3 - Read 35 Books

1 - Hard Times by Charles Dickens
1/10/23, for a class

I'm in a grad program for English literature and publishing (yay for tuition benefits as an adjunct faculty member), and one of the requirements is to take a class on pre-1900 literature. Victorian literature was available this quarter, so I thought I'd knock it out. We started with Hard Times. In terms of Dickens, I think I've only ever read A Tale of Two Cities when in high school. I assumed Dickens was just dry and rambling, and while he certainly can ramble, I enjoyed Hard Times and am considering reading a little more Dickens in the future. I didn't realize how most of his work is a social commentary, mostly on class and industrialism. Hard Times, in particular, is a striking critique of the banking model of education, utilitarianism, and how industrialization dehumanizes people and their actual lives. It's certainly not a perfect book, as Dickens can be petty and mean, but it did make me re-evaluate my avoidance of pre-1900s literature, breaking my assumptions that it's not very applicable to current times.

2 - Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson

1/15/23, for the DePaul President's Book Club

Wilkerson makes the case for there being a caste system in the United States and why it is important to dismantle it. It felt like a slightly different, very simplified framework amongst many other commentaries on social hierarchies. I don't know that it really added anything new or useful to conversations of oppression and injustice, particularly as it mostly describes two levels of caste, Black and white, without giving much attention to the many other races and ethnicities in the United States. She describes differences within caste, such as gender, and without saying it, talks about intersectional feminism, rather than caste. She connects India's caste system to U.S. history to Nazi Germany. Some connections are clear, such as how some populations learn and are forced to behave as if they are superior/inferior, but does not unpack the differences in motivations and accepted enforcement. She describes oppression (India), slavery (United States), and extermination (Germany), which are very different outcomes, even if they all involve dehumanization and suffering. She also dismisses class structures as enduring, saying, "If you can act your way out of it, then it is class, not caste" (p. 106). Saying class is all just "acting" is wildly dismissive of all of the ways class is enforced (e.g., social capital) and how it affects people of all races and ethnicities (because social systems are intersectional). Some of the personal stories she shares completely gloss over class, as she tells multiple stories about flying first class. Some of her metaphors and comparisons are strange. Also, much of her evidence is anecdotal and without sources. She talks about "alphas," applying the psychology of dogs to humans and giving an very detailed story about her own dog. When the examples are of her own social experiences, they are useful; however, she also tells stories for which she was not present, and it's unclear if these stories are made up or were relayed to her by someone who experienced them. In telling others' stories, particularly white people's stories, Wilkerson seems unaware of social hierarchies for white immigrants in U.S. history and how their standing has contributed to the reinforcement of U.S. social hierarchies. In one (maybe imagined?) conversation between three white women having dinner, she talked about how two women (of Irish descent and German descent yet many generations in) were "silenced" when the third women said, "We're Nordic." Just a bizarre anecdote that only seemed to serve to say how #45 preferred immigrants from Nordic countries. Again, she seems to add complexity to the hierarchy to support her claims but without accuracy, which muddies her point. I believe there are some interesting, useful ideas here, but Wilkerson's editor really needed to help her focus, make her arguments more explicit, find more evidence to back her claims, and develop a "what's next?" ending, as I'm just left feeling as if maybe there's a caste system in this country, and it's bad.

3 - The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

1/16/23, for Bingo Book Club

This book was sweet. I really like the characters and species Chambers developed and how she used them to describe really human experiences and emotions. My only complaint is that I wanted a little more plot, a little more at stake. Every time it seemed like something exciting and scary was going to happen, it didn't, until the very end. They're in space, so I wanted the characters to struggle a little more with their physical environment, not just emotional journeys. Regardless, I enjoyed it and would consider reading about The Wayfarer's further adventures.

4 - Avengers: Escalation! by Marvel

1/17/23

I'd really like to get into reading comic books, but it's tough to know where to start. A few years back, I bought a box of random titles. This one was a lot of fighting, but there seemed to be some interesting backstory for two different storylines. I'm hoping to find the books just before and after to learn a bit more. It was also interesting that I bought these years ago, but this issue has Namor and the Talocan, recently introduced on screen in Black Panther 2.

