By the Book: Gabriella Nash, '26
Gabby Nash (she/her/hers) is a sophomore at Swarthmore, pursuing a degree in Psychology with a double minor in Dance and History. She is passionate about clinical psychology and the implications of intersectionality on mental health and well-being. Gabby aims to further develop these passions through her leadership as co-founder and co-president of the Swarthmore Literary Association, research assistant in the SOAR Lab, and secretary/choreographer in Rhythm N’ Motion. She hopes to pursue a career in clinical psychology post graduation.
What are you reading these days? I'm reading Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin for my book club, the Swarthmore Literary Association, and To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf in my academics.
Describe your favorite place to read on campus: My favorite place to read on campus is in my dorm room, usually in the evening time with my stuffed animals and favorite throw blanket.
Is there a book you’ve read multiple times? I usually have a difficult time re-reading books because I'm nervous that my opinion on the book will shift from positive to negative. But I often look through some of my favorite books and read small excerpts or specific chapters to reconnect with my favorite characters and storylines. Lately, the only book that I've reread is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
Is there a book you pretend to have read? Harry Potter and Percy Jackson - I missed the peak time to read these series.
Who is your favorite author? This is a difficult question because I have a lot of authors that I thoroughly enjoy reading, but I haven't read multiple books from their repertoire. But as of right now, my favorite author is Taylor Jenkins Reid - I have read most of her books and they never disappoint.
What's the latest book you could not finish even though you thought you should?
I tried so hard to finish Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong - but I eventually had to DNF [did not finish] the book.
What literary character would you most like to be friends with? I absolutely adored Sabrina from Happy Place by Emily Henry.
Do you have a literary nemesis? Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe.
What is your favorite reading genre? My favorite reading genre is historical fiction - I grew up reading books in this genre and my love for historical fiction has only increased over time. Literary fiction is a close second!
What book do you recommend most often? Lately, I have been recommending Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez! I had the best experience reading this book and it's such a fun rom-com.
What author would you like to meet and what would you ask them? Hanya Yanagihara - After writing A Little Life, what did you want readers to take away most from their reading experience and the friendship between Jude, JB, Malcolm, and Willem?
What book made an early impact on you and why? When I was in fourth grade, my class read Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper. This book has continued to affect my reading experience and how I interact with emotionally heavy books. This was the first time that I cried over fictional characters from a novel. I often think about this book when I reflect on my elementary school experience.
