This week’s prompt is a hard one, because mostly I have mentioned books by this point. But there are several that, while I may have mentioned them, I didn’t actually write reviews. So here are a selection of them.
Some of these I haven’t reviewed yet. The first I listened to on audiobook and it’s meant to be a comedic performance, but it’s one of those that is more upsetting than funny, despite occasional laughs, because the subject matter is so difficult and violent and just wrong. I found it informative and interesting, but also really really hard. The Fire This Time is one that I read and found fantastic, but that I now don’t remember any actual details about, so it’s hard to write a review other than to say it’s wonderful, diverse, covers vital topics and should definitely be read by everyone who’s reading about race. Likewise Conversations in Black. I will probably need to re-read them in order to review. The Dispossessed is the first non-fiction book I read about race during my penultimate year of high school. It’s a collection of stories on different topics related to Indigenous/First Nations communities in Canada, and is full of hard truths. It broke my heart and shook me to the core, but it is also one of the books I’m most grateful to have read.
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I love street art. I don’t know what it is about it – maybe the styles that are often employed, the creativity, maybe the social critique that is given space in their conception, maybe it’s the rebellious nature of it or the intrinsic rules that are (usually) followed. Could be that it’s often most visible in the most run-down of urban settings, and it can bring some beauty and colour into harsh environments. Maybe it’s the tie it has to hip hop culture, maybe it’s that it is often used by those who aren’t given a voice in mainstream society. But it’s something I’ve been interested in for years, and my favourite artists are (or at least began as) street artists. These three books are classics on the topic, though there are many more I could have included!
These two I’m sure I’ve mentioned at some point, but they definitely bear mentioning. The first is a non-fiction book (the only one I’m aware of) by magical realist novelist Gabriel García Márquez. It’s an account of the kidnapping of prominent community members by the Escobar drug cartel in Columbia, and rolls in a lot of information about the social structure and how the cartel is woven into it, and what life was like at that time. It’s very well written, and at times reads like a sociological study, at others a thriller. At the time I read Mary Morris’ book, it meant a lot to me. It’s a memoir about a woman who ups stakes and moves to a town in México to live as a solo ex-patriot. I loved the introspection, the glimpse into a different life and the courage it took to make such a change.
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These two books came from my time studying Women’s Studies in college. The first is a classic book that covers so much about women’s health issues – particularly reproductive ones. It has information that we’re not taught, and takes our health seriously in a way the medical establishment often fails to do. It covers the history of women’s reproductive rights and shows why the fight for them (now chillingly resurrected) is so important. The second is one I largely don’t remember, but I remember it being one of those books that goes where others don’t, that addresses questions or ideas we often don’t give voice to, and that made me feel like women can actually take up space and demand sexual satisfaction. It’s an anthology, so like any I imagine some were easier to connect to than others.
That’s it for me this week! Which books did you guys include this week, and why hadn’t you reviewed them before? Have you read any of my picks?
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly link-up feature created by The Broke and the Bookish and hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. Every week TTT has a different topic, and everyone who links up has to create a link of ten items that fit that topic. To see past and upcoming topics, go here.
I’m pretty sure I read Nothing to Declare before I was reviewing everything I read.
It’s been around for a while, so I think it did predate the big book reviewing boom! I love travel memoirs – particularly ones written about women who have traveled alone. I find them inspiring, fascinating and scratch that wanderlust itch I can’t actually do anything about now! What did you think of it? I’ve never read any of her other books but keep thinking I should!
Your book selections are intense, for lack of a better word here. I have some lightweight romance and mysteries on mine; you have sociological topics that open the door to learn more. I am thinking of checking out more about the Garcia Marquez one and the Mary Morris– and the Hughley is one I’ve heard about but I don’t “do audio” so I would regretfully pass on that one.
Our Bodies, Ourselves was a well-loved book of several of my friends & teachers that I’m sure I’ve at least skimmed through…, I majored in Sociology in college, and also have 2 adult daughters.
Yeah, I do tend towards the intense! I like learning about hard topics and understanding more about the world around me and everyone’s very diverse experiences in it. That said, I do think that lightweight reads are absolutely vital as well – we all need to have mental breaks and be drawn into a satisfying fictional landscape! And mysteries stretch different mental muscles as well. I actually have several mystery series I have read and not reviewed, but I’ve done this topic before in the past and already covered them, so partly these picks are the ones I didn’t already use! I studied Anthropology, Sociology and Women’s Studies so I do think that’s where some of these interests got solidified! I have a kid now myself, and am definitely hoping to share some of the information I’m gathering there too. Thanks for stopping by and sharing!
Our Bodies, Our Selves was a shock to me when I read the first version–giving birth on a Hide-a-bed sofa? With a female partner? I was too sheltered lol. Today I’m sooooooooooo glad I read that book.
Yeah, I have several parts (I won’t go into details, but let’s just say they were upsetting) that are burned on my brain as well. But it was important to understand more about being a woman, the importance of not relying on male medical professionals to know what’s going on, and the whole history of the fight for reproductive rights. Definitely eye-opening, but I feel like it helped make me stronger and more assertive, not to mention well-informed!
I haven’t read any of these books yet. They sound good, though.
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-enjoyed-but-have-never-mentioned-on-my-blog/
It’s a bit of an eclectic mix for sure! I have my niches…