5 - Unto This Last by John Ruskin

2/6/23, assigned for a course in Victorian literature

Honestly, I don't know how much of this I understood. I read it for class, and we haven't discussed it yet. It definitely had some critiques of capitalism and models of compensation for labor, but it's also clearly written from a privileged viewpoint. 

**6 - Cemetary Boys by Aiden Thomas

3/6/23

This is the best book I've read in a long, long time. Thomas created both compelling characters and a compelling story. Each character is round, full, and incredibly human, with endearing moments and mistakes. It was one of those stories where it's clear so many of the characters have been through deeply hurtful experience in their past, but within the current story, their motivations are so caring and considerate. I say all that without even mentioning that it starts with a murder mystery that has twists and turns throughout the book. This book is inspiring me to dive a bit deeper in to recent YA literature because I loved this journey.

**7 - Going After Cacciato by Tim O'Brien

3/19/23

This was my second reading of this book, and it's still one of my favorites. There's this gorgeous combination of really gritty emotions from people at work, magical realism, and a fantastical plot that feels like a daydream. O'Brien's characters are so unique and human. His descriptions of travel and place make them feel tangible. This novel, in particular, has an Abilene paradox together with really visceral yearnings for escape from an impossibly difficult situation. I would love to find someone else who has read it, so I could chat about the details!

*8 - The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab

3/20/23, audiobook

This was a really lovely story. Some pieces were predictable, but also, there were enough surprises that it didn't feel like a trite or dragging love story. Even in the last chapter, I had no idea how the author could possibly tie up the loose ends and leave us with a satisfying ending, but they did. I particularly loved how Addie had a complicated relationship with The Dark. It reminded me of how dark places and times can have their own appeal, even if we truly want to reject them completely. I also really adored the magical realism of making an impossible wish, like being truly free from the expectations of others, and then needing to live with all of the consequences of such a thing. It felt so much like a story of desperately wanting to be seen and valued, which is so human.

9 - Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

3/22/23, for Bingo Book Club

This was fine. I mean, the story was interesting enough that I wanted to know what happened. It definitely reads like the author found out about this wild thing that happened in history and then crafted a story around that thing--because that's what happened. But because of that, the characters are a bit flat, and the emotions are not intense enough. I mean, with child trafficking, which is essentially what this is, there is severe trauma, which would definitely be generational trauma. And this is just kind of like learning about a "family secret." I liked how so much was left as unknown and not wrapped up in a pretty bow, but I also hated the romance subplot and felt like it was unnecessary, could have been completely left out. So... meh.

10 - The Dead Zone by Stephen King

3/27/23, audiobook

I liked this book fine. I took a break in the middle to listen to something else, but I was interested enough to go back and finish it. It just felt long. Like I just wanted King's editor to cut out some of the unnecessary bits because the core story and premise were good. I also like it when characters, especially characters with a bit of a superpower, struggle with making ethical and moral decisions. It was cool that Johnny had a pretty straightforward goal in the first part but then had to decide what to do later, so it wasn't as if he just had things figured out. I also didn't see the ending coming, and I dug it.

*11 - What Happened to You? by Oprah Winfrey and Bruce D. Perry

3/31/23, audiobook, for the second time

I felt a little out of control in my mental and emotional reactions to things at the start of the year, so I relistened to What Happened to You? to remind myself that many of those reactions were due to triggers from past happenings. While I won't call those past happenings "trauma," especially as in the context of this book, they are talking about deep childhood trauma, which I do not have, I do feel like I've been experiencing trauma responses. My "lizard brain" recognizes a stimuli, and I react with panic, anger, sadness, etc., before my logical brain can step in to point out this is a different situation--a piece of processing I learned from this book. While I know there are likely better books on this topic, especially for those of us who do not have childhood trauma, hearing some validation about what my brain is doing and reminders that it is possible to self-regulate has helped me lean into some healthy habits to both prevent anxiety spirals and respond to them. I also like that in the audiobook, the two authors read independently and are sometimes in conversation. It's a pleasant listen, even though it's a hard one. They do jump right into describing some really traumatic things, without warning, so listen/read with caution!

**12 - The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

4/3/23, for the umpteeth time

The Catcher in the Rye is one of my favorite books, and it's one I go to when I'm having a rough time. For some reason, both the consistency in Salinger's writing of Holden Caufield's voice and Holden's frustration with the world and how boring it can be really resonate with me. I'm always so impressed that a writer can create such a complete character who is both consistent, in voice and action, and still surprises the reader along the way. I also love the gentle exploration of sibling dynamics and how complicated people are. I'm sure I'll revisit it again in a couple years.

