Here are 6 things worth sharing this month:
1. Reading (YA): I just finished Joy McCullough’s latest YA book, Enter the Body, which was a retelling-ish story that featured the females of Shakespeare’s most iconic tragedies. Written in verse and also at points scripted like a play, this book was not only a fast read but a fascinating one. Who doesn’t want to hear from the females who were abused, mistreated, and always seemed to die one way or another in Shakespeare’s tragedies? (Full disclaimer: I studied Shakespeare in college and have enough credits to be a Shakespeare professor and, for about a year, entertained the idea of becoming one. So she had me at Shakespeare.) McCullough is also the author of We Are the Ashes, We Are the Fire (not in verse), and Blood Water Paint (another verse novel) as well as books for middle graders.
2. Reading (Adult NF): “It’s about moving through the world with curiosity about what will happen next, instead of a demand that it turn out according to your plans.” Oooh, this was a hard read for me. Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, by Oliver Burkeman, is a book about using what time we have on this earth realistically, rather than more efficiently. It’s a philosophical book about time, with some great pointers for how to come to terms with the limited time we have. I loved it and hated it and loved it. I ended on loving it. But will probably have to read it again the next time I think, “No, I think I can get all of this done.” Very highly recommended. Burkeman is also the author of The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking, which I haven’t read, but because I loved Burkeman’s style, I’ve now added it to my TBR.
3. Reading (Adult NF): An important, fascinating, completely engrossing read: that’s how I’d describe The Six: The Untold Story of America’s First Women Astronauts, by Loren Grush. This book tells the story of the six elite women who were chosen in 1978 to become NASA’s first female astronauts: Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about their lives, how they came into science, and the advances in space travel during those important decades. (A personal tidbit: when I was a senior in high school, eight students from my school were chosen to go through an abbreviated astronaut training at NASA Space Center Houston. I got to fly on the vomit comet (a training jet) and fly the rover my team built in zero G simulation. I’m currently trying to write a graphic memoir about this experience. This book was like nerding out on all things space.)
4. Watching: Something you may not know about me is that I am a sucker for anything that is based on a true story. So when I saw The New Look, an Apple TV series based on how French fashion icons Christian Dior, Coco Chanel, Pierre Balmain, and Cristóbal Balenciaga survived World War II and navigated the aftermath by launching what’s considered to be modern fashion, I had to watch it. And it is FANTASTIC. So beautifully filmed with stellar acting. And have I mentioned Apple TV’s intros for their shows? They’re so creative! You’ll want to check this one out if you love true stories, too.
5. Reading (YA): I’ve been all about the young adult reads this month, and another fantastic one to add to your list is Forget Me Not, by Alyson Derrick. Oh my goodness. So many tears in this one. I was reading it in the car on the way to a family fun day at a museum here in San Antonio and my kids noticed my tears and said, “Why are you crying?” And I said, “Because it’s just so beautiful.” Don’t you just love books that make you feel that way? Well, this one will. Forget Me Not, was longlisted for the 2023 National Book Award. Derrick is also the co-author of the book, She Gets the Girl, which I have not read.
6. Reading (Adult F): I loved A Grandmother Begins the Story, by Michelle Porter. It’s about four generations of Native (Métis) women, as well as other characters (including a buffalo…you’ll have to read it to understand) , and how they navigate their lives outside of each other. It had all kinds of lore and the feel of old storytelling, which is what I enjoyed so much about it. The book has gotten mixed reviews, but for what it’s worth, I really enjoyed it. And the cover! So lovely!
