Reviews with TLC

Morning in the Burning House: Poems by Margaret Atwood is a beautiful and heartfelt book of poetry examining myriad aspects of life. Atwood writes about family, love, life, and grief in moments that transcend personal experience reminding me of my own life experiences. As I read the poems, I often felt I could extrapolate a wider meaning from the seemingly personal experience in focus. Atwood plays with words to provoke thought and emotion in creative and accessible ways. Morning in the Burning House feels rooted in reality and symbolism simultaneously.   Currently Reading: Vulture Capitalism: Corporate Crimes, Backdoor Bailouts, and the Death of Freedom  by Grace Blakely One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse  by Ali Abunimah Disclosure: This blog contains affiliate links meaning if you click on those links and make a purchase, I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. If you'd like to follow what I'm reading in real time, please fo...

A Manual for Creating Atheists by Peter Boghossian delves into the Socratic method in an interesting and accessible way. Boghossian's writing technique is both academic and approachable. There's an air of arrogance that bleeds into the writing that left me wondering if Boghossian applies the same principles to his own beliefs that he pushes other people to apply to theirs  A Manual for Creating Atheists offers myriad examples of Boghossian using the Socratic method in debate and/or conversation, but sometimes feels like one-upmanship rather than efforts to lead people to epiphanies. I wanted to love this book but ended up only liking it well enough but with caveats. Anyone wanting to better understand the Socratic method might find A Manual for Creating Atheists helpful even if left questioning Boghossian's motives and willingness to apply the methods he promotes to his own beliefs.   Currently Reading: Vulture Capitalism: Corporate Crimes, Backdoor Bailouts, and the Dea...

Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Empowerment by Mazin B. Qumsiyeh is a dense book in many ways, especially because  it is packed full of history, context, and experiences. Qumsiyeh presents a historical context for resistance that comes in myriad ways appropriate to individual moments over time. Qumsiyeh addresses the humanity of the Palestinian people in a clear and decisive way by personifying Palestinian life throughout history. Popular Resistance in Palestine is an interesting, informative, intense, and inspiring look at the layers of resistance necessary for people living under occupation.   Currently Reading: A Manual for Creating Atheists  by Peter Boghossian Vulture Capitalism: Corporate Crimes, Backdoor Bailouts, and the Death of Freedom  by Grace Blakely One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse  by Ali Abunimah Morning In The Burned House: Poems  by Margaret Atwood Disclosure: This blog contains a...

The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief by Francis Weller came highly recommended from several sources. I'm grateful for those recommendations because I doubt I would have read it otherwise. I have mixed feelings about The Wild Edge of Sorrow . Weller writes well making the material accessible and understandable. There are many beautiful moments in The Wild Edge of Sorrow that urged me to think about my aversion to ritual as a general rule. I enjoyed the reflection on the importance of community and connection as well as the descriptions of myriad cultures' grief rituals and beliefs about grief. Even given those descriptive explorations, there were moments when Weller, like many in this type of work, seems to make assumptions meant to be inclusive that exclude those who might view the suggested ideas from a different perspective. At times, I also felt like the goal was to convince me to enroll in one of the paid grief ritual events. If so, it ...

Forest of Noise: Poems by Mosab Abu Toha screams life through an examination of facing death. Abu Toha writes his heart onto the page and invites us all to join him. We come to feel like we know him and his family through his words and cheer for their wins while lamenting their losses. Forest of Noise feels like a meditation as well as a call-to-action to live more compassionate, connected lives. Forest of Noise examines the experiences of everyday life we can all relate to juxtaposed against experiences many of us cannot even fully imagine giving us just a small glimpse of life under occupation and bombardment. Currently Reading: Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Empowerment   by Mazin B. Qumsiyeh The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief  by Francis Weller A Manual for Creating Atheists  by Peter Boghossian Vulture Capitalism: Corporate Crimes, Backdoor Bailouts, and the Death of Freedom  by Grace Blakely One Co...

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer dropped me gently but intensely into a deeper understanding of how plants and humans interact with one another. There were moments that surprisingly reminded me of my dad in ways that felt comforting. Kimmerer weaves science, culture, and history into an engrossing story of humans and nature  that feels like coming home while also feeling like a lesson in living in cooperation with the planet as well as each other. Kimmerer creates an immersive environment whether in forests, marshes, gardens, ponds, or a home.   Braiding Sweetgrass braids memoir, history, and modernity into a story that travels through time and place creating a sense of being oriented, then disoriented, and then oriented in a whole new way. Currently Reading: Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Empowerment   by Mazin B. Qumsiyeh The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Ren...

