I don’t know how it happened but this month ended up being a lot of activist writing. Usually I try to have an ebb and flow between genres, writer ethnicities, and storylines. But my Boston Public Library hold list had other plans. So get prepared for a lot of conversation about race and privilege.
The Sisters of Alameda Street
Lorena Hughes
This is a great, fun read. It follows a young woman who has just learned the mother she previously thought was dead lives a few hours away. The problem is, she isn’t sure which of four sisters is her mother. By accidentally assuming a secret identity she moves in with the sisters to solve the mystery. And, of course, there’s a poorly times but very exciting romance. It’s not literary fiction but it’s a very enjoyable, engaging read. And still a Latina author! I recommend if you’re looking for a happy ending to take your mind off reality.
Women Writing Resistance
Various contributors
Women Writing Resistance is a powerful collection of essays by Latinx and Caribbean women about their experience as women of color. It contains a powerful message about the way women’s voices are often relegated to the sidelines. Some of the essays were more literary, some even poetry, which I preferred. There were a few essays that were less editorially engaging but still spoke on an important theme. I recommend this read for women who are feeling like they’re alone in this fight.
Buenos Aires Noir
Various contributors
This compilation of mystery stories offered a great, diverse portrait of Buenos Aires. It touched on themes from Latin American mysticism to the drug trade and politic conflict. The stories weren’t scary, more eerie and fascinating. I definitely recommend this read, the stories are short and digestible and written in easy to read language. It’s a great way to learn about the climate of Buenos Aires through a fiction lens.
American Like Me
America Ferrera & others
I know I’ve been going a little wild with the activist anthologies lately. A bunch of them came up off my hold list at the same time! What’s great about this anthology is that it’s written for everyone. It’s a collection of essays by celebrities who are first generation Americans. It talks in really relatable terms about being in a country that isn’t always hospitable to you. For example, one essay talks about giving a different name at Starbucks so they can actually pronounce it, or not finding yours on the pre-made keychains at the store. Very easy to read even if you haven’t studied race or immigration. It’s just stories about humans.
Tell Me How It Ends: An Essay in 40 Questions
Valeria Luiselli
This short nonfiction piece talks about Luiselli’s experience working with child immigration. The kids are asked 40 questions like why did you come here, when, were you harmed, etc. Ultimately she ruminates on how those questions aren’t enough to explain what immigration is like. This was written a few years ago but it’s especially relevant now with all the migrant children being held. I recommend reading this for some insight into the system.
All Souls
Michael Patrick MacDonald
Disclaimer: this was on my book club reading list, I didn’t select it. All Souls is written by a man who grew up in the Southie projects during Whitey Bulger’s reign. He lost 4 of his 11 siblings to drugs, violence, and suicide during that time. It was interesting to see this side of things because typically all you hear about Whitey Bulger’s relationship to Southie is that everyone loved him. You don’t hear that the drug and gang culture he cultivated destroyed families. That said, the author was pretty racist and there were a lot of uncomfortable racial comments made. This wouldn’t be my first choice but it can be valubale if you go into it with a grain of salt.
You Can’t Touch My Hair
Phoebe Robinson
You Can’t Touch My Hair is a hilarious book by comedian Phoebe Robinson about her experience as a black woman. It touches on a lot of serious topics but in a humorous and easily digestible way. She mixes in a lot of pop culture commentary and some biographical stories as well. This is a great read for people who want to read about race but aren’t interested in the emotionally fraught activist works.
The Murder of the Century
Paul Collins
This nonfiction book centers on a Victorian-era murder wherein a body was cut up and disposed of all across Manhattan. It’s fascinating to follow a case pre-forensic testing to see how the detectives solve the crime. This was also a heyday for newspapers and Pulitzer and Hearst (the actual dudes) were battling it out on the front pages of their papers. In fact the newspaper reporters became part of the force working to solve the crime because the first one to new evidence got the best story. I highly recommend if you’re into true crime. It’s very engaging and not super gory despite the murder style.