Hannah:
What book have you been carrying around while on planes, traveling around recently? Do you and Tegan share books on the road?
Sara:
well! i always carry a copy of "a lover's discourse: fragments" by roland barthes.
its sort of my bible. except not religious.
Hannah:
What is it that you love about "A Lover's Discourse?"
Sara:
Oh! so much about that book blows my mind. i think its a book for the recovering romantic.
tegan and i do share books sometimes, but i think she finds my tastes too snobby.
Hannah:
Is that how you define yourself at the moment or are you always in recovery as a romantic?
Sara:
i would define myself as a recovering romantic now. i used to be fully embracing of love and relationships...now i'm the grumpy cynic! i'm really fun to be around at weddings.
Hannah:
Speaking of Tegan thinking you're a book snob, she did a video recommendation for us last fall. She recommended Judy Blume. You are recommending Roland Barthes. Different much? :)
Sara:
ha! yes, thank you for that video evidence! amazing. although, i do love judy blume!
Fan:
what were some of your favorite books as a kid?
Sara:
tegan and i loved the ramona quimby books. (beverly cleary)

twoheartsundertheskyscrapers asked:

The white book (with a blue butterfly on the cover) on the right in that picture is a book called "Still Alice" by Lisa Genova. I have that book but haven't read it yet.. :)

Thank you! :)

Anonymous asked:

In the pile picture of the pile of mail, do you know what the books are? Especially the white one and the one in the foreground?

The one in the foreground is ‘Tipping the Velvet’, the one next to that is ‘Catcher in the Rye’, then ‘The Five People You Meet In Heaven’ but I have no idea about the other ones. Does anyone else know?

This book was not recommended to me by anyone, I happened upon it by reading the Pulitzers Prize list, which I frequent each year. And so I read it and it became my favourite book. I read it almost completely in the laundromat near my house in Montreal. And I balled hysterically. It is such a good book, it’s so sad. But not like in a sad way like it’s not a book about a dad getting cancer, and then a dog getting hit by a car, and like a baby dying or something like that. It’s like, just life. Just plain old life. The book is about a dad and a son, their relationship over the course of Independence Day weekend. And also his relationship with his ex wife and then his sort of current relationship that he’s having with another woman. That appeals to me, I’m a child of divorce so I love books about other children of divorce. Personally I’m directed to books that are about families or intense relationship dynamics between family members. I mean it’s not a book you read slowly over time, to me the book happens over the course of 3 or 4 days and so to me it’s a book that should be read in 3 or 4 days. And so if you’re not serious about this book, this is a commitment book, don’t come and play around with this book, don’t lead this book on. If you start it, finish it, for real.

This book was not recommended to me by anyone, I happened upon it by reading the Pulitzers Prize list, which I frequent each year. And so I read it and it became my favourite book. I read it almost completely in the laundromat near my house in Montreal. And I balled hysterically. It is such a good book, it’s so sad. But not like in a sad way like it’s not a book about a dad getting cancer, and then a dog getting hit by a car, and like a baby dying or something like that. It’s like, just life. Just plain old life. The book is about a dad and a son, their relationship over the course of Independence Day weekend. And also his relationship with his ex wife and then his sort of current relationship that he’s having with another woman. That appeals to me, I’m a child of divorce so I love books about other children of divorce. Personally I’m directed to books that are about families or intense relationship dynamics between family members. I mean it’s not a book you read slowly over time, to me the book happens over the course of 3 or 4 days and so to me it’s a book that should be read in 3 or 4 days. And so if you’re not serious about this book, this is a commitment book, don’t come and play around with this book, don’t lead this book on. If you start it, finish it, for real.

