Category Archives: family

Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller

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Alexandra Fuller’s book, Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight offers beautiful writing and insights on living in Africa through the 1970s-90s, amid war and revolution, amid those complicated social dynamics, but also amid the personal dynamics of family, of alcoholism, of mental illness, and parents who offer their children a childhood that is at once amazing and also, probably, negligent.

Fuller’s writing is consistently beautiful throughout. Even in its sometimes stark depictions, the book is infused with a contagious love of Africa. Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi have not necessarily been places I’ve ever wanted to visit. I’ve grown up in wilderness areas, and so the great safaris that have drawn others have less pull for me. However, this book made me see some of the other beautiful aspects of the country. After reading the book, I wouldn’t hesitate to go.

This year there’s a new movie out based on the book. From the trailer, it appears that the film follows the book closely. I hope I get a chance to watch it.

There There by Tommy Orange

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There There by Tommy Orange has been on my tbr pile since shortly after it was published in 2019. The timing was right when I finally got around to reading it, as, interestingly, I have been reading more indigenous work for my scholarship this winter, learning more about my family’s history, and this book has helped inform all of that thinking.

It’s a good book. It is another one that I’ve read recently that has a very cinematic quality, and I could easily see it being made into a movie at some point. The book has an intentional and unique plot and timeline, with characters unknown to each other moving apart and together in each other’s lives.

I’m not sure what to say about the theory, exactly. Orange’s characters are urban Indians. Orange has them defying societal expectations and also interacting with stereotypes.

I think most readers have a lot of learn from a book like this, both in terms of good literary prose and the commentary about contemporary, urban indigenous lives.

On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

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On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan is a painstaking, painstaking novella. It’s beautifully written, no doubt. McEwan captures human nature and places it in a time of properness, confusion, ignorance. The book offers some wisdom about coupling, big picture, that would likely be lost on most readers who have not yet been in a relationship with a partner or spouse. McEwan uses a very detailed account of a sexual encounter to make some smart, larger commentary about human coupling. It’s good, but it is painful.

My Mother Gets Married by Moa Martinson

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This book has been on my tbr list for over a year now, and I finally found a copy to read through interlibrary loan. My Mother Gets Married is an account of Moa Martinson’s own childhood growing up in impoverished Sweden around the turn of the last century

My own grandma was frugal, but everyone was who lived through the great depression. It wasn’t clear to me if her family immigrated more because of harsh living conditions in the old country or more because of the promise of the “new” world.

While I can’t be exactly certain of my family’s exact circumstances, I think perhaps things weren’t so dark as Martinson depicts in her book based on some information I have. Either way, the book offers insights into some of the culture in Sweden at that time. I appreciated learning about the schooling they would have received, the dresses they would have worn, and the tokens that would have been important to them.

Personal interests aside, Martinson’s writing is strong. There is a subtle, underlying and scathing observations on gender, social class, and justice. Martinson’s writing reveals a deep insight and understanding of the human condition.

Love, Pamela by Pamela Anderson

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So, Pamela Anderson is interesting. She’s raised her children. She’s gardening in Canada. She’s on Broadway. She’s galavanting around Paris Fashion Week with a bare face! Gasp! I’m really enjoying seeing an iconic figure doing something a little different than the status quo, in both subtle and overtly radical ways.

I just finished her book, Love, Pamela, and I really enjoyed it. She comes across as aware, intentional, not overtly prudish at all, but much more thoughtful than most women in her position are ever allowed to be.

Weirdly, perhaps, I identify with some aspects of Pamela’s life, especially her whirlwind romance with Tommy. He even proposed with a skull ring similar to the one that I received after a show from the person with whom I would later have children. Like Pamela, I also have seen some things, but like grounding back in familiar land, gardening, chickens, etc. Of course, there are also some critical and obvious differences too!

I appreciate that her voice is being amplified, and I look forward to seeing what’s next from this icon.

Making Love with the Land by Joshua Whitehead

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Making Love with the Land by Joshua Whitehead is one of the best there is in contemporary literary prose. I want to say that Whitehead is incredibly “playful” on the level of the line–unique and like nothing I’ve ever seen before–but “playful” doesn’t seem quite like the right word because of intensity and oftentimes heaviness of the content, but a better alternative escapes me. The book is vulnerable, embarrassing, and brave and deserving of the accolades.

Dear Girls by Ali Wong

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A friend gave me this book, and, as you know, I like a comedian’s memoir. Dear Girls by Ali Wong is that great blend of comedy and memoir, with some important social commentary about race and gender sprinkled in throughout.

Some readers may think it doesn’t age well since the author and her husband divorced shortly after the release of this book, and the book covers their relationship extensively, but this book is still worthwhile and captures a moment and a sentiment worth capturing.

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

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I don’t often read books that I think will appeal to a wide range of readers–those romancey, thriller, and beach readers. However, Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver was that book: great, accessible to a broad audience, and also…read by me.

The Bean Trees was the first Kingsolver book I ever read, and I remember absolutely loving it. That was probably over years ago! I am continually impressed by Kingsolver’s ability to put herself into other worlds and characters with such conviction. She also layers in social issues in a way that is compelling, but without disrupting the narrative flow.

Overall, this is a compelling book, a great narrative, a great main character, important, perhaps a bit too long (although by now you know how I like a pithy book) and one that will, I think, have a lasting impact in literature. Oh, and Kingsolver also gardens and raises sheep, which you can see on her social media, so you know she’s good!

Paris: A Memoir by Paris Hilton

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As you know, I love a good celebrity memoir, and Paris: A Memoir by Paris Hilton did not disappoint. I’m actually surprised this book hasn’t been more widely advertised or talked about in my media streams because the book is quite interesting, and I think everyone who has watched the Paris juggernaut over past decades will find this book to be of interest.

Most interestingly, Paris relays the horrifying treatment facilities she was put in as a child (in great detail) and her tumultuous teen (and adult) years. She contextualizes it all with her ADHD/neurodiversity, and honestly, as a reader, this context made it all make sense for me. It was also interesting to see the focus and vision she’s had for her career from very early on.

In the end, I think this book will truly be a gift to teens with ADHD and to people who aspire toward greatness. I would have liked to see more “how I built this”-style insights and more insights into social class, access, and fame, but she does touch on all of these to some extent.

She is entering a new era now–marriage and motherhood–and in the future I’ll definitely read another memoir from her that goes more into depth on these subjects as well.

Farm-Raised Kids by Katie Kulla

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This was a charming little book by a farmer I know from the west side of Oregon, Katie Kulla.

Parenting books can be difficult because parents tend to be exhausted, and advice and ideas are need, but there is no quiet, peaceful time to read! However, this book is easy to read, easy to digest, and it is informative, without making readers feel guilty or overwhelmed. It’s more like, “Hey, it’s good for kids walk go outside and walk on uneven ground.” Then, readers can feel good about letting their kid walk on uneven surfaces, play in dirt, or feel the sun on their skin once in awhile. It’s simple, basic stuff. It’s reaffirming, and I found it to be inspiring and encouraging.

I was also heartened to read that there are many different families, scenarios, and “farms” depicted, so that a broad range of readers might identify with the lives and lifestyles of these people. Go order Farm-Raised Kids by Katie Kulla now!