So this is my “end of March” blog and yes, it is now the middle of April. You want to know why? Cause reading can be real hard to blog about.
March was a month of tough reads, a lot of weeping and my fair share of wrestling with the reality TOO many women face in this world and the weight of centuries of systematic disposability of women and girls. I won’t get too far into it, cause otherwise I will end up next to Emma Stone angry crying…again…
Yet, March was Women’s History Month so a couple of the books I read are due some commentary and publicity because the continued dehumanization, objectification and overall expendability of women and girls is utterly outrageous and both the individual and political will of humanity can and has to change.
So, a few books that I completed that you might find helpful in your own learnings. These are from a variety of genres, so whatever your flavor there is something here for you to try and they are each linked to my Goodreads reviews. So here we go:
- Half the Sky – this book took me the whole month to finish and was the largest culprit in my anguish, anger and nightmares and yet…it holds truths and hope that remain relevant today (published in 2009). It is my number one recommendation.
- Your Silence Will Not Protect You – basically anything by Audre Lorde will reshape and hone your thinking around feminism and the value of self and women in this world. This is a compilation of essays and poems, but read anything of hers. It is all worth your time.
- Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 – this is a novel from Korea that was published in 2020. It is a stark look at an “average” life of woman born Korean in 1982. It was poignant in its simplicity and took about 3 hours to read.
- Cinderella is Dead – another novel, but YA this time, which was published last year. This one was rough in conjunction with Half the Sky. It is the tale of a girl living in the fictionalized patriarchal, misogynistic regime too many women actually live under. Perhaps difficult, but also worth it.
So, as previously stated, reading can f*ck you up and even give you nightmares, but such reading, in moderation, transforms our personal world views and how we behave in a world filled with injustice. So even if it’s hard, even if you end up eating ice cream while weeping, such reading is good for your soul and for the soul of humanity. So don’t shy away from it, dive in head first, or just step a toe in the water and begin.
Happy (though sometimes hard) Reading Everyone!
