September 2.0

His Truth Is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope by Jon Meacham, John Lewis

"This is not a fairytale. This is history." Over the last four years of the current administration, I have slowly, progressively, lost hope in America. This book reminded me to still believe. Jon Meacham, one of my favorite historians, spent countless hours with the iconic John Lewis, recounting his early days with the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement. I thought I knew who John Lewis was, after reading his life story following his death as well as watching the eulogies given at his funeral. I could not have been more wrong. Meacham not only does a deep dive into Lewis, his actions, and his character, but also into the deliberate operations of the young workers and leaders, using non-violence to change the heart of a country. I was left with a sense of hope, knowing that if these young people chose to face death, to stand tall in the midst of the most extreme hatred, then I could believe in the spirit of America once again. If you need a big dose of belief, this book will do your heart good:)

Cantoras by Carolina De Robertis

The story begins in the 1970's in Montevideo, Uruguay, as a coup has turned the country into a military dictatorship. Five friends head to a deserted beach town, determined to find some joy in their young lives, wondering if it is possible to be happy, gay, and free in this country. Throughout the next four decades, this beach home becomes their sanctuary, as we see their lives move through time, dealing with husbands, lovers, children, and pasts that haunt. The writing is sublime..."They approached the cape along a beach, the ocean to their right, shimmering in the dark, in constant conversation with the sand." I mean, really??? But De Robertis is not verbose or gratuitous with her words; she shares the life story of these women to such a deep extent, that when the last page is turned, I felt like I lost something. The ideas of human connection, of how trauma invades our soul, of how who we are is so vital to how we interact in the world. I did not think I would fall so hard in love with this book and these women; this novel is a treasure.

Caged by Ellison Cooper

Do you like watching Criminal Minds or Mindhunters? Or did you enjoy Meg Gardiner's Unsub book series? If so, have I got a new series for you! I read this one in less than 24 hours, and have already ordered the second in the series. (I kept hearing about Cut to the Bone, Cooper's latest book just published; everyone is raving over it, but I just cannot start a series in the middle so yes, I went back to the beginning to see where FBI agent Sayer Altair begins.) Altair is a Black female agent, with a background in neuroscience and an obsession with hunting serial killers. Haunted by death in her personal life, she is...complicated. The author has created a compelling group of agents who surround Altair: her sidekick Vik who knows how to throw in some zingers, her neighbor who shares a puppy with her, her scary but badass female boss at the FBI, the tech guy who knows how to hack computers, the pathologist who finds answers in the dead bodies, and the arrogant profiler who never met a camera he didn't like. Cooper knows how to plot a story to keep you turning pages, as well as creating characters to root both for and against. This is an obsessively great read:) PS: I am TIRED of reading crime novels by white men, about white men; this author is female, has an amazing science background, and uses all kinds of smart, strong women characters - YES!!!

From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks

Zoe loves to bake, needs to fix her friendship with her next door neighbor, and receives her first letter from her father, who is imprisoned for committing a murder. I can see how many elementary-age kids are loving this book as it is a sweet story of friendship, love, and loyalty. There are some funny moments with cupcake baking, as well as some hard-fought freedom for two ambitious kids. It's a tough subject matter and author does downplay it for her audience, which I get, but I also think some kids are capable of grappling with difficult topics. Prison is rather white-washed, as is the impact of wrongful conviction. Yet...I realize this story is written for eight to twelve year olds, so on that note, I would say it is a good start to introducing a child to some social justice issues. 

Sula by Toni Morrison

As I work my way through Morrison's back list (like many, I had only read Beloved and Song of Solomon prior to 2020), this was once again a difficult read. I listened to the audio, and while Morrison's voice is gorgeous, I wish I had been able to flip back and forth through the pages. It is a story of friendship between Nell and Sula, one woman who chooses husband and children and home, and Sula, who chooses sexual freedom and the city lights. It is a story of an action in their past that haunts them. It is the story of a returned soldier who forces his town to see death. It is the story of the Black experience, told in classic Morrison style, who always makes one think hard and question and roll the words around in our head. While I am glad I read it, it was not my favorite. How's that for an honest opinion?!

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri

Do you ever feel like you missed years of good books while head first into a career, or raising kids, or going through trauma? I do, so I am slowly working my way through some backlist books, as well as trying to be deliberate about reading more diverse authors who can give me views into a different world than my own. This collection of eight stories from Pulitzer Prize winning author Lahiri was a stunner. With each story, she sucked me straight into the lives of her characters, whether it be the young mother in Seattle trying to navigate a new role for her father in her life, or the young Indian man who defies his family expectations, or the student having an affair with a married man. Each story was rich in character, as well as words. Highly recommend this author if, like me, you missed her years ago.