stormkeeper_lovedoris

The Friendship Bench by Dixon Chibanda – This book serves as another reminder to me that I can’t just work off my “to read” list and instead need to sometimes go to the library and just glean stuff off the “new” shelf. That’s how I found this one. I had read about Friendship Benches in BUST magazine. They began in Zimbabwe, with the knowledge that not everyone has access to a therapist, so Dixon Chibanda rolled out a program to train local grandmothers in mental health, and to do it in a culturally-appropriate way. Thus, the Friendship Bench was born. Chibanda eventually goes global, doing a TED talk, traveling the world to share this program. The book is a wonderful, healing read. (And watch Chibanda’s TED talk if you want!) Grade: 8

Master Slave Husband Wife by Ilyon Woo – This work on nonfiction tells us of an enslaved couple in 1848 Georgia - William and Ellen Craft - who managed to escape. Their method was brilliant: Ellen was very light-skinned and so she disguised herself as a gentleman who needed help from her “slave.” She couldn’t read or write, so she bandaged her arm up, and she wore cloth coverings over her jaw to obscure her facial features and lack of stubble. They journeyed by boat and train, and had several close calls, but they made it to the north. One thing that stood out for me: It was perfectly legal for formerly enslaved people – even those living in the north – to be captured by hunters and re-enslaved. But when hunters came for the Crafts, they were chased off again and again. By groups of mostly Black but some white people. Carriage-drivers didn’t want to drive the hunters, and innkeepers didn’t want to rent to them. This was in Boston, which had lots of activist and social justice types. A lesson for all of us in this day and age. Now as for the book itself, I am sorry to say that it was plodding, and I had to keep forcing myself to pick it back up. I just never seem to enjoy US history for some reason. Grade: 5

Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See – A book that you stay up later than you should so you can keep reading. Yes!! With Lisa See, you are generally getting historical fiction taking place in China or other Asian countries, with female friendship bonds despite the patriarchy surrounding them. Is it a formula? Sure. Is it fine literature? No. But See’s stuff still rocks. The next evening after I’d finished it, I really missed my evenings of staying up late reading the book! Grade: 8

A Life Made from Scratch by Marie Newman – A memoir by a local, former Congresswoman. I campaigned for her twice and met her several times (we’re even FB friends!) so this book meant a lot to me and I devoured it. Newman has been through the wringer. One of her children was severely bullied, so she researched ways to deal with it and even wrote a book on it. Her other child came out as trans, so Newman became a fighter for LGBTQ+ rights. She goes on to run in a primary against an anti-choice Dem, she loses, she runs again two years later and wins, she goes to DC in the middle of a pandemic and then survives the insurrection. Then the census happens, Illinois loses a congressional seat, and in a backdoor, clandestine process it is somehow determined that her seat is the one that the Dems will give up. She decides to fight to hold it, and she loses the primary in a landslide after a brutal campaign in which her opponent demonizes her. (It was bad. She was accused of being a coke addict on top of all sorts of other crazy things, her whole family went through therapy to deal with the slander. Man, I am really looking at Sean Casten in a different light now).  The book opened my eyes to the impact of AIPIC (and others like it) which is hellbent on keeping Democrats moderate or conservative (since mods and conservatives can be controlled through the corporate money they get), and will use every tool in its powerful arsenal to crush progressives like Newman. AIPAC doesn’t even seem to ever actually fight anti-Semitism. Anyway, I could go on all day. The book was great, Newman is about a million times tougher than I am, and I wish her all the best. (And I messaged her on FB to let her know how much I loved the book, and she messaged me back). Grade: 8

The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaouad – Another book that wasn’t on my ‘to read’ list and that I just picked from the ‘new’ section of the library. It’s a series of short essays by different writers, each one ending with a creativity prompt for you. (Suleika Jaouad has had numerous bouts of leukemia and found that writing helped save her sanity). It was inspiring to read. Even though I didn’t do any of the prompts. Grade: 7

Walking to the End of the World by Beth Jusino –  The Camino de Santiago is a 900 year-old pilgrimage that spans a thousand miles through France and Spain. Some people walk it for religious reasons, others for historical/cultural reasons, and Jusino falls into the latter category. I wish I could hug writers like this one. I saved her book specifically to read on an airplane trip, and she did not disappoint. I was intrigued by her tales from the road, the little towns in Europe, the fellow travelers, the high points and low points. Grade: 8

Wander by Ryan Benz – So….there is a theme here. Been flying a lot, so I read another book about someone going walking. This was another Appalachian Trail memoir. I’ve read many. This was as good as any. Benz talks about his internal journey, searching for inner peace, and also gives details of the hike. It kept me interested enough on my flights, though I have read trail memoirs that were more engaging. Grade: 6

