A Grand Unified Theory of Taylor: An Interview with Amy Long of Taylor Swift as Books
A Grand Unified Theory of Taylor: An Interview with Amy Long of Taylor Swift as Books
"If I didn't credit the cover designer, I would be going against the Swiftian ethos."
I had the pleasure of Zooming with dedicated literary citizen and big-time Swiftie Amy Long, creator of the delightful Taylor Swift as Books recently.
I’ve been a big fan of TSAB for a while now, and it was wonderful to chat with a fellow writer who shared my goal of increasing the coolness and accessibility of literature. For the uninitiated, TSAB is an Instagram account with a following ten thousand strong. The project? Meticulously pairing a photograph of Taylor Swift with a book cover in order to celebrate the singer and, most importantly, highlight beautiful works of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction.
Writers eagerly submit their book artwork and hope that it will result in a tailored “Taylor” from Amy, who is the author of Codependence (2019), winner of the 2018 CSU Poetry Center Essay Collection Competition. A nonfiction writer by trade, Amy has a deep appreciation for all kinds of literature and particularly for the hardships that poets face when they release their own books in a culture that consistently tells us that “no one reads poetry.”
This pop culture-savvy social media warrior was good enough to answer my questions about high and low culture, Taylor Swift lyrics, and the tastes of teen girls, all in the service of literature. Watch or listen to our interview below, which has been edited for length.