**13 - Leadership for a Better World by the National Clearinghouse for Leaders

4/21/23

I read a previous edition of this book when I taught Emerging Leaders at USD and really loved how it frames leadership in such an approachable way, with a focus on undergraduate students. I'm using it for my Chicago Quarter class, so I wanted to give it a deep read as I go into planning for next fall. This newer edition is great. It has me thinking about so many ways I can frame assignments to get students to think deeply about how they practice leadership and the influence they can have on campus, in their communities, and in the city.

14 - Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. Tolkien

5/1/23, audiobook

I was looking for an audiobook with a good story and have always wanted to read this series, so I started in with the first book. Honestly, I didn't love it. It was also way shorter than I anticipated--likely because the films are so flipping long. I have read The Hobbit more than once and adore it, so perhaps this is one of those strange instances of a fantasy novel that, even with a great narrator, just isn't that great in the audio version. It felt so slow, and I could really only picture the dramatic moments because I'd seen the film. They didn't seem to be described very well, with the exception of how creepy Golum is. It just felt like a bunch of folx scrambling around with no real goal while some dudes on horses were looking for them. And the dudes don't find them. So. Because I love The Hobbit so much though, I'm going to try actually reading the second and third books to see if perhaps that is a better experience. It would be super off brand for me to just not like this series, especially when I've watched the films more than once. Also, can anyone explain to me why it's Lord of the RingS--plural? I think the elf queen mentioned another ring, but I couldn't quite figure that part out.

*15 - Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

5/7/23, for Bingo Book Club

I loved 95% of this book. It's beautifully written and treats the huge topics of addiction, immigration, racism, religion, and family dynamics with such care and nuance. I was fascinated that each of us in the book club seemed to think it was about something totally different. We noticed the same themes but seemed drawn to specific narratives over others. For me, the emotions related to loving someone with addiction were so realistic and honest that I had to double check to see if this was an autobiography because it just didn't feel like fiction. Gyasi's characters are so round and full and flawed. They make mistakes and feel guilt and shame, while as the reader I just wanted to hug them and tell them how human they are. The only thing I didn't like was the ending, which was a pretty consistent feeling from our book club. It felt like there just was no great way to wrap up such a human story because human stories don't wrap up nicely... but she tried to wrap it up nicely, and I don't think it needed a tidy bow to make it a worthwhile package. 

*16 - A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger

5/31/23

I'm now officially into current YA lit. It took me a bit to get into this book, but it maintained my interest from the start. Then, the plot really took off, and I couldn't wait to see what happened next. I highly recommend it for young adult and fully adult readers. Nina and Oli's intertwined stories are so lovely and wholesome and relevant. It reminded me of the importance of holistic ways of thinking about our world and all the beings in it and how Indigenous ways of understanding could do so much to heal what we've broken--yet we still exclude and dismiss them. I'm eager to read more books by Little Badger, Indigenous writers, and YA authors!

17 - One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez

6/10/23, for Bingo Book Club

I've heard such amazing things about this book, and I just... like, I liked it. But I didn't love it. I adored the flowery, twisting writing that made me pay attention to each line, and I have learned over the last few years that I'm a fan of magical realism, which this book is full of. Yet... I was lost so much of the time with all of the characters with such similar (or identical) names and the paragraphs that went on for pages. I understand there was a narrative about the cyclical nature of life and family and place, and that was lovely, but it was also just confusing. Often. I don't want to keep flipping back to a diagram of a family tree to follow a story. Also, the rape scenes were disturbingly pretty. Each one felt like "she said no but she meant yes and just couldn't say yes because it was adultery/incest/statutory/etc." I'll be very curious to hear the thoughts of my book club!

