The Happy Reader - #5

The expansive reading habits of the musical genius GRIMES and the seductive secrets of Émile Zola’s extraordinary consumerist novel AU BONHEUR DES DAMES.

CONTENTS

PART 1

Book simulacra, wintry whispers, and an epic deep-and-meaningful with GRIMES.

Read me

Snippets

The Interview: GRIMES by Ann Friedman — The art-pop celebrity discloses her fantastical literary inspirations

Winter reads

PART 2

The Book of the Season is Émile Zola’s AU BON HEUR DES DAMES, with the fragrance of taste, the slicing of Paris, the music of sales and the washing of pans.

Introduction: An irresistible monster by Seb Emina

Elegant squandering by Clancy Martin — I miss the Dallas branch of Barneys

City: Let’s raze Paris by Lauren Elkin — Those nice wide boulevards came at a price

Playlist: The sound of spending by Jina Khayyer — This season’s in-store music

Parisiennes by Scott Schuman — The Sartorialist in the City of Light

Stop shopping! by Gert Jonkers — Seeking solutions from the founder of Buy Nothing Day

No one leaves empty-handed

Who wears it best? by Alice Cavanagh — The countess whose clothes were immortal

Horror: In the kitchen by Jeremy Allen — Standing over a sink in one of the greatest department stores

Letters

In spring