I'm grateful to audiobooks because they help my brain focus on books I normally wouldn't pick up but are incredibly important. TRUTH TELLING is such aI'm grateful to audiobooks because they help my brain focus on books I normally wouldn't pick up but are incredibly important. TRUTH TELLING is such an incredibly powerful collection of essays, that I urge everyone to read it.
There were definitely instances where I had to pause my audiobook to just say "wow", or to just be incredibly angry and disappointed. I have a complicated relationship with Canada and its history, but the topic of Indigenous peoples and how wronged they have been and continue to be in this society will always make me so angry.
The author shares her own experiences with how the government "repays her" monthly and how her family was affected by the crimes committed against them. We also get some insightful history lessons and, to be punny, some truths that desperately need to be told. Also, the subject of people faking their Indigenous ancestry in order to benefit from certain things like publishing was so eye-opening.
This book is short and to the point--I recommend TRUTH TELLING to all. It's important and powerful!
WANT was definitely something a bit outside of the norm for me. Mainly because I don't tend to read a lot of Well-being titles (which I'm classifying WANT was definitely something a bit outside of the norm for me. Mainly because I don't tend to read a lot of Well-being titles (which I'm classifying this as because it's a sexuality book). But I'm glad I gave it a shot because I found it very enjoyable and eye-opening.
Told through stories sent in anonymously, WANT was the kind of collection that a lot of people will benefit from reading because of how solitary sex and any sexual-related thoughts can be. I know there are places in the world where sex is still seen as something taboo and not meant to be discussed freely. I liked that this book gave women a chance to voice their sexual thoughts--even if some fell into the odd category.
I know I connected to some of the stories and they left me wide-eyed and seen. Other stories I didn't connect to, but it was still fascinating to see how other peoples' minds worked. To be honest, some stories were so over the top that I couldn't help but laugh a few times. Not to yuck anyone's yum, but some of these essays were...a choice.
That being said, I did appreciate how diverse the essays were and how they were categorized. I was a little wary at first that I would grow tired of the essay after essay approach, but the occasional re-introduction of Anderson in between chapters helped break up the monotony.
I'd recommend this to anyone looking for essay collections of the sexual variety with some great diversity. There were many queer women and it was great getting to hear their voices!
THE MESSAGE by Ta-Nehisi Coates was a great collection of essays that explored various topics that are all incredibly timely. One being about identityTHE MESSAGE by Ta-Nehisi Coates was a great collection of essays that explored various topics that are all incredibly timely. One being about identity and how important it is to acknowledge and learn more about who you are. I liked this essay because of how it felt like Coates was truly learning more about himself and his heritage and we were lucky enough to hear about it.
Admittedly, I first picked this up because of that awful interview Coates had about Palestine and I wanted to see what he had written. I wanted to see why this Z was so hot and bothered about the section on Palestine. I wasn't disappointed. That section was incredible and I liked how he experienced Palestine with multiple guides. And his genuine fear during some moments were palpable. This section unfolded much like when a person first finally understands the truth.
THE MESSAGE was POWERFUL and had some great and insightful commentary on various issues plaguing society regarding racism, apartheid, and the internalized racism built on trauma.
This may have been a short read, but it packed quite the punch. I think this should be a must-read for a lot of people. Especially when Coates dives into his own difficult past with a learning disorder and how fraught the American education system is and how learning disorders are looked at by society. And also, how book banning not only has affected so many authors throughout the The States, including Coates himself.
While THE MESSAGE was sad in its truths, it still held a note of hopefulness.
IT CAME FROM THE CLOSET is a total gem of an essay collection that will hook you from the very first essay, until the very last piece of work.
My frieIT CAME FROM THE CLOSET is a total gem of an essay collection that will hook you from the very first essay, until the very last piece of work.
My friend has been wanting me to read this ever since they picked up their copy sometime last year. I hedged on following in their footsteps because essays and I have a mixed relationship. But once I started, I was so glad I finally did. While some essays were more impactful (for me) than others, I absolutely know that every single one will affect every reader differently.
One of the things I love about this collection is how it challenged me to view horror differently. As a queer person, some of the concepts introduced in IT CAME FROM THE CLOSET never even occurred to me. But having read these theories and analyses, I can definitely see it so much now.
