Reclaiming power to rewrite a story. A book written in two parts, one a story of defiance of norms to keep freedom. Another a time traveling tale. KieReclaiming power to rewrite a story. A book written in two parts, one a story of defiance of norms to keep freedom. Another a time traveling tale. Kiese is such a profound writer. Every sentence poetic and written for any Black person and every Black child who has felt the gaze of society....more
**spoiler alert** This is a great plot with need for a bit more details. You will be enraptured by its first words that explain that Sharon is a littl**spoiler alert** This is a great plot with need for a bit more details. You will be enraptured by its first words that explain that Sharon is a little girl who lived in a library. They quickly go into her dad's role tending to the library, provide a few cute details of their pet ownership, and the visitors they have in the library. The feeding of the dragons is the tending of the feunace in the basement. The story takes a big leap when visiting their family down South and how that us a space of comfort for his dad. It then returns to New York where her dad returns to alcoholism and forgets to feed the dragon. All in all it could have been more developed but I am sure it was good for the author to put in writing and an interesting childhood, indeed....more
Mr. Coates first chapter is among the most powerful that I have experienced in a book in maybe a decade. After that he tells the powerful story of hisMr. Coates first chapter is among the most powerful that I have experienced in a book in maybe a decade. After that he tells the powerful story of his journey to Jerusalem and in areas of Palestine and his deepened understanding of the systemic thrust to eradicate non-Jewish Palestinians from their land and to make a dominate Israeli state. It is a call to Howard journalists, but moreso, a call to be viligilant in elevating the erasure of voices. He weaves his own deep work on reparations with the hegemony occurring in Palenstine and makes an appeal to our greater consciousness. He is indicting Western journalism, and especially U.S. Journalism, and their neglect. And he does so understanding that the horrors of the Holocaust will never be fully known or comprehended but are also not an excuse to commit horrifying acts of apartheid....more
**spoiler alert** Alexie writes a complex story about the navigation of a world hostile to our first nations. The plot line is intriguing in and of it**spoiler alert** Alexie writes a complex story about the navigation of a world hostile to our first nations. The plot line is intriguing in and of itself as the main character after falling into trouble begins to travel through time backwards and forwards transporting into different people's lives. This is built upon the knowledge shared early that an Indigenous soul will not rest until it finds peace. It explores the complicated notion of loving oneself when so much of the world does not share that love for you. I found much of the book equally intriguing and interesting. I was a little disappointed in the part of the book where Zits ends up as a plane captain and befriends a Muslim man only to later see that man commit an act of terrorism. There were so many better plot lines there but maybe it all goes to show you that we all carry our own crap about other people outside of our 'in-group'....more
It took weeks to get past the first two chapters. And the the middle of the book was absolutely hysterical. I found myself guffawing to myself as DaviIt took weeks to get past the first two chapters. And the the middle of the book was absolutely hysterical. I found myself guffawing to myself as David navigated Paris, I even loved his quirky love for spiders. This is a collection of essays and so I found myself loving parts of this book and feeling like I could have passed on others. The end, where he tackles his journey to quit smoking, I could have passed on largely because I found it self indulgent. I did like the parts about Japan. Anyhow, good read....more
I was a little hesitant seeing the mixture of reviews, but I thought this book was just magnificent. Yes, it can be long at points, but this is an exqI was a little hesitant seeing the mixture of reviews, but I thought this book was just magnificent. Yes, it can be long at points, but this is an exquisite tale of a point in time in small town PA - a slice of life as they say. The book's most clever literally trick is that it starts at the end and ends at the end.
It leaves you longing to understand a time when Jews and Black people lived in the same communities and built solidarity, and more about what it eroded. But the book gives you the context of why itwas a fragile relationships, primarily built on the need to survive white supremacy -- because one group could disappear through invisibilization of their ethnicity, while another group could never be unseen.
You want to understand the context of a time when we thought it was appropriate to institutionalize people who were mentally ill -- or by someone's narrow judgement, designated as persons not allowed to engage in society. Your heart breaks at the beautiful friendship of Monkey Pants and Dodo, whose bond is formed over being misunderstood.
