There will always be a contingent of us who will rely on the human to human connection that a will written book will provide. I believe that contingent will grow as people realize their souls needs more than information. There’s an alchemy that happens when someone is able to pull gold out of all that information in a novel, unexpected way. Go do that. We’ll be here.
Having just finished my own book (a process that took ~3 years…not to mention some major pivots—from writing about fun to writing about death, lol), I am so touched to read about your own writing journey (and be directed to Adam Mastroianni’s work). I relate to the need for a kind of “delusional belief,” the intense focus required, but more importantly, to how the process of taking on such a project itself begins to change you (in particular, I feel practically allergic to short form content or basically anything that has been created hastily). Anyway, good luck with this next stage. As a fellow mom to a young child who is also struggling to build a village far away from “home,” I’m eager to read the final product!
Rosie, please keep at it! It is worth it. I have set up a Substack account just to tell you this.
I visited your page today looking for an update, because I am actively waiting for your book to come out. I will read through however many words you need. I don't use social media, dislike videos, enjoy podcasts – and absolutely love, need, require books.
I’m not sure if this is useful, but I'd like to tell you how I came across your work. I look up authors I like every now and then to see what they're up to. A few months back, as my daughter was entering the toddler stage, I re-read Michaeleen Doucleff's "Hunt gather parent", the only parenting book I recommend (throw in David F. Lancy's "Anthropology of Childhood). Had read it when it came out, thanks to a friend who knew of my passion for outside perspectives.
I will never thank Michaeleen enough for writing a BOOK! Never mind critics' (valid) concerns about pop-anthropology and cultural appropriation. Having lived in non-Western countries, I shared many of Michaeleen’s experiences but found them hard to pinpoint. Which is exactly what she managed in her book. Plus, she strikes me as very sincere and true to her word.
I perceive similar qualities in your work. You have an incredible knack for articulating Millennial unease in very telling words. Ideas like Friction, The Gap, needing people not friends (thanks Vonnegut) not only resonate, they hold practical value to me.
So, a couple months ago, as I was stalking Michaeleen’s latest, I stumbled upon “The Examined Life” podcast and listened to her episode. Enjoying Kenny Primrose’s interview style and wanting to hear from other women grounded in motherhood, I listened to you. Loved the episode, visited your Substack, told everybody about it.
Back to books : as I was listening, I thought “she’s discussing Kinship, she must have been influenced by Tyson Yunkaporta”. Bingo when you mentioned interviewing him. “ Sand Talk” has impacted me profoundly. It is my all-time favorite refer-back-to non-fiction book. Tyson’s use of aboriginal concepts has been an endless source of productive reflection for me.
When I realized you were exploring ways to turn some of these ideas (Michaeleen’s alloparenting, Tyson’s Kinship) into reality in an urban middle-class European context, I felt thrilled and grateful. Just like you, the only idea I can get behind in this world is relatedness, interdependence, connection, the Village – name it what you will.
You have made it effectively relatable to me, I mean beyond the idealizing and disempowering “lovely, but I don’t have a village/tribe/land”. Your suggestions and the vulnerability you offer when you explain that this does not come naturally to you either – are already helping.
I am not one looking for how-to’s and scripted guidelines, but as you may know, when you step back from the mainstream gestalt, it can feel very isolating (even when most of your friends are collapse-aware and what not). I feel this a lot in the parenting sphere, where a “don’t judge” post-truth ethos seems to coexist with polarizing life-or-death certainties.
This is why I find support and solace in books like yours, and Michaeleen’s, and Tyson’s. They remind me that I am not alone in what I feel and value, they help me elaborate and question my thinking, they provide me with language and ideas that have practical power – and occasionally, they may be gifted or recommended to others to – hopefully – enhance sharing and connection.
So thank you, and please know you have at least one mother of a toddler in France counting on your book!
The magic of books is that yes we are reading the authors words, but the world, the space, the people and the journey are all built uniquely in our mind based on our own experiences.
No two readers journeys are alike, and cannot be duplicated twice.
On the contrast, video, and short form video take away the imagination. They build these worlds for you, and you are a passive participant.
I think this is why I fell in love with books as a child, and why we are approaching library status at home. Books will never die.
As a writer deep in publicity mode, I've realised that the many months and years of existing with/as the book are vital for discussing it on radio etc and reaching people that are less likely to be seeing these discussions in small grabs on socials (or perhaps not seeing them at all because of their algorithm). I was chatting to a radio producer yesterday and mentioned your name and the book you're writing as the topic of 'the village' came up. I wholeheartedly believe this is a book that needs to be written because it will no doubt be one that's passed from one villager to the next x
I think people who value and push themselves past the friction to read a book, your book, will get the value that’s mirrored in the writing process you’ve been putting yourself through. I guess this is to say, that there will always be an easier path like watching a short video, but committing to the harder path of reading has so many more reward. Holding attention with a book in this time is probably even more critical given the ai-slopverse. Good luck with writing!
There will always be a contingent of us who will rely on the human to human connection that a will written book will provide. I believe that contingent will grow as people realize their souls needs more than information. There’s an alchemy that happens when someone is able to pull gold out of all that information in a novel, unexpected way. Go do that. We’ll be here.
