Elie Mystal has a new book out now called Bad Laws, and he‘s been popping up in the media to promote it. I liked him right away: his big white afro, his energy, the way he speaks, his obvious depth of knowledge. Plus he is riotously funny.

And boy does he have a bone to pick with the constitution! & he‘s not afraid to pick it. He clearly knows it better than most, and while often being quite unforgiving, he nails it at least 99% of the time.

A solid read. Cole takes three issues—marriage equality, gun rights, & civil/human rights (particularly after 9/11)—and explores how they were addressed through activism and lobbying. I learned a lot from this; the NRA‘s role in changing the 2nd Amendment‘s interpretation, for example.

Cole maintains a nonpartisan perspective throughout, presenting the facts clearly and giving us a glimpse at what it takes to make change happen.

Uncanny that I checked this out last month and got around to reading it at the exact time the nail has been driven into the coffin…

Cose provides plenty of examples of speech repression in America. Beginning with the first instance in 1798, only 7 years after the Bill of Rights was ratified, with—guess what?—the Alien and Sedition Acts.

His main goal, though, is to get us thinking about the definition of free speech. It really isn‘t so simple.

Quote: From 2017 in reference to Milo Yiannopoulos being protested against at U.C. Berkeley

Pic: Mahmoud Khalil. Arrested. Green card revoked. Facing deportation. For using his right to free expression.

So, no funds for colleges that repress free speech. But also, no funds for colleges that allow free speech.

Hypocritical much?

I recently read an article where a congressperson said that if you want to know what it‘s like to work with Trump then read this book. Well then…

It‘s not surprising that a representative would recommend this; like most of them, it‘s just sorta blah. The way it throws ‘psychopath‘ around so freely feels like a misnomer—according to the authors my boss is a psychopath when I‘m pretty sure he‘s just an a****le.

While by no means a comprehensive history, Stryker‘s book is a good place to start.

I chose this because I was skeptical of my own feelings about transgender issues.

To be clear, I was never skeptical of their rights; I believe everyone has a right to live how they want & I am also of the view that one doesn‘t belong at the table if one doesn‘t know anything about what‘s on it.

So now I know a little & I understand better & that‘s good.

Pick for Women‘s History Month.

Struggled to make a choice. While I have plenty of great options on my TBR, I needed to find something readily available and in audiobook. Scoured a bunch of lists, checked Audible, Goodreads, etc. Finally, one of my Libby librarys had a featured list & since I‘ve been leaning toward politics and law lately this caught my eye.

The story behind ‘Jane Roe‘ and what led up to her infamous case and its aftermath.

Halfway through Long Walk to Freedom I considered how hard Winnie Mandela‘s life must have been and how I would like to hear the story from her perspective.

It wasn‘t that long ago where I might not have gave Winnie much thought. But I have worked very hard to break the chains that have been put in place to imprison our curiosity and concern for ALL people‘s stories; work we all need to do. Unfortunately, I haven‘t found a copy of this yet.

I was just 10 when Mandela was released from prison, so he‘s always been a name in the background for me. I was surprised to find that he was not above political violence if necessary, or working with communists. In many ways he seems a bit of an anomaly in the ‘Revered Figure Dept.‘

The storytelling is compelling, told simply, but engagingly. I particularly enjoyed the early sections about his childhood. And the language.

I hesitate to rate this since I missed huge portions of it—through no fault of Solms‘. Rather my elementary understanding of the subject at hand.

We‘re talking about what consciousness is and where it comes from. Solm‘s theory, in his own words, is controversial. He presents his research and analyses to promote, from my understanding, that consciousness is the oldest emotion & has a physical location within the brain.

Decipherable but tough.

Normally, I don‘t pay particular attention to History Months, but this year I want to engage in some way with Black HM. So I perused my TBR and I think I have found the best way I can personally engage: Mandela‘s autobiography.

Already a few chapters in and I know it was the right choice. Perhaps (don‘t hold me to this) I will make it a theme for this year.

Funny how tr**mp‘s attempts to stifle history has made me want to do the opposite 🤔

There is no denying that Washington‘s Farewell Address is eerily prescient. His warnings about party divides, about tyrants exacerbating that divide, about foreign entanglements, & losing the ideal of ‘We The People‘. Well, those foresights are now realities.

