Welcome to the “What We’re Reading” ongoing series where Volunteers talk about the books they’ve been reading at site. Here you’ll find PCVs sharing their thoughts, reflections, and reviews on books of any genre. Leave us a comment below if you’ve also read any of these books!
Gretchen Evans, 136 YinD
Hi! My name is Gretchen Evans, and I am taking over this wonderful column created by Bianca Palese, a 134 TESS RPCV. I intend to interview my fellow volunteers and get to know what is on their bookshelves. For my first article, I will delve into a little about myself, my bookish thoughts, and what I’m reading at site!
I am a Youth in Development Volunteer serving in the Mukdahan province of Isaan. With so much time on my hands, I can continue one of my passions while here: reading! I particularly love translated works and short stories but am also a sucker for the classics, memoirs, literary fiction, and contemporary fiction. Reading celebrated authors and their eloquent language makes me feel connected with the human experience. When discussing reading with other book lovers, however, I tend to leave romance out of my list of favorite genres. Unfortunately, I can pinpoint why these “beach reads” feel like a forbidden, dirty little secret.
There is a stigma surrounding romance novels. Some may assert this community of readers is a beautiful little niche of literature created by women, for women. Others claim the “smut” within the pages of some romance novels is overbearing and borderline erotica. I understand most perspectives and can certainly see the appeal of reading for escapism. But, the case for the romance novel is simple: if this favored art can give someone hope, make them feel seen, or act as an outlet, why yuck someone’s yum?
Unlike the leading lady of a romance, I find myself in a village with no love interests. I have been somewhat of a serial monogamist my entire adult life, so this time of self-discovery is exciting, scary, and admittedly, a little lonely. The new, prominent kind of love I am growing accustomed to is communal and platonic. As a hopeless romantic, though, I can’t help but romanticize even the most simple acts of kindness. The people in my village embody naam jai, and my heart feels like it might burst every time I am handed a fruit, given a ride, or taken on an impromptu adventure (also known as “Thainapping”). Love is all around us, and it doesn’t have to be expressed romantically.
Am I then insinuating that romance novels fill the romantic relationship void in my daily life? No, but they can be a great way to celebrate others, fiction or not, finding a partner. Even if these people I refer to are just characters, an author must have experienced or have seen that kind of love to inspire their written love stories. How beautiful it is that there are people out there so head over heels for each other! It is a reassuring feeling for humans – the idea that someone is out there just for you. You don’t have to believe in fate to feel the love and chemistry dripping off the pages of a well-written meet-cute or a Pride and Prejudice-esque enemies-to-lovers trope. If it’s the explicit content that bothers you, consider simply skipping those sections and keep on reading!
I find myself reading memoirs, classics, and all the like during service. I have reread 1984 and was enthralled by Everything I Know About Love. For a little palette cleanser, I often pick up a newly-released romance. I read How to End a Love Story this month and was moved by the female main character’s (FMC) openness and empathy towards others. This book had an interesting premise between the love interests, and I can’t say how realistically their dynamic would translate in the real world. Still, the love story taught me the importance of self-confidence and the ability to depend on others when you need them most.
Women’s fiction and “Chick Lit” (the very title of this subgenre will prove my point) are other genres worth noting. Books with these categorizations often get a bad rap or go unnoticed for pretentious awards. Fictional stories focused on the self-discovery of a character who happens to be female tend to get this label. I like to think of it this way: Imagine The Odyssey as the poster child for “Men’s fiction” or “Dude Lit”. Seems comical, right?
When I think about it, most of my favorite books fall into this genre. I personally just categorize them in what they truly are: Literary Fiction. I recently finished Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Atmosphere and enjoyed every page. This novel is centered around a female astronaut in the 1980s. What is there not to love about a goal-oriented and intelligent FMC?! I highly recommend this work of “Women’s Fiction”, especially after Katy Perry’s 11-minute space adventure. It reveals the hard work and extreme devotion of true astronauts, and their ambition to excel. Perhaps more pressing are the sacrifices in their personal lives that come to the forefront in this novel.
If you have been aching to pick up a book, consider browsing through the women’s fiction section next time! Even more so, there are romance novels full of hope and book boyfriends calling your name. But don’t worry! If romance isn’t your thing, stay tuned for more recommendations from other volunteers.
Sticky Rice 
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