Q&A: my favorite books & authors, reading in French, my music, academia

Get to know me a bit better! You asked me enough questions that I've decided to break up my answers into two parts. Here, I talk about books, authors, being French, my music career & my academic life. Come back for more about my life in New York, my style & general bits and bobs about me 🖤

People & books mentioned:
The Metamorphoses by Ovid (8 CE)
the poems of Catullus
Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde (1984)
Katalin Street by Magda Szabó (trans. Len Rix) (1969)
Love by Toni Morrison (2003)
They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib (2017)
Death in Venice by Thomas Mann (1912)
Gustave Flaubert
Honoré de Balzac
Marcel Proust
Albert Camus
Simone de Beauvoir
Frantz Fanon
Jacques Derrida
Michel Foucault
Roland Barthes
Julia Kristeva
Apollonaire
Stéphane Mallarmé
Charles Baudelaire
Louise de Vilmorin
Marie Ndiaye
Chloé Delaume
Cécile Coulon
Léonora Miano

Socials:
Insta: @sdelphis
StoryGraph: @sdelphis

[thelefthandedreader]

“Arguably, I’m always talking about myself.” 😅. This is a really fun and interesting Q&A. I have a feeling that now armed with the French phrase you share with us here - used judiciously - will be very satisfying indeed. 😊😊😊

[robotnic]

Lovely video, Sophie. Such a privilege to hear you speak about language and music.

[lazloandbooks]

I completely understand how you feel about being bilingual. My first language is Spanish but personally because I was born and raised in the US, English is definitely my stronger language but I’m definitely fluent in both. Similarly, in terms of emotions I find it very difficult to express my emotions in Spanish, and exclusively speak to my parents in Spanish, so I’ve wondered if there’s any correlation with that. Either way you’ve inspired me to read more Clarice Lispector and reading it in English felt off for me. Then I had the amazing idea to read the Spanish translation and everything clicked and is so so amazing. ( I had simply forgotten how similar written portuguése is to Spanish so I truly feel so lucky to read Lispector in her “almost” true form.

[Ali-qcym]

I really enjoyed hearing your answers, can’t wait for the second part!

[jorjastonej]

Thank you for discussing so much about yourself so gracefully.

[DogEaredMusings]

Loved your responses! So cool learning about your thoughts on language!

[kiranreader]

this was so much fun sophie!! loved learning more about u through language and the arts

[nathansnook]

sophie!!! this was such a delight. you are a discovery in your every day and it's always nice finding more about you through these precious q&a's!!!

Ravel! je l'aime bien aussi!

[hanadiamin]

You answered my questions!! Thank you so much. I've also made it a goal for 2024 to re-read more of the books I consider personal favourites. So excited to re-visit those emotions.

[yenasung]

oo u got a gooood set of q's that you a'ed v well!!! I feel like even after our afternoon together of nonstop conversation I have learned so much more about you and your intricacies - love the French phrases you shared hee hee. excited for p2!

(do not ask when my q&a upload shall be I have not even started and I now have two neighbors who have begun very extensive exterior work involving jackhammers and forklifts that all go beep and bzz 💀)

[amyb]

Thank you so much for this and for being so thoughtful in your answers!

[rebareads]

We love you Sophie!!! ❤ Thanks for sharing more about your beautiful self. Can’t wait for part 2!

[pastorytime]

We enjoyed all the answers!! And you liking electronic music very much made sense!❤

[radiantchristina]

Loved your A's to all our Q's 🤗

[MJ-in-Canada]

Thank you for your thoughtful responses to our questions, and for the insight into your personality. I wish you well in achieving a marriage of your interests as you build your career and life.

[kailienatsu]

Sister outsider !! One of my fav reads this year, incredible incredible essays in there

[jameskatie]

this was so enjoyable!! you are a fascinating delight x

[RoisinsReading]

When you talk about emotions in French, I read somewhere that it is easier to say I love you in a second language, because it’s more a intellectualisation than an emotion. Also swearing only works as pain relief in your primary language (probably different if you’re fully bilingual).
Also the fuck flies reminded me of the Aussie phrase “we’re not here to fuck spiders” which means we’re not here to fuck around

[RashmikaLikesBooks]

I'm bilingual too and can empathise with not really feeling a difference between the two languages. English does feel more comfortable when talking about emotions, though, maybe because it's more detached? Either way, I really love listening to you talk. ;)