Olivia Laing wrote the book I wish I had written

I’m done reading Funny Weather by Olivia Laing — and I’m loving it. It’s a collection of mini-stories, essays, columns, and letters. A reflection on culture in all its shapes. The kind of book I wish I’d written myself.
The first part is Artists’ Lives — short biographies written lightly but with depth. Not just a retelling of facts, but something between a personal letter and an inner monologue. Basquiat, Agnes Martin, Hockney, Georgia O’Keeffe — no grand statements, just a feeling that you're in the room with her while she tells you what mattered in their lives. With just the right amount of irony.

Then come the Frieze columns — more political, looking at how art connects to the world. Protest, gender, class, cancel culture — it’s all there, but filtered through a personal lens, not a manifesto.

There’s also a section on four women’s lives, including one on artist Sarah Lucas. Plus a group of essays about everything: food, parties, loneliness, female alcoholism. Then come the book reviews — like Maggie Nelson’s The Argonauts and Chris Kraus’ I Love Dick. I love both of these, and reading Laing’s take feels like stepping into the same river twice — only now I know how to swim.

The final section is made up of love letters — individual texts, including ones from Freddie Mercury and Wolfgang Tillmans.