Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair
Pablo Neruda
I’ve been adding poetry back into my regular reading routine and where better to start than with Pablo Neruda, famed Chilean poet of love and revolution. This is actually one of his more scandalous collections. It’s a beautiful read and this version had both the original Spanish and the English translations.
Between the World and Me
Ta-Nehisi Coates
Written as a letter to his son about being a Black man in America, this tiny but powerful book is a great way to begin (or continue) educating yourself about race in America.
Sonia Flew
Melinda Lopez
I’ve been trying whenever possible to attend Speakeasy Stage’s Latinx play reading book club! This one by local playwright Melinda Lopez was the inaugural play. It’s about a Cuban immigrant living in the U.S. and struggling with PTSD from her days under Castro, especially when her son decides to join the military to defend the country. A beautiful piece!
Broken Glass
Alex Beam
I love an art historical drama. This book delves into the drama behind the Farnsworth House, a creation by architect Mies van der Rohe that’s outside of Chicago. Van der Rohe made the house as a commission for his friend and former lover Edith Farnsworth and though it was a beautiful art piece, it was basically unlivable. This and the ever increasing cost launched a lawsuit between the two. This is a great and really interesting read.
Still Alice
Lisa Genova
In this novel about early onset Alzheimers, Genova follows a former Harvard psychology professor who finds her memory and mental state suddenly deteriorating. This was so sad but beautifully written. I also think it’s important to tell the patient side of the story, many people only think of the family without realizing how frustrating and tragic it is for the person who is losing their memory.
Little Fires Everything
Celeste Nguyen
I was skeptical about this (our book club book) from the beginning because it’s a NY Times bestseller. I’ve learned that that doesn’t always denote quality, just mass purchasing, and people generally don’t have great taste. This isn’t a bad book I just didn’t love it. The characters felt like tropes to me and not a lot of the plot seemed logical. Though it was well written and I think Nguyen covers some important issues I wouldn’t read it again.