind race in self-reflection. I wasn't expecting such a layered journey in such a small book. In this story, we follow Armando, a renowned psychiatrist living in São Paulo, Brazil, as he nears the end of his career, which he has been struggling with because he lives alone and doesn't know how he'd occupy his time after meeting with patients for days on end for years; his patients keep him occupied. Otherwise, he fears he won't have anything to do. But when he starts seeing a new patient, Sergio, the son of a wealthy Brazilian businessman, he begins a path towards self-discovery, tearing him apart emotionally. Everything is fine until he learns that Sergio is moving to New York, and a few short months later, Armando sees his patient on in the newspaper, murdered. The twist? Sergio had become Sandra. He had no idea.

This book might seem light-weight, but it’ll weigh heavy on your mind for days after you read it. You’ll question what is means to be show up for others, if you’ll ever really know another human being, and the ease with which we can become self-absorbed.

As Zoe Perry, Paulo Coelho’s translator, says: I’ll “gush about it to everyone I meet.” It’ll stand out as a bright green sliver in one of my book stacks and remind me to reflect.

Rating: 4/5 • Source: Sergio Y.

Status: Finished

Read, Write, Own • Chris Dixon

Now, this one might be a given, considering everyone and their mom is reading it (which is, HELLO, awesome! It means more people are caring about the future of the internet). Chris Dixon, you wizard, your book is so well-written, and I devoured every bit of it in just two days. It's rare I come across a book that packs loads of information (about networks and protocols, no less) into a bite-sized airplane read and still is so effective. I’m telling everyone who asks me about “what the hell crypto is” to get their hands on a copy of Read, Write, Own. I walked away with a better grasp on how networks and protocols function, a refresher on how the internet evolved, and remembered the importance for us to defend an internet designed for us, not merely for corporate gain. 

If you decide to abandon the book for any reason, you should check out this Bankless episode about Dixon’s urgency for writing the book for the general public.

P.S. Whoever did the marketing for this book release, you’re also a wizard.

Rating: 4/5 • Source: Read, Write, Own

Status: Currently Reading

The Lottery (and Other Stories) • Shirley Jackson

This pocket-sized, forest green book sits on top of one of the stacks by my bed — for easy access. I picked up this special copy from The Shakespeare Company bookstore last time I was in Paris (one of my favorite bookshops which is totally NOT overrated no matter what anyone says). When I can’t sleep, I start or re-read a story. Shirley Jackson is a masterful storyteller, and a legend in horror genre. I love scary stories that keep me up at night. Jackson knows how to make me uncomfortable enough to forget all the other thoughts swirling around in my head 20 minutes prior. It might seem counterintuitive to read something“scary” before bed, but the way this little books helps clear my mind is top tier. It may not have the same effect on you, but it’s still worth a read—whether you’re a horror fan or not.

The Lottery is a must-read, of course, but I also love the short story about the woman and the package. In all the stories in this book, Jackson bends reality, providing a cure for you to break down possible tunnel vision in your life. If you get the urge to look away, keep reading anyway.

Rating: 4.5/5 • Source: The Lottery and Other Stories

Status: Ongoing

Until next week! Happy reading.

🧡