November Book Club: Classics

What I read, what I wore, what I created + announcing December's Book Club theme

This post serves as our official November book club “meeting,” where we’ll share the books we read and the creative ways we immersed ourselves in our stories.

November’s Theme: Classics

Below, I’ll pose a series of questions along with my responses. You’re welcome to answer as many as you like or simply share your reflections, link to Instagram posts, TikToks, blogs, Substacks or any other places where you’ve shared! Even if you’re reading this later in the year, feel free to join the conversation whenever you like.

I’m excited to hear about your reading adventures!

What Did You Read?

This month, I revisited F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.

What made you choose this book?

If you caught my post on how I spent a solo day in NYC, you may remember how I ended my evening by catching a performance of The Great Gatsby on Broadway. I have listened to the soundtrack an embarrassing number of times since and it made me curious to pick up the original story to recall how the two compare.

What were your thoughts?

I had only read The Great Gatsby once, and it was on my own, when I was a teenager. It’s odd to me that it wasn’t assigned in any of my English classes and I feel like I missed out on fully understanding why this book (which turns 100 next year!) is so celebrated.

Admittedly, a feeling of panic washed over me as I made my way through the first few pages. The text was dense, and it brought me back to other books that were assigned in high school — the kind that made dread reading.

A few pages in, the story’s pace quickened, and I grew more and more enchanted and inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s dazzling writing. I know they say “writing is re-writing” but I can’t imagine that any number of revisions would ever lead to me write a character description as elegantly as Scott does, like this introduction of Tom Buchanan:

“Not even the effeminate swank of his riding clothes could hide the enormous power of that body— he seemed to fill those glistening boots until he strained the top lacing, and you could see a great pack of muscle shifting when his shoulder moved under his thin coat."

In addition to swooning over every other sentence, I also found pleasure in seeing how the writers for The Great Gatsby musical created original songs inspired by the book’s text. It almost became a treasure hunt, spotting lines and phrases that I’ve come to know so well over the past few months in listening to the soundtrack.

It was a reading experience unlike any other, and an unexpected treat for a story that is really very grim.

Bringing the Story to Life

👗 Costume

While I was tempted to pull out the very 1920s inspired gold sequined gown I wore in my sister’s wedding, nearly a decade ago, I thought it would be fun to create more of a lounging-at-home look.

I took inspiration from Jordan Baker with the wide leg pants, but the slippers and headscarf feel more like something we’d see Daisy Buchanan slipping into post-Gatsby tryst.

🍪 Snack

As if I needed a prompt to make another cocktail.

This one isn’t quite period correct in its name, but still Jazz-age reminiscent. The 1934 Cosmo is one of my all-time favorite drinks, made with gin instead of vodka and raspberry simple syrup instead of cranberry juice. Here’s the recipe:

1 1/2 oz gin (Hendrick’s is my favorite!)
1/2 ounce Cointreau
3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 ounce raspberry simple syrup

Shake it all up with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with an orange peel.

Additionally, the inclusion of lemons and oranges give this drink a connection to Gatsby as our narrator Nick Caraway describes:

“Every Friday five crates of oranges and lemons arrived from a fruiterer in New York – every Monday these same oranges and lemons left by his back door in a pyramid of pulpless halves.”

“A pyramid of pulpless halves.” 🤯 Can we take another minute to appreciate the majesty of Scott’s writing?

🎨 Project

After finishing the book, I couldn’t not revisit the film — the 2013 version, that I remember seeing in the theater and not really liking. I enjoyed it so much more this time around, and not just because I paired it with a cocktail.

I’ve also been wanting to make some homemade simple syrups to have ready to go for Thanksgiving and the weeks leading up to Christmas, so I used this opportunity to do so!

I ordered these gorgeous bottles that I think would be Gatsby-approved, and created three syrups: Raspberry, Rosemary, and Orange spice.

Next Time on Book Club

My tree has already been up for a couple of weeks and I’m all in on the holiday spirit this year, so it should come as no surprise that…

🎄✨ Our theme for December is: Holiday Stories

As always, choose a story that brings you joy! Whether it’s revisiting an old favorite or picking up a contemporary holiday book (may I suggest this one — my review in this post) I hope it’ll be a fun month of December reading for you.

Save the date! Our December Book Club “Meeting” post goes live on Sunday, December 22nd.

✍️ Creative Exercises/Journal Prompts

1. What was your favorite book from high school? What are some of the thoughts/ideas that have stayed with you?

2. Create your own musical! Go through a classic book and make a list of song names inspired by the story. Which character(s) would sing them?

3. Highlight some of the most beautiful sentences in a story you love, and create a piece of typographical art, scribble it on a notecard, or share it with a friend.

☀️ Five good things

When we can recognize the things that bring us the most joy, we invite more of them into our lives. Here are five things that made me happy this week. Share yours below!

Five good things that happened this week:

1. For those who have been following along with my cleaning out the closet journey, I hit another big milestone this week, moving everything (only the sparks-joy stuff) back in, and styling it!

2. I treated myself to this adorable puzzle, called Season’s Readings.

3. My husband and I have been making our way through Season 2 of Netflix’s The Diplomat.

4. I made this yummy sweet potato chowder and served it with some (store bought) sourdough. It was the perfect cozy dinner.

5. I finally gave Nuuly a try and I am in love! I found my big coat! And a Christmas dress! And everything fit!

💬 Share your intention

Whether it’s a giant leap, a tiny to-do list item, a habit change, or something else, there is power in accountability, and this is a safe space to share your aim. Some weeks, we’ll fail, others we’ll soar, but with support, we’ll always keep going together.

Until next week, get out there and make something beautiful.

Michelle

🫶 Paid subscribers keep this newsletter going! If that’s you, thank you for being a part of this community. 

✨ If this newsletter brings you value please consider becoming a paid subscriber. You’ll access to everything I share + a 12-month printable calendar download when you sign up!

Here are some free ways you can help support this newsletter:

❤️ Like and comment on this post
📱 Take a screenshot and share it on social media
✍️ Restack a quote to share on Substack
💌 Forward to someone you think would love it
👋 If you received this from a friend, welcome! Here’s where you can subscribe.
⬇️ Use the link below to refer a friend!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work!