On this week's dose of book recommendations, library love, and literary
enthusiasm, our Library Laura Podcast guest is author and anthropologist
Mackenzie Finklea. She's written "Beyond the Halls: An Insider's Guide to Loving Museums" and has a work of fiction set to come out in December 2021. She's
also given a Ted Talk and is a publishing coach. We talk historical fiction
and museums, swap some great book recommendations, and more.
While MacKenzie has found a niche in writing, publishing, anthropology and
displays of human culture, she didn't always know that was where she would end
up. She actually started out college as an engineering major before switching
to anthropology. She really enjoyed the strong writing component of her
anthropology classes as well.
She was contacted by a professor from Georgetown University about the
potential of writing a book. He was teaching a course that helped students
through the process of writing and self-publishing a book, answering the
question "What are you passionate enough about to write 38,000+ about it?" For
MacKenzie, that was museums! She took some writing that she'd already done for
her coursework, combined with interviewing many industry professionals to get
their stories and experiences in and around museums. All that and a lot of
work led to what is now "Beyond the Halls: An Insider's Guide to Loving Museums", which was published in December 2019.
The book is broken up into seven areas of interest, including the history of
museums, questions novices might ask and the "So what?" of museums, different
types, curation and ethics, and even includes some activities you might do
while visiting a museum! It's for a general audience, as MacKenzie said
she wanted to write something her friends would actually enjoy reading (and
not just because they feel like they have to). It would be at home in a museum
gift store, a college bookstore, or your indie bookstore shelves.
One of her favorite museums is probably the
Houston Museum of Natural Science.
MacKenzie loves museums, especially for what they teach us about what life was
like for different people throughout history, how they allow us to catalog
human history uniquely, and objects can outlive human lifetimes to be studied
and enjoyed. She appreciates what history can teach us about who we are, where
we came from, and where we're going.
In April 2019, MacKenzie gave a TED Talk at UT Austin about internet meme
culture. She chose to do this topic based on a term paper she'd written
previously for a linguistic anthropology course on speech play and verbal
art. "Basically a class about jokes," she explained. She said that the process
was both rewarding and terrifying. She practiced her talk, "until it was like
a song stuck in my head."
MacKenzie works as a publishing coach, primarily through New Degree Press, but
also for other self-publishing authors. She helps authors through the
publishing process, from getting to final drafts to marketing their book and
preparing for their book launch. "No one writes a book alone," she declares,
explaining the many people that are part of any book being published.
That conversation reminded me of an essay from Anne Bogel in I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of The Reading Life, where she explains why she loves reading acknowledgement sections and
authors notes so much. Since reading this essay, I've paid even more attention
to these sections in books I read, and I am reminded every time of how many
people are part of the process, and how good books aren't written in
isolation, but rather in community.
"Great writers read" ~ MacKenzie Finklea
MacKenzie avidly enjoyed reading as a child, before most of her reading was
books assigned in school. She loved serial books such as
The Magic Tree House
and
Katie Kazoo, Switcheroo as they were short, easy and fun to read. She found books assigned in
school to be much less fun, mostly. There were some classics that she enjoyed,
but ultimately felt burnt out by academic reading.
Feeling burnt out on reading didn't keep her from buying books! "Book buying
and book reading are two very separate hobbies!" she quips.
One of the last books that she read as a teen of her own free will is
The Glass Castle. She
remembers not being able to put it down, and claims it as a favorite because
of how much she enjoyed the reading experience.
While she was writing Beyond the Halls, MacKenzie started reading much more non-fiction, which she devoured for a
while. She found this reading helped a lot with her book and other essays
she's enjoyed writing. She still enjoys a good non-fiction book, but has
started getting into fiction as well.
Part of the impetus for getting into fiction is that she's actually trying her
hand at writing a work of fiction. She's appreciating reading fiction,
especially historical fiction, as she works on her own novel. If it includes a
museum in the story as well, even better! She especially appreciates
books set in either the Victorian era or 1920's France.
