Erasing the Chalkboard

Entering a new season of activities

I’ve always loved erasing the board.

As a language teacher, I’ve learned that the word lists that appear through class are bizarre and idiosyncratic. I often snapped photos before erasing them: “decapitate” hovered next to “weak enamel” while “loose goose” lingered at the bottom, next to “going stag,” with various slang for vomiting covered the middle. Any topic is open season in language lessons.

At the end of the lesson, I always quickly erased, especially when teaching away from the school in an office not used to such word lists. There is something wonderful about throwing yourself into a period of creation and then getting to start again from scratch.

Jane Eyre is wrapped

Our last post for the second Tattooed Governess slow read went live Monday, and I am both proud and relieved in equal measure to be erasing that board. Both times I’ve run slow reads, I’ve vastly underestimated the amount of mental energy it takes to create them, and as a result I haven’t managed to write anything else on here while slow reads are running.

But now I am free again, and I am excited to have a blank board to play with through August. I’ve got an adventure planned we can take together — more on that soon — but in the meantime, I want to share some things I’ve enjoyed recently that aren’t Jane Eyre.

What I’ve been reading:

So many good books! I also got to have several in-depth conversations at Mr. B’s Book Emporium when I was in Bath, UK, in April, which led to a massive book haul in my suitcase returning home. That place is book nerd heaven — if you haven’t yet been, it’s worth going to Bath just for the bookshops — Persephone is also there, as is the massive treasure trove that is Topping.

My favorite reads from the last few months:

• Deborah Levy’s Real Estate is the third in her Living Autobiography trilogy and it is my favorite. The idea of imaginary real estate as the things we own, both physical and abstract, enchanted me, as did the atmosphere of the book.

• I reread both of Everina Maxwell’s books, having listened to them on audio before and adored them even more the second time. I recommend going in order of publication, even though they are both standalone: Winter’s Orbit then Ocean’s Echo. She has another book coming late in 2026 and I cannot wait for it.

• Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa is fascinating and an absolute grabber. A dry and witty exploration of disability and sexuality, it won Japan’s most prestigious literary award: the Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors. I can absolutely see why — this is a book you won’t forget.

• Patch Work: A Life Amongst Clothes by Claire Wilcox. I picked this up thinking it might be a textile history memoir, but it’s much more ephemeral moments in the author’s life and career (curating at the V&A museum and caring for its collections) and how clothes touch these memories. Each one feels like a soap bubble of life and the writing is just gorgeous.

• Ring Shout, by P. Djèlí Clark. Set in the early 1900s, several Black women fight monsters called Ku Kluxes that spawn from Klan members. Ed, the bookseller at Mr. B’s described this as like “a very tightly plotted and excellent episode of Buffy [the Vampire Slayer].” I definitely agree. The monsters were fascinating and the deft commentary on racism in this part of American history was effortlessly woven through a pulsing narrative. So good.

• At the Pond: Swimming at the Hampsted Ladies’ Pond, Daunt Books. Arranged by season, this essay collection includes a range of pieces of gorgeous writing. Swimming in the this pond functions as a reset and an escape for the women writing for many reasons, and these essays felt as much about home, career, love, and friendship as they were about swimming. I foolishly read this just after returning from London, and wanted to jump on a plane back right away to finally swim in this magical place.

My packed bookshelf. image: Andrew Putschoegl

Currently reading:

• Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader, Anne Fadiman. Written in the 90s, I can’t be sure I haven’t read this before, but I’ve just scratched the surface and I’m already in love. Any book written by a serious reader about how much they love it has my heart.

• Storm Over Camelot, Sophie Keetch. The third in Keetch’s Morgan le Fay trilogy, I had been dragging my heels not wanting to finish these, but I finally began last night and read 100 pages before blinking. If you enjoy alternative takes of mythology and beautiful writing about magical women, this trilogy is for you.

• A Suit or a Suitcase, Maggie Smith. I’ve been sipping this one, a poem at a time, in the morning and it is delicious to savor, as all Smith’s writing is. You’ll want a copy to keep.

Recently watched:

• The History of Sound. (film) Josh O’Connor and Paul Mescal meet in 1917 while studying music and form a powerful connection. My favorite section was their trip together collecting folk songs on wax cylinders to preserve the voices of many singers and the song tradition. It’s a heartbreaker, but a bittersweet story that has definitely lingered.

• Shrinking (show) Having trained as a therapist, I enjoy this show while also knowing that almost the entire premise would get any therapist barred from practicing in California, let alone anywhere in the US. Even so, the acting is excellent, Harrison Ford and Jessica Williams are a gift, and Jason Segal brings real heart to often vulnerable topics. We’re on season three and will be sad when we finish.

What’s next?

The new adventure I have planned for us will begin in June, and I’ll share more about how it will work next week. To give you a hint, it’s a bit like a Governess Mode scavenger hunt that we all get to do together.

I’ll be explaining everything in a live on May 29 at 17:00 Central European Summer time — get notifications here to join live. The replay will also be available for everyone.

What are you erasing the board on?

Finished any projects lately? Hit a milestone? Share in the comments below!