A Perfectionists Guide to the Perfect Reading List

Hi.

Let me try again.

Sup sup sup!

Too much.

Hello.

Boring.

Hi.

I am a perfectionist.
I overthink everything.

I am an actor, writer, improviser. I love running, black coffee, science, comedy, playing outside, and my dog Joey. I am from the Midwest and have a lot of Minnesota pride. I live in Los Angeles.

Now that this is starting to read like a dating profile, I am going to stop because that is not why we're here.

I also love stories. Books. Reading. Patterns and escape.
I really love stories.

I grew up in an experimental theater family. What does that mean? My parents run a small theater in Minneapolis that is devoted to new work. I've had the privilege of watching my parents continually explore, discover, and break the rules of how to tell a story to an audience. When my sister and I were little my Dad told us great classic stories (Joan of Arc, Guy Fawkes, Don Quixote, Dracula etc.) through the perspective of two little girls watching the events play out. It ignited my imagination and I could listen for hours. I started doing theater while in elementary school and learned quickly how free I felt getting lost in a character, in someone else's skin. Stories feel like home.

It's not just me of course, stories are at the core of human existence. For survival, for information, for understanding.

We're making grand statements here today, folks!

I never leave my house without several books in my bag which points to two things. One, this appears to be some sort of security blanket, and two, I’m going to have back problems in the future. Carrying multiple books results in this conversation a lot:

INT. TRENDY LA COFFEE SHOP IN SILVERLAKE-MORNING
FRIEND WHO EMBRACES TECHNOLOGY IN 2016 TO MAKE LIFE EASIER (27) and ME (20-something) are seated stainless steel table in two chairs edgy looking chairs that would not seem out of place as a piece in a modern art museum. The friends are sipping overpriced caffeine drinks and trying to figure out how to get comfortable on an art piece.

FRIEND
Why don't you just get a tablet?!

ME
I like the real thing.

FRIEND
Yeah, but you could have 100 books in your pocket.

ME
I JUST WANT ONE THING IN THIS FINITE WORLD THAT FEELS REAL! SOMETHING THAT I CAN HOLD THAT REMINDS ME THAT I AM ALIVE!

FRIEND
Are you okay?

ME
(sips coffee) I’m fine, why do you ask?

I really like to read multiple books at the same time. It’s fascinating to me to see how topics in different texts that feel disparate find points of connectivity in ways I wouldn't have considered if it weren't for engaging with them simultaneously.

I am always looking for new stories. Earlier this year I got curious and I asked my Dad for a list of his favorite books. Books that shaped him as an artist, or changed his perspective as a human. He sent me a thoughtful starter list which resulted in me buying a couple immediately, then quickly adding the remaining 15 or so to my already lengthy Barnes and Noble wishlist.

I have a dream that one day I will buy my entire Barnes and Noble wishlist at the same time and a huge and much too heavy box will appear on my doorstep. As I open the box Hall and Oates’ "You Make My Dreams Come True" will start to play in the background from an undefined source, which will trigger a montage sequence that will ultimately culminate in me making snow angels in a sea of books.

Dream big, guys.

For my birthday this year my parents surprised me by compiling a list of their favorite books with additional titles sourced from some of my favorite people and sent me a bunch of them. It was delightful and got me thinking.

I took the long road to describe what I am doing here. What I find so interesting about reading a book recommended to me is that it feels like the closest I will get in my lifetime to being inside someone else is mind. The person who recommended this book held these same words in their brain and had an experience. Now I get to do the same. We get the chance to go on this journey together and alone. We are trading bits of ourselves.

Take a look, it's in a book.

Wait?! Is this adult hipster reading rainbow?!

I want to keep investigating this idea. I will be conducting little interviews, mostly videos, with some very interesting people about what their favorite books and why. The plan is to dig in and dig around some inspiring minds and add about a million (rough estimate) more books to my Barnes and Noble wishlist.

I will also be posting articles and other little interesting tidbits in a "Reading Around the Web" section.

I am excited.

Find a better ending.

So it goes.

Cliché.

This is an exploration of stories, mind reading, and the human condition.

Too much.

I am excited.

xoxo