RAWTS: Amy’s Take on The Nix
My husband and I read a book together. (Wow, cool, cue massive applause.) This is of interest because Matt is pretty much a self-professed non-reader of books. But back in 2020, he declared he wanted to read an “Amy book” with me. It was awesome, and we read The Overstory by Richard Powers. Fast forward to 2024, and I said, “Let’s do that again!” I had started The Nix and was enjoying the breezy style. So I declared it so.
Here’s my takeaway: If you’re trying to wrangle someone to your interest, there’s a dance that must happen. Humans are finicky creatures, you know. This is why pressing a book into someone’s hands while feverishly exclaiming, “You MUST read this!” doesn’t always work. In my opinion, this RAWTS (that is, Read Along with the Sheldons) experiment worked better the first time, when Matt fielded book suggestions via this account and picked one. All by himself, like the big boy he is.
Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed The Nix, the debut (and much acclaimed) novel by Nathan Hill. In fact, over a year ago, I described what I call a “gobble up” book after reading his second novel, Wellness. The best adjective for a gobble up is “satisfying.” (The Wellness post had more criteria.) I had written that these books are akin to “prestige television” à la Succession — more heady than sitcoms or Hallmark movies, but still accessible for all, as long as you don’t require spoon-feeding and have a bit of a pulse on the cultural zeitgeist.
Why satisfying? I suppose it’s the wisdom that peeks through the easy humor. There’s something profound in the pages, but it’s fun to get there. I found The Nix to be a moving look at how we are often our own “nix.” (“The things you love the most will one day hurt you the worst.”) Does this mean I was my own nix since I sort of got in my (our) own way by executive decision?
Will we RAWTS again?! (Dun, dun, dun…)
[Btw, I actually think this would be an excellent text for a lit class due to the thematic nuggets: Most obviously, the role of an “important writer,” but also what it means to be “gone,” the idea of dual identities (twins, pseudonyms), and, as always, how technology affects emotion.]
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