The Shift by Tinx – I grabbed this audiobook from the library. I didn’t go off my “to read” list and instead just pulled like 5 audiobooks from the self-help section. This book is kinda silly and trite; it’s basically one (straight) woman’s advice on (straight) dating, but it’s palatable because Tinx is all about loving yourself first and she does not see marriage as the ultimate goal. Her anecdotes weren’t bad. Look, I have fandom brain rot and can’t handle complex things, so this book was fine. Grade: 4

No One Tells You This by Glynnis MacNicol – A memoir by a woman approaching 40. She is unmarried and childless, and grappling with what it means when your life doesn’t have the typical markers that women are supposed to follow. She’s also dealing with family issues including her mother’s dementia. Normally I tend to either love a book or put it aside, but I felt wishy-washy about this one. MacNicol is a good writer and she brings up important issues, but the book wasn’t compelling. Grade: 5

What White People Can Do Next by Emma Dabiri – A book about racism and what to do about it (especially if you’re white). I like that the book pushes you in unexpected ways and never loses sight of the big picture. It doesn’t let capitalism or identity politics off the hook. Love the section called “recognize that this shit is killing you too”. It was very relevant to today and I thought of it when reading the news - like about the white Canadian who did nothing wrong and spent 2 weeks in an ICE gulag. The prison industrial system was built to genocide Black and brown people, and now we have this monster that “is killing you too”. Grade: 8

The Survivalists by Kashana Cauley – Novel taking place in modern times, about a young lawyer whose new boyfriend leads her into a world of survivalists. I read the whole thing but idk I just didn’t get into it or see the point. It was decent enough to keep me reading though. Grade: 5

May B by Caroline Starr Rose – A sweet, short book of historical fiction. A girl living on the Kansas prairie a couple centuries ago is sent by her parents to work as a maid in another family’s desolate house. Tragedy then strikes and May is alone for months on end. Enjoyable, nothing amazing. Grade: 6

Bold Spirit by Linda Lawrence Hunt – A remarkable tale of something that was almost lost to history. In the 1890s, a Norwegian-American mother and daughter walked across America, determined to win prize money offered to women who could accomplish such a feat. Their goal? To save their family farm. I love a little tidbit of history like this—one that highlights women’s resilience and strength. Grade: 7

Bits and Pieces by Whoopi Goldberg – E-book that I read on my recent plane trip, and it was the perfect book for that. The book’s tone was introspective but not heavy, with just enough good anecdotes and substance. Whoopi recently lost both her mother and her brother, and the three of them had been very close. She reminisces about her childhood, and their unit of three and how they grew and evolved together as she became famous. Grade: 7

Vision: A Memoir of Blindness and Justice by David S Tatel – Memoir by the now-retired federal judge who is blind. He was born with decent eyesight but due to a mutation, he gradually lost it and was legally blind by the time he turned 30. What is even more impressive is that Tatel has been a fighter for civil rights his whole life. Man, reading this memoir….so many things in this country have backslid. Schools are just as segregated now as they were when he began his work, only this time all three branches of government seem to SUPPORT segregation. Tatel also talks about how at one time, he made less money working in corporate law than he had for a nonprofit, and how his wife made more as a public school teacher. That was back in the 60s. Looks like we really backslid there too. And Tatel also describes how he was nominated to a federal bench by Clinton and his confirmation hearing lasted 1 hour and it sailed through. He said now he’d be lucky to get a handful of Republican votes. There’s also a section on how right-wingers have a whole pipeline where they seek out clerks who lean their way and groom them, and work only with them. (Tatel would look for clerks from a variety of backgrounds, and he welcomed open and honest debate). The book is not all political doom and gloom. I loved reading the practical aspects of how Tatel navigated life as a blind judge. It was never boring. Grade: 7

Between Breaths by Elizabeth Vargas – Listened to this on audio. I need to watch TV news someday because apparently the author is a famous TV anchor but I’d never heard of her. Anyway, in her memoir she describes her struggles with anxiety and alcoholism. One might think ‘another celebrity goes to rehab’ book, but honestly? I loved it. I loved the rawness of her story, and I was never remotely bored. Grade: 7

The Rest is Memory by Lily Tuck – The author saw the photograph of a 10 year old Polish girl who was taken to a concentration camp, and she decided to write a novella based on her life. This story is stark, vivid, and painful. Sidenote: maybe don’t read this when literal fascists are taking over your own country. I won’t give the book a rating other than to say Tuck is a renowned writer and of course the book is a heartbreak.

