The past year was a continuation of a period of mostly escapist reading, during which I found pleasure in re-reading old favorites, and really took my time with books that I sped through in the past. Taking refuge in joy-infused, thoughtful, and imaginative books occupied most of my time as a counterbalance to the heavier academic reading that I often found myself buried under, to say nothing of the state of the world. There were countless phrases and sections that left their mark, words I read aloud to try to imprint them more sturdily in my reality. Far from a comprehensive list, here are a few favorites that writers with ties to Charlottesville contributed to my experience of 2022.
Terraform: Watch/Worlds/Burn anthology
For fellow fans of sci-fi and speculative fiction, this year brought the excellent anthology, Terraform: Watch/Worlds/Burn, edited by Brian Merchant and Claire L. Evans. Featuring a well-curated selection of near-future tales from Vice Media’s digital fiction initiative of the same name, Terraform is close to 500 pages of some of the best contemporary science fiction out there. Despite being a monster of a book, it’s pretty lightweight and easy to carry along in a tote bag, so you can dip into a story whenever you need an escape from reality—which is to say, I returned to this tome often.
The contributors include Charlottesville native Lincoln Michel along with fan favorites such as Jeff VanderMeer, Tochi Onyebuchi, and Omar El Akkad and a number of rising talents. Michel’s addition to the anthology is “The Duchy of the Toe Adam,” a truly weird body horror-infused send-up of cloning and religion. The story is a great companion to Michel’s 2021 novel The Body Scout, and a highlight of the Terraform anthology for many reasons, not the least of which is the mawbear.
Sticker by Henry Hoke
Written by Charlottesville author Henry Hoke as part of the Object Lesson series, Sticker is dazzlingly structured around stickers in Hoke’s life—from those found on fruit or CD packaging to “Be Nice to Me I Gave Blood Today”—in order to explore memories from his childhood here in town, and connect them to deeper examinations of contemporary life in America. Equal parts heartening and sobering, it’s a slim volume that succeeds in capturing the conflicting experiences that a hometown can hold.
The One True Me and You by Remi K. England
Though local author M. K. England (aka Remi) is known for their sci-fi and fantasy writing, this novel is a contemporary young adult meet-cute set against the backdrop of beauty pageant and lovingly nerdy fandoms. It’s also so much more than that. Featuring two queer protagonists, The One True Me and You is a book about life-sustaining friendships and learning how to be comfortable being yourself and asking for what you need. One of the most heartfelt and hope-filled books I’ve read in ages, this is a coming-of-age tale that is relatable and enjoyable for adult readers as well as young adults.
Togetherness by Wo Chan
In this debut collection by UVA alum Wo Chan, their poems are unrelentingly embodied, frenetic with energy and fecund in the details: “lean javelin beans spearvaulting starlike in garlic & hoisin, / more like obsidian, iridesces a shimmy of black bean, each snap of sweetness / reserved for the green earth—Gaia sweetness, vegetal boom in the mouth.”
Throughout, they interrogate their experiences as a queer Chinese immigrant, exploring their obsessions and pleasures alongside the mundane and disappointing. Woven through with odes to “Chopped” and their family’s restaurant in Fredericksburg, Virginia, as well as excerpts from letters written by friends and neighbors to support the Chan family’s immigration paperwork, these poems are playfully and formally sharp in their consideration of sex, food, culture, and family—chosen and otherwise. Chan is also a drag artist (who performs as The Illustrious Pearl), and the campiness of drag is integral to their poetry as well: “she sings under the megawatts of her holographic leotard: / new songs about her gender dysphoria. / my smile pancakes beyond the edge of my Cuisinart / face “she’s so greeeaaaat” i say stretching like an accordion.” The result is a collection that is as tender as it is vital.
Everyday Cake: 45 Simple Recipes for Layer, Bundt, Loaf, and Sheet Cakes by Polina Chesnakova
Former Charlottesville foodie Polina Chesnakova returned to her baking roots and delivers on this long subtitle with a cookbook that is full of cakes in all shapes and sizes, perfect for any occasion—or none at all. The recipes are easy to follow and feature unique combinations of flavors and ingredients such as those in the Grapefruit Poppy Seed Cake with Hibiscus Glaze or Parsnip and Cranberry Maple Cake. The book’s lush and vibrant photography ensures that even non-bakers will enjoy flipping its pages, which also include helpful tips, recommended tools, and notes on ingredients and substitutions.
As a baker without a notable sweet tooth, I still sought out this book based on my enduring love for Chesnakova’s previous cookbook, Hot Cheese, and was not disappointed. To be honest, I had to take a break from writing this piece to go bake one of her cakes (Roasted Pumpkin Spice Cake with Tahini Glaze), and I recommend you stop reading now so you can do the same.
