It is the time where all the Swifties and the non-Swifties were excited about! It is the Red Re-Release time. The queen Taylor Swift has answered all our prayers by reclaiming her masters and re-recording all the songs that were stolen from her. No one can take the place of the most productive in pandemic title but her. Churning out songs, deflecting fan theories, and shooting amazing music videos, it is Taylor Swift’s world and we are blessed to be in it.
With Red having been released, we have a perfect playlist waiting to be played on loop. The activity for this playlist should be a set of books based on the album. Below, is a list of well-curated books that you can read based on Red.
The sequel to Call Me By Your Name is about love that did not last. With three stories about relationships that had large age gaps and didn’t work out because of societal differences. Aciman is a genius in writing hard relationships and the overthinking that follows. His opinion of the anger, fondness, and the reminisce will hint at All Too Well. One of the stories is from Oliver’s point where he compares everyone he meets to his memory of Elio and it reminded me of the song, “I Bet You Think About Me.”
The song, “The Lucky One” is about how sometimes a lover does not know the one they love completely. Evelyn Hugo was a mystery to all her seven husbands who had no idea about her bisexuality. She has power over them and yet loneliness is a long-time visitor in her life. It also has the similarity of celebrity lifestyles which Taylor has used as a base in her album.
- The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
A big part of the album is passion. Along with hate. There is enough of both in Thorne’s book The Hating Game. It is about a duo who couldn’t hate each other more with a passion unrivaled. Their enemies arc then ends with love and it is all about competitions fuelled with love. Similar to the essence of the song “Red.”
“Begin Again” explores revisiting a former love and trying to ignite it back. Similarly, Felicity by Mary Oliver explores the continuous trial of trying to find love with the same person. It is about patience, softness, and hoping for a new outcome.
Being in your 20s in New York City, surrounded by friends, and gossiping about the jerk of a boyfriend reminds me of the one and only, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” Happy Hour is about a youth well spent. It is about leaving the past and taking the path to pleasure.
Taylor Swift may have her share of fans and haters but one thing is for sure, everyone knows her. She has made success her own and no one can argue that she rose above her haters on her own merit. Now that she is reclaiming her songs, it is time for you to listen to her on loop and pick up one of those books to get lost into RED.
Featured Image Via Time Magazine