I‘m glad I took the time to read this. It‘s sad to think that if Washington were to write this now and say it today, some jackass would be on X calling for his deportation.

Stay safe.

This is one of those types of books where you pause and think: “Huh, I never considered what mental health looked like for Black communities.” (I was gonna add ‘at the peak of racism‘, but…) Which makes this book vitally important. It just opens up a new chapter in one‘s understanding of the world, & racism, & camaraderie.

I‘ve never been to Maryland & I know there is TONS of history there, but if I ever do go, Crownsville will be a stop.

This one struck me. Obviously the word ‘Immigration‘ stands out given the current situation. Perhaps Ada is saying things will work out. That this dance of destruction will spawn a new, more inclusive dance?

I wish I had that hope.

I‘ve been thinking about Ada a lot. I believe the Poet Laureate is federally funded. Will our federal arts programs be gutted too? We all know the US‘s two presidents wouldn‘t know poetry if it bit them in the ass.

Established before the #metoo movement, Bates‘s Everyday Sexism project gave women a place to voice their issues with predatory behavior. This book is more like a compilation of what she has learned through research, activism, & her own experiences, as well as the experience of other women around the globe through their tweets, quotes, emails, and interviews. It‘s upsetting to hear all the horrible things men do.

Stay safe, Littens

This is a perfect example of why we need to keep DEIA here in America. It‘s never been about race or sex as much as it has been about points of view. How can a group of all white men possibly know what a Black female soldier needs? How can a group of physically fit people make decisions for disabled people without knowing that experience?

By removing DEIA we‘re not eliminating “wokeness”we‘re eliminating multiple views of the world.

Stay safe

Man… possibly more relevant than ever.

This is a “heavy” book, meaning a lot of material is presented with real world examples that might blow one‘s mind. So heavy in fact, this is one that would be even more beneficial to read in a hard copy.

Still. Despite knowing all media (left or right) are propagandist in general, Herman & Chomsky really drive it home.

We all need to be more vigilante & not take anything at face value. Stay safe.

It‘s clear that Kinsale has a lot of talent. And I can see her being a strong voice in Native poetry, but she is young, and these poems reflect the voice of someone not quite sure how to use it to its best effect. The poems are too obscure. A lot of words put together to provoke, but with no context as to what.

But Kinsale is not writing for me; she‘s writing for the current generation of her people, and it‘s possible that I‘m missing something.

Being from Missouri as well as working class, there is, naturally, much I relate to in Smarsh‘s essays. She thinks of herself as a voice for the overworked, underpaid, complex individuals who don‘t subscribe to the idea the Coasts present of them.

Sadly, I‘m equally as guilty to judge my fellow midwesterners—buying into the stereotypes that, apparently, most Americans do.

Smarsh has opened my eyes to my own hypocrisy. That‘s good writing.

This is another one I listened to then checked out from the library for pics. Sadly, there aren‘t any photos from Newitz‘s trips around the world to these lost cities, but there are some cool artist‘s renderings at the chapter openings.

Fascinating book though. Title delivers what it promises. Incidentally, I live about 4 hours from Cahokia. It‘s amazing that this lost city is essentially in my backyard and I had no idea. Hope to visit soon.

Started this on audiobook last month, then realized I was missing out on illustrations and artwork. I put the hard copy on hold at my library not knowing it was the second, expanded edition. It features the inclusion of an all new extra section entitled: Yokai Gallery, with even more artwork!

Either edition is awesome, and Foster‘s determination to shine a scholarly light on a subject that could be written off as pop culture is admirable.

I chose this book because this guy is gonna be another one of Trump‘s whipping boys.

I‘ll admit that Vivek is very smart and that many of his values align with mine. But he has this scary ability to spin those values into a conservative world view and you‘re like, “How‘d the hell you come to that conclusion?”

He derides Trump a lot in this book, which is funny because, well… you know.

Also he should have titled this book: I‘m Not Racist but…”

I‘m beginning to really like Smarsh. Not for her politics necessarily but for her ability to look at the situation from a broad perspective. Even in journalism it‘s hard to find a writer who will call BS regardless of any affiliations, so Smarsh‘s essays are reinvigorating.

