Day One is doubling down on AI journaling. I’ve written thousands of entries in Day One, but despite the assurances of privacy, I’m not enabling any of these features. Not yet.
AI features in Gold are entirely optional. If you don’t enable AI features or engage them, they don’t touch your entries. When you do use them, your content is processed only in that moment and is never used to train AI models. The privacy principles Day One is known for haven’t changed.
These are the Wild West days of AI. Think carefully before you turn over even more of your most private thoughts.
One new story (and two reprints) from Claire Keegan, the master of compressing so much into so few words. Men behaving very badly ought to be the sub-title here. As with all of her stories, these will haunt you long after you finish. ★★★★☆
A wonderful collection of essays written by Cheryl Strayed as part of an advice column under the pseudonym “Dear Sugar.” Terrific, heartfelt advice on just about every aspect of life. I loved it. ★★★★★
We’ve lived in Phoenix for four years now, but only recently put in a pool. It’s almost a necessity here in the summer months. The project finished just as a heat wave descended on the West Valley. What a perfect way to enjoy a slightly cooler evening with friends.
A fun read for anyone with a passing interest in pool or gambling or gritty city life. Or if you’ve seen the movie with Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason. ★★★★☆
The inaugural volume of the Best American Essays showcases the essayistic talent of some literary icons in their heyday: Joyce Carol Oates, Stephen Jay Gould, Julian Barnes, and Cynthia Ozick. ★★★☆☆
How is it I’ve lived in Phoenix for four years and am just now learning about the annual VNSA used book sale? It’s far and away the largest used book sale I’ve ever attended. 600,000 books for sale at ridiculously low prices, and the proceeds go to well-deserved charities.
I haven’t bought a bag of books like this in years. Total cost? $14.00. The best part for me was seeing so many people with pull-along wagons and suitcases and big shopping bags full of books. Books! This warmed my heart. I’ve signed up as a volunteer to help this worthy organization.
If you’re a reader in the greater Phoenix area, mark your calendars: February 13 and 14, 2027 are the dates for next year’s sale. You will not want to miss this.
Finished reading: The Best American Essays 2025 by Jia Tolentino (editor) 📚
Continuing my essay kick with the latest “Best American” collection. A few missed the mark for me, but most were pretty good, and a few were extraordinary. ★★★☆☆
Published in 1982, Stephen King (as Richard Bachman) envisioned a 2025 America that feels eerily familiar. I won’t spoil the ending, but it’s a scary example of King’s uncanny ability to predict future events. ★★★★☆
A meticulously researched history of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Ultimately, the book is a tale of tragedy and woe for both sides of a pointless war. ★★★★☆
Another masterpiece from Claire Keegan, the master of the emotionally-charged short novel. The language is economical, yet lyrical. And moving. I did not want this one to end. ★★★★★
Set in a near-future NYC, we follow Vera, an exceptionally gifted yet anxious child, through a dystopian landscape of far-right extremism, absentee parenting, cultural diversity, and hilarious yet ominous technology. ★★★★☆
A warning that the corruption of power, the awful propensity for human barbarity, and the refusal to address legitimate grievances can lead to catastrophic consequences. This old classic offers modern day lessons. ★★★★☆
How is anyone ever to shut the eyes of their dead child? How is it possible to find two pennies and rest them there, in the eye sockets, to hold down the lids? How can anyone do this? It is not right. It cannot be.