Books MacKenzie Recommends
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner - MacKenzie highly recommends! She likes the historical
setting, multiple viewpoints in both past and presence, and the element of
archeology.
How to Stop Time by
Matt Haig - This book has contributed to MacKenzie's recent ponderings about
how the past affects our present. In this book, by the author of
The Midnight Library, Tom has a dangerous secret. He may look like an ordinary 41-year-old,
but owing to a rare condition, he's been alive for centuries. Tom has lived
history--performing with Shakespeare, exploring the high seas with Captain
Cook, and sharing cocktails with Fitzgerald. Now, he just wants an ordinary
life. MacKenzie found his flashbacks, how he deals with loss, and how the
world has changed throughout the book to be really fascinating.
Before the Coffee Gets Cold
by Toshikazu Kawaguchi - A time travel story that takes place in a coffee
shop, told in vignettes. Visitors to this Tokyo coffee shop can travel back in
time, but only within the coffee shop and only until their cup of coffee gets
cold.
Metropolitan Stories by Christine Coulson - From a writer who worked at the Metropolitan
Museum for more than twenty-five years, an enchanting novel that shows us the
Met that the public doesn't see. One of the sections, for example, is from the
perspective of a chair on exhibit in the museum.
Crimson Time by Emily
VanderBent - a bonus recommendation from after we finished recording! This YA
historical / time travel fantasy is written by a friend of MacKenzie, and
you'll be hearing from Emily on the podcast in a few weeks! Stay tuned.
Books Laura Recommends
Lovey War by Julie
Berry - I know I can't shut up about this book, but I truly think it will tick
some boxes for MacKenzie as it is set in 1920's Europe, and I love the
narration of the story by Greek gods. I think she will too.
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg - I don't know how MacKenzie made it this far in life
without having read this book, but she needs to this very moment! Two children
are disenchanted with life at home and run away to live in the MET. From
bathing in the fountains to trying to solve a mystery involving one of the
priceless artifacts, they have quite the adventure...but might not decide to
live there forever. A Newbery award winner.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
by V.E. Schwab - With the fact that MacKenzie found fascinating the lengthy
lifetime of the character in How to Stop Time, I thought this might be a good
book for her. It's also set in France for a big part of the book. Addie is
cursed not to be remembered and to live forever, but she finds a loophole that
involves artists and museums. It's funny because I didn't love this book, but
I think Mackenzie will like it more than I did.
The Ten Thousand Doors of January
by Alix Harrow - This book involves travel between worlds, which is awesome.
But I think MacKenzie will appreciate the eccentric old man whose home is full
of treasures and trinkets almost as much! I love how magical this story is and
how it all comes together.
The Once and Future Witches
by Alix Harrow - I didn't love this book as much as Harrow's first novel, but
I think MacKenzie will get a kick out of the alternate history of the women's
suffrage movement, the tower library, the collection of "spells" as nursery
rhymes and poems, and especially the witchy museum in Salem that provides a
key to the sisters' journey. This book gets dark and a little weird, but it's
an interesting tale.
How to be an Artist by
Jerry Saltz - MacKenzie likes to mess with her friends while they're in art
museums looking at modern art and ask them why they're bothered by some of the
pieces. Based on that conversation, as well as Mackenzie being a writer and
creative, I think she'll appreciate this book. And she already owns it...so
I'm probably on the right track. Saltz gives tips for artists and creatives in
this short and punchy book. There's also art interspersed throughout.
The Veronica Speedwell mystery series by Deanna Raybourn (starts with
A Curious Beginning) - This recommendation is for the Victorian era! These mysteries star a
lepidopterist who is a strong independent woman, and her often-shirtless
taxidermist sidekick. She has a secret about her past, and he's
not-so-secretly been disgraced. They get involved in solving mysteries, often
on the seedier or more risque side of Victorian London. I've enjoyed this
whole series.
What's the coolest museum you've been to? Drop a comment below and let us
know!
With lots of literary love from my library to yours,
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