Bang Era™ — The Magic Word

By Bex Frankeberger and others

Bangs™! Fashion statement, or cry for help? Either way, an iconic choice. This blog post celebrates our favorite books from the years we got bangs. Some of them were published that year, some of them we simply read that year, but all of them are as unforgettable as the fringe that lined our heads.

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

This was the quintessential book of my high school experience, despite the fact that it revolves around an old man, a child, and obituaries for Jewish artists. The last time I reread this was in college, which was a while ago, and I've been anxious to read it again. It has reached mythic proportions in my heart – a little holy, a little scary, and a little time capsule for the writer I desperately wanted to become. Apparently, bangs were a part of that.

– Bex

Amelia’s Notebook by Marissa Moss

Amelia's Notebook was so formative to my understanding of myself as a late-90s child. It introduced me to the transformative practice of journaling, how to keep a sketchbook (with drawing tutorials!), and was maybe even an early precursor to my love of zines. Hilarious and real, Amelia felt like a true confidant and friend that kept me laughing and exploring my own internal feelings as I navigated new and challenging situations as an 8-year-old.

– Colleen

Flux by Orion Carloto

Okay so first of all: gorgeous cover. I think she has it tattooed? I want it tattooed. Anyway, I remember reading this in one large gulp while sitting in my local bookstore around age 19 (when I really needed it) and woof. What a time. Orion is an incredible writer- she really cracked herself open for this one. Perfect for those: going through heartbreak, love poetry about yearning, or who just have a lot of feelings. Was I in my Bang Era™ then? No, because I’m in it right now. I should read this again.

– Jules

The Magic Treehouse: Tonight on the Titanic by Mary Pope Osborne

The Magic Tree House was read to me by my mom and then once I learned how to read it was one of the first books I picked up. Jack and Annie were my favorite kids to go on adventures with. I remember Tonight on the Titanic was just a blast because they had to get back to their treehouse before the ship sank! Talk about suspense! But what made these books so special was the way my mom would read "The wind started to blow. The treehouse started to spin. It spun faster and faster. Then everything was still. Absolutely still.' It was dramatic and great and made me feel like I was about to go on a mission instead of just to bed.

– Isabella

Sula by Toni Morrison

I got bangs my senior year of college which is literally a black hole in my memory—I just remember a developing crush and writing a thesis. Fortunately, I was taking a Toni Morrison class with my aforementioned crush and frequently sent them the most sexually charged and deeply intimate passages (I did not attach, bc shame). But! I was able to do some archival research. Of course, Sula has some of the most potential for sapphic sexts but I encourage everyone to check out any and all of the great Toni Morrison!

– Anna

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

Bangs Era Amali™ had just moved to New York and was dead set on becoming the next big name in journalism, writing long-form New Yorker features like Jia Tolentino and Patrick Radden Keefe. Of course, I was engrossed by Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood," a story of the 1959 Clutter family murders which revolutionized the journalism and literary worlds as one of the first "non-fiction novels." Like bangs, everyone has an opinion on this book. I highly recommend picking it up, but maybe leave the scissors where they are.

– Amali

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

Mia isn't the only one who got a hair makeover in the year 2000! While the heir (I feel like there's a hair/heir joke somewhere here) to the throne of Genovia, Crown Princess Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi, didn't go for bangs, I still felt a certain kinship during that first read, as a "tom-boy" who secretly wished (still often wishes...) she were a princess. There's still time. Maybe if I get bangs again someone will come out of the woodwork and whisk me away to a faraway land to perform my royal duties. Only one way to find out.

– Ali

The Clique by Lisi Harrison

These girls had privilege. These girls had pretty. These girls would have burtally mocked my blunt bangs circa 2012, and I loved them! I read all 15 books in the series.

– Alyse

Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown

The year I had bangs I was obsessed with the Flat Stanley series due to my teacher assigning a pen pal project. You'd create your own Flat Stanley (easy to mail because he's paper) then send him to what felt like the other side of the world (even though it was probably just Jersey.) Jeff Brown created the series because his son joked during bedtime the bulletin board over his bed would flatten him in his sleep. Check it out, it's very campy, adventurous, and goofy whilst being old school.

– Jacque