Shattered Dreams: The Arranged Marriage #1 by Jyotsna Ramani explores an arranged marriage in Indian culture with a reluctant bride as the arranged marriage spells the end of her dreams of being a career woman. The story was emotional and engaging. The exploration of culture, changing generational attitudes, and tradition clashing is interesting and offers a chance for the characters to grow. Shattered Dreams: The Arranged Marriage ends on a bit of a cliffhanger setting up the next story. Currently Reading: Braiding Sweetgrass   by Robin Wall Kimmerer Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Empowerment   by Mazin B. Qumsiyeh The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief  by Grancis Weller Manual for Creating Atheists by Peter Boghossian Forest of Noise: Poems  by Mosab Abu Toha Morning In The Burned House: Poems by Margaret Atwood Disclosure: This blog contains affiliate links meaning if you click on those links and make a...

Foster by Claire Keegan floated into my mind and heart with a soft intensity that surprised me. As Keegan reveals both the child's story and the Kinsellas' story, there are surprises that somehow make perfect sense even when they feel like they shouldn't.  Foster feels so real yet there is also a surrealness about it, the kind of surrealness that comes with deep grief and dysfunction coming together trying to form something functional, a family.  Currently Reading: Braiding Sweetgrass   by Robin Wall Kimmerer Shattered Dreams the Arranged Marriage  by Jyotsna Ramani Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Empowerment   by Mazin B. Qumsiyeh The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief  by Grancis Weller Forest of Noise: Poems  by Mosab Abu Toha Disclosure: This blog contains affiliate links meaning if you click on those links and make a purchase, I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. If you'd like...

When We Were Friends: A Short Story by Jane Green is a story of a friendship that feels too good to be true, but had me rooting for the friendship to not take the turn I suspected was coming. Green demonstrates that sometimes a friendship is there to help people grow to the next phase of their lives and that is okay. It's clear from the beginning the friendship is going to go awry. Just when I started to feel comfortable with the friendship, a hint would show up to remind me that relationships are messy. I really enjoyed When We Were Friends quite a bit and also liked the characters even when I didn't like their behavior. Currently Reading: Braiding Sweetgrass   by Robin Wall Kimmerer Foster  by Claire Keegan Shattered Dreams the Arranged Marriage  by Jyotsna Ramani Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Empowerment   by Mazin B. Qumsiyeh The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief  by Grancis Weller Forest of Noise...

Verseweavers: the Oregon Poetry Association Anthology of Prize-winning Poems Number 28/2023  edited by Dale Champlin is the annual compilation of poetry winners from the Oregon Poetry Association's Spring and Fall contests complete with judge's comments. I have to admit I am sometimes tempted to skip the judge's comments but I never do. The poems are varied and interesting, some more so than others. The book is arranged in an easy to read manner with emphasis on the poems themselves. Overall, I enjoyed Verseweavers just as I do every year. Currently Reading: Braiding Sweetgrass   by Robin Wall Kimmerer When We Were Friends  by Jane Green Foster  by Claire Keegan Shattered Dreams the Arranged Marriage  by Jyotsna Ramani Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Empowerment   by Mazin B. Qumsiyeh The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief by Grancis Weller Forest of Noise: Poems  by Mosab Abu Toha Disclosure: ...

People Like Them by Minka Kent teases with the story of a neighborhood party and a good time, but from the beginning there's an underlying current that feels deceptive but intriguing. Kent highlights how relationships aren't always what they appear to be while also showing how people can also understand circumstances better than we often think. People Like Them shows us how community can be a source of both good and harm in a short story that feels both unexpected and expected by the end.   Currently Reading: Braiding Sweetgrass   by Robin Wall Kimmerer When We Were Friends  by Jane Green Foster  by Claire Keegan Shattered Dreams the Arranged Marriage  by Jyotsna Ramani Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Empowerment   by Mazin B. Qumsiyeh Verseweavers: The Oregon Poetry Association Anthology of Prize-winning Poems Number 28/2023 Forest of Noise: Poems  by Mosab Abu Toha Disclosure: This blog contains affiliate links meaning if you...

We Will Not Cancel Us and Other Dreams of Transformative Justice by Adrienne Maree Brown is a short, easy read about cancel culture. I started Brown's book with some hesitation even though it was recommended by a friend because I so often hear criticism about cancel culture from people who just don't want to be held accountable for their actions/words. We Will Not Cancel Us addresses this phenomenon while also gently asking if there is a better way to address conflict and harm in society and particularly in groups working toward transformative justice. Brown writes in an accessible manner that feels like an invitation to examine how we treat one another as we attempt to work together. When Brown asked "Can we be abolitionist with each other?", I stopped and read that one question multiple times. My gut reaction was doubt, but I kept reading anyway and ended up at a hopeful maybe. We Will Not Cancel Us speaks directly to the conflict and harm that we inflict on one ...

