Excellent interview and conversation with the author about the book and the real world harms of QAnon in this podcast episode.

Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wide-awake-america/id1764050662?i=10006661...

Should humans go extinct? This book explores the why of a yes or no answer, looks at the multiple ways we are killing not only each other but all life on the planet, while also looking for reasons to go on existing. My answer? Yes—we should die out. The Earth and all of its other life forms would be better without us. Survive, thrive. We will all die one day. The question is, will we take the rest of the Earth with us? This book asks a⬇️

The book mentions the NamUs website and its problems, and today NPR reports fresh journalism on those deep issues.

Link:

https://www.npr.org/2025/03/10/nx-s1-5057412/missing-persons-indigenous-mmiw-nam...

This book gave me very ‘The Last of Us‘ vibes and I can‘t help but wonder if the author was inspired by that story. Beautifully written, dystopian, sad. Two best friends on a hunting trip make their way back to a different world. A world on fire, with bodies in the water, bridges blown up, guns on rapid fire, flags torn but flying. This world created by the author feels like it‘s getting closer to us by the day.

Yesterday when I dropped off a new stack to my hospice patient, I told her that I could stay there and talk to her about books all day. She said, “that‘s the problem—you and I both have the same goddamned addiction!” 🤣📚📖📕🤓

This is a dense 176 pages. Having been published in July of last year, it feels like really old news now. Autocracy is defined as ‘government by a single person having unlimited power; a country or state that is governed by a single person with unlimited power‘. Kleptocracy is defined as ‘a government characterized by rampant greed and corruption‘. The two work together for absolute control. In this book, the author explains how these are⬇️

A world in which autocracies work together to stay in power, work together to promote their system, and work together to damage democracies is not some distant dystopia. That world is the one we are living in right now.

I went to a local library book sale this morning to find some books for my book nerd hospice patient (I found 7!!!), and picked this one up for me. The series on Hulu was pretty dark, I can‘t wait to dive in to learn all the details. There were a couple of copies and I was tempted to place one of them by The Book of Mormon.

I was eager to read this book and quickly grabbed it off of the library shelf when it arrived, but I‘m so glad to have finished it. The author has been closely reporting on the right, in fascist and highly abusive spaces for a while now; this isn‘t easy. Here, she tells the story of how Fred Brennan‘s creation of 8chan birthed the nightmare we are seeing in America today, and reminds us that you cannot separate racism from misogyny. This ⬇️

This was a tragic book. It tells the story of five families who were torn apart my QAnon. Some tried to repair things but were never the same; others were beyond saving. The author digs deep into the personal lives of each victim of Q, from beginning, to discovery, toward and into its quick sand likeness, to everything that came after. How do ordinary people fall for such obvious and hateful lies? A well written book which so many of us⬇️

On this episode of The Splendid Table…two King Arthur Flour bakers talk about the business and the new book. Thinking of you, @dabbe
Link to listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-splendid-table-conversations-recipes-f...

Gastro Pod‘s latest episode tells a fascinating story. Looking forward to reading this book!
Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gastropod/id918896288?i=1000695954433

Yesterday, a co-worker asked me why do I always read things that are dark and sad? Why not read happy, positive things? Because knowledge is power. Because reading about the hard things encourages me to ask questions, look through another lens, think outside of my own box. It teaches me empathy. It arms me. And because so many hateful, ignorant people don‘t want me to know.

I listen to Craig‘s informative podcast each week and look forward to reading his book. He talks about it in another episode with the host of the Freedom Over Fascism podcast in detail. Even those of us who don‘t have children can use some of his recommended talking points when talking to others who have gotten pulled in. Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/freedom-over-fascism/id1668429440?i=100069...

