Reviews with TLC

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  by Claire

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 Empowerment   by M

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 in one&#

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. Qumsiyeh The Butterfly&

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 Global Struggle for

Natural Selection: A Short Story by Elin Hilderbrand made me smile in spite of myself. While parts of the plot were fairly predictable, the element of self-discovery felt interesting enough to overcome that predictability. Some characters' choices were a bit hard to really embrace at various points in the story, but still served the story. The examination of relationships that plays out throughout the story with the backdrop of a trip to explore nature feels like an exercise in natural selection itself. I enjoyed Natural Selection more than I expected to because the cast of characters and the descriptions of the settings were intriguing and beautiful in their own ways. Currently Reading: Braiding Sweetgrass   by Robin Wall Kimmerer Fires to Come  by Asha Lemmie Larger Than Life  by Jodi Picoult The Bad Friend by Carolline Kepne Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions: The Global Struggle for Palestinian Rights   by Omar Barghouti The Butterfly's Burden  by Mahmoud Darwish Disclosure:

How We Win the Civil War: Securing a Multiracial Democracy and Ending White Supremacy for Good by Steve Phillips is a fascinating take on the current political landscape of the United States. Phillips tracks and explains how the Confederacy has morphed over time in the United States. How We Win the Civil War draws a direct line between the Civil War and modern day White Supremacy ideas. There are moments in the early chapters that feel hopeless yet were intriguing enough to keep me interested. I nodded along at times, felt skeptical at other times, and learned a bit along the way. In the second part of the How We Win the Civil War , Phillips examines various movements in several states aimed at civic engagement and voting as well as encouraging people to run for office that the people can feel excited about. Phillips demonstrates how these organizations strategize to achieve their goals. How We Win the Civil War takes a realistic yet hopeful approach to creating a more inclusive and