**18 - Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurty

6/11/23

I cannot remember the last time I fell so unexpectedly, deeply in love with a book. I added this book to my queue as part of one of the Book Riot 2023 challenges: Read one of your favorite author's books. While Kurt Vonnegut is my favorite author, Stephen King is up there and talks frequently about other authors. When I Googled King's favorite book, I was surprised to see it is Lonesome Dove. I really wasn't looking forward to it, especially when it arrived and was 858 pages. Then, I read the forward... and dreaded it even more. It took maybe 50 pages or so to get me hooked. The characters are incredible, from the main characters to the side characters to the villains. I understand why this book may have lost favor because it's definitely a "Cowboys and Indians" story, and there is plenty of racism and prejudice against Indigenous people. Yet, it is told through the perspective of cowboys, cattlemen, Texas Rangers, and a handful of people who lived among them, including sex workers, barmen, musicians, cooks, etc. It feels honest of the perspectives of the time, yet gives such depth and breadth in characters and experiences. While the main group certainly holds harmful prejudice against the Indigenous people of the West, McMurty also artfully demonstrated how both groups were taught to fear the other; how both had both violent and peaceful tendencies, depending on the individual or group; how the fears could cause injuries and deaths and how those involved often knew it was simply a misunderstanding, not evil--though there were truly evil characters of many races/ethnicities; how each group also had instances of showing each other peace and kindness; and how all were affected by the decimation of the buffalo population. McMurty presented each character, except the most violent ones, with humanity and wholeness, showing how they each had something special to offer the world and how they could each care for others in unexpected ways. I have not sobbed so much reading a book in years and years, and I did so multiple times because I grew to care so deeply for the characters. I was also very sad when I reached the last few pages and realized I was at the end of the tale. I still can't stop thinking about Gus, Deets, Lorena, and Newt. And Po. And Walbinger. Just wow.

**19 - Mythos by Stephen Fri

6/14/23, audiobook

I didn't realize I hadn't finished this book! Which is curious because it is such a fun listen. I already find the Greek myths fascinating: such incredible tales of how the world came to be, with lessons and poetic happenings throughout. On top of that, Fry tells the stories with such whimsy and gives such unique and fun voices to the "characters." (I think my favorite is Hermes.) Plus, his lovely accent and flow make this a really fun audiobook. It reminded me of a lighter version of Circe, which is my favorite audiobook. I will definitely listen to it again and may even read it someday. 

*20 - The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

6/17/23, audiobook, recommended by Nick Franco

At just 2 hours and 18 minutes, this book packs a big, intricate story. It is as series of vignettes told by a young girl, Esperanza, coming of age in a Chicago neighborhood. She dislikes her neighborhood and yearns for her own house, somewhere else, and some of her stories make her reasons very clear. Other stories, however, are really lovely, showing the complexity of growing up and living in an impoverished area. It's a really beautiful, quick read.

**21 - The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas

6/19/23, recommended by Evelyn Sommariva

I have been meaning to read The Hate You Give for awhile now and finally made it happen with a push through the Book Riot 2023 Read Harder Challenge item: "Read a book that’s been challenged recently in your school district/library OR read one of the most-challenged/banned books of the year by a queer and/or BIPOC author." As far as I know, very few books are banned in the Chicago Public Library system (though I'm sure they get plenty of challenges), so I went with one of the most-challenged/banned books, and now I understand why this one is so challenged: because it's incredible. If you've ever struggled to understand systemic racism and the anger that has spurred both protests and riots over the assaults and murders of Black people at the hands of the police, this book provides a really powerful first-person narrative of the complexities and emotions following a murder by cop. This is yet another YA book I've loved this year, and I highly recommend it for young adults, mid adults, older adults, etc. If you have a preteen/teenager, encourage them to read it--and read it yourself. If you don't, also just read it. It also has a fantastic list of resources and "read next" lists that I'm definitely going to use, as I continue to my own work and consider the ways I engage in activism.

22 - He Bear She Bear by Stan and Jan Berenstain

6/25/23, read aloud (to Ray Ray and Teddy) by Kathy Krone

My parents, now in their 70s/80s, live next door to their best friends... a 5-year-old twins Ray and Teddy. The boys (very voluntarily) visit my parents every day, often more than once, and even make their mom text my parents when they go on vacation. No one quite understands it, but it's pretty dang cute that these two are so connected to Miss Kathy and Mr. Jerry. My mom volunteers in the local library's little shop of donated books, so she's picked up kids' books, games, and puzzles to keep on the porch. For some reason, the boys' favorite book is He Bear She Bear. While I don't love the gender binary premise, the book is just about how he bears and she bears can have any interest, profession, skill, etc. So, I kinda love that these two boys like it so much, without any pushback about who can do what. So, that's lovely. 

