Welcome to Litsy!

Thinking I may need to shift to books that are about escaping our current reality, as I keep reading the opposite and it‘s heavy. 🙃 But this is a good one, by a well-known sociologist (still doing vital work in her mid-eighties!) and based on ethnographic research where she deeply studies and truly listens to those whom we might perceive as voting against their own interests. A powerful takeaway is Hochschild‘s assertion that many (who ⬇️

A lot happened in 1776 in the colonies and a lot didn‘t happen. Several of the key events that we think of for the Revolutionary War happened in 1776, and yet there was a lot of just moving men and planning.
This was easy to listen to and interesting. The focus was on Washington and what he did. I wish there had been less focus on him.
Over all good worth the time.

Started this Friday. Haven‘t listened to it since because I listen to audiobooks while I work and I took a couple mental health days.
I like McCullough he‘s good at telling the information in a palatable way.

In America, the law is king. ⚖️👩🏻‍⚖️

🤘🏻

“While eating is the custom of Europe” 🤪 Sassy, Thomas Paine, in Common Sense.

Lyrical and evocative, with a compelling range of voices, this slim but mighty novel explores 17th century colonial America before slavery was identified by race, and before a nation and its psyche developed the concepts of racial superiority and inferiority. An incredible reading experience.

#blackhistory #americanhistory #bookish #fiction #tonimorrison #classics

This book tells the story of how white Americans drove the buffalo to the brink of extinction then a few individuals helped save enough animals to allow the species to survive. It‘s well done with interviews from many sources, including Native voices. It has many illustrations, which I appreciated. Apparently there‘s an associated documentary if you want to check that out.

A well done, investigative reporting in Appalachia of a community before and after a white nationalist march in Pikeville, KY. Interviews with residents give shape to the frustrations of loss, shame, and poverty though they work hard yet can‘t get ahead. It‘s a great book, but it didn‘t make me feel better.

For the last 7 years I‘ve read a biography based off a list The Washington Post published of the best bios for each president. I was eager to read about Jackson who is almost mythic in American history, &I was interested to see the presumed strengths of his presidency weighed against the weaknesses of his character.This book, unfortunately, didn‘t deliver that.Really disappointed in this rose-colored-glasses view of a man who didn‘t deserve them.