The "Spring Reading" Tag

I recently saw that one of my favorite Booktubers, Mercedes (MercysBookishMusings), had published a video called the Spring Reading Tag.  You can watch her video here, as well as the one from the originator of the tag, Amy Jane Smith.  It started me thinking about my own springtime reading, and so I decided to take on the questions myself.

What books are you most excited to read over the next few months?

There are two books that I've pre-ordered, as they aren't released until early May here in the US, and I'm so excited for them!  The first is the latest installment in the Hogarth Shakespeare Series, Tracy Chevalier's retelling of Othello called New Boy.  In this story, a diplomat's son Osei (Othello) arrives in a new school and is an outcast, yet forms a relationship with a popular girl in the school named Dee (Desdemona).  Ian (Iago) is another student at the school, who can't stand the thought of Osei and Dee being together, and takes extreme measures to end the relationship

The second book I'm anxious and excited to read is David Sedaris' latest release, called Theft By Finding.  It is a collection of the author's diaries, journals, and other ephemera from 1977-2002.  I absolutely love reading these kind of books that live in the spaces between memoir and general non-fiction; I recently read Frantumaglia by Elena Ferrante and loved it, so I have high hopes for this book being a wonderful addition to the rest of my Sedaris collection.  He's so funny, and I can only hope that the funny isn't just in his finished products, but in the early writings too!

What book makes you most think of spring?

The sense of hope, peace, and renewal that are prevalent throughout One Fine Day by Mollie Panter-Downes make it my choice for a book that evokes spring feelings.

 

 

 

 

The days are getting longer - what is the longest book you want to read this season?

There are a big bunch of doorstoppers that I have on my TBR as part of various reading challenges.  One of said challenges is to (re)read all of the 26 books in the Penguin Drop Caps series, which includes Middlemarch (912) and Moby-Dick (688).  I have also been meaning to get to Alan Moore's Jerusalem (1184), the omnibus His Dark Materials trilogy (1102) by Philip Pullman, and IQ84 (944) by Haruki Murakami. I would love to plow through all of these in 2017!

What books would you recommend to brighten someone's day?

 For someone who's down in the dumps or in need of cheering, I would immediately suggest three books: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson, Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichel, and Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris.  Although they all have conflict and some dark moments, they are wholeheartedly uplifting and will make you smile at the characters' adventures and mishaps.

Spring brings new life in nature - what is a book that doesn't exist, but you wish did?

I didn't even have to think about this one.  I absolutely loved Marilynne Robinson's Gilead trilogy, and one character, whom we are introduced to in the book Home, is Jack Boughton.  The reader is given snippets and bits and pieces of his life, which goes against most of what his family and community expected of him.  He married a black women from the South, and are living a very bohemian and unconventional life thus far.  We don't really get much depth and detail of his story...I want that story!

Spring is a time of growth - how has your reading grown and changed over the years?

As my social and political awareness has grown, so has my reading.  In years' past, I would stick mostly to the classics of the Western Cannon, mostly reading authors who were male, white, and dead.  Now, I am much more interested in new releases, especially when those books are written by women of color and published by small, independent presses.  I look for diversity in the characters  and social justice throughout.  I've also broadened into stories told in unconventional ways or through non-traditional forms, like A Visit From the Goon Squad, and A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing.
Another way my reading has changed is that I am reading graphic novels/memoirs, and listening to audiobooks regularly.  I obtain most of these (especially the audiobooks, because they're so spendy) from my local library, but I will purchase some if I really, really love the story and would re-read it.  My absolute favorite graphic memoir is the March trilogy by Representative John Lewis, about his life growing up in the Jim Crow era in the American South, and becoming a leader in the Civil Rights movement.  One of my favorite audiobooks is Einstein's Dreams, written by Alan Lightman and narrated by Grover Gardner.  It's soothing and fascinating all at the same time - a fictional exploration of Albert Einstein's coming up with theories of relativity, time, and space.

We're a couple of months into the new year - how's your reading going?