Directly before the highlighted quote: “…such nonfiction narratives may read as voyeuristic studies predicated on the dangerous idea that we are a nation of two essentially different kinds of people.”

And this is something I‘ve been thinking about A LOT. There are strong powers at work to divide America into castes. Instead of combating the inequality, we accept it because, as a whole, we‘ve yet to realize that we don‘t have to live by a label.

This is just two pages! Four haiku on each page. 817 total. Nearly all of them just like…😍

Near the end of his life, Richard Wright, best known for his 1940s novel of Black repression, Native Son, (not read), began writing haiku.

To say that these are some of the best English Language haiku I have ever read is not hyperbole. It‘s evident in every line that Wright was enamored by the deceptively complex form and respected it.

Wright, a Black Man in 1950s America, found in Nature a place of belonging. Such is the power of haiku.

On the borderline of Pick & So-So. I really enjoyed the main story about Larry Casuse and the way Correia tracks his family line to 19th century events. But Correia makes at least one odd digression comparing the scalp market and Marxist ideals that left me baffled. And a lot of time on military maneuvers in WWII, which are pertinent, but not for page after page. I appreciate what this book has taught me, but I wish it had stayed on subject more.

Well… 100 sounds like a good round number to end the year on. It‘s been pretty diverse for me. I rediscovered my love of poetry, possibly read more non fiction than fiction, learned things about society, philosophy, history, & politics more than any other year.

Favorite classic: The Bell Jar. Read it twice in ‘24 & am thinking about reading it again very soon.

New Fiction: The Volcano Daughters

Non Fiction: The Myth of American Idealism.

✌️

I listened to this a few months ago and hadn‘t got around to a review.

I had seen the original 1932 film and so knew the “twist” already. Still, I was unprepared for 1.) how short it is & 2.) how well written it is. Possibly one of the best stories from a technical stand point I have ever read. If I recall correctly, though,the ending is where Connell‘s technicality falters, suffering from a rushed and clunky conclusion.

I‘m not quite sure what I‘ve just read but I loved it!

I can‘t fathom what it must have been like to have a mind like Borges. His writing is like a complicated math problem—pretty sure some of these stories are arithmetic in disguise. They are precise, at once full of detail and absolutely nothing.

Borges has a tendency to use conflicting language—fantastic reality, logically illogical—which is sort of the perfect description of his work.

I suppose the fact that I have given this book a PICK says all that I need to say.

Robinson would probably make it on my top 5 list of favorite poets—if I were to ever make one. He wrote metered poetry and sonnets in a time when they were going out of style. But as far as poets go, he has the most attuned sense to time and meter and rhyme I have ever read.

Also… what is happening up in Maine? Robinson was from there, and we all know another famous Maine writer, and just like his work, some of these poems are quite dark.

Schweikart bases his arguments on the assumption that pre-college students are actually interested in history and that they have enough grasp of language to process implicit bias.

More than half the “lies” are the most random things that were marginally, if ever, in any textbooks I had.

What I appreciate about this book is the window it has given me to fallacious conservative arguments.

Bro should chill on the exclamation points!!

Simply put: this book is amazing. Bell has touched on a lot of topics that have never sat well with me around racism that I now have some voice to. His parables about racism‘s permanence in America and how issues need to be reconciled not resolved is, for lack of a better term, eye opening.

While his style is pretty corny he is able to state his points with pristine clarity. He wanted EVERYONE to read this not just intellectuals.

I really like Bernie. I feel like he is one of the few politicians who care. And this is a fine enough book, but I wouldn‘t call it “a progressive takedown of the uber-capitalist status quo.” I would call it his ‘presidential campaigns in book form‘.

Of course there is plenty to glean from him, and it certainly raises my sense of a call to action. But ultimately I was hoping more for Bernie the Philosopher instead of Bernie the Politician.

Ok. So this is kinda wild….

My grandmother was the person in my life who introduced me to poetry. And this was the book with which she did it. The pictures on the right are of my grandmother‘s copy; clearly, it has been through a lot. The picture on the left is of the same edition, found at a vendor‘s stall here in my own city for $5!

Does it matter whether or not this book is a Pick? Because in spite of my changes in taste, it always will be.

