Further reading: Best of 2023, Part One: Writers’ Picks
It was an exciting year for the post calvin: our ten-year anniversary, lovely new art (click “About” above to learn more!), and hearing from writers of years past. Mostly, though, our blog aims for something other than excitement: a kind of persistent presence of words and ideas and memories and hopes and imaginings. Hurray, we did it, ten years, let’s go! But also: here we are, still writing, still reading, as one year turns into the next. The best tpc posts are not necessarily the sparkliest and most stunning ones (though sometimes they are); the best posts are the ones that remind us why this place keeps going—maybe not forever, but for tomorrow, another week, another year.
Below, you’ll find our favorite pieces of 2023, grouped by member of the editorial board and organized by writer’s publication date, along with a sentence (or two) on why we loved it.
Annaka Koster
Internet Alphabet | Sam Tuit
If I wanted to pick “quintessentially Sam” piece, I would’ve gone with one of his many and fun media reviews; if I wanted to be biased, I would’ve chosen the one where he gives libraries five out of five stars. I picked this one because it’s a tpc post idea that I’ve actually had but have never been brave enough to go for, and I admire the true courage it takes to share your internet history with the world.
Applying for My Fantasy Jobs | Christina Ribbens
Christina kills it every time she decides to be funny, and this one might be her best comedic effort yet (which Christina fans will know is high praise). Can we get a sequel post in 2024, please?
A Great Man Named Dan | Noah Keene
Noah’s pieces are often concerned with looking back—at history, at hindsight, and here, at a life well-lived. A lovely eulogy for a friend and mentor.
Taylor’s Worst Ex | Tiffany Kajiwara
Nothing hits quite like spite! All of Tiffany’s pieces have some percent edge and some percent heart; this one was 99% edge and I loved it. 2023 might have been the year of the Swiftie, but I’m rooting for 2024 to be the year of the Tiffany.
How I Survived the Dunkin’ App Betrayal | Carlisle Patete
I reiterate my point about spite. Carlisle shows off her signature brand of humor and aplomb here (for another excellent example, see her open letter to her cat, and I live for the fact that she knows exactly on which day in history Dunkin betrayed her.
The Last Christmas Tradition Standing | Joshua Polanski
Those of us with publication days at the end of the month are contractually obligated to write about Christmas in December, and I always look forward to Joshua’s Yuletide takes. This year, a not-too-melancholic exploration of how traditions change as our live stages do and what remains the same even so.
Josh Parks
Phone Calls with Nathan | Ansley Kelly
Ansley names the specific kinds of love and belonging a sibling relationship can provide: not constant togetherness, not superficial kindness, but the storied, comfortable givenness of having grown up together.
Have you thought about Palestine today? | Gwyneth Findlay
In the context of ongoing, horrific violence, Gwyneth offers ways to learn, protest, mourn, and not look away.
Overstimulated | Olivia Harre
It’s (rightly) become a cliché to talk about slowing down in our too-fast world, but Olivia offers fresh, reflection-provoking images of what our speedy lives feel like (forgotten limes) and what might help slow them down (glancing out windows).
A Good Book Can | Courtney Zonnefeld
Books may not always make us better people, but they can and do make us. In an expansive, rhythmic litany, Courtney celebrates all the ways books can bend our thoughts, moods, and feelings.
Magic in a Cup | Emily Joy Stroble
The divination scenes in a certain fantasy series never made me want to read tea leaves. This post did. Enough said.
Country Mouse, City Mouse | Natasha (Strydhorst) Unsworth
Natasha captures the confusion of moving from country to city to different city, transit systems and cultural norms swirling around you.
Alex Johnson
A Candle’s Flame | Isaac DeBoer
Isaac’s vulnerability and honesty shines through in this piece. It’s not often that we are reminded of the importance of mentoring relationships, and it’s a delight to get to know Isaac’s through his vivid writing.
This Day in Ghostory | Hannah McNulty
In a theme month about history, I love Hannah’s light-hearted tour through the dead folks of October 19th; pairing Waffle House and Neo-Confucianism wasn’t on my tpc bingo sheet.
