Another solid entry in the #dearamerica series. This one explores a lesser known part of American history - the largest labor strike led by American women in the early 1900s. It ends immediately after the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, but that wasn't the primary focus of the book. Younger readers will need some guidance on this one due to the traumatic events narrated. Overall highly recommended. Read for #bookspinbingo. @TheAromaofBooks

@TheAromaofBooks this was my #bookspin for May. A definite winner and one of my favorite in the Royal Diaries series so far. The remaining characters of this review are written by my squirming four year old who is begging to push the buttons 🙂😒😔😔⬇️😊🎤🎤😶😒😶😶😒😒⬇️⬇️😔🤯😔☺️😒😒☺️😶🌞🤪😀🌟🌞🤬🥴🍼🥃🍪🍼🥧🍰🍫🍩🍭🍬🎁🎄📢🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄📢📢🎄🎄🎄🏉🎄🎇🎇🎄📀📀💿📞📟🎨🎨🎰🤿🤿🪀🧩🎴🎴🀄🀄♟️🥏🎯🎱🎳🥊🥊🥋⛳🥋🕹️🕹️🥊🥊🥊🥊👾🎯🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹🏏🏏🏏🎯🎯

Two down on my #bookspinbingo. I devoured Born a Crime in a day. It was even better than all the hype. I've read two other South African memoirs, one of which from the same time period (Mark Mathabane's Kaffir Boy), but i learned SO much from Trevor Noah's memoir. It's educational and heartfelt. Not as funny as some might expect, but it had its comedic moments. Pure gold.

 @TheAromaofBooks

@TheAromaofBooks please count me in for this month's #bookspinbingo! Most of these are #dearamerica #dearcanada #royaldiaries books for young readers, but I've snuck in a couple of heavier reads for a challenge.

"I feel like saying my prayers to Mrs. Roosevelt tonight, instead of to God." ?

I'm really liking this #DearAmerica title. The main character reads true as a teenager - caring about romance, her appearance, and making friends. The adoration of the Roosevelts is pretty period appropriate too. Loving it.

In case you, like me, can never remember the difference between barnacles and limpets. https://youtu.be/X57kqvNGjbU Sound on. You're welcome.

My local library just restarted their academic ILL program. I'm celebrating with a zooarchaeology textbook. Strict return deadline of April 28 so goal to read 15-20 pages/day. Other readathon goals are finishing Changes by Ama Ata Aidoo, and Madness of Angels. #awesomeApril

The United States is a young country... Its frontier struggles... can be seen as having inspired some versions of epic, in the form of the films of DW Griffith (Birth of a Nation, 1915) and westerns....

Look it's entirely possible that Birth of a Nation could be in some senses related to epic poems like The Odyssey, but you do NOT just casually drop in a reference to this racist pos film (originally titled The Clansman) without SOME explanation.

I didn't set up a bookspin for December so am reusing my November stack. This is the third volume of chrestomanci books, with two books per volume. The two in this volume were so-so, definitely my least favorite of the collection. Glad i read them though as I really wanted to know the full story of this world. The other two volumes are must reads if you like magical ya

@TheAromaofBooks #bookspin #december

Good introduction to Ojibwe history and culture for young readers. Unlike many books about Native nations, this book talks about the Ojibwe throughout as a living nation and culture. The illustrations are a mix of modern and mid-1800s photos. There is also a bio section at the end with short bios of about fifteen Ojibwe people, including contemporary authors, activists, and athletes. Highly recommended. I will check out other books in this series.

Someone on goodreads alerted me to this amazing podcast called American Girl Pod. The creators are historians who were also obsessed with the AG books as kids and do an in-depth episode for each book, in chronological order, discussing both the historicity and the quality of the writing. I've listed to two episodes so far and LOVE IT! Highly recommend!

Kirsten was always my favorite. I'm from Minnesota and though my family isn't Scandi, most of my town was. Erasure of Native peoples is a huge issue here. The Looking Back section which asks readers what they would choose to take with them if they could only take one trunk and says "one of your relatives probably had to make decisions like these, because there is a story like Kirsten's in nearly every American family." 1/2

I'm rereading the American Girl series I read as a child. I loved this book, BUT as an adult I'm furious that Felicity cares so much about this abused horse that she steals it to set it free, while her family owns at least one slave. I can't in good faith recommend this book, but I really wish I could. I would not read this to my child without talking to them about slavery.

