It’s no secret that Frazno! is a word-based zine. The writer, Indigo, may illustrate each issue with carefully chosen and eclectic designs, but writing is their forte. The zine would not exist without literary and cultural influences which the writer tries to keep track of. Indeed, Indigo is always searching for the next novel or book of poems to enjoy. With that being said, here are a list of 10 books that Indigo Terán believes will be the books of the summer:

1. The Inferno by Dante Alighieri. It’s no secret that Fresno gets some of the hottest summers in California. Instead of escaping it why not try to lean into that vibe? Dante’s Inferno is one of the world’s greatest epic poems, and it is also one of the most important works in western literature. Between the maze of its pages the Roman poet Virgil leads the narrator Dante through Hell to Purgatory. Many authors have referenced Dante’s Divine Comedy (which includes his Inferno) in their writing, including the Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges, who is one of the most important writers of the 20th century. According to one of Indigo’s old professors and mentors, John Ciardi’s English translation of the Inferno/the Divine Comedy is the best, though of course there are many other translations, each with their own merits. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/304807/the-inferno-by-dante-alighieri/
2. The Invention of Morel by Bioy Casares. Speaking of Argentinian writers, Bioy Casares is of the same milieu as Jorge Luis Borges, and The Invention of Morel is one of his greatest books. It is a story of escape, obsession and an exploration of consciousness. It is both an experiment in lucidity and the perfect summer read as it takes place on an island. https://www.nyrb.com/products/the-invention-of-morel
3. White Noise by Don DeLillio. One of Indigo’s most well-read friends has read this, and Indigo often looks to this friend and their bookshelf for guidance. If you want to be a reader of Modernity this novel is probably a good place to start. Consumerism and other toxicities of the turn of the century become literal waste which the protagonist and his family must navigate. What lies beneath it all? https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/541354/white-noise-by-don-delillo-introduction-by-richard-powers/
4. All About Love by bell hooks. This one was popular a few years ago, though Indigo has not gotten to it yet. bell hooks was one of the great theorists, feminists, and social critics of our time. In her writing she challenges established social norms and how we interact with them. In The Will To Change, she examines how love is accepted and rejected in a patriarchal society, and in All About Love she examines the socially accepted definition of love itself. Those who wish to see a better world would do well to read bell hooks’ writing for clarity on the world as it exists now. https://www.harpercollins.com/products/all-about-love-bell-hooks?variant=41228396986402
5. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce. James Joyce wrote Ulysses, one of the greatest novels in the English language which Indigo has not read. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is a shorter semi-autobiographical novel which explores many of the same themes (though of course one novel is never a replacement for another). This is another novel which Indigo’s friend has read which has by proxy made it onto Indigo’s reading list. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/535356/a-portrait-of-the-artist-as-a-young-man-by-james-joyce-foreword-by-karl-ove-knausgaard-notes-by-seamus-deane-cover-illustrated-by-roman-muradov/
6. The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts by Maxine Hong Kingston. The Woman Warrior is a book which Indigo did not get the chance to fully read as an undergraduate student, though it has been on their reading-list ever since. It is a memoir which explores the intersections of a Chinese-American girlhood. Homeland mythology, generational struggles and oppressions of the women in Kingston’s family, and her own personal experiences mix here to create one of the most important works in American literature. The hallmark of a good story is the illumination of some shift in culture, which makes this book both a compelling read and an invaluable one. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/93016/the-woman-warrior-by-maxine-hong-kingston/
7. 10:04 by Ben Lerner. So exactly half of this list Indigo can attribute to their friend. This is a novel which had to be actively searched for (it was found in Bookshop Santa Cruz). It’s one of those books like The Unbearable Lightness of Being or Invisible Cities which at its heart explores the act of writing and reading a novel. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250081339/1004anovel
8. A Season in Hell by Arthur Rimbaud. There’s no getting around the joy of being recommended a book by a friend. There is also great joy in reading from people who have experienced life in their youth who wrote about it. Rimbaud was 18 when he write A Season in Hell, a fact which reminds one of his tragic death at the age of 20. This is not a light poem but one filled with the fire of a young poet’s soul, ephemeral and lasting as a season lasts. https://www.harpercollins.com/products/arthur-rimbaud-complete-works-arthur-rimbaud?variant=32130819817506
9. White Teeth by Zadie Smith. This is the last book on this list which Indigo has noticed from their friend’s bookshelf. Actually, this is a novel they keep telling Indigo to read, so it is now on the summer 2024 reading list. It is one of the most important modern British novels, one of contemporary wit and multi-cultural experience in the heart of one of the former great empires. It is funny and profound in the way you would hope from a British novel. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/169680/white-teeth-by-zadie-smith/
10. Crying in H-Mart by Michelle Zauner. Michelle Zauner is the lead singer in the band Jabanese Breakfast. Crying in H-Mart is a memoir of grief for her mother. As with all grief, there is a body of memories and lives which surround it. Zauner’s grief and memory is defined among other things, by the food which she and her mother shared. How she defines herself, how she connects with her mother and her cultural identity can be traced back to the food the two experienced. Where else does one remember food if not a grocery store? https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/612676/crying-in-h-mart-by-michelle-zauner/