Dansite Reading Journal

Dan Jewett's chronological reading record.

Image depicts a giant eyeball hovering over a cityscape, staring downward.
Book, read June 1, 2026
We (1920)
by Yevgeny Zamyatin • translated by Bela Shayevich
Dystopian Literature Literary Fiction Translation
Black and white image of Sonny Rollins playing his Tenor Saxophone.
Article, read May 30, 2026
The Sound of Sonny Rollins

New York Review of Books, September 27, 2012

by Christopher Carroll
Music Review
Illustration of Hu Anyan with short hair, wearing a light sweater, surrounded by stacked cardboard boxes. The tone is organized yet crowded.
Article, read May 30, 2026
On the Road (Alam)

The New York Review of Books, June 11, 2026

by Rumaan Alam
Book Review
Cover of "Stalingrad" by Antony Beevor, featuring wartime ruins and silhouetted soldiers. The title stands out boldly, conveying a tense atmosphere.
Book, read May 29, 2026
Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege: 1942-1943 (1998)
by Antony Beevor
History Non-Fiction World War II
Cover of "Stalingrad" by Vasily Grossman shows a soldier on snowy battlefield beside a tank. Text includes translator names Robert and Elizabeth Chandler.
Book, In Progress
For a Just Cause (Stalingrad) (1952)
by Vassily Grossman • translated by Robert and Elizabeth Chandler
Historical Fiction Russian Literature Translation World War II
Cover of "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley; features a figure with robotic gears for torso, arms raised, on a stark background, evoking mechanization.
Book, read May 24, 2026
Brave New World (1932)
by Aldous Huxley
Classic Literature Dystopian Literature English Literature
Abstract cover of "To the Lighthouse" by Virginia Woolf, featuring overlapping pastel shapes outlined in orange and blue, creating a textured, modern look.
Book, read May 19, 2026
To the Lighthouse (1927)
by Virginia Woolf
Classic Literature
Cover of "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck, depicting a vintage truck loaded with belongings on a rural road, conveying a sense of journey and struggle.
Book, In Progress
The Grapes of Wrath (1939)
by John Steinbeck
American Literature Classic Literature
Cover of "A Room of One's Own" by Virginia Woolf. A stylized floral pattern with bold, earthy tones; title and author’s name in white lettering.
Book, read May 7, 2026
A Room of One's Own (1929)
by Virginia Woolf
Essay Literary Non-Fiction
Cover of "Trout Fishing in America" by Richard Brautigan. Brautigan in a hat and Michaela Le Grand seated, both in vintage clothing, pose near a statue, conveying a bohemian vibe.
Book, read May 6, 2026
Trout Fishing in America (1967)
by Richard Brautigan
American Literature Nature Writing Satire
Black and white book cover of "McCullers: Complete Novels" featuring a thoughtful woman, hand on head. Titles listed below, elegant font. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Reflections in a Golden Eye, The Ballad of the Sad Cafe, The Member of the Wedding, Clo
Book, read May 5, 2026
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (1940)
by Carson McCullers
American Literature Debut Literary Fiction Top Pick
A blurred image of a rural soccer goal on a grassy field, surrounded by wildflowers. Pink blooms in the foreground add a contrast, evoking a serene mood.
Article, read May 5, 2026
How Should a Pixel Be?

The New York Review of Books, May 14, 2026

by Dennis Lim
Film Review
Abstract painting of Donald Trump with pink facial features, blonde hair, and wearing a black suit with a red striped tie, set against a dark background.
Article, read May 3, 2026
The Right Amount of Crazy: In Trump’s strategy of feigning madness to get what he wants, there is no longer any border between pretense and actual irrationality.

The New York Review of Books, May 14, 2026

by Fintan O'Toole
Essay
Cover of "O'Connor: Collected Works" shows a grayscale photo of a woman seated, smiling. Includes book titles like "Wise Blood" and "A Good Man Is Hard to Find."
Book, read May 3, 2026
A Good Man is Hard to Find: And Other Stories (1955)
by Flannery O'Connor
American Literature Stories
Light blue book cover with bold black text reading "Martin Luther King, Jr." and "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Penguin Modern Classics logo at top.
Book, read April 26, 2026
Letter From Birmingham Jail (1963)
by Martin Luther King, Jr.
Essay Opinion
Cover of Spoon River Anthology
Book, read April 20, 2026
Spoon River Anthology (1915)
by Edward Lee Masters
American Literature Poetry
Cover of Light in August
Book, In Progress
Light in August (1932)
by William Faulkner
American Literature Classic Literature
Book cover depicting a young Pat Metheny playing an electric guitar against a blurred, grassy background. Text reads "Beneath Missouri Skies: Pat Metheny in Kansas City 1964-1972."
Book, read April 13, 2026
Beneath Missouri Skies: Pat Metheny in Kansas City 1964-1972 (2021)
by Carolyn Glenn Brewer
Biography Music
"Book cover for 'In a Lonely Place' by Dorothy B. Hughes. A dramatic black-and-white image shows a face in shadow, with a window casting light. The mood is tense and mysterious."
Book, read April 8, 2026
In a Lonely Place (1947)
by Dorothy B. Hughes
Crime Fiction
Black and white image of a large white whale surfacing amid dark ocean waves, surrounded by flying seagulls. Text reads “Application for Release from the Dream, Tony Hoagland.”
Book, read April 5, 2026
Application for Release from the Dream (2015)
by Tony Hoagland
Poetry Top Pick