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AMY Amy has been reading books for a long time, always figured she'd end up working in a bookstore, figured right, and has been doing so for awhile now. She's hoping that's a sign of untapped clairvoyance. When not reading she enjoys going to local arts events, tending to her Animal Crossing town, and taking pictures of the stray cats in her neighborhood. When reading she likes books that tell her things she didn't know she needed to know, and books that hold magic between their pages. When she's lucky she finds ones that do both. |
This was a refreshing look at the virtues of doing "nothing", and how to remove ourselves from the attention economy. After reading this book I've found myself pausing more and more frequently to do "nothing" in many different ways.
Phenomenal. It's rare I come across a piece of contemporary literature I love as much as I loved REAL LIFE. I fell into this novel, and didn't come up for air until it was over.
This is an incredible look at the science behind how our experiences shape our biology. THE DEEPEST WELL specifically addresses how Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), if left unacknowledged and untreated, can cause a host of medical issues, as well as impact our emotional and mental health. Going further, Dr. Harris describes how we can care for children (and adults) so that the outcomes can be buffered. A powerful and important read for anyone, but maybe especially if you happen to have an ACE score of your own.
This is an absolutely charming series about a friendship between two very different people. Satoko is Japanese, and Nada is Saudi Arabian, they're roommates studying in America - and while there's a lot that's different about them they bond over being in a foreign place together, and their kindness toward, and acceptance of, one another.
This small book is greatly important. ESSENTIAL reading for anyone who identifies as LGBTQIAA , but also something I believe everyone - regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity - should read. A call to action, a call for commitment to kindness and caring for those around us, and a reminder that: "Queer people anywhere are responsible for queer people everywhere."
Well-researched and fascinating, HOW TO KILL A CITY is a look at gentrification in the heart of four cities: New Orleans, Detroit, San Francisco, and New York. It counters the narrative that gentrification is "natural", looking at city and state zoning and housing policies and regulations that allow gentrification, inequality, and displacement to flourish. Arguing that in order to counter gentrification we need to restructure these racist and classist policies.
Andre Aciman is a master of the kind of prose that transports you into a story, and into the rich interior lives of the characters within it. While a "sequel" to CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, FIND ME feels more like it's own novel - in the best way. Not to worry though, we get to check-in on Oliver, Elio, and Samuel - get to peer into their thoughts and feelings as they grow and change and love.
An eye-opening history of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Detailing the fallout of colonization, the extreme poverty of the citizens versus the vast wealth of the country, and both the horrifying crimes against humanity taking place as well as the incredible resilience and dedication to humanity of so many citizens. This book will make you take a long and hard look at your consumption of the products that are made with the natural resources found in Congo, and the blood that's spilled in order to acquire those resources. Everyone who owns a cellphone should read this book.
It's been a long time since I've read such a simple but affecting book. Wishtree tugs at the heartstrings, and through the voice of a very special tree, reminds us of some of the most important parts of being human. The love and compassion in this story feel almost tangible. I am entirely unashamed to say I cried reading this book. Honestly, I hope you do too.
A fascinating look at the inner workings of our digestive system. I learned so much about how the human body processes food, and what all goes into keeping our incredible microbiome functioning. A great read for anyone struggling with gut-health, or for someone who's just genuinely interested in how the body works. I'll never look at my food, and how I process it, the same way.
Though focused on the author's personal struggle with endomitriosis, Ask Me About My Uterus is an important read not only for those sharing that particular struggle. This book is for anyone navigating our broken healthcare system, for anyone battling chronic and/or invisible illness, and for anyone who knows someone going through these things. Norman's journey is, unfortunately, not an uncommon one. The studies referenced and statistics cited throughout the book are startling, but I walked away from this book feeling empowered by my newfound knowledge rather than discouraged by these realities.
St. Aubyn brilliantly captures the interior struggles of a man plagued by family trauma. Haunted by an emotionally, physically, and sexually abusive father, an emotionally absent mother, and the subsequent anger, drug abuse, alcoholism, and self-loathing that followed - Patrick Melrose is, perhaps surprisingly, one of the most sympathetic and relatable characters in modern literature. Underneath all of this horror and trauma, there is hope, and humor. Maybe because hope and humor are what help so many people navigate that terror, and that trauma. Patrick perseveres through many a stumbling block and relapse, through moments of extreme selfishness, through times of blindness to those in his life, but first and foremost he perseveres with the desire not to pass on the legacy of cruelty and abuse he inherited. This series is dark, and a rough read at times, but it’s also one of the most brilliantly written pieces of fiction I’ve ever read. It could be the way the words are woven together, the intense looks into Patrick’s interior narrative at his darkest moments, the humor peppered throughout the stories that is never inappropriate, but somehow always necessary and perfectly placed - or maybe it’s all of those things that makes this series one of the most impactful reads of my adult life.
Honey and Clover follows a group of friends in art school as they learn their trades, and about life as they cross the bridge into the adult world. Throughout the series I was frequently surprised by it's profundity. There are so many beautiful and insightful moments, from the deeply introspective to the existential. It may remind you of the coming of age years when everything seemed so full of possibility and purpose, or perhaps it will help you believe that everything still is.
Abdurraqib is expert at weaving together the personal and the pop-cultural. He shows his readers his pain through the lens of what he was listening to at that time, through what was going on in his hometown, what was going on in America at large. The whole collection is beautiful, but my favorite poem at the moment is DUDES WE DID NOT GO THROUGH THE HASSLE OF GETTING THESE FAKE IDS FOR THIS JUKEBOX TO NOT HAVE ANY SPRINGSTEEN.
Wicked + Diving tackles ideas of idolatry, especially modern idolatry, in such a fascinating way. Old gods are reincarnated as pop stars, parallels between religious and cultural idolatry are explored, and we're reminded of how often culture treats the rich and famous like gods among men. You may recognize some homages to familiar faces - Hello David Bowie and Daft Punk. This series is phenomenal, unputdownable, and full of surprises and sensory overload in the best possible way.
Just like Georgia's experiment, this book is Colorific! The illustrations are vibrant and stunning, and the story reminds us that art and science are not exclusive, but can often go together to create beautiful things.
This book is beautiful. It's a call for children to get to know their feelings, to not be afraid of their sadness, but rather to ask questions like why it's there and what it needs. A primer for dealing with an emotion that can be difficult, sometimes unexpected, and sometimes scary, especially for those just getting to know their varied emotions.
A surprisingly profound book. Cicada works very hard, harder than anyone, and yet Cicada is very mistreated by their boss and coworkers. An illustration for our times, for increasing corporate disregard for humanity, and for the sad reality that those seen as "other" are so frequently abused.
Lorena Alvarez enchants again. In HICOTEA absolutely magical illustrations accompany a story about curiosity and the natural world. We revisit Sandy and her creativity in this field-trip tale of nature and discovery.