23 - The Stones of Venice by John Ruskin

7/1/23, finished up from my class in Victorian Literature

Someone please grant me the confidence of a wealthy white man. Of any time period so far. And please grant me his connections too. Ruskin is just so sure of his own opinions... opinions on work that he doesn't do (i.e., art and architecture). The bits that were interesting are blurred by his weird assumptions about the way people live and his black & white ideas of what is "good" in terms of art. I only finished this because I'd read most of it for class and figured I'd finish it to help me with my reading goals.

24 - The Final Revival of Opal and Nev by Dawnie Walton

7/15/23, audiobook

I (audio)read this for the Book Riot 2023 Read Harder Challenge item "Listen to an audiobook performed by a person of color of a book written by an author of color." I'm wondering if I might have liked this book better if I'd read it instead of listened to it. This is the second time I've listened to an audiobook with an ensemble cast, and I don't think I like that style. I find it really bumpy to either hear someone's name right before they're about to speak or to have to pay attention and remember the different voices to remember who is speaking. Weirdly, this book does both. So there was the bumpiness of hearing the name and also sometimes just jumping in without knowing who is speaking. And there are a LOT of characters. And some cameos. I tried to look up how many, and every source listed 7 names and then added "full cast." I can't tell if that means there were only 7 or if there are more than 7. What I did like is that the story itself felt so realistic that I, like many other readers, stopped to Google if it were a true story. It's not, but it feels like it could be. Walton weaves in real-life events and people into the telling of the story of this interracial rock duo, which is fascinating. I do think it would have made for a better novella or short story though. Everything seems to build up to this one event, which holds many family secrets, and the event itself is quite a scene. But then it goes on. And on. Like, there's a whole Part 3 after the climax of the story. And the events in Parts 1 and 3 just aren't that interesting. They're just people navigating a music career and life. So realistically that it was a bit boring because I feel like I've heard so many similar stories. I wish I'd liked it enough to try reading it to see if I enjoyed that more, but I just don't really want to put anymore time into this story.

25 - Spectre, A Haunting: On the Communist Manifesto by China Mieville

7/23/23

Awhile back, I signed up for Haymarket Book's book subscription, where subscribers are sent one book a month. Honestly, they sent a lot of really interesting reads... that I couldn't keep up with, so I discontinued my subscription (for now). Because it's a smaller publisher though, many of the books they've sent fit this Book Riot Read Harder Challenge item perfectly, as many have under 500 reviews on Goodreads. When I'd checked this one, it had only 125. While most of it was over my head, I am really glad I picked this one because about a third of the book is actually just a reprinting of the Communist Manifesto, something I've never read. I've been curious about Marx, particularly once his name started circulating in popular culture again because of #BlackLivesMatter and their Marxist philosophy. While it's called the Communist Manifesto, it's really just a critique of an extremely stratified class system, one which we are certainly seeing widen in recent times because of late-stage capitalism, well past what Marx and Engels saw in the 1840s. It's also a statement of the power of the working class, as they are the ones who generate wealth for the elite. They explain how the working class needs to acknowledge and use their power to create a more equitable system for all. Both the Manifesto itself and Mieville's commentary on it were really striking at this immediate moment, when both the Writer's Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA are on strike, with very high-level celebrities supporting the movement and demanding that those who are not lucky enough to be in their positions be compensated and treated fairly because even they acknowledge that it is the billionaires who control the studios who are benefiting from the unfair compensation of the majority of the workers in the field. At this moment, there's also a looming threat of a UPS strike, which could really shake up the country as a whole. I'm totally here for this hot strike summer and am really glad I took on this read, so I could better understand the historical context of Marxism and workers taking up the power they have. Real talk: I hope higher ed is next.

26 - Oh Brother by Katherine Emmons

8/21/23

Shout out to Ray Ray and Teddy for helping me knock another book off my list. This certainly isn't a book I would have chosen on my own, but 5-year-old brothers like books about brothers, and this one was cute. It's just about Remy's brother and how he doesn't quite understand Remy's interest in cooking, especially cooking with humans, but he's still supportive. It's nice.