I grew up LOVING horror films. It was a tradition for my much older sister and I to watch them every Friday night. We would rent a multitude of horror movies from Blockbuster (that were not suitable for wayyyy underage me), get some candy and popcorn, and sit and binge these films. Two of the films that have haunted me since childhood were Jaws and Candyman, which are both featured in essays here. I was a baby gay who didn't fully understand her queerness until adulthood, but having read some of these essays, a lot makes more sense now.
Since there are so many essays and many passages were highlighted by me, I will only focus on the ones that were especially impactful to me:
"Imprint" by Joe Vallese is an analysis of the film Grace. I haven't watched this film, but this essay was incredibly vulnerable and so heartbreakingly beautiful--but in a weird way, it was also hopeful? Like, in spite of the pain and the loss, Vallese still fought through to find their happy. The honesty in this essay took my breath away because while yes, many of these essays touch on personal experiences, I never thought they would reach this level of depth.
"Three Men On A Boat" by Jen Corrigan analyzes Jaws and it was so incredibly eye-opening to read this interpretation of the film that once made me so scared, I couldn't even take a bath. The undertones of queerness explored in this essay will forever have me watching the film in a different light. Also, this damn quote: "By not coming out and declaring myself, I have the clinging feeling that I'm not being queer enough" (Corrigan 97), which I connected to because even though I'm out, having not dated anyone that isn't a cis man, makes me feel like a fraud. A lot of these essays helped me in that forever internal battle of what is "queer enough".
"Long Nights in the Dark" by Richard Scott Larson is about Halloween. This essay...just wow. The heartbreaking correlation of childhood innocence and the confusing process of figuring out your identity and who you are was intense and so important. My heart broke for young Richard. It was a rough essay--not just because of the obvious, but because as children, we sometimes ask ourselves the same questions because we are young and we truly are full of this naive and traumatized curiosity. Also, what an interesting interpretation of the queerness in Halloween!
I want to give a shoutout to Joe Vallese who also edited the collection. His introduction was POWERFUL.
Anyway, read this essay collection. It was incredible and eye-opening--especially if you're a lover of horror films!
My biggest regret with this collection of essays is that I didn't read it earlier (I have an ARC that the publisher kindly sent me back in 2021...oopsMy biggest regret with this collection of essays is that I didn't read it earlier (I have an ARC that the publisher kindly sent me back in 2021...oops). I listened to the audiobook, so I had the pleasure of hearing each author read out their essays or poem and it was ✨magical�.
Before I start reviewing each essay (because they all offered their own message and importance), I want to say that very few audiobooks have held me as captive as this one. I remember sitting very still while listening to one of my favourites and just...living in it. It was so beautiful. As a Latina, so much resonated with me!
Long review up ahead. I ran out of characters LOL.
Essay breakdowns and reviews:
1. Eres Un Pocho by Mark Oshiro
I will admit that when I started listening to this I wasn't fully invested in the book yet. I didn't know how much I would relate, or be impacted by the essays. So, some of the beginning is lost in the ether for me, BUT Oshiro was also the one that really got me into this book with their commentary on the stereotypes that the Latine community may encounter (especially in North American countries and sometimes even in the countries that are meant to be our home countries.) Oshiro had to relearn their identity as a child and even into their adult years. This reminded me a lot of families who have immigrated with children and in order to "fully incorporate" into their new home, they sometimes let their kids forget a language or the culture they come from. I related to this a bit because I was almost one of those kids, but thankfully my parents walked back this notion that in order to belong, you had to erase your "otherness". The bullying, racism, and stereotypes of what a "proper" Latine or Hispanic person should look like, sound like, or act like can wreak havoc on a child whose identity isn't as clear as society would prefer.
2. The Price of Admission by Naima Coster
I didn't connect with this one as much, however, it does deal with a very real issue in today's world with immigrants: the devastating reality of families separated by Government laws and how the stereotype of "one of the good ones" can easily be applied to Latine & Hispanic people as well--especially when it comes to who has a fighting chance at not being deported, and who just doesn't seem to offer enough for the country to not deport them.
