I spend a lot of my time reading. Which, is not a flex. It's a literal requirement of my work. If anything, it's doing the bare minimum of my work. The base. The starting point. You get the idea.
This week, I wanted to turn away from the heavy theoretical stuff (let's face it - the warmer weather rolled in and all I wanted to do was bask under the sun, instead of crouching over my laptop in a dark room like Gollum).
If you're looking to beef up your personal library for the warmer months, here are some books that I highly recommend checking out!
The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson. Number one - it's about magic, so there's that. Number two - it's an incredibly written feminist, a fantasy tale about witchcraft, conformity, and individuality.
The Selected Works of Audre Lorde by Audre Lorde, Edited by Roxane Gay. What more can I say other than Audre Lorde is foundational to any personal book collection. Audre Lorde defines herself as "black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet." An important figure in twentieth-century literature, this collection of her writing makes me swoon.
Thick: And Other Essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom. In this book Tressie McMillan Cottom not only tackles subjects of beauty, media, and money culture, she effortlessly ties together the personal and the political. Did I mention she's also a professor? She knows her stuff.
Yearbook by Seth Rogen. I have been a fan of him for years. He is one of my favourite actors and writers, so I may be biased. Rumour has it he's also just a nice person? Which is swell. This book is a collection of personal essays, stories of his Jewish heritage and family, and funny moments that make me want to smile.
What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Oprah Winfrey and Bruce D. Perry. It's written by Oprah. I really should just leave it there. But, if I had to give you more information, this book an exploration of trauma through Oprah's own experiences in conversation with trauma expert Dr. Bruce Perry.
Klara and the Sun written by Kazuo Ishiguro. When I say that this book has it all, it really does. We're talking artificial intelligence, people watching, and the mystery of human love and relationships. Not to mention it's a New York Times Bestseller.
The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman. On January 20th, 2021, Amanda Gorman presented heart-stopping poetry at Joe Biden's presidential inauguration. Her poem "The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country" set the tone for the presidency to come, as well as hope for change in a country ravaged by racism and acts of violence.