27 - Culture and Anarchy by Matthew Arnold

8/25/23

I only finished this for my reading goal. I'd read a large chunk of it for my Victorian literature class. I do not quite understand why we read it though. In this book, Arnold creates all kinds of false binaries and is very black and white... all from the perspective of a wealthy white English man. He does all kinds of name dropping of other, I presume, wealthy white English men, though I didn't recognize any of their names. His insistence on "sweetness and light" reminds me a lot of calls for "civility" and toxic positivity, basically telling people that they shouldn't talk about awful things, which only serves those in privileged positions. And then the Hebriasm and Hellenism thing, splitting the world into logic and creative exploration. Just... why? And he never justifies the naming of them. I see how they can be helpful frames in some conversations, but it's just... meh. I was really hoping for some more anarchy, tbh.

*28 - The Running Man by Richard Bachman (a.k.a., Stephen King)

8/26/23, audiobook

I thought I knew what this story was, and I wasn't all the way wrong, but it definitely surprised me all along the way. It was also shorter than I thought it would be, though drawing it out longer would have ruined the pace. I also find King's use of the hours counting down really added urgency and at different points seemed like points of hope and sometimes ominous. It's also quite different from many of his other horror stories, though there is certainly violence and cruelty. It was also interesting because it predates our era of reality TV, yet the setting is reality TV and, in particular, watching others suffer for entertainment. I don't watch much reality TV, but the few I do watch have an element of putting people through stressful, sometimes painful situations. So interesting that a book published in 1982 could have such interesting insights into modern media.

**29 - Shut Up and Feel by DJ Corchin

9/13/23

This past weekend, I volunteered with 826CHI at Lit Fest, and we happened to be sharing a tent with the author DJ Corchin. People of all ages kept picking up his books, laughing, and buying them. Each time, he offered to sign them with personalized messages. I had to see what the fuss was about. Shut Up and Feel is an adult picture book about feeling your damn feelings. It's really, really lovely.

30 - On the Beach by Ian McEwan

10/6/23, for Bingo Book Club

Teesha really put us through it with this book club choice. Woof. It reminded me of the film Melancholia except everyone is just kinda cheerful. It felt a bit heavier with everything happening in and around Gaza and Ukraine right now. The whole story follows survivors of a super nuclear world war. They're all in Australia and are pretty sure the rest of the world is dead, but what's left of the Australian and U.S. Navies do some exploring, especially because there's an inconsistent radio signal coming from new San Francisco. And so much of the world is standing, but all the people and animals are dead, and once the places become inhabitable again, in 20 years or so, all the remaining people and pretty much all of the animals will be dead. So. Kinda heavy.

31 - Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder

11/7/23. for a book club

I read 99% of this book for the first meeting of a book club. Then, when I was just a few pages away from finishing the book, they changed the meeting to a time I couldn't make it. And I really wasn't into the book. So I put it down for awhile. And decided not to join the book club if these were the kinds of books we'd be reading. Then, I decided to just finish it. And like, I like some magical realism. I like some women reclaiming their bodies and selves. But this was just weird, mostly because the main character never has a name. She's just the mom or Nightbitch. I hoped maybe she'd get a name by the end, as she stood so boldly in the things she'd been learning and choices she'd been making for herself. But no. Just Nightbitch. And the bitch part didn't seem to be a reclaiming of the term. Maybe I didn't get it, but I still wouldn't recommend it.

**32 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

11/16/23

I think this is my third read through of this series, this time to prep me for Hunger Games trivia for my birthday. I've watched the movies more times than I can count, and I forgot how good the books are. Like, yeah, the book is usually better than the movie, but for this series, the movies are good, and yet somehow the books are better, even though the movies are really, really well cast, and most of the changes make sense. If you've read the series, I recommend a reread. If you've only seen the films, I recommend a read. And if you've done neither, why? It's such a good series!

**33 - Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

12/13/23

I feel the same way about Catching Fire as I do about The Hunger Games. They are great movies, yet the books are so much better, something I forget because I have watched the movies countless times but only reread the series every now and then. I only got halfway through this one in time for Hunger Games trivia, but I still wanted to finish it up!

