Fahrenheit V13: Devora Discusses the Great Pleasures of Reading and Her Favourite Books

Devora is back, and she‘s serving up more “Outlaw Pop” for you with her latest EP, God Is Dead. Outlaw Pop is, of course, the genre that the singer/songwriter has created for herself, introduced on her debut EP Outlaw, which dropped back in 2021. We previously got acquainted with her a couple of summers ago when we chatted about the Outlaw EP and life growing up in the desert of Arizona. With God Is Dead, she continues to explore her upbringing and existence living in the American Southwest. She has become well acquainted with the peculiarity of life in a small western town, the more sinister side of desert life, and the various characters she has encountered. There‘s a dark side to this part of the country, and Devora is out to make sense of it all.

We all know and are familiar with what films and television have shown us of the Wild West, but it’s typically an old-fashioned, overly simplified conception thereof. Devora has reimagined the Wild West and reinterpreted it within the frame of modern times. There‘s an adventurous sense to her music, a celebration of the uniqueness of country life where ghost towns, rodeos, rundown motels, and the open road are essentially the realities of everyday life.

Growing up with not exactly a lot to do based on her surrounding, not only was music a great outlet for Devora but so were books. For this reason, we spoke with Devora for our latest Fahrenheit V13, in which we discussed the joys of reading, its importance to her growing up, preferred genres, and more.

What was the most memorable book from your childhood?

Devora: “One of the most memorable books from my childhood was Charlotte’s Web. I would make my parents read adaptations of the book to me every night, and later became obsessed with the movie.”

How important were books and reading in your family growing up? Did you share that same level of enthusiasm, or did you differ from them on that?

“I grew up in a family that loved to read. My dad is a writer and was always reading something interesting. We loved reading many of the Pulitzer Prize books. Reading was always very prominent, and my parents were reading to me before I could even talk.”

What is the book that has made the most impact on you as a person?

“It’s a tie between two: On The Genealogy Of Morality by Friedrich Nietzsche changed me fundamentally as a person. This book is a critique on the value of our moral judgements. This book encourages you to question the ultimate value of morality. A must-read for philosophy and psychology lovers alike!

The second is a book called Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz. It explains the psychology concept behind understanding how people achieve, or fail to achieve, goals.”

Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction? What’s your preferred genre?

“It depends on where I’m at a particular time; there are books that I really enjoy in both. I love reading autobiographical and historical novels, but also love stories and fictional tales of all sorts.”

Who are your favourite writers?

“Kurt Vonnegut, James Joyce, Stephen King, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Albert Camus, Friedrich Nietzsche.”

Which book had the best soundtrack in your mind while you were reading it? What songs or artists had the best fit?

“Never Let Me Go by Kazoo Ishiguro had a very dramatic, cinematic, and intense soundtrack in my mind while reading it. I could hear everything from Lana Del Rey to Hans Zimmer in a soundtrack for this book.”

Devora ‘God is Dead’ EP album artwork

Which book series do you think deserves a proper screen adaptation? Who would you want to play the main characters? Which artists would do the soundtracks?

“Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score (including all the others in this series titled The Knockemount Series definitely deserves a proper screen adaptation! I think Ryan Gosling and Anne Hathaway would play the lead characters incredibly, and I could definitely see an edgier rock/country artist like Koe Wetzell doing the soundtrack.”

How many books do you own? Any titles or editions you’re particularly fond of?

“I’d say at the moment I own about 40-ish books, including vintage ones. I have a vintage book from the early 1900s on embalming that is a special edition. I speak French and love all kinds of French literature. I have a few special edition vintage French books that are part of my most prized collection.”

Devora in 2023, photo by Ben Staley

What book do you enjoy that no one else seems to?

“I really love reading old medical books, textbooks, historical books on medicine that most people may tend to find boring. I love reading about psychology and am fascinated by the complexities of the human mind.”

How often do you find or make time to read? Are you paperback, hardcover, or e-book?

“I absolutely love my Kindle and take it with me everywhere I go. It’s made it so easy to carry an entire library around with me no matter where I am. I try to read every night, but when things get crazy with work, I miss a few days. I love to read as often as possible.”

Graphic novels and comics have enjoyed mainstream crossover thanks in no small part to the cinematic universes of Marvel and DC. Do you enjoy graphic novels or comics? Any particular titles that stand out as favourites?

“I love all of the Django and Jonah Hex western comics. It’s been particularly inspiring for songs and writing ideas. I really enjoy immersing myself in these, and similarly, when writing songs, I aim to create a totally immersive experience.”

Have you read any musical biographies? If so, any favourites?

“I’ve read a couple biographies on Elvis that I’ve enjoyed. My favourite one was called Last Train to Memphis by Peter Guralnick. It depicts Elvis in his early years to his mid-20s and his rise to fame. This book really showcases the magnitude of the impact of which Elvis had on culture and music.”

What’s the scariest book you’ve ever read?

“Salem’s Lot by Stephen King.”

Upcoming Tour Dates with Bush:

Wednesday, April 26th – Hampton Beach Ballroom – Hampton Beach, NH
Thursday, April 27th – Premiere Theater @ Foxwoods – Mashantucket, CT
Saturday, April 29th – The Meadows Racetrack and Casino – Washington, PA
Sunday, April 30th – The Paramount – Huntington, NY