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Spotlight Review: GENDER QUEER by Maia Kobabe

August 16, 2022

A Memoir

From the publisher:

2020 ALA Alex Award Winner
2020 Stonewall — Israel Fishman Non-fiction Award Honor Book.

In 2014, Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, thought that a comic of reading statistics would be the last autobiographical comic e would ever write. At the time, it was the only thing e felt comfortable with strangers knowing about em. Then e created Gender Queer. Maia’s intensely cathartic autobiography charts eir journey of self-identity, which includes the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and society, bonding with friends over erotic gay fan fiction, and facing the trauma and fundamental violation of pap smears.

Started as a way to explain to eir family what it means to be nonbinary and asexual, Gender Queer is more than a personal story: It is a useful and touching guide on gender identity—what it means and how to think about it—for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere.

“It’s also a great resource for those who identify as nonbinary or asexual as well as for those who know someone who identifies that way and wish to better understand.” — SLJ (starred review)

This special deluxe hardcover edition of Gender Queer features a brand-new cover, exclusive art and sketches, a foreword from ND Stevenson, Lumberjanes writer and creator of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, and an afterword from Maia Kobabe.
https://amzn.to/3SVREcz

This book has been getting a lot of press and is one of the most banned books in America, so of course, I wanted to read it. I’m very glad I did.

Kobabe uses the pronouns, e/em/eir, and I will try to honor that choice. E struggled with eir identity for most of eir life, and that struggle is graphically portrayed here. When I say graphic, I don’t necessarily mean sexual, although there are a few sexual drawings here (which is probably what is getting this book banned.) What I mean by “graphically portrayed” is that first, this is a graphic novel, but second, it is a raw, honest look at a life of struggle. The struggle is real, and if more people read this book, maybe there would be more empathy and understanding towards the “other”, those who are different, in the LGBTQ+ community.

Like most graphic novels, it is a quick read, but it is also compelling and thought-provoking. I don’t have much experience to draw on here, so I learned a lot about the asexual nonbinary community. I feel it is also an important book because if Kobabe struggled with these feelings, you can bet others do as well. If this book gives comfort to even one person (and I’m sure it has affected many, many people) then it is worthwhile, worth reading, and certainly worth being available to anyone who wants to read it.

It’s 2022 and Two Books Are on Trial for ‘Obscenity’

These obscenity proceedings are in line with a history of attacks on our First Amendment rights to read, learn, and think for ourselves.

Not sure what is going on with the publisher, but the paperback version is not available directly from Amazon, but rather through the secondary sellers on Amazon. The hardcover (pictured on top) is only $20 and way less than the paperback, which is odd. There are also 2 different Kindle versions at different prices; I linked to the less expensive (original) edition.

8/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

GENDER QUEER: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe. Oni Press; Deluxe edition (July 5, 2022). ISBN: 978-1637150726. 240p.

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Spotlight Review: BAD FEMINIST by Roxane Gay

March 29, 2022

Essays

From the publisher:

A collection of essays spanning politics, criticism, and feminism from one of the most-watched cultural observers of her generation.
In these funny and insightful essays, Gay takes us through the journey of her evolution as a woman (Sweet Valley High) of color (The Help) while also taking readers on a ride through culture of the last few years (Girls, Django in Chains) and commenting on the state of feminism today (abortion, Chris Brown). The portrait that emerges is not only one of an incredibly insightful woman continually growing to understand herself and our society, but also one of our culture.
Bad Feminist is a sharp, funny, and spot-on look at the ways in which the culture we consume becomes who we are, and an inspiring call-to-arms of all the ways we still need to do better, coming from one of our most interesting and important cultural critics.
A New York Times Bestseller • Best Book of the Year: NPR • Boston Globe • Newsweek • Time Out New York • Oprah.com • Miami Herald • Book Riot • Buzz Feed • Globe and Mail (Toronto) • The Root • Shelf Awareness
https://amzn.to/3IL894I

I’m a long time admirer of Roxane Gay, but this is the first book of hers that I read. Over the years I’ve read many of her essays in various publications like New York Magazine, VQR, The New York Times, and many more. This book is part of the Social Impact Book Series that I facilitate at Lynn University. The essays are divided into five parts: Me; Gender & Sexuality; Race & Entertainment; Politics, Gender & Race; and Back to Me.

It was originally published in 2014, and I’m sorry to say there is one essay about Bill Cosby that has not held up. In fact, Gay wrote about Cosby later on, updating her position in The Empty Chair & 35 Women Standing Up to Bill Cosby, Rapist. Then again, most of us loved Bill Cosby until his actions forced us into hating him.

