fall reading list

My grandmother grew up with Flannery O'Connor and gave me a signed 1st edition of Wise Blood last Spring. Flannery has always been one of my literary heros and her short stories are a constant source of inspiration. I am dying to read her famous novel this fall.

I've heard wonderful things about this collection of stories and Mueenuddin's elegant prose. Definitely at the top of my list.

This book about Hepburn's iconic character, Holly Golightly, has been #1 on my Amazon wishlist since early in the summer and I think it's about time to pull the trigger. Breakfast at Tiffany's is one of my all-time favorite movies (not surprisingly...) and the concept of this book sounds totally fascinating.

Professors and classmates have often compared my stories to Cheever's and my inner-WASP can totally relate to his chain-smoking, gin-and-tonic-drinking characters. I adore his short stories so I assume his classic novels, The Wapshot Chronicle, Falconer, and Bullet Park are equally brilliant.

I read Don't Get Too Comfortable a month or two ago and have been anxious to get my hands on more of David Rakoff's hilariously witty essays ever since. Half Empty, Rakoff's newest collection of humor essays, got a great review in the NY Times Book Review so now I'm even more antsy to pick up a copy.

We praised the first line of this novel--"Her name was India. She could never get used to it"--in my Honors Fiction class last year. I've been searching for an affordable 1st edition in used bookstores and on eBay but to no avail. I love, love, love the jacket design.

I've been eagerly anticipating the release of Rosecrans Baldwin's debut novel since meeting him last Spring. I expect the book has a lot clever, funny moments and the story sounds amazing. Plus, gotta support fellow Chapel Hill writers!

I'm kind of behind the curve on this one but it's next on my list after I finish The Handmaid's Tale. I've heard great things about it (obviously confirmed by the National Book Award win) and I'm super excited to get started.

Atwood's classic feminist allegory is my current read. I'm down to the last few chapters and it has been a consistently eye-opening and enthralling novel. It shares a lot of themes with Orwell's 1984, so if you like the whole apocalyptic, big-brother-is-watching-you type feel (I do), Ms. Atwood is the queen of crafting haunting futuristic dystopias.

fall must-have: we are owls

aren't these scarves from we are owls amazing? the designs are so cool and i love how they are abstracted into beautiful swirls of color when wrapped around your neck. all of the patterns are super chic but i think the leopard print with pops of neon may be my favorite.

find them at shopbop and henri bendel.

back in business

so after a little 9 month break, story sounds is going to be updated a whole lot more regularly. to kick off the fall season, here are some of my favorite looks for autumn. some are purely lust-worthy but maybe a few pieces will find their way to my closet this fall:

[j.crew--denim shirt and brocade skirt are up there on the wish list]

[feel the piece]

[jil sander]

[citizens of humanity]

[j.crew--first exciting fall purchase (!!!)]

[oscar de la renta]

[kate spade]

[tom binns]

[kate spade]

[kate spade]

[milly for hue]

[lanvin]

[j.crew]

all images from jcrew, net-a-porter, kate spade, piperlime, and shopbop

THE ROW fashion week dinner

this sounds AMAZING/why was i not invited? I bet there was room for me at the table, probably in the seat next to Spike Jonze...

click the image to read about the details of the event, hosted by Vogue editors Lisa Love and Lawren Howell.

via Olsens Anonymous

making it

Since the first season of Jonathan Ames's seies Bored to Death ended, there haven't really been any shows airing on HBO that I've been interested in. But after the premiere episode on Valentine's Day, How to Make it in America is my new Sunday night obsession. Kid Cudi, Bryan Armstrong, Victor Rasuk (another Lords of Dogtown alum) play friends navigating their way through the bullshit-laden East Villiage hipster art scene while hustling to make ends meet while they devise a plan to make it big and discover their moment of greatness.

Episode 2 comes on Sunday at 10pm on HBO--watch it!

has anyone else made this connection??

TOP: emile hirsch as jay boy adams in Lords of Dogtown (one of my favorite movies of all time)

BOTTOM: dash snow on the cover of VICE magazine's "Moments Like These Never Last" issue

...weird, huh?

blog braggin'

What was that? Did you say you're jealous because Christian Lander, creator of Stuff White People Like, just wrote "Sweet glasses and you will not get a job" in my copy of the book (and obviously signed the inside cover of my hip moleskine notebook with "this will one day be a great novel"). English majors unite!

**note: the image above is pretty much the whitest photo I have saved on my computer.