I immediately grabbed this book off the library shelf because the name and the cover got my attention. It did not disappoint. This was a fast paced, raw, and direct. When a new pandemic with a high fatality rate that only affects men breaks out, it‘s up to women to keep the world running, and some of the glass ceiling finally breaks. One thing I liked about this book is it explores all the different intersections in an event like this. Think⬇️

The Amish are a secretive people, and it‘s commonly known that a lot of domestic violence runs free in these communities. The author writes about one such event that ended in murder, but the catch is, this wasn‘t the only one. Eli Stutzman wasn‘t a real Amish man; it was a cover for his crimes. He had fake identities, secrets, and a history of violence. His three victims nor their families have received any justice, and it is of no help that⬇️

I love the Russian folktale of The Snegurochka, and that‘s what this book is about. Illustrated by the beloved Tomie dePaola, this version has a different ending. If you know anything about pagan lore and teaching, you‘ll see the similarities here to such figures as the Green Man, Oak King, Holly King, Callieach, and more. This is one of my favorite folktales and I plan on getting the Russian versions as well for their art and linguistics.

My library checkouts for today. I told myself I was going to go inside, turn in one book, and not check out anything else…that didn‘t work! I‘m currently on a stack of five other books, one of those titles I just started today. The two graphic novels on the bottom of the stack shown here, I have no idea what they are about… But they‘ve just now become available again, and the art intrigues me. Black Phillip vibes!

Erin Reed‘s latest piece is an extremely important read. Subscribe to her substack, follow her on her socials. Link to this article: https://open.substack.com/pub/erininthemorn/p/nazis-burned-trans-books-to-usher?...

I just discovered this podcast very recently and am enjoying it. I thought you all might like it too. Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/velshi-banned-book-club/id1702778436

Bettina Makalintal shares 5 titles in the food world she‘s looking forward to this spring!

Link: https://link.eater.com/view/61436a397b51b35caf6ba15en1ufg.18rq/74e2f7c9

Interview with the author on this podcast episode:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heres-where-it-gets-interesting/id15762666...

Update on his attempted murder: Hadi Matar has been found guilty.

Link: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/feb/21/salman-rushdie-stabbing-trial?CMP=...

The author mentioned this website as a resource to show librarians some love.

Link: https://wethelibrarians.org/

I knew I wanted to read this as soon as I heard about it. There is nothing I‘m more passionate about than books. My local librarians know me well. Each time I walk in their doors, I wonder what kind of battles they are facing, near and far—from book banning fascists. This book is just one experience. On July 19, 2022, Amanda Jones gave a short, direct, and professional speech at her library board, which was open to the public. Her goal:⬇️

The self-righteous scream judgements against others to hide the noise of skeletons dancing in their own closets.

—John Mark Green

It‘s not indoctrination to acknowledge that historically certain groups have had less power and were systematically persecuted over decades and centuries. It is called historical fact.

—Amanda Jones

The current wave of book banning sweeping the country has created a chilling effect on our education system and the purchasing of books in our libraries, the effects of which will be seen for decades even if we somehow get it under control in the next year. This is a huge movement that has been in the works for a while. It is well funded and well coordinated. It is about marginalizing and erasing cultures and groups of people, it is about⬇️

Each attempt to ban a book by one of these groups represents a direct attack on every person‘s constitutionally protected right to freely choose what books to read and what ideas to explore. The choice of what to read must be left to the reader or, in the case of children, to parents. That choice does not belong to self-appointed book police.

-Deborah Caldwell-Stone

I loved ‘Behind Her Eyes‘ and was excited to read this one, but I didn‘t like the ending. I give it 3 stars. Key point to remember: it‘s easy to manipulate the sleep deprived.

I love Vietnamese food, and this book is fantastic! Dặc Biệt means: extra special.  So if you order a Banh Mi, and you ask for it to be a Dặc Biệt Banh Mi...it just means you are getting all the good stuff on it! I took some pictures of a few recipes from the pages…everything looks so good.

Two websites listed in the book for missing and un-ID‘s persons:
1. https://namus.nij.ojp.gov/%3Cfront%3E
2. https://www.doenetwork.org/

The Doe Network was created by a friend of the author and is entirely run by volunteers, unlike Name Us, which is government.

This book reminded me a lot of Octavia Butler‘s Kindred. We quickly‘descend‘ on a journey with Annie, a young enslaved woman, straight into hell. After being ripped away from her mother, who is sold to another enslaver, she is forced to walk in a long procession to New Orleans, to labor on a sugarcane plantation. Her mother‘s memory, her stories, and her spirits keep her alive to fight another day, clinging to a chance to find freedom. A ⬇️

Couldn‘t resist checking out these three this morning at the library. The only one I didn‘t know about was ‘Burn‘. Hot list…appropriate for these times.