3. Caution Song by Natasha Diaz
This one was a poem (song?) and it was a powerful depiction of stereotypes, assumptions, and expectations. One of my favourite lines from it are at the very end: "Because if you call me spicy/you should expect me to bite your tongue". Bam.
4. The Mark of a Good Man by Meg Medina
This was one of the pieces I related to the most because it was a Cuban experience essay. It dealt with the struggle of getting your family out of a birth country that makes it very, very difficult to live. It's about chasing the dream of a better life in a world unknown and taking that risk because anything has to be better than the hell you might be experiencing in your birth country.
It tackles the difficult and often-times heartbreaking familial relationships that can shape us and how they can leave us less than put together when those people leave or die. It also explores the complex gender stereotypes and norms found in Cuban communities. One of the quotes is "If only we had our men, life would be easier" and it reminded me so much of the times where I was reprimanded as a teen for doing something a man should have done for me. Finally, one of the topics that isn't explored enough in books but is brought up here is that of how many men immigrate for or with their wives or girlfriends, only to turn around and either immigrate to another country with a different partner, or find themselves a new partner in the new country (in their misguided and asshole search of the better life/dream.) I've seen this so many times and it is also a warning for any woman who falls in love with a Cuban man. I'm not saying all Cuban men are like this, but I've seen my fair share of it happening that I think it's worth mentioning in books like this one.
5. #Julian4spiderman by Julian Randall
My absolute favourite essay from the collection. It had me completely hooked and I couldn't pull myself away. The approach of using Miles Morales as a sort of template for this essay was genius. He's always been my favourite Spidey, so it was a nice surprise! It was such a powerful essay and I think it'll resonate with a lot of young Black Latine readers.
From the mention of having to correct others on how to pronounce a name (very relatable), to the fact that a teacher had Randall argue in favour of Slavery (which is fucked up), this essay had so much meaning and heart. It also had a lot of punching quotes, like "[A]merica taught us we were invisible, and the only way for the invisible to punish those who refuse to see us is to first punish ourselves", or "Afro-Latinx life is this in so many ways, to be taught that you are dangerous, and shameful and difficult to imagine." We read about the love of a father for their child, like Miles Morales's own father, and what it means to be a mixed-race Latine person whose identity is constantly questioned, despite the fact that characters like Miles never question who they are, even though if he were real, he sure as hell would be. It was a powerful essay and it left me thinking long after it was over. It was also the essay that made me want to digest the rest of the book even more.
6. Half In, Half Out: Orbiting a World Full of People of Color by Saraciea J. Fennell
I'm always intrigued when I hear stories of a Latine Indigenous person, mainly because as a Cuban, we don't have many of those stories. As my mom tells it, many if not all of Cuba's indigenous citizens were murdered during the creation of Cuba as a country. So, seeing these stories is always eye-opening and makes me wish we still had that in my country. Fennell speaks of her experience as a child taken into the foster system and put into a home with a white couple, as a result she and her sister were out in a school full of white children. Being able to see the difference between yourself and the rest of your classmates is an interesting sort of hell--you love your culture and the way that you look, but you also question it because you know it makes you different from the rest of them.
Fennell dealt with familial abandonment, finding solace in a friendship with one of the other Black girls in her classroom, and (relatable) the reality of being confused for her friends because they shared a skin colour. The amount of times I've had to tell people that I know I look like someone they know, but as Fennell writes "[N]ow that I'm older, I know that it was just white people confusing us." The final topic I'll touch on from this essay was how Fennell explores the racism that causes such a disconnection for a person from their identity. If a child looks "too white" or "too Black", they might not fit a white person's perception of what their ethnicity "should" be. I'll end with this particular quote: "The way Western culture, and, especially, American culture, shames us for being non-white is heartbreaking" and this quote is relating to the things non-white people do to make their appearance more palatable for white people (i.e. the styling of hair).
7. Haitian Sensation by Ibi Zoboi
One of the definite themes explored in this collection is that of stereotypes and how damaging they can be. Zoboi's essay is the embodiment of that and the dangers of how the proximity to whiteness can affect the way one views themselves, or others around them. I will admit, I'm not the biggest fan of Zoboi--her fictional writing doesn't resonate as much with me. BUT this isn't to say that her essay isn't powerful.
