Judging a Book By Its Lover

July 9, 2012
Leto (Texts from Last Night, blog and book) presents a series of endearingly honest essays on her love of books, alternating with occasionally funny skewerings of other book lovers, resulting in an awkward mix of memoir and snark. In attempting to explore how what we read, how we relate to it, and how we remember it also informs who we are, she often succeeds, but cannot resist the temptation to cast a mocking eye on the premise. Beginning by confessing her love of Janet Evanovich mysteries and reassuring readers in embracing whatever their literary choices may be, she then eviscerates fans of Stephenie Meyer as “People who type like this: ‘OMG. Mah fAvvv <3 <3.’” Though some asides are devastatingly funny, such as an open letter to Ayn Rand fans, or wonderfully imaginative, such as her fantasy about a dinner with an overly affectionate Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman, others peter out quickly. Still, even with the Buzzfeed style lists providing only sporadic entertainment and insight, her recollections of reaching out to a boy she liked with a copy of On the Road, or watching her grandmother’s failing health take away her ability to read are compelling, as is her take on resisting literary cynicism. Agent: Erin Malone, WME.