Quick Lit July 2020 Archives

Nobody Will Tell You This But Me: A true (as told to me) story

by Bess Kalb

In this unusual memoir, "matrilinear love story," Bess Kalb tells the story of her grandmother Bobby Bell's life, and their special relationship, in her deceased grandmother's voice. (On the second page of the book Bobby, speaking from her own funeral, is telling the readers, "It's a terrible thing to be dead.") I enjoyed this story so much: Bobby is spry and spunky, fiercely opinionated, a force of nature—and firmly invested in (or committed to meddling in, depending on how Bess is feeling at the moment) her granddaughter's life. Bobby's fierce and sometimes persnickety devotion to Bess shines on every page, from Bess's birth to Bobby's dying days at age 90. For most of Bess's life, the two spoke on the phone every day, and my favorite parts of the book were these phone conversations.

The Toni Morrison Book Club

by Casssandra Jackson, Juda Bennett, Piper Kendrix Williams, Winnifred Brown-Glaude

From the publisher: "In this startling group memoir, four friends—black and white, gay and straight, immigrant and American-born—use Toni Morrison's novels as a springboard for intimate and revealing conversations about the problems of everyday racism and living whole in times of uncertainty. Tackling everything from first love and Soul Train to police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement, the authors take up what it means to read challenging literature collaboratively and to learn in public as an act of individual reckoning and social resistance. Framing their book club around collective secrets, the group bears witness to how Morrison's works and words can propel us forward while we sit with uncomfortable questions about race, gender, and identity. This slim and brilliant confessional offers a radical vision for book clubs as sites of self-discovery and communal healing."

Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick: Stories from the Harlem Renaissance

by Zora Neale Hurston

From the publisher: "In 1925, Barnard student Zora Neale Hurston—the sole black student at the college—was living in New York, 'desperately striving for a toe-hold on the world.' During this period, she began writing short works that captured the zeitgeist of African American life and transformed her into one of the central figures of the Harlem Renaissance. Nearly a century later, this singular talent is recognized as one of the most influential and revered American artists of the modern period. Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick is an outstanding collection of stories about love and migration, gender and class, racism and sexism that proudly reflect African American folk culture. Brought together for the first time in one volume, they include eight of Hurston’s 'lost' Harlem stories, which were found in forgotten periodicals and archives. All are timeless classics that enrich our understanding and appreciation of this exceptional writer’s voice and her contributions to America’s literary traditions."

Among the Janeites: A Journey Through the World of Jane Austen Fandom

by Deborah Yaffe

I had the pleasure of participating in a virtual Jane Austen Festival, and read this book that had been languishing on my TBR for too long in order to prepare for my sessions. I found this deep dive into Janeite subculture to be insightful, entertaining, and surprisingly humorous. Yaffe's sense of humor shines when she discusses Jane Austen's Poisonous Bitches (two words: Lucy Steele), the history and intricacies of Austen fanfiction, and Darcy in the lake. Part journalism, part memoir, and recommended reading for Austen lovers everywhere.

Mexican Gothic

by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

I heard great things about this book, though the "Gothic horror" label made me a little afraid to dive in, as I stay away from the scary stuff. But I needn't have feared: this novel is deliciously creepy, but not frightening. Moreno-Garcia situates her novel firmly in the tradition of Gothic country house classics like Wuthering Heights and Rebecca, and even references some of these titles in her novel. When Noemí's father appoints her to see to some business on his behalf, the beautiful, intelligent young socialite agrees to do her duty for the family. Her recently married cousin Catalina has sent an odd, urgent letter to the family, pleading for someone to save her—but from what? When Noemí visits her new marital home High Place, a remote and lavish estate built by ill-treated mine workers, she discovers her cousin's predicament is worse than she feared: her husband is a brute, her father-in-law a terror, the staff deeply hostile, and even the house itself seems set against her—and worse, determined to entrap her. No spoilers here, but if you like the sound of a deeply strange and spine-tingling read about a smart heroine who saves herself, this is the book for you. Excellent on audio.

Quick Lit July 2020

Nobody Will Tell You This But Me: A true (as told to me) story

The Toni Morrison Book Club

Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick: Stories from the Harlem Renaissance

Among the Janeites: A Journey Through the World of Jane Austen Fandom

Mexican Gothic

a gateway

to reliable joy this summer

Buckle Up!

summer reading starts May 16th