I always set my Goodreads goal at 52 books, which would equate to 1 book read per week.  It's mid-late April, and I've read over 40 books so far.  I'll definitely exceed my reading goal, which is good, but I'm hoping to be successful in my reading challenges.  The first is the aforementioned "Penguin Drop Caps" challenge - I've only read three books so far, which isn't great.  I'm also participating in a "Book BINGO" challenge, where I have to read books in different categories on a BINGO-type card, and finish 5 in a row either across, down, or diagonally.  I'm happy to report that I've completed that challenge already!  My last reading challenge is to complete Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge.  I've completed about 65% of that so far, and I'm hoping to be 100% done by the end of July.  Here's hoping for much success and fulfillment in my reading throughout the rest of 2017!

Any plans you're looking forward to over the next few months?

I'm going to be in NYC next weekend, during which Independent Bookstore Day just so happens to fall, so I'm expecting to do a little bit of bookstore tourism and purchase some interesting books and bookish goodies.  Other than that, I plan to read and relax for the rest of springtime.



And that's it for the Spring Reading Tag.  If you're interested in answering these questions, consider yourself tagged!




Librorum annis

Book Review - Why I Am Not a Feminist: A Feminist Manifesto by Jessa Crispin

I have to admit that it's been very difficult to engage with Jessa Crispin's Why I Am Not a Feminist: A Feminist Manifesto.  I tend to shy away from the kind of name-limiting, line-in-the-sand tomes as this one.  However, in our current political climate of alternative facts and non-empathy, I decided it was the right time to give this book a chance.  The title certainly is provocative - for someone who, until recently, was known widely as "Bookslut", it is a bit odd to think that she wouldn't be a feminist.  She spends the rest of the book clarifying her titular statement; she IS IN FACT a feminist, but not in the way that is most commonly encountered. 

Jessa's main point of contention with the widely-used terminology of the word "feminism" is that it is seen as something to be universally accepted.  She argues that things which are commonly accepted are the least threatening, unoriginal, and ineffective.  Feminism, therefore, needs to be radical and uncomfortable.  It should be something that only the most passionate and invested people will desire to perpetuate.  You won't need to buy that organic, fair-trade, cotton shirt with the phrase "feminist as f*#k" printed on it, because people will be able to tell by your words, actions, and lifestyle choices that you are a feminist, rejecting the patriarchy. 

The reason that a feminist needs to be unapologetically radical is because, for too long, mainstream feminism has tried to make equality within the current system its goal.  Having more women CEOs, more women having successful careers in male-dominated fields, etc. is seen as making inroads for equality.  However, the author argues, the system is still patriarchal and built around inequality.  A woman may be the CEO, but if her company relies upon sweatshop labor - inhumane conditions with little/no compensation - how is that promoting equality?  How is that feminism?  Is it essentially different having a woman in charge vs. a man?  Jessa says no.

Believing in equality means understanding that men and women are not fundamentally different.  Although society conditions women to be more empathetic and emotional, they are not absolutely so; men are just as capable of emotional engagement as women.  Therefore, men are not the problem.  The patriarchal system is the problem.  In order to achieve full and total equality for all people, there needs to be a new system.  The author argues that the needs to be a new way of organizing and living, in order for feminism's ideals to truly be achieved. 

This is where, in my opinion, Jessa's book falls short.  She makes repeated claims for a revolution where feminists, those who are ready to make radical changes, overthrow the current, patriarchal system and replace it with something better.  However, she presents no ideas of what that new, feminist system could look like.  There are bread crumbs throughout the book: Fair wages, rejection of gender roles, inclusivity of those with disabilities, severing the relationship between physical attractiveness and societal/self-worth.  Lots of great and important points are made, but there is no attempt to frame these within a more concrete vision.  