Other essays include the eponymous “Bad Feminist,” in which she says, “The more I write, the more I put myself out into the world as a bad feminist but, I hope, a good woman.” She describes herself as “a mess of contradictions” and discusses the dichotomy of thinking herself a feminist yet listening to rap music that degrades women, knowing nothing about cars, hating how women are held to impossible beauty standards yet being a voracious Vogue reader. I think most women struggle with these and other dichotomies as well, and I certainly can relate.

In this collection, Gay explores what it means to be a woman in America in this century. She explores her own imperfections, thus shining the light on our own and helping us understand that we are all imperfect. Her voice is always engaging and I found myself reading just one more and then one more after that. At times funny and sad and everything in between, Gay takes us on her very personal journey yet somehow I found it very relatable, and that is no easy feat. An easy book to pick up and a bit tougher to put down, this is a collection that is worth seeking out.

NOTE: Roxane Gay Books is a new imprint of Grove Atlantic announced in May. 2021 and will “focus on underrepresented fiction, nonfiction and memoir writers, with or without agents.” (NYT) I am not aware of any books that have been published yet.

3/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

BAD FEMINIST by Roxane Gay. Harper Perennial; 1st edition (August 5, 2014). ISBN: 978-0062282712. 336p.

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STOLEN by Katariina Rosenblatt & Cecil Murphey

February 11, 2022

The True Story of a Sex Trafficking Survivor

From the publisher:

Sex trafficking is currently a hot news topic, but it is not a new problem or just a problem in “other” countries. Every year, an estimated 300,000 American children are at risk of being lured into the sex trade, some as young as eight years old. It is thought that up to 90 percent of victims are never rescued.
Stolen is the true story of one survivor who escaped–more than once. First recruited while staying with her family at a hotel in Miami Beach, Katariina Rosenblatt was already a lonely and abused young girl who was yearning to be loved. She fell into the hands of a confident young woman who pretended friendship but slowly lured her into a child prostitution ring. For years afterward, a cycle of false friendship, threats, drugs, and violence kept her trapped.
As Kat shares her harrowing experiences, readers will quickly realize the frightening truth that these terrible things could have happened to any child–a neighbor, a niece, a friend, a sister, a daughter. But beyond that, they will see that there is real hope for the victims of sex trafficking. Stolen is more than a warning. It is a celebration of survival that will inspire.
https://amzn.to/3B9cb4I

This was one of the worst books I’ve ever read. What should have been an important message about sex trafficking in the U.S. is instead an homage to Christianity. The only reason I finished it was because I was asked to do a book talk/discussion for the Social Impact Series at Lynn University, where I work. The Impact Series addresses various topics each month, and part of the series is a book discussion on a book relevant to that topic. The January topic was Sex Trafficking, and this book was selected because the author is local and it was suggested she might be available to participate. It was then decided that we don’t get enough of a turnout to warrant inviting the author, so that was that and I was stuck reading this book.

This book is Kat’s story. She did an interview with CNN several years ago for a series they did on sex trafficking in the US: https://youtu.be/5XhOI_nite8 Watching this short video is preferable to reading this book.

When people think of sex trafficking, they often think of it as something that happens to other people. We think it can’t possibly happen in our town or neighborhood; it’s a problem in big cities or across the border or internationally. We want to feel that the young people we know – our children, our friends’ children, the kids in our neighborhood – can’t possibly be at risk. We are wrong.

It is partially true that sex trafficking does occur across our borders and internationally, but it also occurs here in these United States. Every day. Ohio leads the nation in sex trafficking, followed by Florida, where I live and where this book is set.

The book is divided into three sections. The first is Katariina Rosenblatt’s personal story–her abuse, how her loneliness attracted a recruiter in the hotel she lived in, and how she was groomed step-by-step into slavery by traffickers, her escape and recapture numerous times. In the second part, Kat had escaped and is married, but is in an abusive marriage. The third part of the book deals with how she got involved in saving children from traffickers. She has her own foundation which is promoted heavily here.

The other major theme in this book is an exploration of Kat’s Christianity. The author talks about accepting Christ as her Savior at a Billy Graham crusade when she was 12 years old, a year before the first time she was trafficked. Burned into her mind and heart from that night was Mr. Graham saying, “Remember this: God will never leave you or forsake you.” This was repeated throughout the book, usually when she did not know what to do or where to turn. The Church plays an important role in her life, but lead me to question some of what she talks about.

I had some issues, for instance, with these quotes:

“They’re less likely to go back if people like us can help them break that invisible bondage and provide a mentoring relationship with a safe, Christian adult.”

To me, this sounds like it is useless to help if that safe mentor isn’t a Christian. That’s just some flat out bullshit.