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO by STIEG LARRSON “I read much of this on 11 take offs and landings during our Australian Tour in May. Traveling/Touring can be a bit of a brain drain and especially so when you are faced with an abundance of recycled airplane oxygen and jet lag. I was out of the loop but Tegan filled me in on the folklore building around the now deceased Author and his massively popular trilogy. I loved it. Tegan, don’t be mad, I’ve got some bad news, I think I left it in a hotel room somewhere in Western Australia…” - SARA

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO by STIEG LARRSON

“I read much of this on 11 take offs and landings during our Australian Tour in May. Traveling/Touring can be a bit of a brain drain and especially so when you are faced with an abundance of recycled airplane oxygen and jet lag. I was out of the loop but Tegan filled me in on the folklore building around the now deceased Author and his massively popular trilogy. I loved it. Tegan, don’t be mad, I’ve got some bad news, I think I left it in a hotel room somewhere in Western Australia…” - SARA

“Just picked up the mail for this month! Thank u for the letters and books. You guys rule!!! Xo” - Tegan

“Just picked up the mail for this month! Thank u for the letters and books. You guys rule!!! Xo” - Tegan

“#livingthedream” - Tegan

“#livingthedream” - Tegan

Interviewer:
Favourite book?
Tegan:
Too many to pick just one. I love John Irving and Wally Lamb.
THE COSMIC SERPENT by JEREMY NARBY “When I went to get the book I was aware that I was already being a bit judgmental about the book choice. I must admit that I even had a moment where I regretted saying yes to joining the club. I read fiction mainly and when I do read non-fiction it’s typically NOT of the science/biology nature. While admitting to that though I have to also admit that partly why I don’t read books like this very often is because I want a summary at the end that tells me why we’re here, how we’re here, what happens when we leave here, where here is, etc. I don’t know if I just have a low comprehension level but I didn’t feel like this gave me any conclusions it just created a lot of dialogue internally and externally in my life about what the hell DNA really is, why we don’t know more about it and how I can get my hands on ayahuasca. (for educational purposes only of course).” - TEGAN

THE COSMIC SERPENT by JEREMY NARBY

“When I went to get the book I was aware that I was already being a bit judgmental about the book choice. I must admit that I even had a moment where I regretted saying yes to joining the club. I read fiction mainly and when I do read non-fiction it’s typically NOT of the science/biology nature. While admitting to that though I have to also admit that partly why I don’t read books like this very often is because I want a summary at the end that tells me why we’re here, how we’re here, what happens when we leave here, where here is, etc. I don’t know if I just have a low comprehension level but I didn’t feel like this gave me any conclusions it just created a lot of dialogue internally and externally in my life about what the hell DNA really is, why we don’t know more about it and how I can get my hands on ayahuasca. (for educational purposes only of course).” - TEGAN

AN ANTHROPOLOGIST ON MARS by OLIVER SACKS “I loved a lot of things in this book. I’m not a big science/non-fiction reader so once again, when I found out what book we were going to be reading, I felt intimidated. I read quickly and I read a lot. But as I’m out on the road right now and have been since June, I feel like my mind is mush. But this book didn’t feel over my head (the way Cosmic Serpent did) and perhaps this is what makes Sacks such an interesting, accessible writer, even though his subjects are so medical/clinical from the outside. Somehow he made reading about people who lost their sight and their ability to see color, and their ability to make new memory (due to a grapefruit sized tumor on the frontal lobe of a hippie-turned-Hare Krishna) seem sweet and endearing, and not completely tragic.” - TEGAN

AN ANTHROPOLOGIST ON MARS by OLIVER SACKS

“I loved a lot of things in this book. I’m not a big science/non-fiction reader so once again, when I found out what book we were going to be reading, I felt intimidated. I read quickly and I read a lot. But as I’m out on the road right now and have been since June, I feel like my mind is mush. But this book didn’t feel over my head (the way Cosmic Serpent did) and perhaps this is what makes Sacks such an interesting, accessible writer, even though his subjects are so medical/clinical from the outside. Somehow he made reading about people who lost their sight and their ability to see color, and their ability to make new memory (due to a grapefruit sized tumor on the frontal lobe of a hippie-turned-Hare Krishna) seem sweet and endearing, and not completely tragic.” - TEGAN