A Common Thread
Clarice Lispector books I've researched for an upcoming series & gallery show.
To the best of my knowledge, I’ve read every Clarice Lispector book available in English. She is, undoubtedly, an author for whom I would give up quite a lot—simply to have another book written by her, or even to read one of the ensuing books again for the first time. It isn’t an obsession; it’s an understanding. A bond has formed between the living and the dead, between myself and her, in a way that feels unreal. I find her thinking parallel to mine, her voice echoing my own.
In recent years, Lispector has begun receiving a renewed wave of attention—one of the few silver linings of social media, if any truly exist. And she deserves every bit of it. The work she left behind continues to expand across the world, reaching not only us living, but those who have yet to be born. Her influence is not static; it grows. And it will continue to do so.
I was recently invited by a gallery in San Francisco to showcase my work in March/April of 2026. When this opportunity was presented, I had just finished reading the last of Lispector’s books. I’ll speak more about the exhibition in the coming months, but for now, I want to encourage the reading of Lispector, any book of hers, honestly, but especially the ones I’ll mention in this newsletter.
I decided to carry my love for her writing into the foundation of this upcoming show. I began by narrowing down a selection of my favorite books, ultimately arriving at five. I backtracked through each of them, marking pages that held something luminous—an excerpt that inspired me, comforted me, or simply contained a subtle brilliance. From there, I began searching for the thread that runs through them, the thread that not only connects the books to one another, but connects them, in some way, to myself.
The world holds an astonishing amount of beauty, and much of it lives in literature. Lispector created a resounding body of work that continues to echo through the world. I consider myself fortunate to have stumbled across the literature she birthed. I encourage you to pick up one of these books; perhaps it will shift something in you, as it did in me.
The Passion According to G.H.
G.H. – A wealthy, solitary woman who, upon entering her maid’s empty room, undergoes a spiritual and psychological unraveling triggered by an encounter with a cockroach.
An Apprenticeship or The Book of Pleasures
Lóri – A reserved schoolteacher learning how to live fully, slowly opening herself to sensuality, vulnerability, and love in relationship with a man named Ulisses.
Água Viva
Unnamed narrator – A painter and writer speaking directly from a timeless, formless existence and experiencing the raw and shifting sensations of being itself.
The Chandelier
Virginia – A melancholic, introspective young woman drifting through the thresholds of childhood, family, and memory, caught in the silent world of her inner life.
A Breath of Life
Angela – A poetic, yearning being called into existence by her creator, and The Author—a godlike voice who gives and retracts life through language.
Soon, you’ll learn the common thread I discovered, even if you choose not to read any of the books. Better yet, you have the opportunity to see it in person. Still, you may find a thread of your own if you decide to read them all. I’m eager to begin creating this new series, and I hope I’m able to honor these books in the way they deserve.
If you have already read any of the aforementioned books and would love to chat about them, please reach out.