“When I first began visiting strip clubs, I went as part of a group. One night, eight girls came to the Lord through our efforts. That night God seemed to have infiltrated the whole building with his love. We had gone out to the floor and talked with the manager, and we had the privilege of leading him to Jesus Christ while a girl was dancing. We also gave tracts to most of the customers, and they accepted them. Tears flowed as Jesus broke off the shackles of bondage from all sorts of people, from the managers to the girls and even to some of their clientele.”

This was way over the top to me. Not every woman who works in a strip club wants to be “saved” nor do the customers. I found this bizarre.

A bigger problem, however, is her underlying belief that homosexuality is something that can be prayed away. In the chapter “Wedded Bliss”, she talks about her husband’s stepsister:

“The woman was a lesbian, and her girlfriend was involved in Santeria, a religion that is a mixture of African and Caribbean witchcraft and Roman Catholicism…Joel & I prayed regularly for them … ‘I know you’ve been praying for me. Thank you,’ she said. ‘I’m not in that lifestyle anymore.'”

Yep, Kat prayed away the gay. Ugh.

The writing is quite simple and often repetitive. This book was not reviewed by any authoritative journal or newspaper. I did find a “review”, and I use the term loosely, in a Christian women’s magazine that praised her finding Jesus rather than critiquing the book. Most of the reviews on Amazon and Goodreads were from Christian women who were given a free copy of the book for review from the Christian publisher. ‘Nuff said.

2/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

STOLEN by Katariina Rosenblatt & Cecil Murphey. Revell; First Edition (October 7, 2014). ISBN: 978-0800723453. 240p.

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MY TIME AMONG THE WHITES by Jennine Capó Crucet

October 7, 2021

Notes from an Unfinished Education

From the author of Make Your Home Among Strangers, essays on being an “accidental” American―an incisive look at the edges of identity for a woman of color in a society centered on whiteness

In this sharp and candid collection of essays, critically acclaimed writer and first-generation American Jennine Capó Crucet explores the condition of finding herself a stranger in the country where she was born. Raised in Miami and the daughter of Cuban refugees, Crucet examines the political and personal contours of American identity and the physical places where those contours find themselves smashed: be it a rodeo town in Nebraska, a university campus in upstate New York, or Disney World in Florida. Crucet illuminates how she came to see her exclusion from aspects of the theoretical American Dream, despite her family’s attempts to fit in with white American culture―beginning with their ill-fated plan to name her after the winner of the Miss America pageant.

In prose that is both fearless and slyly humorous, My Time Among the Whites examines the sometimes hopeful, sometimes deeply flawed ways in which many Americans have learned to adapt, exist, and―in the face of all signals saying otherwise―perhaps even thrive in a country that never imagined them here.

This memoir is a collection of essays and is remarkable reading. Crucet is the American born daughter of Cuban refugees, and grew up in Hialeah, a Miami haven for Cuban families. In this book, she talks about everything from moving to Nebraska to Walt Disney World to how she was named after a Miss USA – sort of. What drew me to this book was the immigrant experience being told first hand.

Crucet is the first person in her family to go to college, and she writes about that experience and the difficulties she had because she had no guidance. She applied to only two colleges, because no one told her you could get application fees waived and they were steep. She received a full ride to the University of Florida, no easy feat, but instead, she selected a school based on a brochure a secretary was throwing away. The school that looked so appealing was Cornell University, and she was accepted. She did receive financial aid, but not the free ride she could have had at UF. She decided, along with her family, that Cornell was the best place for her, even though it was a struggle.

Struggle is at the heart of the book. Crucet is Latinx, a light skinned brown person who often passes as white, living in a country where the last president called Mexicans rapists and murderers. I loved the review in the Los Angeles Review of Books; they described this book as “post-Trump Latinx literature.” The bigotry she has to deal with is at times subtle, and other times overt, but it is always there, a backdrop to every essay in this collection. This is a worthwhile read, especially now when right-wing racist groups have gained national attention. It is sometimes painful reading, sometimes funny, but always engaging, making this a difficult but excellent read.

NOTE: I am facilitating a discussion of this book at Lynn University on Friday, 10/8/2021 at noon, with college students and faculty. I am especially looking forward to hearing what the students have to say. This discussion is part of the Impact Series: in collaboration with Student Affairs and the Lynn Library, Project Civitas‘ Impact Series is a multi-departmental collaboration that seeks to immerse students, faculty and staff in holistic conversations about issues of social justice. Register here for the book discussion: https://lynn.libcal.com/event/8297620

10/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

MY TIME AMONG THE WHITES by Jennine Capó Crucet. Picador (September 3, 2019). ISBN:‎ 978-1250299437. 208 pages.

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THE TRIAL OF ANDREW JOHNSON by Noel B. Gerson

April 23, 2021

A Biography of the Reconstruction Era President

From the publisher:

How do you remove an unpopular president from office?