The Life Impossible by Matthew Haig – Listened to this novel on audio, and the voice actor was sublime. The story itself was just meh. A 72 year old woman describes her life, and how a chance encounter decades ago led her to Ibiza and an adventure she never would have imagined. Grade: 6 (largely due to the voice actor!)

Into the Planet by Jill Heinerth – This is non-fiction at its finest! Heinerth is a cave-diver. She explores underwater caves. She has been around the globe, including Antarctica. Her memoir here is perfect. She takes you right on her journies with her, she keeps it action-packed, she includes “just enough” personal stuff, and I read the whole thing in 2 days. Grade: 8

Followed By the Lark by Helen Humphreys – The legendary Helen Humphreys has a new novel! She is on my “favorite novelists” list. This one is about….Henry David Thoreau. Of Walden Pond fame. Maybe not a subject I’d be eager to read about but Humphreys made every page intriguing. It was like being enchanted, going to a special place, and coming to see the world with the curiosity and wonder that Thoreau embodied. Each evening I looked forward to snuggling in bed with this book and treating myself to 10 minutes of reading it. Grade: 8

Playing with Myself by Randy Rainbow – I think I might be the last person in the world who hasn’t watched many of Randy’s videos. My mom even messaged me one or two of his parody works. In any case, this is his memoir. He seems like a lovely person, and he’s had an incredible journey from awkward kid in South Florida to someone who makes his living as an entertainer and performs with legends. The book is a light and fun read, and his jokes land. He does have a section on the time he was “cancelled” for stuff he tweeted when he was in character 10 years ago, and that section was so relevant…like the crazy ways we’re so eager to pile on to people. (As the author of one of the below books said, “Yes, go strong on your principles but go gentle on people.”) Sidenote: Randy Rainbow is indeed his real name, the one he was born with.  Grade: 7

I, Parrott by Deb Olin Unferth – Graphic novel; I read a “regular” novel by the same author and enjoyed it so I wanted to check this one out. It tells of Daphne who is struggling to make ends meet and takes on a house sitting job which includes taking care of dozens of rare and expensive birds. In the meantime, Daphne has lost custody of her son and is not sure the guy she’s with is the right one. Book was enjoyable enough, and it’s short so I think I read it in two sittings. Grade: 5

Anti-Racism As Daily Practice by Jennifer Harvey – Book on working to end racism, written by a white author who has spent decades in this space.  Btw, is it wrong to include on my reports books that I haven’t read every word of? There is a lot of wisdom in this book, but it’s so bogged down awkward writing and endless personal anecdotes. The personal anecdotes do relate to the subject of the book but there are just. So. Many. Of. Them. It gets to the point where they weigh the book down. Yet I also went through the book and made notes of the educational parts, because there is a lot of hard-won insight in here. One such point I noted above, in my review of Randy Rainbow’s book. There are other points about white fragility and how we tend to be fragile because we’ve never shown up against racism so it’s a vicious cycle. Or how family gatherings and multiple, gentle conversations in person do tend to move the needle. Harvey’s insights are really important; I just wish the book had been more read-able. (No grade, for reasons above)

Another Word for Love by Carvell Wallace – A series of essays by the queer Black writer. Some of them are biographical, but they all are beautifully written and contain Wallace’s thoughts on the wonder of life despite its harshness. His writing style is top-notch and even poetic at times, but I have to also say that I believe a year from now, I might not remember this book. Grade: 5

Gonna do the thing. (The gratitude list). But first, as much as I hate to type these words, Rebecca Solnit wrote today, and she's right: "Nine more days of living in this country as we knew it. Not saying it was perfect or anything, but it is about to go off the rails." I'd like to be proven wrong, but I won't be.

But here is my list:

1. Doris and I first met 23 Januarys ago and have been together ever since. We celebrated with lunch today at a place we love, Bloom Plant Based Kitchen

2. Grateful for Indivisible, The Smile, and The Goodnewsletter. The latter two deliver a daily dose of good news. And Indivisible is killin' it in terms of leading the resistance. Their last webcast was recorded, and it's good

3. Got a nice Cameo from Sachin. And if anyone wants the link, LMK. He's Canadian but he is feeling the pressure and the sadness of what is happening in this world. He offered some comforting words.

