Writing and the whole shebang...
"Darlin' you can't live your life singing songs in exile, you were born for stardom's crown and not for self-denial..."
Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life!
The quote above is often misattributed to the father of American literature, Mark Twain, and has become a platitude used daily on the internet. Sure, it would be awesome if we all had the privilege of picking jobs we love, but it is still challenging not to lose the sense of pleasure when we need to do something daily as part of an obligation.
I grew up loving books, music, and writing, and there was no doubt in my mind that journalism would be the perfect profession to nurture my passions. However, it didn’t take long for me to realize that the ideal of journalism I had in my mind—fed by Simon Reynolds' Rip it Up and Start Again (2005) and Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous (2000)—was the exception rather than the rule. The daily work was not what I had envisioned, as many of the moments dedicated to writing lacked the depth I was seeking. Ultimately, I found my true passion in academia, where I get to obsess over books, music, and films, as I teach and write about them.
Nevertheless, not all that glitters is gold! It's hard to keep the spark alive when the demands of work keep you on your toes, making you produce nonstop without having the time to enjoy the ride. This made me start questioning: when was the last time I read a book just for fun, without a research interest? When was the last time I enjoyed a film without considering if it fit into a class syllabus? When was the last time I wrote something without worrying about citations and deadlines? It had been a long time... Realizing that I had lost the joy in things I always cared so much about motivated me to create The Whole Shebang!
The title for my Substack comes from the song written by the amazing band Grant Lee Buffalo for the equally awesome Todd Haynes’ film Velvet Goldmine (1998). Inspired by the idea of breaking free from the exile that work and academia can create, I reach out to you, hoping you'll join me in the fun of The Whole Shebang:
Darlin' you can't live your life singing songs in exile
You were born for stardom's crown and not for self denial
So don't you close the door on fate when she comes to call
And tell her that you'll join her there at the masqueraders ball
Funny how some people never love at all
We'll take the whole shebang
All or nothing anything
Ecstasy's the birthright of our gang
We'll take the whole shebang
Free your heart of guilt and shame
Come and claim what's yours the whole shebang
Album Breakdown
Talking about music and the big screen, the so-anticipated Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute To Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense, produced by the A24 as a plug to the re-release of the 1983 doc/album is out, and it proves that those who have high expectations are set to be disappointed. Some of the covers I was more excited about (yes, The National, I am talking to you…) were some of the most disappointing.
I was particularly disappointed with “Life During Wartime” because it’s my favorite track from Stop Making Sense. Tina Weymouth’s incredible bass line is a big part of why I love it, and without that, the song feels like it drops from a 100 to a 50. Luckily A24 has a lot of money and spending it on Talking Heads is the furthest thing from a bad idea, so even if the tribute album is not that memorable, at least we got this gem of a promo:
Play that Funk(o Pop) Music…
I’m not exactly a Funko Pop collector, but I do have some related to things I love, such as the film Labyrinth (1986), Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth (2006), Blade Runner (1982), Eddie Van Halen, and The White Stripes. I just pre-ordered the Soundgarden one, and it occurred to me: Matt Cameron is such an underrated drummer! How many band members do you know who have been “funkoed” twice? He is also part of the Pearl Jam edition (which I have). Can you imagine if they decide to do a Temple of the Dog special?
Brazilian Literature on Top
TikTok and then Twitter (which I refuse to call X) brought a classic of Brazilian literature to the trending topics and the bestsellers list. Thanks to Courtney Henning Novak's video update about the challenge #readaroundtheworld, people on #booktok learned about the 1881 novel The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas, written by Machado de Assis. I started this first newsletter talking about Mark Twain, so if you have never heard of Assis, think of him as the Father of Brazilian literature.
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The impact of Machado de Assis’ legacy goes beyond Brazilian borders: he is a must-read for anyone interested in Latin American culture and also the entire African diaspora. With this in mind, I end this with the suggestion of 05 books by Afro-Brazilian writers that have been translated into English and should be on everyone's bookshelf:
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Ursula by Maria Firmina dos Reis: Researchers continue to face challenges in uncovering details about Maria Firmina dos Reis' life. Nevertheless, she is celebrated as the first female Brazilian novelist. Ursula, published in 1859, is also regarded as the first Brazilian abolitionist novel. Despite its historical significance, it was only translated into English in 2021.
Child of the Dark: The Diary of Carolina Maria de Jesus by Carolina Maria de Jesus: Published in 1960 and translated into English in 1964, this book is a poignant collection of excerpts from de Jesus' diary. It offers a vivid portrayal of life in a favela in São Paulo.
City of God by Paulo Lins: This 1997 novel inspired the acclaimed 2002 film, which received four Academy Award nominations. The English translation was released in 2006. Like its cinematic adaptation, the novel is raw and violent, yet it masterfully blends reality and fiction.
Ponciá Vicêncio by Conceição Evaristo: Ideally, everyone should read this 2003 novella in Portuguese, but since that may be unrealistic, I encourage you to read it in any language available. When it was published in French, Evaristo was compared to Toni Morrison, which gives an idea of her importance and talent.
Crooked Plow by Itamar Vieira Junior: Originally published in Portuguese in 2019 and translated into English in 2023, this contemporary novel has garnered significant acclaim and is shortlisted for the 2024 International Booker Prize.
For the sake of fun, I won't commit to a regular writing schedule. I'll return whenever I have something interesting to share, which might be as soon as next week. I have two super exciting events to attend, and if they live up to my expectations, they'll definitely be worth writing home about! Thanks for joining The Whole Shebang gang!