The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin Fiction, 2017 But there are none so frightened, or so strange in their fear, as conquerors. They conjure phantoms endlessly, terrified that their victims will someday do back what was done to them—even if, … Continue reading Book Report — The Stone Sky; Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
Independent People by Halldór Laxness (translated from the Icelandic by J.A. Thompson) Fiction, 1934 and 1935 There are few things that fill the soul of man with greater disappointment than to wake up when everyone else is asleep, especially if it … Continue reading Book Report — Independent People; Ten Steps to Nanette
Transit by Rachel Cusk Fiction, 2016 Loneliness, she said, is when nothing will stick to you, when nothing will thrive around you, when start to think that you kill things just by being there. Yet when she looked at her … Continue reading Book Report — Transit; This Woman’s Work
Sharp by Michelle Dean Nonfiction, 2018 The opening line of The Journalist and the Murderer, which originally appeared in three parts in the The New Yorker in 1989, is famous. “Any journalist who is not too stupid of too full … Continue reading Book Report — Sharp; Uncanny Valley
How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith Nonfiction, 2021 David knows that some visitors to Monticello arrive with an understanding of history that is not only misguided but also harmful. He has a difficult time disentangling this from the … Continue reading Book Report — How the Word Is Passed; It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth
We Had a Little Real Estate Problem: The Unheralded Story of Native Americans and Comedy by Kliph Nesteroff Nonfiction, 2021 Marginalization was a federal policy in both Canada and the United States for 150 years. The purpose has always been … Continue reading Book Report — We Had a Little Real Estate Problem; Absurdistan
All the Women in My Brain and Other Concerns by Betty Gilpin Nonfiction, 2022 My mom played Lincoln’s sister-in-law at Lincoln Center, a fact I presented to to my fellow second graders as a popularity jetpack. I was met with … Continue reading Book Report — All the Women in My Brain and Other Concerns; Dinosaur Beach
A Warm Slice of Pizza in a Bombarded City by Thomas Gibbons-Neff and Natalia Yermak I understand that I operate with a level of privilege, and I try not to take it for granted. As my household gets to pause … Continue reading Outside Reading — The Road Is So Long edition
THE DIRT ON PIG-PEN by Elif Batuman Writing for Astra, Elif Batuman explores the history of the Peanuts character who travels with his own trailing cloud. I’m always fond of cultural commentary that convincingly applies broader social theory to seemingly … Continue reading Outside Reading — The Human Dust-Bowl edition
How Karina Longworth Brought Sex and Sleaze Back to Hollywood History by Alex Morris Given my specific cultural interests, it’s ridiculous that it took me as long as it did to listen to You Must Remember This, the Hollywood-focused podcast … Continue reading Outside Reading — Join Us, Won’t You? edition
