September '23: Banned Books Week!
and Stuff You Should Know
Hello Book Buddies,
I’m sad to say that only now, after 28 years of life, I’ve discovered the joy of tabletop puzzles. I noticed a little puzzle library on the shelves of my neighbourhood library one Saturday morning and I haven’t looked back. Now there’s nothing better than drinking my AM coffee as Bert (our dog) chews a stick and I pluck away on a puzzle while listening to an audiobook.
This brings me to say that virtually all my reading was done through audio this month and it was delightful. Previously, reading fiction on audio was difficult for me because I couldn’t always concentrate enough to follow the storylines. But as I puzzle, following fiction is effortless. I think I’m truly entering my audiobook era now.
Here’s what I read this month:
A book for the podcast lover:
Stuff You Should Know: An Incomplete Compendium of Mostly Interesting Things by Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant
- In the same format as their podcast by the same name, Clark and Bryant give us piles of info on an assortment of topics, from Mr. Potato Head to the possibilities of trillionaires. Their essays are well fleshed-out and always interesting.
A novel for those who want to feel excitingly uncomfortable:
Unwind by Neil Shusterman
- America’s second civil war is fought over abortion rights. To satisfy both sides of the battle, the government decides that all pregnancies will come to term, but the child’s guardians have the opportunity to “unwind” their child between the ages of 13-18 where their bodies are taken apart and parts are given to others in need. If that gives you a pit of dread and possibly nausea at the bottom of your stomach, read this one. It’s messed up.
Two books to read for those who wish to learn more about Indigenous culture:
A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott
- This is a collection of personal essays that are skillfully interlaced with various topics on North America’s treatment of Indigenous Peoples. Elliott’s writing is profound and moving.
AND
Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- Growing up in the suburbs, I rarely, if ever, considered the significance of plants. This book changed that for me. Kimmerer highlights the importance of being connected to nature around us and how the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island have been doing so for thousands of years. Regardless of where you live, Kimmerer shows us how to honour nature, rather than extract from it.
A book for those who read and liked Twilight in their tweens:
A Court of Thornes and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
- As punishment for a crime she didn’t know she committed, Fayre is taken to a far-off land as a captor to the magical Fae. This felt like a grownup, high-fantasy version of Twilight. So many of my friends on Goodreads gave this book 5/5 stars, but this one missed the mark for me. Although, to be fair, fantasy mixed with young love brings out some cynicism in me. Two parts that are supposed to be lustful feel totally gross, the older man with a young virgin lover gave me the squirms, and every plot point felt unoriginal. Again, maybe it’s just me with the problem as people seem to really dig this book. So if you like romance and fantasy, give this a go!
A novel for those who love Derry Girls… and MAGIC:
All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O’Donoghue
- In an Irish catholic school, Maeve stumbles upon a deck of tarot cards. She becomes delightfully consumed with giving readings to everyone at school until after a reading/angry confrontation with her former bestie, Lily, Lily completely disappears. O’Donoghue skillfully weaves together queer love, fanatical cults, and magic into a super captivating story. There are two more to the series which I will certainly be picking up soon.
A novel for those who have ever questioned who can write what:
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang
- During my senior creative writing classes in undergrad, we spent a lot of time considering who has permission to write what—can a white person write a story focusing on a non-white person? Can someone write from the experience of another whom they do not identify with? Kuang ponders this question through an insanely cynical and pessimistic protagonist, June Hayward, as she steals and then publishes a story that isn’t hers which focuses on a marginalized group of people with whom she does not identify. June was such a fun character to loathe and Kuang dealt with this difficult topic in a very approachable manner. This book is a major win for me.
A novel for those who love a whodunnit:
Zero Days by Ruth Ware
- Although I don’t read as many murder mysteries/thrillers/whodunnits as I used to, I’m a dedicated Ruth Ware reader. She doesn’t disappoint in her latest book as we follow Jack who comes home to her husband brutally murdered. After talking with the police it becomes apparent that Jack is their main suspect in her husband’s death. Instead of getting a lawyer, Jack goes on the run to figure out who killed her husband and why. The audiobook was 14 hours long (which I think is more on the lengthier side of audiobooks) so I was skeptical about Ware keeping my attention for so long, but I fell hard and fast, finishing it within two days.
A book for those who need to make sense of the politically far-right’s actions these last few years:
Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein
- For a decade Klein has been mistaken as another Naomi, Naimo Wolf, who used to be a feminist icon, but since the pandemic has become an anti-vax advocate and far-right icon. In this book, Klein dissects Wolf’s career and compares it to her own, analyzing the major differences. Klein discusses so many of the wild ideas pushed through the far-right media over the last few years in American media and how it’s seeping its way into Canadian culture. I love informative nonfiction that’s wildly fascinating, and this is it.
Two non-fiction titles for those who need some comfort listening:
Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
- A collection of questions and responses from Strayed’s advice column over the years, Dear Sugar. Strayed provides firm advice mingled with personal anecdotes and gives us all the feels.
Congratulations, the Best is Over! by R. Eric Thomas
- A collection of personal essays about Thomas’s career, relationships, and general life reflections. This book is tender and even silly a times.
Other things:
- Lately, I’ve been listening to NYT’s The Book Review podcast. This episode about the greatness of audiobooks is worth a listen.
- This week is Banned Books Week! Click here to learn why it’s important to stand up for the freedom to read.
Thanks for following along on another installment of my Blurbs!
Happy reading,
Carissa