Who’s Counting? | Parker Yeo
Parker wears his heart on his sleeve. While his August piece was a tour de force, I’m struck by his wrestling here with complexities of grief at a distance (and walking out with a new movie recommendation).
Ode to the Atlanta Driver | Kate DeHaan
Sometimes I think people talk about crazy drivers in cities like they talk about unpredictable weather: like it’s something that is unique to their city (it’s not). Kate, however, makes a convincing argument for Atlanta truly having some gems on the road.
How Am I Supposed to Retire? | Mitchell Barbee
While I was tempted by Mitchell’s fasincating peek into his baseball obession, his fears of the future are scarily relatable as someone else whose retirement plan is “try my best and maybe die early.”
The Ball Jar | Anna Jeffries Van Zytveld
Sylvia Path strikes again. Anna perfectly pairs her fantastic media analysis skills with her ability to drill straight to the heart of the matter. The moment I read “cryptobro” I knew this one was a winner.
Periphery People | Michal Rubingh
I’m haunted by Michal’s attention here and her final thought. Who surrounds us? Who knows us?
A Freedom I Believe In | Comfort Sampong
Comfort has a gift for evocative writing. I can feel the Black joy and love emanating from this piece and from Comfort’s work through the post calvin. She describes a world I want to believe in too.
HPC Hipsters | Ben DeVries
Ben is always dependable for a good reflection on literacy/academic things, but I’m drawn to his portrait of friends, both an homage to them and depiction of what friends look like in your twenties.
Deb Rienstra
I marvel once again at the variety of the essays this year, from odd experiments to obscure reviews to straightforward and honest portrayals of love and loneliness, moving and staying, jobs and family and pets and illness and hope. tpc continues to create a unique window on life in your 20s. Here are my favorites from the year.
Things My Father Was Right About | Alex Johnson
Of course I’m going to love a post about the triumph of parental wisdom. We parents have to take our wins where we can get them. Plus I love the specificity and charm of Alex’s commentary.
Aunt Beth’s Irises | Hannah Riffell
This essay captures themes of legacy and loss with a light touch through the objective correlative of irises. I also appreciated her wise post about grief from January 6.
A New Brand of Professional Development | Susannah Boersma
This one should have gotten picked up nationally. It’s a valid critique, a really good idea, and filled with compassion both for kids and teachers. I’m grateful for all Susannah’s writing about teaching life.
Papers I Didn’t Write in Seminary | Josh Parks
Might seem like inside jokes for some readers, but I’m there for them all. Plus: puns!
Marvin | Philip Rienstra
Obviously, I have to include a favorite from this particular writer. This post was a fascinating entry for our “this day in history” theme month. I also liked Philip’s May 10 Starbuck’s menu post (a public service, that) and his April 10 John Cage post.
Peace on Earth, Good Will Towards Fish | Gabrielle Eisma
A delightful story, masterfully told, and a good example of Gabrielle’s signature combination of humor and poignance. Also, let’s all applaud for the fabulous original art accompanying her posts all year.
… And Always (re)Framing | Jack Kamps
Along with Josh’s earlier set-up post, “Framed,” from Sept. 8, this sneaky archival caper was not only pulled off expertly, but Josh and Jack together wrote it up for maximum giggle value.
911 is Just a Number | Annaka Koster
I’m always grateful for Annaka’s tales of life as a public librarian. What a gift to have an able and empathetic chronicler of this odd cross section of American life.
Dear Blue Ridge | Jon Gorter
Shout-out to Jon for doing some lovely nature writing on tpc. This is a great example.
The Church Flag at the Pride Parade | Katerina Parsons
Thank you for saying all this so winsomely and well. We miss you, Katerina!
Josh Parks graduated from Calvin in 2018 with majors in English and music, and he is currently a PhD student in religious studies at the University of Virginia. When not writing, he can be found learning the alto recorder, watching obscure Disney movies, and making excruciating puns.
