The Writers Who Read series continues this week with author Michalle Gould.
Who are you?
I have been writing and publishing poetry for a long time and received my MFA in 2001 but am just now publishing my first book of poetry. The oldest poems in the book date all the way back to 1999! Many of the poems relate – although in a way that tries to deal with the broader issues relating to religion generally – to my exploration of Orthodox Judaism back in my early to mid twenties, which motivated a move to Manhattan in the summer of 2001 after receiving my MFA. However, that lifestyle was ultimately unsustainable for me, so many of the other poems relate to my experiences trying to figure out what to do afterward, how to retreat gracefully from a world I still cared about and how to find other sources of meaning for myself personally and in my work.
What are three beloved books you first read before the age of 12?
The Witch of Blackbird Pond (Elizabeth George Speare), A Swiftly Tilting Planet (Madeleine L’Engle), and either Where the Red Fern Grows (Wilson Rawls) or Jacob Have I Loved (Katherine Paterson). The last two I love for such different reasons that I can’t choose between them! In general, probably like many writers and passionate readers, I was drawn to stories about outsiders.
What is one book you are always recommending to friends and family (and maybe the local barista) as an adult?
Immortality, by Milan Kundera, and correspondingly his book of essays on writing “Testaments Betrayed.” I love his focus on issues of privacy and threats to privacy, which have only grown more and more relevant in our own social media obsessed society.
What is your book kryptonite–those unique elements in a book, beyond just great writing and three-dimensional characters, that make you unable to resist reading?
I love twins, poetic/lyrical language, and a good (rather than contrived) surprise/twist.
What is your ideal time and place to read?
Late afternoon, on my couch, used to be my favorite when I had a more flexible schedule but now that I work 9-5 again it’s in bed before going to sleep.
Which books have had the biggest influence on your writing?
For poetry, I am more drawn to specific poems/poets than individual books. I would say Eliot, Lucille Clifton, D.H. Lawrence, Zbigniew Herbert. For fiction: Anything by Kundera, Woolf, or generally the British modernist writers between 1900-1950.
How do you balance reading and writing in your life?
Not well enough! When I was younger it didn’t really matter but I’ve slowly become a person who finds it hard to read fiction while I am writing it. I also find it harder to write poetry and fiction at the same time, which never used to trouble me (not literally the same time, but within the same temporal space).
Choose your preferred book form: ebook, physical book, or audio book?
Physical book by far. I don’t mind ebooks but I still like the tangible feeling of turning the pages and also being able to take notes by hand when I am researching a piece.
Do you consciously plan your future reading–i.e., set book goals, keep a TBR list, participate in book challenges or book clubs? Why or why not?
Not really because then it feels like an obligation rather than something I do out of an authentic desire to experience the material. I do record books after I read them though just to have a reference of what I’ve read that year.
You can find out more about Michalle at her website or Twitter. You can also check out Resurrection Party: Poems at Silver Birch Press or Amazon.