When speaking on how American culture can sometimes override a person's identity, she comments that "[It] didn't last, of course, because identity has a way of calling you back to your true self," and honestly, I found this to be incredibly important, especially for any reader who might be torn between the identity offered to them in their society and the one they have forged from family, culture, and language. There is, of course more important quotes found sprinkled in her essay, especially ones touching on the topic of being Afro-Latine (which I have seen people actively deny this identity on celebrities that are both Black and Latine--they argue this term like they're on a political grand stage, finding fun in debating someone's identity so it fits their idea of what a group(s) of people should look like) but I will end my review of her essay with this quote I loved: "I am proud to be a part of a movement that recognizes and honors the part of ourselves that colonialism tried so hard to eradicate."
8. The Land, The Ghosts, and Me by Cristina Arreola
This one had a theme worthy of the Halloween season. While Arreola explores the topic of literal ghosts and the power of lore and mysticism in Latine cultures, she also speaks on the loss of identity in a world obsessed with labelling humans in a certain way. As she states, "I wanted this ghost gone, yet I feared the void. Who was I without ghosts? They were an essential part of my being. They were the thing that made me feel whole and real and connected in some small way to the place that birthed me and made me who I am." An absolutely stunning quote and metaphoric exploration of identity and what it means to feel that ever-present threat of losing the thing that haunts those who don't fit certain societal expectations--especially when you carry a culture with you that is always under threat of being erased or forgotten.
Her final quote that I highlighted captured this notion wholly and while the essay is scary and probably the most metaphoric of all the essays in the collection, it holds a haunting power of its own: "My whole life, I've been trying on different versions of myself, haunted by the weight of the expectations of who I'm meant to be. How strange and wonderful it is, I think now, that the ghosts don't know who they are either. The ghosts are haunted, too." Simply gorgeous.
9. Paraiso Negro by Kahlil Haywood
Haywood starts his essay with an already powerful quote: "When people think about a Spanish speaker they don't necessarily rush to think about someone who looks like me." What follows is a recounting of something I myself experienced growing up--going back to my family's birth country (and my own), where I spent summers with my cousin and friends, both learning more about my culture, my family, and my first language. The misadventures, the way things change over time, and the unforgettable memories of a childhood spent somewhere other than Canada and the US was like a projector in my mind, showcasing images of a childhood never to be forgotten. As Haywood says about getting to have these experiences without realizing how we were privy to moments in history and lives forever changed, "It's something that you could easily take for granted as a kid."
Of all the stories, this one held the most nostalgia. This essay also spoke on the important topic of how diverse Latine cultures can be. I think, as the daughter of an interracial couple who had to argue that me being a mixed Latina IS an actual thing to another Latine person, that this topic is incredibly important. At one point, Haywood even mentions a situation he's been in when he's been forced to ask himself "How Latino am I? How Black am I?" This is something most Afro-Latine people may be asking themselves, especially when they live in a world that barely recognizes the term.
10. Cuban Impostor Syndrome by Zakiya N. Jamal
I found this essay interesting and such a great commentary on how Americans and Canadians handle the topic of being Latine and race. Being someone who has been back to Cuba many times since we immigrated to Canada when I was seven, I've been privy to seeing how Cubans treat diverse people. There is definitely racism--Cuba is an incredibly diverse country--but it reminds me of when I made a comment about what mixed people like me were called in Cuba to a Black American once and how offended she was. It is definitely a case of different cultures/countries=different perceptions of race.
With that being said, Jamal's experience as the Black granddaughter of a Cuban who didn't teach her children Spanish (a big part of Latine identity because not having the language might feel like you're missing a piece of yourself) is both heartbreaking and eye-opening. Her starting her essay by sharing an experience where one Cuban didn't fully internalize that she was saying she's Cuban sets the tone for the rest of her essay. She does not meet an expectation and it is devastating. Another example of the consequences of denying the identity a child seeks during their formative years is that her mom didn't even ask her if she wanted a quinceañera, which must have further thrown her off when she saw her Latine friends having their own fifteenth birthdays being celebrated.