My first #bookspinbingo book this month is an omnibus of Octavia Butler's Patternmaster series. First is Wild Seed (in order of story chronology, not publication - think Magician's Nephew, not Lion, Witch, Wardrobe). Published only a year after her standalone classic Kindred (1979), Wild Seed is also set in antebellum USA. Instead of time travel, here we interact with the practice of chattel slavery through the viewpoints of two immortals. Cont.

Just realized we need 25 books now for #bookspin since it's a bingo! I've increased my spread. Looking forward to seeing spin numbers! @TheAromaofBooks

I'm jumping on at the last minute! Here we go! #bookspin

A powerful, lyrical denunciation of colonialism and tourism as its modern analog. The writing is so forceful it's like being struck. Repeatedly. This short work desires to be read and reread by every descendant of white colonizers.

My Lord, had I ever wished to deceive you, I have the wit to have done it successfully. 🎤⬇️

I'm loving this book. It's like #JaneAustin, but true, and with sex!

"But Madame, a name is not so important. I am what you see, Madame, an honest man, of five feet and nine inches."

"Madame is convinced of your five feet, but she is not so sure of your nine inches." ??????

Even though this took me three attempts, I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys creative / non-standard narrative styles (think Wittgenstein's Mistress, Portrait of the Artist). This is a classic of Native American literature and widely cited as foundational to understanding more recent works in that area. Trigger warning for war violence, PTSD, and alcoholism.

Anyone else on here read Ceremony? Im on my third try, I'm halfway through now (furthest I've made it before was 80%). It's wonderful but sooooooo hard to read - slipstream narration, multiple pov characters who sometimes aren't identified, narrative switches back and forth between about five different times. Anyone here finish it and have any words of sustanence? I'd really like to finish it this time.

This is the only book I read in August that fits our #womenintranslation prompt. This is supposed to be one of the best in the series, but I liked the two others Ive read so far more. This one did have some interesting digressions on the history of the expansion and militarization of the swedish police force though, which I thought was only something that happened in the US!

@chasingom @Emilymdxn

I just finished reading Medical Apartheid with Blaire (sorry don't know your handle!). It was a fascinating review of US medical history's exploitative relationship with Black Americans. Hard to read but important.

@ChasingOm @Emilymdxn

The typography of this title page is so spot on. #littlepleasures

Okonkwo remembered that tragic year with a cold shiver throughout the rest of his life. It always surprised him when he thought of it later that he did not sink under the load of despair. He knew that he was a fierce fighter, but that year had been enough to break the heart of a lion.

"Since I survived that year," he always said, "I shall survive anything."

#2020 #endoftheworld #strength

#20days20series #top20series day 8

Real Kids Readers by Kids Can Press (multiple authors). Good diversity. Late 90s. Fun stories. Level one readers appropriate for my 4 year old.

#top20series #20days20series day 7

A solid cozy mystery series with something like 40 installments to date. Lovely for when you - just - can't.

#20series20days #top20series day 6

The Xenogenesis trilogy by Octavia Butler was amazing.

#20series20days Day 5

A graphic novel series set in Jim Crow Louisiana. A young girl journeys through a mythic underworld in search of her father.

"What do you think of me?" Asked Frid, striking an attitude. "Aren't I quite, quite lovely?"
"Don't tell her she is," said Colin. "The girl's a nymphomaniac."
"Darling!" Murmured lady Charles.
"My dear Colin," said his father, "it really would be a good idea if you stick to the words you understand."

"Alleyn began to feel as if Tinkerton was a bad cork and himself an inefficient corkscrew, drawing out unimportant fragments, while large lumps of testimony fell into the wine and were lost." ????

My first Marsh. Sooooooooo good! I have four others on my bookshelf and I'm going to go find one to start now!!!

#20days20series day 4

The first two books of the James Rush series were fantastic (bonus points for biological accuracy). The third sucked hard (I read all but the last twenty pages and just couldn't make myself read any further). I may give the fourth (and last) in the series a go at some point though, based on the strength of the first two.