4. I never wrote about Eric's visit, did I? He flew in and spent 5 days here. We got to have him in person for our NYE party. (But - boo - my BFF and her hubby were ill and couldn't make it!) Eric and I also went to the arboretum to see the Christmas lights and agreed it was incredible, complete with perfect music. I asked him what else he really wanted to do since he was in town, and he listed Chicago Diner, Handlebar, and Chicago Bagel Authority  - so we hit all of them. We even managed to do Handlebar on public transit since Doris needed my car that day. (He also did some things on his own, while I was working, like museums and the Conservatory) In the evenings we binged re-watched X-men 97 and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. A year ago we binged Shadowhunters and we'd talked about doing a rewatch, but the 97 and the 99 kept us busy enough.

5. Doris' blood work is showing some improvement. It's not super-great but it's ok, basically.

Non fiction:

Coming Home by Brittney Griner

We Were Once a Family by Roxanna Asgarian

Victory. Stand! By Tommy Smith, Derrick Barnes, and Dawud Anyabwile

I Survived Capitalism and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt by Madeline Pendleton

README.txt by Chelsea Manning

Beyond Power by Marilyn French 

Be a Revolution by Ijeoma Oluo 

Keanu Reeves Is Not In Love With You by Becky Holmes 

The Confidence Men by Margalit Fox 

Fiction:

The Wolf Den trilogy by Elodie Harper

I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger 

The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff

Matrix by Lauren Groff 

Leaving Isn’t the Hardest Thing by Lauren Hough – A series of essays by a remarkable woman who was raised in The Family (horrible patriarchal sex cult), joined the Air Force and was kicked out, survived on low-wage jobs, did a stint in jail, had mental health issues, and is a lesbian. Her writing is riveting. As one reviewer said, “fiercely honest, funny, brazen, brilliant.” I quoted a piece of her writing on my FB, just because it seemed very trenchant when thinking about US voters: “We (Americans) fetishize poverty, as though it makes you a better person. The truth is all it does is make you mean. The constant stress of it. The never-ending f** shame of it. It makes you angry and hateful. You’re not jealous of those who have more. You’re just exhausted by the *** humiliation they will not hesitate to throw at you. There’s a world of opportunity you’ll never reach. College. Jobs. A network of contacts ..” Grade: 8

There is No Ethan by Anna Akbari – Wow. I could not put this book down. It’s a real-life account of three women who uncovered and unmasked a catfisher. Truth really is stranger than fiction, and I had to keep reading to see what would happen. (I even did some googling after finishing the book to see if there was any follow-up). Grade: 8

Loot by Tania James – This is a very interesting novel. Set in 18^th century India, it tells the story of young Abbas who is a master woodworker, and who comes to the attention of the sultan. It’s one of those books that is well-written and engaging enough, but I suspect that in a year or so, I won’t remember it. Grade: 6

Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make – and Keep – Friends by Marisa G Franco – Solid, well-researched book about the importance of friendship. There’s nothing surprising in here but it’s a good reminder. Friends are just as important as romantic partners! Full disclosure: the topic was awesome but the book wasn’t always that compelling and I may have skimmed a few parts. Grade: 6

Rest in Power by Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin – This book is written by the parents of Trayvon Martin and is about their struggle for justice after his murder. I got it from a Little Free Library. I think I will write more about my reactions to the book than the book itself. First, racism and police brutality are still as bad as ever. “Stand Your Ground” is still law in Florida, and in fact it was changed several years after Trayvon’s murder to make it even easier for the shooter to justify his actions. (wtf) Trayvon’s killer is still free, and according to Wikipedia he is making shittons of money selling crappy confederate “art”. A racist is set to take the highest office in the land, in January. What the hell is it all for? Yet the book seems to suggest that the fight for justice is still the right thing to do, even if it seems like justice is never attained. While reading this book, I did do a post on FB asking for ideas. My post basically said: I’ve read a lot of books about racism but how do I do more?? Me reading books doesn’t feel like it changes anything. I asked the AI at work for ideas. First it listed more books to read. I said that I already read most of them and I wanted to take more action. So then it gave me a bunch of ideas on conversing with people on the topic. But that poses some problems too, such as the fact that most of us live in bubbles and rarely interact with a diverse range of people. (As I said on FB, come on I have 3 friends, and all of them feel the way I do on this topic). So then the AI gave me ideas on how to get out and socialize more. Which I can do, but again I live in a big city and you won’t find many folks here saying that Stand Your Ground is a great law or copping to purchasing confederate “artwork”. I feel like I landed back at square one in terms of my activism goals: keep canvassing and campaigning for candidates who support racial justice.  (Again, apologies that this review is more about my reactions and actions, but I am assuming that anyone reading this report already knows at least a bit about Trayvon and the events surrounding his murder. Grade: 8)

