Credit: Reid Murray | Managing Editor for Design
“Dyscalculia” by Camonghne Felix, “The 7 Laws of Magical Thinking” by Matthew Hutson and “Messalina” by Honor Cargill-Martin
Lucy’s Little Library is a monthly book column that recommends three must-reads to Ohio State’s literature lovers.
Dear reader, nothing stings sharper than an icy splash of reality.
As a fantasy devotee, I typically prefer my reading materials to be steeped in magic systems and mythical creatures. Even so, our world possesses just as much tension and curiosity as many of its fictional counterparts — and these three nonfiction narratives are intrigue incarnate.
Please note that featured books are arranged in ascending order from lowest to highest page number. Students who are Ohio residents can apply for a free Columbus Metropolitan Library card online or at Thompson Library’s Circulation Desk, according to the University Libraries’ website.
“Dyscalculia: A Love Story of Epic Miscalculation” (2023)
Genre(s): autobiography, memoir
Page count: 219
Core qualities: honest, intense and soul-stirring
Drawing on poetic conventions and structures, “Dyscalculia” is compactly penned yet exceptionally raw.
Felix recounts an all-consuming relationship and breakup, courageously baring her personal trauma and mental health struggles along the way. Amid it all, Felix’s experiences with dyscalculia — a learning disability that impacts one’s ability to grasp and decipher mathematics — frame the memoir’s overall progression.
Pouring over Felix’s confessions is like embarking on a deep-sea dive; the water grows frigid and dark, while unknown creatures lurk just beyond your sight line. Still, rays of light break through this seemingly impenetrable void, and each crumb of hope doubles as a trembling breath of fresh air.
Standout quote: “I’m going through the world real nimble, just vibes, like a hum, and X and I are so beautiful, so precious, so ginger, and consciously I fear that he will break me but subconsciously I know that I will break the fourth wall and be what breaks us both.”
“The 7 Laws of Magical Thinking: How Irrational Beliefs Keep Us Happy, Healthy, and Sane” (2012)
Genre(s): psychological nonfiction, self-help
Page count: 249
Core qualities: clever, easygoing and philosophical
This conversational, enlightening book — a required reading for Ohio State’s “Magic and Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe” course — takes its audience on a lighthearted journey through existential rumination.
Through an invigorating blend of research findings and real-world anecdotes, Hutson demonstrates the prominence of magical thinking in today’s society, from common lucky rituals to the enduring personification of nonhuman entities.
If you think you don’t partake in so-called “magical thinking,” think again. As it turns out, humankind possesses a spectacular knack for manufacturing meaning.
Standout quote: “When we feel out of control we search for patterns in the world. Finding regularities allows us to plan our behavior in a manageable environment. And in our search for order we often see order that isn’t there.”
(Left to right) “Dyscalculia: A Love Story of Epic Miscalculation” by Camonghne Felix, “The 7 Laws of Magical Thinking: How Irrational Beliefs Keep Us Happy, Healthy, and Sane” by Matthew Hutson and “Messalina: The Life and Times of Rome’s Most Scandalous Empress” by Honor Cargill-Martin. Credit: Lucy Lawler | Managing Editor for Content
“Messalina: The Life and Times of Rome’s Most Scandalous Empress” (2024)
Genre(s): biography
Page count: 349
Core qualities: academic, progressive and revelatory
The third wife of Roman Emperor Claudius, Messalina is considered a salacious villain of the infamous Julio-Claudian dynasty. Following her death, she was deemed unforgivably dishonorable and was even subjected to “damnatio memoriae,” meaning all evidence of her being was scrubbed from the empire’s visual history.
Despite her wretched reputation, Messalina remains a mystery to many historians, as there are few verifiable facts about her distinct life. That’s where Cargill-Martin comes in.
An author, classicist and art historian, Cargill-Martin contextualizes the empress’ ascension and downfall with primary sources and a 21st-century lens. Though she sometimes engages in transparent speculation, one conclusion rings clear: Messalina was a product of her time, and Ancient Rome showed excruciating cruelty to young women.
Standout quote: “When daylight slipped in between the shutters of the unfamiliar bedroom, Messalina would have awoken to a whole new identity. The Roman man assumed his adult identity independently — shedding the clothes of childhood and donning the toga that denoted adult citizenship automatically upon reaching his mid-teens. This was not the case for a Roman woman. There was no coming-of-age ceremony for the Roman girl that might compare to her brothers’ assumption of the toga virilis. There was only marriage.”
Check back in next month for another entry of “Lucy’s Little Library,” the column that recommends three must-reads to Ohio State’s literature lovers. Credit: Lucy Lawler | Managing Editor for Content