On February 24, 1868, members of the United States House of Representatives voted to impeach President Andrew Johnson on thirteen separate charges of having committed high crimes and misdemeanors against the government and the people.

In this impressive biography, Noel B. Gerson examines how these extraordinary events came about, the circumstances leading up to it, and the aftermath of a trial that was unique in the history of the country.

Born into poverty and with no formal education, Johnson rose to prominence through perseverance and hard work. Entering politics, he became an adept stump speaker, championing the common man and vilifying the plantation aristocracy. Nominally a Democrat, who advocated free homesteads and education for all, he was soon to discover that not all agreed with his desire to see the nation reunited under the Constitution, as it had been before the Civil War.

Sworn in as seventeenth President of the United States following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865, Johnson faced the enormous task of presiding over the tumultuous first years of Reconstruction, a task made harder by his enemies, notably radical Republicans Thaddeus Stevens, Charles Sumner and Edwin Stanton, who turned the tide of support against him and were instrumental in the campaign to disgrace Johnson and drive him from office.

By utilizing a wealth of primary sources, including quoted speeches, letters and press articles, Gerson masterfully portrays a sympathetic national figure devoted to his country and the Constitution, who escaped conviction by a single vote and went on to achieve a level of popularity he had never before known.

The Trial of Andrew Johnson is an ideal read for those who wish to find out more about the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson and his fight for vindication against the radical Republicans in the United States Congress.

Noel B. Gerson was a prodigious author of many books, the majority of which were historical. He was an unabashed patriot with a great deal of his books concerned with U.S. history. Among his better known works are “55 Days at Peking,” the “Naked Maja,” and the “Swamp Fox.”

The “Trial of Andrew Johnson” was first published in 1977 and brings to light a figure previously not greatly touched upon in American history. Andrew Johnson was the 17th president of the U.S. and as the vice president during Abraham Lincoln’s term ascended to the office when Mr. Lincoln was assassinated.

Like Lincoln before him, Johnson came from a very poor family and lifted himself up by his own bootstraps, teaching himself how to read and write. He got into politics and made a stump speaker out of himself. Rising through a progression of offices for his home state of Tennessee he was selected by Lincoln to run as his vice president and held that office during the tumultuous years of the Civil war and until elevated to the presidency by Lincoln’s assassination.

After the cessation of hostilities Johnson championed the reentrance of those states that had seceded as part of the Confederacy with no penalty providing that affidavits of loyalty be signed by residents and elected officials as conditions of acceptance back into the union. He faced a large group of members of Congress that wanted to lay blame for the war and charge reparations to the seceding states. When Johnson could not be moved from his position the never before use of impeachment with an ensuing trial and forced removal from office was started by those that demanded blame be placed on the recalcitrant states.

Gerson’s forte was the writing of historical fact in a manner that made reading his books almost a work of enjoying a good novel while learning about the area the author was touching upon. It would be interesting to read again or for the first time those books that are reissued. His writing is not dated and would appeal to all that enjoy a good historical book.

4/2021 Paul Lane

THE TRIAL OF ANDREW JOHNSON by Noel B. Gerson. Sapere Books (March 8, 2021). ISBN: 978-1800551015. 138 pages.

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SHIT, ACTUALLY by Lindy West

December 25, 2020

The Definitive, 100% Objective Guide to Modern Cinema

From the publisher:

One of the “Best Books of 2020” by NPR’s Book Concierge

**Your Favorite Movies, Re-Watched**New York Times opinion writer and bestselling author Lindy West was once the in-house movie critic for Seattle’s alternative newsweekly The Stranger, where she covered film with brutal honesty and giddy irreverence. In Shit, Actually, Lindy returns to those roots, re-examining beloved and iconic movies from the past 40 years with an eye toward the big questions of our time: Is Twilight the horniest movie in history? Why do the zebras in The Lion King trust Mufasa-WHO IS A LION-to look out for their best interests? Why did anyone bother making any more movies after The Fugitive achieved perfection? And, my god, why don’t any of the women in Love, Actually ever fucking talk?!?!

From Forrest Gump, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, and Bad Boys II, to Face/Off, Top Gun, and The Notebook, Lindy combines her razor-sharp wit and trademark humor with a genuine adoration for nostalgic trash to shed new critical light on some of our defining cultural touchstones-the stories we’ve long been telling ourselves about who we are. At once outrageously funny and piercingly incisive, Shit, Actually reminds us to pause and ask, “How does this movie hold up?”, all while teaching us how to laugh at the things we love without ever letting them or ourselves off the hook.

Shit, Actually is a love letter and a break-up note all in one: to the films that shaped us and the ones that ruined us. More often than not, Lindy finds, they’re one and the same.

