Mary Winters '22

Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency is one of my favorite books from recent years because of the way Laing approaches writing about art. Her essays meld personal narrative with stylistic analysis in a way that is approachable, nutty, and illuminating. Laing also asks us to remember the expansive quality of art; Funny Weather encompasses not only visual art, but also literature and performance art. The result is an essay collection that has seen me through my time at Dartmouth by reminding me that art is whatever we need it to be—permanent and ephemeral, deeply personal and universal.