Having just finished my own book (a process that took ~3 years…not to mention some major pivots—from writing about fun to writing about death, lol), I am so touched to read about your own writing journey (and be directed to Adam Mastroianni’s work). I relate to the need for a kind of “delusional belief,” the intense focus required, but more importantly, to how the process of taking on such a project itself begins to change you (in particular, I feel practically allergic to short form content or basically anything that has been created hastily). Anyway, good luck with this next stage. As a fellow mom to a young child who is also struggling to build a village far away from “home,” I’m eager to read the final product!
Solidarity on all counts!
Rosie, please keep at it! It is worth it. I have set up a Substack account just to tell you this.
I visited your page today looking for an update, because I am actively waiting for your book to come out. I will read through however many words you need. I don't use social media, dislike videos, enjoy podcasts – and absolutely love, need, require books.
I’m not sure if this is useful, but I'd like to tell you how I came across your work. I look up authors I like every now and then to see what they're up to. A few months back, as my daughter was entering the toddler stage, I re-read Michaeleen Doucleff's "Hunt gather parent", the only parenting book I recommend (throw in David F. Lancy's "Anthropology of Childhood). Had read it when it came out, thanks to a friend who knew of my passion for outside perspectives.
I will never thank Michaeleen enough for writing a BOOK! Never mind critics' (valid) concerns about pop-anthropology and cultural appropriation. Having lived in non-Western countries, I shared many of Michaeleen’s experiences but found them hard to pinpoint. Which is exactly what she managed in her book. Plus, she strikes me as very sincere and true to her word.
I perceive similar qualities in your work. You have an incredible knack for articulating Millennial unease in very telling words. Ideas like Friction, The Gap, needing people not friends (thanks Vonnegut) not only resonate, they hold practical value to me.
So, a couple months ago, as I was stalking Michaeleen’s latest, I stumbled upon “The Examined Life” podcast and listened to her episode. Enjoying Kenny Primrose’s interview style and wanting to hear from other women grounded in motherhood, I listened to you. Loved the episode, visited your Substack, told everybody about it.
Back to books : as I was listening, I thought “she’s discussing Kinship, she must have been influenced by Tyson Yunkaporta”. Bingo when you mentioned interviewing him. “ Sand Talk” has impacted me profoundly. It is my all-time favorite refer-back-to non-fiction book. Tyson’s use of aboriginal concepts has been an endless source of productive reflection for me.
When I realized you were exploring ways to turn some of these ideas (Michaeleen’s alloparenting, Tyson’s Kinship) into reality in an urban middle-class European context, I felt thrilled and grateful. Just like you, the only idea I can get behind in this world is relatedness, interdependence, connection, the Village – name it what you will.
You have made it effectively relatable to me, I mean beyond the idealizing and disempowering “lovely, but I don’t have a village/tribe/land”. Your suggestions and the vulnerability you offer when you explain that this does not come naturally to you either – are already helping.
I am not one looking for how-to’s and scripted guidelines, but as you may know, when you step back from the mainstream gestalt, it can feel very isolating (even when most of your friends are collapse-aware and what not). I feel this a lot in the parenting sphere, where a “don’t judge” post-truth ethos seems to coexist with polarizing life-or-death certainties.
This is why I find support and solace in books like yours, and Michaeleen’s, and Tyson’s. They remind me that I am not alone in what I feel and value, they help me elaborate and question my thinking, they provide me with language and ideas that have practical power – and occasionally, they may be gifted or recommended to others to – hopefully – enhance sharing and connection.
So thank you, and please know you have at least one mother of a toddler in France counting on your book!
What an incredible comment. This has totally made my week (and it's only Monday!). Thank you, Marie.
The magic of books is that yes we are reading the authors words, but the world, the space, the people and the journey are all built uniquely in our mind based on our own experiences.
No two readers journeys are alike, and cannot be duplicated twice.
On the contrast, video, and short form video take away the imagination. They build these worlds for you, and you are a passive participant.
I think this is why I fell in love with books as a child, and why we are approaching library status at home. Books will never die.
As a writer deep in publicity mode, I've realised that the many months and years of existing with/as the book are vital for discussing it on radio etc and reaching people that are less likely to be seeing these discussions in small grabs on socials (or perhaps not seeing them at all because of their algorithm). I was chatting to a radio producer yesterday and mentioned your name and the book you're writing as the topic of 'the village' came up. I wholeheartedly believe this is a book that needs to be written because it will no doubt be one that's passed from one villager to the next x
Thank you so much for your support, Jodi! And good luck with your book promo, I hope it's a huge success.
I am glad my using some of my precious toddler-at-daycare time to write a comment contributed to a good start of the week for you :)
Here is a bitesized recap: thank you for your validating insights, and thank you for helping me articulate what I feel is worth commiting to :)
Can attest that lots of us are out here reading the big books and not reading / contributing to that majority of slop posts 🙋🏼♀️
Your thoughts here are very much in conversation with this piece from last year that I’ve kept open, Make Something Heavy — maybe you saw it at the time. https://www.workingtheorys.com/p/make-something-heavy
Excited to read it when you’re out of the rabbit hole!
Looking forward to the book!
I think people who value and push themselves past the friction to read a book, your book, will get the value that’s mirrored in the writing process you’ve been putting yourself through. I guess this is to say, that there will always be an easier path like watching a short video, but committing to the harder path of reading has so many more reward. Holding attention with a book in this time is probably even more critical given the ai-slopverse. Good luck with writing!
You are a wonder!