Any of the other parents on here identify with Mayzie?

Said Mayzie, a lazy bird hatching an egg:
"I'm tired and I'm bored
and I've kinks in my leg
From sitting just sitting here day after day
It's work! How I hate it!
I'd much rather play!
I'd take a vacation, fly off for a rest
If I could find someone to stay on my nest!
If I could find someone, I'd fly away - free..."

Took a long time to get through, because I kept stopping to write down poems, and because I couldn't stop myself halfway through from returning to the beginning and reading it all again. Her series of religious poetry, reimagining biblical figures, were gorgeous, even though I'm not religious. Her poems about cancer were amazing - esp “leukemia as white rabbit“. I read this as an ebook but will definitely be buying a paper copy to love to pieces.

#20series20days #top20series - day 3

My number 1 favorite mystery. Malla Nunn should be far more popular than she is. Nunn gives readers a detailed understanding of apartheid South African society, across all race classes and social strata, while displaying masterful layering of clues and phenomenal skill in characterization. One of those books where at the end all the pieces just fall into place and you can't believe you didn't see it before.

Not as brilliant as The Moving Toyshop, but still a satisfying example of Crispin's wit and literary verve. Would be greatly enjoyed by fans of Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair.

I'm taking the week off for my birthday and anniversary. Posting my reading goals here for motivation!

I'm not planning any #womenintranslation for the #integrateyourshelf challenge, but I do have 3 Black authors and one Indigenous (Blackfeet) author on the list. Wish me luck!

#top20series #20series20days

Day number 2 - the Martin Beck series is classic Nordic noir. Heralded for it's accuracy as a police procedural, this series has marvelous descriptive prose, a roundly developed cast of characters, and an understated sense of humor. Highly recommend.

#integrateyourshelf #womenintranslation

#Top20Series #20series20days

The Nina Borg series is fabulous, provided you're not looking for a feel-good read! The first two in this series were practically perfect. I wasn't as into the third and haven't read the fourth (and last) book yet, but intend to. This also counts towards this month's #womenintranslation challenge #integrateyourshelf

#integrateyourshelf @ChasingOm @Emilymdxn

I don't read a lot of American fiction in translation, but Ponciá Vicencio by Conceição Evaristo springs to mind.

Hi Littens, I just found out today that my dog has lymphoma and likely has a couple of months to live. He's only 5 and a half.

My leg collapsed under me while I was dancing around with the toddler last night. I haven't been able to walk all day. Have a cane now borrowed from a neighbor so a bit more mobile but still difficult. Good news is I have time to read, bad news is I can't get up to get the books I want so I'm reading whatever is in the room I land in. Luckily I have a bookshelf in almost every room. 😆

On June 10th I made a commitment to myself to read only Black authors until the end of August. Since then, I've read 15 books by Black authors and half of two others by white authors. With new bookstore opening today, and big #bookhaul from that, finding it hard to motivate to stick to pledge, but I really want to. Any words of encouragement would be appreciated! 😁

Our local library shut down for good last month, planned demolition and then a two year waiting period before new construction will be complete. In the meantime, they started a temp location, it's not yet open due to covid, BUT the friends of the lib store has moved into another, larger location, and OPENED TODAY!!!! My #bookhaul for this visit includes 8 golden age mysteries, a Sherman Alexie novel, and a book about the history of bookshelves. ❤️

Does #integrateyourshelf have a WhatsApp group and how can I get added?

@ChasingOm @Emilymdxn

Books this year - 76
Black authors - 40 (53%)
Indigenous authors - 1
Non-BIPOC - 0
LGBTQIA+ - 5 that I know of

Favorite book this year (so far!) - A Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn

I have a whole stack of books by Indigenous authors that I'm raring to read, but I committed to reading only Black authors this summer.

#integrateyourshelf

Hi Littens, I've been off app this week - what a week. I'm currently reaffirming my commitment to read Black authors and currently reading tagged and The New Jim Crow. Anyone up for a low key #buddyread? #blitsy #blackauthors #blacklivesmatter

Are the books in a #15books15weeks stack meant Tobe read in order, or freeform?