Throughout the nine chapters of Why I Am Not a Feminist: A Feminist Manifesto, the author speaks in quite wide generalizations.  There are mentions of some feminist theorists, but nothing more concrete and specific.  There are many assertions, but without much in the way of support.  In this, the book reads less like a manifesto and more like a rant - a fine line, perhaps, but one that I found a bit off-putting.  It's also interesting to think of how this book's publication fits into her arguments.  Jessa posits that patriarchy is closely tied to a capitalist society, and therefore feminism should partake in something non-capitalist.  However, she chose to publish this book about feminism within the confines of American publishing - a system that relies on and benefits from capitalism for its very survival. 

While there were many interesting points to take away from Jessa Crispin's Why I Am Not a Feminist: A Feminist Manifesto, I was left wanting much more.  It was disappointing to read a book that repeatedly calls for the creation of a non-patriarchal, non-capitalist society yet offers nothing in the way of concrete ideas.  I certainly agreed with some of the points that the author made, but found her generalizing and sweeping statements to take away from the impact that a work like this could have had.



Librorum annis

Tell Me How It Ends!

Valeria Luiselli is an author whom I've "discovered" in the past year. I first heard about her book The Story of My Teeth during the Tournament of Books in 2016.  Ever since, I've hoped to have the chance to see her in person.  With books published by small presses, it isn't guaranteed that authors will go on large-scale book tours, so I had resigned myself to traveling somewhere at a distance if I wanted to eventually meet her.  About a week ago, after finishing her most recent book Tell Me How It Ends, I decided to check out her publisher's (Coffee House Press...seriously, they're awesome!) website, to see if she was going to be on tour.  While not a book tour stop, I was delighted to see that she was going to be a guest of Wilkes University, which is only a short drive from where I live.  She was a guest lecturer throughout the day, and that evening she was reading from her book and signing copies.  I decided that this was my chance, and so I took it.  I grabbed my day bag, filled a travel mug with coffee, and hit the road to Wilkes-Barre.

Copies just waiting to be bought and read!

The event itself was quite small-scale, although it was publicized.  There were less than 50 people in attendance, and I suspect that I was the only one who wasn't in some way associated with Wilkes University.  It was held in the Salon of Kirby Hall, which was a Victorian style building that is home to the University's English Department.  There was this beautiful, marble fireplace next to my seat; even though the temperatures were near 80F, I wouldn't have minded a roaring fire because it was so picturesque and romantic.

A sneaky-pete shot that doesn't begin to do it justice!

The Chair of the department, Dr. Mischelle Anthony, made a few opening remarks then introduced Valeria.  The author read from her immigration-themed longform essay, then took questions from the audience.  All of the questions were either about Valeria's experiences as a court translator, that current state of US immigration, or her work with Hofstra University.   It's clear that she is a natural storyteller, by the way she writes and also how she speaks.  She answers your questions, but crafts her responses in interesting and compelling ways - you can't help but be in raptures listening to her!

Aren't those glasses just the most! 

Afterwards,  we convened in the lobby where there were light refreshments and a table where the author was signing her books.  More coffee and a cookie?  Yes please!  Valeria was incredibly sweet and engaging, and was attentive and chatty to everyone.  She seemed very down-to-Earth and generally interested and enthusiastic to be there.  There are some authors whom you meet, and that meeting drastically diminishes your opinion of them and their work.  Maybe they act aloof, pretentious, or like they're doing you (the reader) a favor by being there.  That was definitely not the case here; I really enjoyed meeting Valeria Luiselli, and will buy whatever she publishes subsequently so as to support her and her work.

Thank you so much to Valeria, to Coffee House Press for publishing her work, and to Wilkes University for sponsoring the event - making it possible for me to meet her.  It was a wonderful event!  Here is my review of her latest book, Tell Me How It Ends... 

Tell Me How It Ends, this brilliant little book, is a searing exploration of immigration, not only from the author's own experiences but also from those of the children she met during her time as a translator in the New York Immigration Court.  Luiselli, who is a Spanish-speaking Mexican, was working on this book during the period of time when she was waiting for her Green Card to arrive, so that she could reside permanently in The States.  Her particular story represents adult immigration to the USA, with the assistance of a lawyer and her rising literary fame.