Coming Home by Brittney Griner – Memoir by the famous athlete who spent 292 days in the Russian prison system before being allowed home in a prisoner swap. Griner had forgotten to remove some vapes from her bag when she headed to Russia; apparently the combined amount of what was left in the vapes wouldn’t have gotten a person high, but it didn’t matter. There was no due process, nothing that could’ve been considered fair or reasonable with the way Russia treated her. Imagine being imprisoned by a scary, confusing, inconsistent, cruel system. With no way of knowing how long you will actually be there. (At one point, she has to constantly tell herself she’ll serve her entire 9 year sentence, as it’s the only way she can keep from breaking down. The conditions in the places where she was kept were all terrible). The book was a page-turner. Grade: 8

Dusk Night Dawn by Anne Lamott – Got this book from a Little Free Library in Wisconsin, and I am never letting it go! It is a series of essays that was published a few years ago, and every word completely resonates, especially now. Lamott writes about living in challenging times and struggling to find hope and joy. The book is like a gentle hand in the pitch dark, making you feel that at least you are not alone. I am struck that this book came into my life right at the time of this horrific election result. Grade: 8

Trans Like Me: Conversations for All of Us by CS Lester  – I listened to this on audio, and it is read by the author who has a very mellifluous voice. Lester gives the basics of being trans and they easily refute the usual anti-trans arguments. As one reviewer said, the book is thoughtful, intelligent, and approachable. It’s also short, so anyone who drives and wants to listen to something should really check this out. Grade: 7

Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross - Apparently for centuries there were rumors that a female Pope existed in the 9^th century, and that for a long time this was even taken as fact until the Catholic Church began a concerted effort to erase her existence. (The author admits there is no way to know for sure whether or not there ever was a female Pope, as the 9^th century is one of the most poorly-documented centuries). This is a well-researched novelization of her life. It was fairly compelling, though like not super well-written. There are mid-scene shifts in point-of-view, there’s info-dumping, and the last third feels like a rushed outline rather than a novel where events unfold and we get a chance to feel it and react. There are also too many tangents focusing on Joan’s nemesis, and these sections were boring – like, why pull the focus away like that? Still, it held my interest. Grade: 5

The Wind At My Back by Misty Copeland – This is the famous ballerina’s tribute to another pioneering ballerina, Raven Wilkinson. Wilkinson danced with major ballet companies in the 1950s, virtually unheard-of for a Black woman at the time. It’s a quick, easy read and a good one. I learned that when Wilkinson’s ballet company’s bus reached the south, KKK members blockaded the road because they learned there was a Black ballerina on it. Perhaps it was too much to expect that 70 years later this country would elect a Black woman as president. Grade: 7

We Were Once a Family by Roxanna Asgarian - The case made national news; even I had heard of it. Two white moms drove their SUV off a cliff, killing themselves and their six Black adopted children. One of the moms had been very active online, posting pictures of her son hugging a police officer at a BLM protest, advocating for good causes, though often sounding like she had “white savior complex”. And then the details started to come out. This wasn’t an accident, and evidence that the children had been abused was mounting. Asgarian is not drawn in by the psychological problems of the mothers; instead she seeks out the parts of the story that were made invisible: the children themselves and the system that seemed hellbent on taking them from their families and adopting them out, heedless of their own needs. And clearly what we see is a miasma of racism and a system that doesn’t really care about children or abuse. The children’s stories shook me to the bone. I read the book in two days, and this is an impeccable work of investigative journalism. Grade: 8

Boyfriend Materials by Alexis Hall – Contemporary novel where there’s a “fake dating that turns real” thing going on. Oh, and it’s two men. Cute and fun but it moved too slowly – especially given the genre here, I mean come on this is not “War and Peace -  and wasn’t that engaging. Grade: 3

Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob – Well the timing for me reading this graphic memoir was painfully right. I read it the day after election day. Jacob begins the memoir with her young son asking questions about race and racism. Jacob is Southeast Asian, her husband is Jewish, and her son is trying to make sense of prejudice. During the memoir we see micro-aggressions, 911, Obama’s election night, and the 2016 election night (including the fact that Jacob’s in-laws voted for Trump). Like I said, the timing was fitting….like I mourn for this country while also hoping Jacob’s son might be ok and maybe even help make this country a better place. Grade: 8

The Red Lotus by Chris Bohjalian – I listened to this on audio. Alexis goes on a biking tour through Vietnam, with her boyfriend Austin. He goes missing, and Alexis soon learns there is far more going on with Austin than she’d dreamed. It held my interest. It won’t change your life. Which probably describes most of Bohjalian’s stories. J Grade: 6