*34 - Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell

12/14/23, audiobook

This book was not at all what I expected. I thought, cool, Gladwell is going to teach me to be less socially awkward. I could really use some help with that. Nope. Not at all. It's about our assumptions about others and how they affect our interactions. It's about the default to truth, so we're not suspicious when we probably should be, and how our perceptions that someone's behaviors are misaligned with the situation make us suspicious when there's no need to be. He starts and ends with Sandra Bland, and along the way, talks about Amanda Knox, Bernie Madoff, and Ana Montes. He talks about people who were doing things wrong, so wrong that in hindsight, it seems really obvious, and why so many people got it wrong. And he talks about people who were innocent but faced extreme consequences because someone presumed them to be guilty. There were so many points when I was like, well, I don't agree with that, and Gladwell always circled back around to add nuance. It was super fascinating, especially as I think I'm someone who has pretty killer intuition but also defaults to assuming the best of others. I decided to be more trusting of my intuition several years back, when I knew something was off about a situation but let myself be gaslighted into acting like everything was okay--and then I got really hurt when the truth came out. This book as me thinking about when to trust my intuition and how I want to default to kindness with strangers because I believe it makes for a better world and that it's okay to pull back when I have concerns.

*35 - Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions: The Global Struggle for Palestinian Rights by Omar Barghouti

12/15/23

I've been trying to process my thoughts, feelings, and beliefs after the events in Israel on October 7, 2023, and the following events in Gaza and other parts of Palestine and some parts of Israel. While I mostly feel immense loss and helplessness, some of what I'm feeling is extreme regret that most of the world, specifically Western countries and especially the United States, is so very uninformed and miseducated about the historical context and tensions between Israel and Palestine. Personally, I don't think I thought much about Palestine or the Palestinians until I had a close Palestinian American friend, a kind soul who one day came to me furious because a coworker had asked his ethnicity, and when he told her Palestinian, she responded, "So aren't you really Israeli because Palestine doesn't exist anymore?" (I genuinely believe she was ignorant and clueless, not cruel, but impact matters.) Seeing how affected he was by this exchange jolted me into understanding this conflict was not in the past. It's current. It's still happening. That was 12 years ago. Since then, I've paid attention when "small" news stories crept into my timeline or were reported on NPR. I remember being particularly concerned about increasing Israeli settlements and the continued displacement of Palestinians a few years back. I knew then that not only is displacing a people wrong, continuing to do so is dangerous for everyone. So while I was shocked at the coordinated and successful attacks on October 7, I wasn't surprised. And I decided I had to learn more before I could be confident in my position. I was so very thankful that Haymarket Books offered (and is still, at the time of this writing, offering) three free books related to the Free Palestine movement (with an option to donate). This book is the first of the three I've read. While I don't feel like I learned a lot about the history of the region and the people, I learned a ton about the philosophy and history of activism against apartheid states, how the rest of the world can affect change in another country, and what worked in South Africa, a country that surely still has challenges yet has overcome international disapproval of its previous structures. This book was published in 2011, so much has happened in the last 12 years, and I am determined to learn more because tens of thousands of people have died, many more are suffering, and the best I can do to sum up how I'm feeling right now is this quote by John Dugard, South African law expert & former UN special rapporteur on human rights: "The West cannot expect the rest of the world to take issues it regards as important seriously if it persists in its present attitude to the [Israeli occupation]. For the rest of the world the issue of Palestine has become the litmus test for human rights. If the West fails to show concern for human rights in the [occupied Palestinian territory], the rest of the world will conclude that human rights are a tool employed by the West against regimes it dislikes and not an objective and universal instrument for the measurement of the treatment of people throughout the world." We need to be as critical of "our side" as we are of the other.

*36 - Yearbook by Seth Rogen

12/16/23, audiobook

I think Jamie recommended this one, and I had an Audible credit and needed to do some walking, so I downloaded it. I was so delighted with the entire book. Enough so that I am going to keep it on my re-listen list for times when I need something light. I would be walking with one air bud in, alone, giggling to myself. It's just a great collection of weird stories from Rogen's life, and he's so funny. It's also nice to listen to him playing himself, not a character of himself. Just a short, fun "read."

37 - White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

12/24/23

Over 10 years ago, one of my students' moms (who worked at the university) gave this book to me because she'd noticed I like to read and thought I'd like it. At the time, I probably got 20% through and then put it down. I think I read part of it, left it at work one day, and forgot about it because while I thought it was okay, I just wasn't that interested in it. I picked it back up for this Book Riot item, and honestly, it's just okay. I could have easily never finished it again.