Most people who know me never give me books.. Writers do. Publicists do. But most people know that I get tons of books and I am rarely in need of anything, and they figure I probably have what they want to give me anyway. My immediate family and a few of my closest friends give me books because they know I love books, and as they are coming from people who know me so well, they are usually fairly confident I’ll like the books they give me. My husband brought me back a beautiful book of photographs of Ireland and a book of Irish poetry when he was over there for work. I loved both of those books. Friends have given me cookbooks, and those I love. My son gave me a book called Haikus for Jews that was just adorable and I loved it.

I am telling you all this because my boss, who I have grown very close to through working with such an amazing woman, but especially during this pandemic, gave me a book. This book, by Lindy West. I was shocked. This just doesn’t happen to me! I took it home and immediately started reading. I was laughing out loud within the first couple of pages. This is some funny shit, actually.

West riffs on her perceptions of very popular movies. The title of the book comes from her essay on the film Love, Actually, which is one of my favorite Christmas films, but as much as I love it her interpretation had me in hysterics. It was amazing. She sets the standard with the first chapter entitled, “The Fugitive is the Only Good Movie.” She explains why and although I don’t agree with her analysis, she judges the rest of the films in the book by her unique rating system. For instance, Love, Actually rates 0/10 DVDs of The Fugitive. The essay on the film Twilight called “Never Boring, Always Horny” rated 5/10 DVDs of The Fugitive.

I absolutely loved her take on Harry Potter, entitled “Harry Plot Hole”. She proceeds to point out holes in the story that are so big you could drive a truck through them, as well as smaller foibles. Harry Potter was a big part of our lives for many years. The first book came out when my daughter, Ariel, was five years old. I was working for Borders and no one really knew anything about it, but we got a bunch of copies so I brought one home for her. We read it together, taking turns reading each night, and it took us most of the summer to read it. She went on to reread it several times, and read every book in the series as it came out. Borders did big book release parties at midnight on sale day and Ariel came to all of them, preferring to take her book and start reading over playing wizard games. So when I read this essay, I knew Ariel had to read it, and she just loved it. One of her favorite parts was when West pointed out that the wizards must be Christian because they celebrate Christmas!

Every essay is a gem. I love books like this, especially around the holidays, when not everyone has a lot of time to sit and read. You can pick up the book and read any of the essays, and just know you will be laughing. I had to stop reading while watching football because I knew I was disturbing my husband, not that he would ever say anything. But I felt guilty so only read during commercial breaks and halftime. I also hadn’t seen all of the movies she discusses, like Face/Off and Honey I Shrunk the Kids, but I’d heard enough about those films to understand where she was coming from. If you want a book to just escape into for brief periods of time, and need a little more joy in your life this holiday season, this is your book. I loved it. Apparently, I’m in good company:

NPR’s Book Concierge, “Best Books of 2020” (Staff Picks; Funny Stuff; No Biz Like Show Biz; Short Stories, Essays & Poetry)

Kobo, “Top Nonfiction Titles of 2020”, “Top 20 Ebooks of 2020”

The Buzz Magazine, “Best nonfiction books of 2020”

BookRiot, “Best Audiobooks for Nonfiction November” and Book Recommendations for October 2020″Fortune, “Five New Books to Read in October”

BookTribe, “Editors’ pick for October’s best audiobooks”

LitHub, “14 New Books to Treat Yourself To”

SeattleMet, “11 Localish Books to Read This Autumn”

Up News Info, “5 new books to read in October”

Writers’ Bone, “A book that should be on your radar”

TBR, ETC. “New Books for the Week!”

New York Times, Holiday Gift Guide

Bustle, Holiday Gift Guide

The Globe and Mail, Holiday Gift Guide

Finally, let me leave you with this snippet of a review: “Queen of keenly observed, hilariously rendered cultural criticism, West offers this delicious distraction from reality….a cathartic, joyful exploration of entertainment….in true West form she reads like your smartest, funniest, and warmest friend. A perfect blend of substance, escapism, and laughter – a gift from West to the rest of us.”―Booklist Review (starred)

12/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

SHIT, ACTUALLY by Lindy West. Hachette Books (October 20, 2020). ISBN 978-0316449823. 272 pages.

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JUST MERCY by Bryan Stevenson

October 27, 2020

A Story of Justice and Redemption

From the publisher:

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING MICHAEL B. JORDAN AND JAMIE FOXX • A powerful true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us, and a clarion call to fix our broken system of justice—from one of the most brilliant and influential lawyers of our time.

