"Making an object and sending it out in the world is a gentle way to infiltrate people’s lives and, not in all but in some particular cases, even give meaning to their stories."
I have been a subscriber to Katka’s Eggtuition newsletter since early 2020. Most of the stories were already familiar to me. In the book, however, I started to see the patterns, the gentle rituals that followed Katka’s pandemic year - the importance she gave to the weather, drinking coffee, the city of Lisbon, and meeting strangers on the street.
It took me almost a year to read it. I struggled to find a way to serve each essay to myself properly. Should I read it every Sunday? Or all at once? Somewhere mid-June and in between books I grabbed Soft Boiled. I spent my morning commutes wrapped in soft observations of Katka’s world, traveling through different cities, and reflecting on various emotions the essays gave me.
I might be too much of an insider - being a fan of Katka’s work for some time - but this book has touched me like no other.
I especially like the open ending. Knowing that another story will land in my inbox next week.