Hello Gentle Readers!
Welcome to a week of reading that had me reaching for my anxiety meds a little extra.
So let’s just dive right in!
In My Grandmother's House: Black Women, Faith, and the Stories We Inherit by Yolanda Pierce
This was an absolutely beautiful book. I’m not sure how else to say it. It was just stunning and poinient and beautiful. I think for me it was like that s’more budino I used to get at Cooper’s Hawk. Each layer was richer and more worthy of savoring than the next.
It wasn’t like parts weren’t challenging, but the absolutely humanizing, grace-filled way this was tied up just left me longing to seek that approach in my own life even more.
Blood: The Science, Medicine, and Mythology of Menstruation by Jennifer Gunter
This book just gave me the rages in the similar way her other book did.
So many things that should be so much more commonly known in both the medical world and our personal worlds. I would HIGHLY recommend a read even if it does make you frustrated to have not know this before.
This is definitely in the world of foods/meal that are dense nutritionally, but surprisingly taste pretty good! you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll rage. You’ll get it all.
The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna: A Novel by Juliet Grames
This book. You will have to ask my dog how this book riled me up at times. He would tell you there were SO many times I muttered curse words and many “what the..??” as I read this. There’s a certain level of misogyny and consequences of patriarchy I simply find ABSURDLY UPSETTING. In the end, that wasn’t really the point, but the writing definitely had me invested in any kind of positive ending. One cannot read this if easily triggered at all. I give you full permission to not have gone through what I went through to finish this book. It was super well done which is why it felt like such a visceral experience throughout most of it. I honestly cannot come up with a food experience that can relate. Maybe those candies where it has layers that go from super sour then sweet? That seems right.
For a little fluffy fun I read this:
Talk Bookish to Me: A Romantic Comedy by Kate Bromley
This book ALSO took me for a ride. I can’t say much or I’ll enter spoilers so I’ll just say it’s like biting into an oatmeal raisin cookie (don’t judge, I actually like those), and getting oatmeal chocolate chip! It’s still not the BEST, but significantly more ok than it could have been. Maybe a couple gifs will show my process better:
ANYway, if you want that kind of ride, hop on this book.
Finally: an absolutely delicious little read!
The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality by Amanda Montell
This was a great mix of a little social psychology/commentary nerdiness and some serious relatability. This was like an absolutely perfect lemon shortbread cookie and cup of coffee. The ways we are constantly doing mental gymnastics to make sense of the world around us never ceases to amaze me.
Allllrighty that’ll do for this week! I’m in the middle of reading some more great stuff so stay tuned! Until then, happy reading!