“[Bryan Stevenson’s] dedication to fighting for justice and equality has inspired me and many others and made a lasting impact on our country.”—John Legend

NAMED ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BOOKS OF THE DECADE BY CNN • Named One of the Best Books of the Year by The New York Times • The Washington Post • The Boston Globe • The Seattle Times • Esquire • Time

Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system. One of his first cases was that of Walter McMillian, a young man who was sentenced to die for a notorious murder he insisted he didn’t commit. The case drew Bryan into a tangle of conspiracy, political machination, and legal brinksmanship—and transformed his understanding of mercy and justice forever.

Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic, gifted young lawyer’s coming of age, a moving window into the lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of true justice.

Winner of the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction • Winner of the NAACP Image Award for Nonfiction • Winner of a Books for a Better Life Award • Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize • Finalist for the Kirkus Reviews Prize • An American Library Association Notable Book

In 2014, I was fortunate to attend the American Library Association Annual Conference, where Bryan Stevenson was one of the speakers. He is not a fiery orator, but is obviously passionate about social justice and racism in this country, and has fought for most of his life to help the underserved. I think he reached every person in that audience on a personal, visceral level, and I immediately got hold of his new book and read it while I was at the conference.

The following year, I was invited to the Carnegie Awards dinner where Stevenson won the award for nonfiction. He gave what is generally considered to be the best acceptance speech ever at the American Library Association Annual Conference. Most of the people in that room were moved to tears.

The book and his talks touched me deeply. It is one of those books that stay with you. For years, apparently. Earlier this year, the Vice President of Academic Affairs at the university where I work sent out a suggested reading list on racism and social justice. This book was on the list, and I offered to do a book discussion on some of her choices. That book discussion turned into two faculty training sessions over the summer.

I asked my colleague, a woman of color, to help as I thought it best to have her perspective alongside my white privilege. It led to very interesting and informative discussions, and we were asked to do another faculty training this week jointly with Project Civitas, a university group that works on civility projects, and the committee for Teaching Excellence. I offered a synopsis of the book, some shocking statistics & additional resources that the professors might want to include in their classes.

Here are some statistics:

In 1972, there were 300,000 people in jails and prisons in the U.S.
In 2015, there were 2.3 million people in jails and prisons in the U.S.
The U.S. has the highest rate of incarceration in the world.
For every nine people who have been executed in the U.S., one person on death row has been exonerated and released.
There are six million people on probation and parole.
There are 70 million people with criminal arrest records.
The percentage of women going to prison has increased 640% in the last 20 years.
1 in 3 black male babies born in this country is expected to go to jail or prison.
There are 15 states with no minimum age for trying children as adults.

I found these statistics very disturbing. The book clearly illustrates many of these problems, and even better, offers solutions. Stevenson has been before the Supreme Court and won five times. It is because of him that children, some as young as 13 or 14, are not sentenced to die in prison anymore. He also won his case that people on death row who have dementia or other neurological diseases can no longer be put to death.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the National Memorial for Peace and Justice that was founded by the EJI. According to the website, it “opened to the public on April 26, 2018, is the nation’s first memorial dedicated to the legacy of enslaved Black people, people terrorized by lynching, African Americans humiliated by racial segregation and Jim Crow, and people of color burdened with contemporary presumptions of guilt and police violence. “

Here are a few resources that I found useful for my own edification:

The movie trailer:

The movie is excellent. It is streaming right now on HBO Max for subscribers or may be purchased on several other streaming sites.

Read an excerpt of “Just Mercy” https://www.npr.org/books/titles/

Visit the Equal Justice Initiative Website: https://eji.org/

HBO produced a documentary on Stevenson that is a sort of update on Just Mercy and is excellent. Here is the trailer:

Watch “True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality,” an HBO documentary streaming on HBO Max if you’re a subscriber, or anyone can stream it from the EJI website: https://eji.org/projects/true-justice/

From the 60 Minutes archives: The true story behind “Just Mercy”https://youtu.be/1VFtzfnbmvs

I opened the book discussion by asking this:

One of Stevenson’s persistent talking points is that the question is not whether the condemned deserves to die, but whether we deserve to kill. Do you agree? Or find this compelling?

That led to a very interesting discussion of the death penalty, which led to a discussion of systemic racism in our criminal justice system. The professors shared resources and ideas for assignments on social justice and racism that manage to tie in to every college.

There is a wonderful profile of Stevenson that was done in 2019 in the Wall Street Journal that is definitely worth a read: Bryan Stevenson’s Moral Clarity by Donovan X. Ramsey.

Just Mercy is a book worth reading and discussing on so many levels. I have now read it four times, and I can honestly say I feel like I have gotten something new out of it every time. Don’t miss it.

10/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

JUST MERCY by Bryan Stevenson. One World; Reprint Edition (August 18, 2015). ISBN 978-0812984965. 368 pages.

