English Major’s Narrative
English Major’s Narrative is the newest incarnation of English Major’s Junk Food. After struggling with only writing about books and literature over the last few month I decided to make my blog more of a “life” blog. Just like I decided I couldn’t be “just an English major” in college I also couldn’t be “just a book blogger.” My interests are too widespread, and honestly my life has just changed so much since I sat down to write my first post in October 2009. While keeping a book blog for two years was right for me at one point, writing about my life is right for me now.
Now you’ll find posts about my wedding, marriage, moving, finding a job, feminism, crafting, exercise, cooking, travel, and of course, books. I’m not going to stop writing about books, but I’m not going to hold myself to that.
So here we are, starting a new journey.
Photo Credit John Allen.
English Major’s Junk Food
After a few interesting conversations I’ve had with people around the University of Iowa I have been thinking about what the purpose of reading really is. I am an English major, and most of my days are spent reading books that are decidedly “good” and I know a lot of people that read books that are decidedly “bad,” by English major standards.
Plot based novels, like those by Dan Brown and Meg Cabot, are often looked down upon by English majors, but these books can provide a nice escape for English majors who are constantly reading classics and more difficult writing. I started reading and writing as a child because I liked stories, not because I liked close reading and stealing from other writers. My English education has taught me that in order to be a reader I must always practice close analytical reading and my purpose of reading should be to understand the author’s intentions and what is good or bad about the piece. But I say this is bullshit, mostly, because I just want to read books. So that is what this blog is going to be. Reading books, and reading for enjoyment and not to pick apart everything (although I’m sure some picking apart will inevitably happen).
In 2010, English Major’s Junk Food was a Spotlight feature in the Daily Iowan, the University of Iowa’s student newspaper, and on the University of Iowa’s undergraduate literary show, Not Your Literati. It was also mentioned in a Daily Iowan Editorial and made the longlist for Best New Book Blog during Book Blogger Appreciation Week. Ash Bruxvoort was a guest speaker at the Iowa City Book Festival July 2010. She was also featured in the Iowa City Press Citizen as a member of the Iowa City arts community. In 2011 the blog was mentioned in the Iowa Alumni Magazine.
To contact Ash please email englishmajorjunkfood[AT]yahoo[DOT]com
Photo credit Laura Willis.