This was a horrific and depressing memoir. Shin was born in Camp 14 in North Korea and lived in a hellish nightmare for 23 years. He was taught to use violence and be an informer at all costs. He was tortured, starved, beaten, used, and he watched his mother hang, watched his brother be shot. He knew nothing about ways of life outside of the camp. Had it not been for another older imprisoned man showing him kindness, Shin might still be⬇️

Now listening! Podcast episode link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-splendid-table-conversations-recipes-f.... The conversation with Crystal begins at about 25min in.

This was basically my response this morning when a co-worker asked me why I read some of the books that I do. It‘s vital that we continue to do this in these troubling times.

When there are too many victims from a county, or city, years and months are assigned: Los Angeles County John Doe 1980. Los Angeles County John Doe 1999.

A quick read touching on Texas history that you may not know surrounding Indigenous and enslaved people. The author reminds us how important it is to know our history, and that you can both love and criticize something at the same time. This is an ongoing and important lesson to remember in these frightening times.

Sometimes when you look at a photo of someone that is ‘missing‘, you just know they‘re gone. Something within you knows it. I had this feeling when seeing Jacob Grey‘s photo in the beginning of this book. The book largely focuses on his disappearance, but mentions other missing people throughout the chapters. The author spent a lot of time with different people, and mentions that there is a belief that the paranormal or the supernatural ⬇️

163 pages of words and pain from the deep. What if when enslaved, pregnant Black women who were thrown into the sea by colonizers on the Middle Passage survived, becoming merfolk? The Wajinru are these descendants, and none of them remember their story—except one. Yetu retains each painful memory of trauma and joy, and it is her responsibility to pass their history down. But, the pain of it is too much to bare. When she returns to the human ⬇️

…there are legacies of triumph for every legacy of trauma. Everything is always changing, which means nothing can ever be hopeless. The battering rush of tides shapes and smooth rock, carves out new lands.

The inclination to believe in the fantastic may strike some as a failure in logic, or gullibility, but it‘s really a gift. A world that might have Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster is clearly superior to one that definitely does not. 

—Chris Van Allsburg

Checked out these today! I just listened to a podcast episode about lunar new year food traditions, so this is good timing for the bottom book!
Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-splendid-table-conversations-recipes-f...

Such a beautiful little book, in words and art. It‘s small, but very impactful. In love with the artwork! https://www.ekuaholmes.com/shop

It felt like a good time to read this book. Few people dedicate their time to study the stolen books in Europe, returning them to the families that remain, of those they once belonged to before the Nazis ripped them away. Book bans are nothing new, but they never lead to anything good. What we are seeing in America right now is a repeat of the not so distant past. Did we learn nothing? Take away books, destroy thinking minds, destroy a people.

We never get to hear the stories of the five women murdered by the mysterious Jack the Ripper. We‘re only told they were the undesirables, the whores of Whitechapel. Here, the author gives us a look into each of their lives, and the systemic pains that led up to their last moments. These women deserved love and a chance at happiness. Instead, they were murdered horrifically in darkness, while at their most vulnerable, painful moments. We may⬇️

This book is a heartbreaking, infuriating and powerful memoir of one man‘s time on death row in AL for thirty years. Thirty years of his life that were stolen from him, for crimes he did not commit. It‘s an up close look at poverty, racism, and a deeply broken system that was never right from the start. Bryan Stevenson of EJI fought like hell to get Anthony‘s freedom, against all odds and with no cooperation or care from the state. Had it not⬇️

I carry scars that only Lester and Bryan really see. I document every day of my life. I get receipts. I purposefully walk in front of security cameras. I don‘t like to stay home for too long without calling a few people to tell them what I‘m doing. I always call someone and say goodnight. It‘s not that I‘m lonely or that I‘m afraid to be alone. In many ways, I prefer to be alone. I create an alibi for every single day of my life. ⬇️