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WHITE FRAGILITY by Robin J. DiAngelo

September 23, 2020

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Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism

From the publisher:

The New York Times best-selling book exploring the counterproductive reactions white people have when their assumptions about race are challenged, and how these reactions maintain racial inequality.

In this “vital, necessary, and beautiful book” (Michael Eric Dyson), antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility and “allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to ‘bad people’ (Claudia Rankine). Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively.

“A vital, necessary, and beautiful book, a bracing call to white folk everywhere to see their whiteness for what it is and to seize the opportunity to make things better now.” —Michael Eric Dyson

Michael Dyson wrote the forward so that automatically gave this book on racism, written by a white woman, more legitimacy. There was still backlash, as in this piece in The Atlantic, The Dehumanizing Condescension of White Fragility by John McWhorter, a professor at Columbia University and contributing writer at The Atlantic.

So what is this book about? What is “white fragility”? DiAngelo defines it as “a state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive moves.” Defensive moves encompass anger, fear, guilt, argumentation, silence, and walking away from the situation. DiAngelo believes that white liberals are the biggest obstacle to racial equality because they “develop assumptions that allow them to absolve themselves of racism.” Or as Katy Wald wrote in the New Yorker. “DiAngelo has noticed that white people are sensationally, histrionically bad at discussing racism.”

There is a long list of ways that “white racial equilibrium” continues to function: “challenge to objectivity; challenge to white racial codes; challenge to white racial expectations and need/entitlement to racial comfort; challenge to colonialist relations; challenge to white solidarity; challenge to white liberalism; challenge to individualism; challenge to meritocracy; challenge to white authority; challenge to white centrality.”

But before we can address racism, we have to understand what it means and how it differs from racial prejudice and racial discrimination.

A person from any racial group can be racially prejudiced and can racially discriminate against a person from any other racial group. White people can do so against black people – and vice versa.

Racism is when one racial group has more power than another group and uses that power against its members in a systemic manner.

In other words, black people can be prejudiced and discriminate against white people – but they cannot be racist against them, because of the imbalance in power between the two groups.

I thought DiAngelo offered excellent explanations of these terms and really clarified the differences.

I highly recommend the Katy Wald article: Sociologist Examines the “White Fragility” That Prevents White Americans from Confronting Racism. She says, “DiAngelo addresses her book mostly to white people, and she reserves her harshest criticism for white liberals like herself (and like me), whom she sees as refusing to acknowledge their own participation in racist systems.” I am taking her criticism to heart.

Like most self-help books, I found this book extremely repetitive. DiAngelo makes some excellent points, and does it again and again and again and again and again. Honestly, I would heartily recommend this 17 page article she wrote: White Fragility, unless you feel you need more. It’s a good place to start, at least, and I believe this book grew out of that article.

9/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

WHITE FRAGILITY by Robin J. DiAngelo. Beacon Press; Reprint Edition (June 26, 2018). ISBN 978-0807047415. 192 pages.

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WE FED AN ISLAND by Jose Andres

March 11, 2020

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The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time

Also written by Richard Wolffe (co-author)

From the publisher:

The true story of how a group of chefs fed hundreds of thousands of hungry Americans after Hurricane Maria and touched the hearts of many more

Chef José Andrés arrived in Puerto Rico four days after Hurricane Maria ripped through the island. The economy was destroyed and for most people there was no clean water, no food, no power, no gas, and no way to communicate with the outside world.

Andrés addressed the humanitarian crisis the only way he knew how: by feeding people, one hot meal at a time. From serving sancocho with his friend José Enrique at Enrique’s ravaged restaurant in San Juan to eventually cooking 100,000 meals a day at more than a dozen kitchens across the island, Andrés and his team fed hundreds of thousands of people, including with massive paellas made to serve thousands of people alone. At the same time, they also confronted a crisis with deep roots, as well as the broken and wasteful system that helps keep some of the biggest charities and NGOs in business.

Based on Andrés’s insider’s take as well as on meetings, messages, and conversations he had while in Puerto Rico, We Fed an Island movingly describes how a network of community kitchens activated real change and tells an extraordinary story of hope in the face of disasters both natural and man-made, offering suggestions for how to address a crisis like this in the future.

Beyond that, a portion of the proceeds from the book will be donated to the Chef Relief Network of World Central Kitchen for efforts in Puerto Rico and beyond.

This was an upsetting and eye-opening read. It is also an important one; we need to learn from our mistakes. Not that the current president would ever admit to making one. I’m not going to get too political here, but only because Chef Andres does it way better than I possibly could. In case you’ve forgotten, this book is about the rescue efforts after the devastating hurricane nearly destroyed the island of Puerto Rico.