But I think that while it is important to note that though "[f]rom a young age, my mom made sure I knew that Black was beautiful and that our culture and history were meant to be celebrated, always" it shows, yet again, the dichotomy of celebrating one aspect of a person over another, rather than letting them co-habit to form an identity. This is, along the stereotypes explored, one of the most consistent topics explored in this collection--that internal and societal power struggle between two warring identities. And this, of course, is the beautiful body of the "Cuban Impostor Syndrome" essay.
11. More than Nervios by Lilliam Rivera
Telling my Latina mother I have anxiety, or that she herself has anxious thoughts is like nails on a chalkboard. "Solamente estoy nerviosa!" Rivera's essay hits home with how much mental health is downplayed in Latine communities. As she says, "Depression is a word never uttered in my family. It simply doesn't exist." This is so incredibly dangerous, especially as the world changes and awareness grows.
Another quote, "America is built on the belief if you are a modern woman and you work hard enough, you can have it all," serves to show how much further North America pushes this narrative that if you have everything, there's no way you can be depressed. Not only is your mental health non-existent in many Latine families, the portrayal of hard work and achieving certain life "goals" is further proof that silly you, there's no way you're depressed.
This essay could be super triggering, so be ready for a very frank conversation about Rivera's mental health. But I think it's incredibly important, especially if you can relate to her and her familial experience. Her quote, "the cycle to present pain as weakness ends with me" when referencing her daughters and how open she will be with them about mental health, is something I hope comes to fruition. Rivera is presenting the breaking of a cycle that I'm hopeful future generations will adopt.
12. Alaiyo by Jasmine Mendez
Probably the most creative essay of all, Mendez's essay speaks of taking back the power in spaces that refuse to open up for Black, Indigenous, and Latine people. But throughout the essay, we see the reoccurring theme of others dictating the kind of space one can take up. One of the biggest and toughest pills to swallow is when you can read the racist levels in a comment, like in this quote: "'You don't fit the part' is just theatre teacher code for "you are not the right skin color." When I tell you that I've had a similar conversation like this back when I was in high school, and I'm sure as hell that we're not the only ones who've experienced this--whether it's as a child, or as an adult.
Her quote: "My Black friends always said I wasn't Black or at least not 'Black enough,'" is incredibly relatable to me because as someone who is mixed and always struggled with whether I felt too Black to be white, or too white to be Black, or having been raised as a Latina, rather than a mixed Black and white person, I couldn't relate to the experience of Black Canadians. This is a constant internal battle--even one I had to battle with some of my old friends back before I had a better grasp on my identity. A lot of people who don't struggle with a sense of dual identity can't truly understand how disorientating it can be to simply exist in a world that is constantly trying to pull you in one direction or another.
There's also a creepy instance where a white teacher hella acts inappropriate with her and it gave me the biggest ick.
13. Invisible by Ingrid Rojas Contreras
While I didn't highlight as much in this essay, I found it to be the most timely. Across the world, people are arguing and discussing political beliefs, human rights, and the treatment of others. Contreras is a very (rightfully so) angry woman who refuses to be kept quiet by her in-laws. This is a classic story of policing one's anger and the incredible power of ignorance.
"The United States of America was then and is now living through a time that makes whiteness visible, even to those who lived their whole lies willingly ignoring what it entails." Although this essay collection came out a couple of years ago, the disparity between how white people are treated in comparison to people of other races grows. We see it in the media, in the justice system, in history, and in politics. And the policing of those who refuse to accept the status quo is very, very real. At one point, even Contreras's husband comments that she is "fucking scary when [she's] mad. [...] [Does she] think [his] parents are going to want to talk to [her]?" Just, ugh.
I'll finish my commentary on this essay with this powerful quote: "Violence begins with language or lack of it. If you insist that something doesn't exist, it is in that darkness that calamity slips in."
14. Abuela's Greatest Gift by Janel Martinez
While Martinez's essay brings up the importance of family and tradition, it brings further attention to Blackness and how "There's no room for Blackness within Hispanidad or Latinidad." This was an important essay and exploration of identity, but I am running out of characters.
15. A Mi Orden: A Meditation of Dichos by Elizabeth Acevedo
This essay explores the expectations of purity, family, & the sexism of parenting boys vs. girls in Latine cultures (as lived by your's truly, as well). Also important, but no more characters. Welp.
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