Around the World Reading Challenge: ERITREA === Interesting collection that includes several memoir essays of the author's childhood and experiences durAround the World Reading Challenge: ERITREA === Interesting collection that includes several memoir essays of the author's childhood and experiences during the struggle for independence in Eritrea from Ethiopian occupation, as well as several short plays written by the author. I enjoyed the writing and learning more about Eritrea, which isn't a country I've much knowledge about. I do wish there'd been a bit more of the historical context here, as this really throws you into the author's remembrances and really presumes the reader has a good baseline knowledge of the Ethiopian occupation and what they were fighting for and against. It was certainly readable without that knowledge, but I think even having a brief overview of the occupation would help contextualize the essays....more
Thoroughly enjoyable collection of essays and articles covering a whole range of topics. I thought the variety here was great, and most of the articleThoroughly enjoyable collection of essays and articles covering a whole range of topics. I thought the variety here was great, and most of the articles are quick reads, which was great. I very much enjoy Gay's writing as always. Wasn't super interested in the celeb interviews or review of books/movies, but the rest I enjoyed....more
Considered one of the earlier feminist texts, I was super curious to read this essay, but was a little underwhelmed. I'm actually not that familiar wiConsidered one of the earlier feminist texts, I was super curious to read this essay, but was a little underwhelmed. I'm actually not that familiar with Woolf's work, but I found the supercilious tone here to be really off-putting. I think I'd have been more impressed if I'd read this earlier in life--I can understand that this might have been quite forward-thinking at the time, but I struggled with the privilege here and the places where it was lacking. Perhaps not entirely "fair" but ehh, I can't really say I thought this was worth the read....more
Really interesting book. Part memoir, part essays discussing life and affluence and capitalism. Thought provoking, and I enjoyed it overall, though I Really interesting book. Part memoir, part essays discussing life and affluence and capitalism. Thought provoking, and I enjoyed it overall, though I don't know that there was so much a central thesis. Mostly just ruminations, which worked for me but I can see how it wouldn't for everybody....more
Enjoyable and fairly brief collection, with her cancer journals taking up about 2/3 of the book and then a few essays/speeches added onto the beginninEnjoyable and fairly brief collection, with her cancer journals taking up about 2/3 of the book and then a few essays/speeches added onto the beginning. I wouldn't say this is the best introduction to her work, but solid if you're more familiar with her. The only bit I really didn't like was the essay, "Sadomasochism: Not About Condemnation (An Interview with Audre Lorde)" by Susan Leigh Star, which felt pretty exactly like a condemnation. This really read like somebody who doesn't actually know much about BDSM or S/m because she was really conflating terms and making some pretty broad and sweeping claims. Frankly, her stance on this one shocked me, and not in a good way....more
A collection of essays reviewing random-ass stuff. I thought the concept was cool, and I generally enjoyed the execution. I'm not at a4.5 rounded down
A collection of essays reviewing random-ass stuff. I thought the concept was cool, and I generally enjoyed the execution. I'm not at all familiar with the podcast, so everything here was new to me. I'll admit, having read a lot of the other non-fiction books in the "2021 goodreads best-of" I wouldn't have picked this one to win, and I do think that colored my enjoyment of this somewhat, but I did think it was clever and interesting and very relatable....more
Listened to this on audiobook and the narrator was great, though I do wish it had been narrated by the author herself. Quick listen/read and really enListened to this on audiobook and the narrator was great, though I do wish it had been narrated by the author herself. Quick listen/read and really engaging. I thought the suggestions were really interesting....more
I enjoyed the concept of this one and I thought the essays were enjoyable and interesting. I wish there had been a wider range of essayists in terms oI enjoyed the concept of this one and I thought the essays were enjoyable and interesting. I wish there had been a wider range of essayists in terms of geographical representation, but I did appreciate that there were a range of queer perspectives....more
Around the World Reading Challenge: ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA == Short, powerful, acerbic, and honest essay about the author's native Antigua. Honestly, this Around the World Reading Challenge: ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA == Short, powerful, acerbic, and honest essay about the author's native Antigua. Honestly, this review says it all much better than I can. I was debating between this short essay and one of Kincaid's fictional works for my challenge, as I've been mostly choosing fiction and reading something so short seemed like I was giving myself a pass, but I'm very glad to have gone with this essay....more
This was such a great read! The concept was brilliant and perfectly executed, and I really enjoyed the various styles and takes that each contributor This was such a great read! The concept was brilliant and perfectly executed, and I really enjoyed the various styles and takes that each contributor took for their section. Obviously this book covers a lot of ground and is on the longer side, but the way it was broken out into 5-year segments with chapters that were more or less the same length made the whole thing really easy to read and it actually went by super quickly....more
Really fascinating collection of essays from Arab women reporting on the Arab world. Huge amount of experience and variety in content/style, but the cReally fascinating collection of essays from Arab women reporting on the Arab world. Huge amount of experience and variety in content/style, but the collection theme felt very cohesive....more
Listened to this on audiobook, and I thought the narrator did a great job. These essays and speeches were super interesting, thought-provoking, and brListened to this on audiobook, and I thought the narrator did a great job. These essays and speeches were super interesting, thought-provoking, and brilliantly written. I really appreciated Lorde's perspective as a black lesbian feminist poet, and would highly recommend!...more
Listened to this on audiobook and it was a suuuper quick and interesting listen! Fascinating look at women in power, tying present day with ancient hiListened to this on audiobook and it was a suuuper quick and interesting listen! Fascinating look at women in power, tying present day with ancient historical context. The author says at the end that they purposefully didn't edit the original lectures and that if they had, they probably would have dug deeper and explored some of the points further, and I honestly wish they had. It seems to be the book format would have actually been the perfect place to do that, and while I did enjoy this one, it felt pretty surface level and I would have loved getting a little bit more....more
Solid read. Short and easy to consume, though nothing particularly revolutionary if you're already a feminist and familiar with the principals. Good "Solid read. Short and easy to consume, though nothing particularly revolutionary if you're already a feminist and familiar with the principals. Good "intro to feminism" for all the non-believers in your life....more
I honestly wasn't as engaged with this as I wanted to be. The ideas here felt very surface and introductory, and the writing just wasn't all that captI honestly wasn't as engaged with this as I wanted to be. The ideas here felt very surface and introductory, and the writing just wasn't all that captivating. I found it rather dry and a bit boring, which, combined with the not-exactly-revolutionary content, made for just an okay read. I am glad I read it, but I've certainly read much more meaningful and insightful works on the subject of feminism....more
Seriously fantastic collection of essays on the topic of blackness in america and black womanhood. Really engaging and thought provoking, and the collSeriously fantastic collection of essays on the topic of blackness in america and black womanhood. Really engaging and thought provoking, and the collection was really cohesive and well curated....more
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