Step 2 in my newfound righteous journey: To refresh my general knowledge of American government. Conrad‘s book is nonpartisan as advertised. It goes not only through inner government workings but the topics that were big at the time it was published in 2008 (surprise! they haven‘t changed much). Still, a bit outdated.

The Great Courses are fantastic and in depth. Prof. Victor‘s course is nonpartisan and mentions Trump, so is very recent.

So, one of the first questions I asked myself after Nov 5 was “what can I do, now, at this moment?” Well, I can learn more about these issues that divide us, and I can learn how to competently state my opinions, and I can learn some of the ways the issues are interpreted from a different perspective.

So this was my starting point for this newfound frustration. A random find based on some googling. Robinson is funny, a bit pompous, but smart too.

People are gonna see a shift in my reading habits.
With the recent election in my country, I‘ve realized something very disheartening about society. And I‘m legitimately scared.

You will notice not only some social philosophy but also conservative and liberal leaning books in this stack, because it‘s important to “know thy enemy.” I‘m no good in a physical fight but I can fight back with knowledge. ⬇️

If you are at all concerned with the direction America is taking, this book is essential. I was born in America, lived my whole life here, done most the things expected of me as a “good citizen,” but they don‘t teach this stuff in schools. I am appalled at our destructive, ignorant, and blatantly ego-inflating treatment of the rest of the world. Our foreign policy is atrocious and I don‘t think I can be a “good citizen” anymore.

A lot can be said about Creation Lake, mostly good, some meh. But what I would like to point out that I‘m not sure I‘ve seen yet, is how prudently Kushner portrays a person spiraling out of control. Not once is there mention of Sadie feeling this way, but it‘s obvious in her drinking, sexual impulsivity, the ghost of her previous job, etc. Kushner plays with a lot of tropes here, successfully I might add, which might be one factor to her success.

Follows the same formula as I Claudius—same framing, same dry prose—but without a Caligula to stir things up, the results are less satisfying.

My knowledge of Roman nobility was pretty much nonexistent until recently. So, regardless of the slog that this book kinda was, I am glad to say that I am a more learned man for having read it. The audiobook includes some short historical biographies after Claudius‘s death, which was an unexpected bonus!

Another poet I have recently discovered and feel a tiny bit wiser for having done so. Derricotte‘s poems are more personal and sexual than other Black female poets I have come across. Still, she has plenty of things to say about society and being a POC. Sometimes, her poetry feels very raw, which is great but doesn‘t always strike.

I wasn‘t able to get through the whole collection, but I intend to eventually buy myself a copy anyway.

Came across Duck River Books in Columbia, TN. Found one book I had been looking for (Meditations) and one that was a total surprise: this CP Gilman collection.

*alternate photos from my Meditations post

Went on vacation to Nashville, spent a day exploring the parks and smaller cities outside the metro area, almost literally drove into Duck River Books in Columbia, TN. Their Poetry/Classic Lit section is the first thing I saw walking in the door; I about dropped to my knees.

Oh, I found a couple books too.

I think Rita Dove might be my new favorite poet!

This, for me, is a near perfect undertaking. There is so much thought and effort put into the framing of the collection. Dove is not afraid to use classic structures, classic rhyming. Nor is she afraid to display her intellectual tendencies or childish whimsies. The way she latches onto the very thread of everyday cognition to describe it poetically is nothing short of mastery. I have goosebumps.

Alright- 9 whatever hours of statements like: ‘Scientists realized they could use computers to make massive calculations,‘ or ‘100 is more than 0 so… etc.‘ only to find out that Virk‘s hypothesis is that: The world is weird, maybe it‘s a video game.

Grrrreeeaaattt. Thanks, Virk.

I do think that ‘reality‘ is not quite what we think it is, but all this messy excuse for a book has done is give me some new ideas to look for from more capable minds.

I‘ve seen a lot of division over Erdrich‘s latest where a good portion of the disappointed seem to be established Erdrich fans. Which I find interesting.

Erdrich isn‘t stepping out of her comfort zone here; she‘s been doing this long enough. And really I don‘t feel she needs to. She does what she does, and she does it well.

Most complaints tend to be about not connecting with the characters. What if we look at it as The Mighty Red as narrator?