In her volunteerism, she interacts with a variety of children who are hoping to stay in the country, having risked their lives to escape devastatingly violent situations in their home countries.  The particular group with whom the author works begins this process by asking the child a series of questions on a form.  Because Luiselli is fluent in Spanish, she is a translator, taking the child's answers and writing them in English.  Depending on the responses, a child may be eligible for asylum or another special status, and eventually a Green Card and, perhaps, citizenship.  If the answers are "wrong" (based on the requirements of the legal system and immigration rules) the child may be deported.  She knows that something as simple as a poor word choice, or a child's inability to articulate something fully/clearly may make all the difference in whether or not he/she can remain in the USA.  However, she cannot alter what the child says during the interview.  The author constantly wrestles with the weight of this while she is translating.

Through the lens of these children's experiences, Luiselli sheds light on the real, gritty realities of immigration.  Families may spend their entire savings, or even go into debt, to pay a "coyote" to guide the child through their home country, to the Mexican border where they ride a freight train nicknamed "The Beast" which carries cargo from the Guatemalan border to the US border.  Surviving this train ride is no easy feat - children may be discovered by train/cargo employees, kidnapped and/or raped, detained by the local police, may fall off the train (sleeping, losing footing, etc.) and be injured or killed, among many other possible fates.  For any children to survive this journey, often carrying no money or supplies, proves just how dire their home lives were and how much they want a chance at something safer and better.  Risking everything to escape, only to be deported back again, is a heartbreaking proposition.

Those children, who do reach the US border, aren't interested in sneaking into the country and living here illegally.  To do so would make life extremely difficult, not only because it would be very difficult to find gainful employment but because it would be impossible to undertake the formal, legal immigration process in the future.  Instead, they surrender themselves to the US Border Patrol as soon as possible after setting foot in the country.  They are funneled into detention facilities called "iceboxes" not only because they are overseen by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), but because they are kept at an extremely cold temperature.  If children have family already in The States, they are able to live with them while they await the next step in the immigration process, which involves the legal system.  This is the part where Luiselli became involved with the child, through the intake process.

The work itself is structured loosely around the questions that she asks during the interviews she conducts.  Questions include "Why did you come the United States?", "With whom did you travel to this country?", "What countries did you pass through?", "Has anyone hurt, threatened, or frightened you since you came to the U.S.?", "Are you in touch with anyone in your home country?", and many others.  As Luiselli lists each question, she delves deep into the realities that are contained within, and what the implications of a child's responses might be.  She also includes observations of her own, her interviewees, and those of experts; statistics; and historical information to provide support.  It's incredibly impressive that the author is able to accomplish this level of depth, breadth, and emotional appeal in such a short work.

While there were episodes of interviews from many different children, the main example was from the first child whom the author translated.  Known as "Manu", he was awaiting his appointed court date, and Luiselli was performing the intake process, so that he could be given legal representation.  His story forms the heart of her exploration into what is wrong with the US immigration system.  Manu left Honduras after he was threatened to join a violent street gang, and his best friend was murdered right in front of him.  His aunt funded his trip with a coyote, and he survived the arduous journey across Mexico on La Bestia.  After being detained in one of the "iceboxes", he flew to his aunt in Hempstead, on Long Island and enrolled in school.  However, the gang that caused his flight had a presence at his school, and he was experiencing similar dangers there as he did at home.

The title of this book comes from a question that the author's daughter asked her about the children she interviewed.  She wanted to know what happened to them, and if their stories had a happy ending.  Often, the best that Luiselli could offer is "I don't know", but she always hoped for better.  By the end of the book, the reader learns a bit more about Manu's particular situation.  It leaves with a slightly hopeful note, but just slightly.

For those who aren't well-informed about the realities of immigration, Tell Me How It Ends is an awakening.  The dominant political rhetoric in the US does not at all reflect the realities, and actively avoids admitting culpability in the root causes for this immigration.  They are fleeing their home countries because there is no future, except for violence and poverty.  They are willing to risk everything for a chance at a better life.  If that isn't the American Dream, then I don't know what is.



Librorum annis