Harlem: A Short Story  by Jerome Dickey packs quite a punch. I'm not sure what I expected when I started Harlem , but this short story took me on a bit of a rollercoaster ride yet was woven together beautifully. Harlem's experiences landed in my body in unexpected ways making me feel like I was experiencing what he was while still also being detached from it which he also seemed to be at times. Dickey creates a world based in reality that feels all too real and yet somehow surreal at the same time. Harlem kept me invested until the very end and even left me wanting more. Currently Reading: Braiding Sweetgrass   by Robin Wall Kimmerer When We Were Friends  by Jane Green Foster  by Claire Keegan Shattered Dreams the Arranged Marriage  by Jyotsna Ramani Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Empowerment   by Mazin B. Qumsiyeh Verseweavers: The Oregon Poetry Association Anthology of Prize-winning Poems Number 28/2023 Forest of Noise: Poems...

The Bad Friend by Caroline Kepnes twisted me up while keeping me engaged. Kepnes included more than seems possible in a short story yet every moment included feels necessary. I felt the struggle Ellen's perception of her place in her world created internally and the problems that perception created in her life from her friendships to her romances. Ellen often seemed oblivious to the reality in her life and seemed to be seeking something she could never find. A part of me understood related to her disconnection from her life even when I felt frustrated with her. When the big secret that became between her and her friend, Tanya, is revealed, it made perfect sense even as I resisted it as reality. The Bad Friend seemed like there was more than enough bad friendship to go around proving how important communication is in any relationship. Currently Reading: Braiding Sweetgrass   by Robin Wall Kimmerer Harlem  by Eric Jerome Dickey When We Were Friends  by Jane Green Foster...

The Butterfly's Burden by Mahmoud Darwish (translated by Fady Joudah) is a beautiful book of poetry that covers a wide variety of topics. I loved having the original Arabic poems and the English translations side-by-side. I was so amazed by the different lengths of some of the lines that I asked my husband to spot check a few of the translations. He said they were pretty accurate. Darwish has a way of writing about everyday occurrences in ways that make them feel magical and the magical in ways that make them feel accessible. The Butterfly's Burden expounds on the impact of humans on other humans as well as the world we inhabit with its honest reflections on how human beings move through the world for better or worse. Currently Reading: Braiding Sweetgrass   by Robin Wall Kimmerer The Bad Friend  by Caroline Kepne Harlem  by Eric Jerome Dickey When We Were Friends  by Jane Green Foster  by Claire Keegan Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Em...

Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS): The Global Struggle for Palestinian Rights by Oman Barghouti feels far too timely even though it was first published in 2011. With all the work the BDS movement has done and the accomplishments it has made, BDS should feel far more dated than it does. Most of the book is as applicable today as it was the day it was written. Barghouti explains the BDS movement, the goals, the history, the link to South Africa, and some early accomplishments even as he details the pushback and criticism the BDS movement has received ever since its inception. BDS demonstrates why the BDS movement is so important in the fight for Palestinian rights.  Barghouti reminds the world that as powerless as we often feel in exacting change, BDS has the power to impact economies and therefore world systems. It is a powerful reminder our choices affect the world.  BDS is inspiring for anyone aspiring to get more involved in the BDS movement, whether to embrace boycotts...

Larger Than Life: A Novella by Jodi Picoult is, at its heart, a story of mothers and daughters. Picoult explores the expectations of mothers and daughters in a story that draws parallels between mothering styles in humans and elephants. The story explores the roles of both nature and nurture in the mother/daughter relationship all through the eyes of a daughter who can't leave behind a baby elephant to die and becomes its mother figure even as she struggles to reconcile her relationship with her own mother in her heart and mind. Larger Than Life explores how expectations can damage not only a relationship but individuals.  Currently Reading: Braiding Sweetgrass   by Robin Wall Kimmerer The Bad Friend  by Carolline Kepne Harlem  by Eric Jerome Dickey When We Were Friends by Jane Green Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions: The Global Struggle for Palestinian Rights   by Omar Barghouti Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Empowerment by Mazin B...

Fires to Come by Asha Lemmie packs a lot in a few pages. A story of belonging, family, and power that feels like it's going one direction and then pivots in a way that is both surprising and makes perfect sense. Lemmie creates complex but real characters that are both likeable and unlikeable, often at the same time.  Fires to Come explores the life of Carlotta, a Black baby adopted by an Italian family in the early twentieth century who never quite feels like she fits in even when she goes to Harlem trying to figure out her place in the world. As Carlotta seeks to fit in, she makes choices to protect herself that sometimes feel misguided but understandable. Fires to Come is a well-written, intriguing story about choices made and the consequences of those choices. Currently Reading: Braiding Sweetgrass   by Robin Wall Kimmerer Larger Than Life  by Jodi Picoult The Bad Friend  by Carolline Kepne Harlem by Eric Jerome Dickey Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions: The Globa...