Not A Church Service (I Promise)
Hey guys!
Despite what the photo might suggest, today’s post is not about a church service, but about the Brooklyn Book Festival. Despite the relentless rain drenching the streets, the event buzzed with excitement, offering a feast for any literary enthusiast. I went to a panel inside the beautiful St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church titled “A Search for Belonging,” featuring the writers Lorrie Moore and Kelly Link, and moderated by the insightful Brandon Taylor.
Moore and Link discussed their recent novels exploring the complexities of love and transformation, where characters grapple with their sense of self and place in the world. Moore’s I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home elegantly shifts between the past and present, highlighting the struggles of her characters to find connection within their families and lives. Meanwhile, Link’s The Book of Love offers a unique spin, following Laura, Daniel, and Mo as they navigate their return from the dead, all while facing the magical elements and desires that haunt them. Both narratives powerfully convey our universal search for belonging—be it in the tangible world or the ethereal.
One of the most intriguing parts of the discussion revolved around how both authors used ghosts as a narrative device. They spoke about how ghosts can illuminate a character’s reckoning with their past, revealing the isolation that often accompanies personal struggles. It’s an effective metaphor, underscoring the weight of memory and the ghosts we all carry. Moore and Link also emphasized the importance of humor in their writing, especially when navigating themes of death and loss. Laughter, they argued, can serve as a crucial lifeline, helping to weave light into the darker threads of storytelling.
As I strolled through the festival’s many stalls, I got the opportunity to engage with a variety of fascinating magazines and journals such as One Story. Speaking with the passionate individuals behind these outlets added an extra layer of depth to the experience, as they shared their insights into the American literary landscape.
Now, let’s be real: the only thing that could’ve made the day better was a little sunshine! The downpour may have soaked us (especially me—as always, perpetually unprepared without umbrella), but it certainly couldn’t dampen the spirit of the festival. And, after all, as Germans like to say: “We are not made of sugar.”
Talk to you soon—
—Lara