Susan Stinson

The amazing Alison Bechdel gave a shout-out to Martha Mooday in Elle.com's book column.  She picked it as the book with the best opening line, and wrote something really gorgeous  about it.  "The first sentence is magnificent in the way it's a microcosm of the whole book, as well as a glimpse at the way Stinson writes so beautifully about fat bodies..."  That gives me an enormous amount of joy.  The whole list is full of books I love. 

Everyone should check out Alison's new book The Secret to Superhuman Strength, too! 

Field Notes by novelist Christopher Brown is a wonderful every week, rich with observations and insights from wandering the urban edgelands of Austin, Texas. I loved this May Day issue, which includes one of my favorite true stories from seventeenth century New England: the story of Thomas Morton and his wild Maypole party that got his whole settlement shut down.  It's a great moment to use as a departure to imagine what New England would have been like if they had stayed. Plus, a turte laying her eggs! And all!  Field Notes is very much worth subscribing to -- I wouldn't miss a Sunday.