I fell in love with the books many characters Chona, Dodo, Nate Love, Bernice, Moshe, and Monkey Pants-- who are imperfect. And I loved the richness of the character development.
In the end, I did not want to put the book down. I thank James McBride for this gift.
Michelle's high-energy humor permeates this book and brings her GNF energy through every page. It definitely feels more like essays, some of which bleMichelle's high-energy humor permeates this book and brings her GNF energy through every page. It definitely feels more like essays, some of which blend into part memoir. Her topics are a wide ranging from experiences with IVF and surrogacy to the unique blend of anti-Blackness experienced by light-skinned women. She also tackles more joyful subjects like dating, meeting Gjis, nd many drunken escapades. Some of her pop culture references feel obscure and others more present than they are relevant and even others genius.
I laughed my way through the book and admired how courageous that you must be to tell it all like she does....more
I can't decide whether or not I liked the book. The core tenets are life lessons - if one build the skills to adapt to change rather than resists chanI can't decide whether or not I liked the book. The core tenets are life lessons - if one build the skills to adapt to change rather than resists change, they are far more likely to anticipate, survive, and navigate change in ways that maximize personal outcome. That's an important framing and one that I agree with and also fails to hold some complexity about change. Still, it's a great book for a baseline to talk about change and the necessity of embracing it. And it takes 30 minutes to read.
My biggest issue (perhaps by today's standards) is that it didn't also not that sometimes you need to step back from the change and go in a different direction and that is okay, too....more
Better than expected. A strong first-person telling of the Theranos scandal, told by one of the main whistle-blower. It was a good bedtime listen.
MergBetter than expected. A strong first-person telling of the Theranos scandal, told by one of the main whistle-blower. It was a good bedtime listen.
Merged review:
Better than expected. A strong first-person telling of the Theranos scandal, told by one of the main whistle-blower. It was a good bedtime listen....more
**spoiler alert** This book was about two hundred pages too long. It is a compelling story of the young people lost to opioid addiction in non-descrip**spoiler alert** This book was about two hundred pages too long. It is a compelling story of the young people lost to opioid addiction in non-descript rural areas of mid-South. It begins with the dramatic birth of the title named Demon Copperhead and tells a journey about a town that has it's "human capital" gutted by the opioid epidemic. It's a potent book, at first, which the rich descriptions of life that Barbara Kingsolver has become known for. With that said, after Demon Copperhead loses his mother, who is an addict, on his birthday, the story plays out in fairly typical fashion and then takes turns that are utterly predictable. Perhaps the only redemption is that Demon who turns to a sober life, ends up on the road with Angus with a spark of romance in the air. This is definitely set up for a potential movie, but they'll need to put some of the excess into cinematography....more
This book is focused on both the characteristics and the moments of courage, brought through a lens of faith. The author had her own moment of braveryThis book is focused on both the characteristics and the moments of courage, brought through a lens of faith. The author had her own moment of bravery as the Bishop who had to speak up in love when Donald Trump invoked the Bible on the steps of St. John's while slandering the Black Lives Matter movement. While that is the moment that draws you in, the lessons are about the choice points of bravery. Staying in a tough situation, choosing to leave, understanding disappointment in the way things work out, stepping up to take a risk, and perseverance are all part of the pathway. The main lesson is that bravery and courage is grounded in love, prayer, possibility and faith....more
I appreciated the author's honoring of his mother's service in the ARC, the Donut Dollies, and the powerful efforts of women in combat zones. The authI appreciated the author's honoring of his mother's service in the ARC, the Donut Dollies, and the powerful efforts of women in combat zones. The author's note is well worth reading and makes you want to visit the archives of Jill in the Illinois archives.
That said, I found the book lacking at moments, the actions of women unbelievable (some of which were not based on experiences in the book), and the characters a little clich茅.
Still, it impresses upon you the deep horrors of war and the deep bonds and heartbreak that comes from it....more
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