Chef Andres pulls no punches and he names names. In fact, there is an entire chapter about the incompetence of the Red Cross alone. But they are not the only ones to blame. It all starts, and ends, with FEMA and the current administration.

“We knew that downed communications and electricity would make life difficult, but Puerto Rico was still the United States,” Andrés writes in his introduction. “It couldn’t be as bad as Haiti. We thought we’d be back by the end of the week. We were wrong.”

This book is not an easy read. A lot of it is upsetting. There are bright spots, of course, and Chef Andres’s big, sunny personality shines light on every page, even when he’s crying. And he cries a lot, with good reason. It is also not an easy read because it is chock full of statistics and numbers, which are not my forte. But even I was able to understand this nightmare and why the numbers were so important.

“Even the measures of food were confusing and FEMA had no way of understanding what was going on. The Red Cross talked about pounds of food, while others were talking about pallets. We preferred to talk about meals, which was actually what FEMA’s contracts specified. All these counts went into a big Excel spreadsheet that FEMA maintained and emailed every day. At the bottom of the spreadsheet, the total count of food was supposed to be there for everyone to see. Instead, the count was a calculating error because there was no standard unit of food that everyone used. If FEMA couldn’t manage a spreadsheet, how could it manage an emergency?”

I chose this book to read with my Foodie Book Club at Lynn University. I selected it for a few reasons, one being that the university takes seriously its role in educating students on the importance of civility and giving back. In a really big way. The other is a more personal tie. Chef Andres started his World Central Kitchen foundation after the earthquake in Haiti. Lynn University also suffered a devastating loss to that earthquake.

Honoring their legacy: 10 years since the Haiti earthquake

Ten years ago, 12 Lynn University students and two faculty members visited Haiti as part of a humanitarian course called Journey of Hope. They served the poor and brought hope to countless people with visits to a children’s handicapped home and an all-girls orphanage.

Following their service on Jan. 12, 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Port-au-Prince. It devastated the island and took the lives of four of the 12 Lynn students and both faculty members. The university remembers Stephanie Crispinelli, Britney Gengel, Christine Gianacaci, Courtney Hayes, Dr. Patrick Hartwick and Dr. Richard Bruno every year, at the moment the earthquake struck.

There is a beautiful memorial on campus, and the university remembers everyone they lost each year.

Since the World Central Kitchen finished their work in Puerto Rico, they have been very busy. Most recently they sent meals to the people on board the Princess cruise ship that was quarantined in Japan. It is easy to understand why Chef Andres gets the accolades he does; he is an extraordinary man, and this book is just a small part of his legacy. Don’t miss it.

3/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

WE FED AN ISLAND by Jose Andres. Anthony Bourdain/Ecco; Reprint edition (September 3, 2019). ISBN 978-0062864499. 288.

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NOTHING FANCY by Alison Roman

December 17, 2019

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Unfussy Food for Having People Over

From the publisher:

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • It’s not entertaining. It’s having people over. The social media star, New York Times columnist, and author of Dining In helps you nail dinner with unfussy food, unstuffy vibes, and the permission to be imperfect.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW AND NPR • A PEOPLE 2019 FOOD FAVORITE

“Nothing Fancy delivers what those of hoping to up our dinner party game are looking for: It’s utterly current and distinctly doable.”—Eater

An unexpected weeknight meal with a neighbor or a weekend dinner party with fifteen of your closest friends—either way and everywhere in between, having people over is supposed to be fun, not stressful. This abundant collection of all-new recipes—heavy on the easy-to-execute vegetables and versatile grains, paying lots of close attention to crunchy, salty snacks, and with love for all the meats—is for gatherings big and small, any day of the week.

Alison Roman will give you the food your people want (think DIY martini bar, platters of tomatoes, pots of coconut-braised chicken and chickpeas, pans of lemony turmeric tea cake) plus the tips, sass, and confidence to pull it all off. With Nothing Fancy, any night of the week is worth celebrating.

I loved Alison Roman’s last cookbook, Dining In, so much that it was my choice for best cookbook of 2018. So I was really looking forward to this new one, and it does not disappoint. It has a definite audience this time out as it is a book all about entertaining. Now if you are thinking, I’d rather go out for dinner with friends than cook for them, this cookbook may change your mind!

She starts off with Snack Time, and there are lots of recipes divided by type: Dips, Spreads, and Stuff on Crackers; Fruits & Vegetables; Crunchy Things, Salty Things. That is followed by Salads, which are subdivided into Leafy Salads, Crunchy Salads, and the intriguing Kind-of Salads. Then come the sides, Vegetables and Grains, etc. Mains are next and include Meat, Fish, Pasta, etc. and the final chapter, appropriately titled, After Dinner.

Roman starts off the book with a page headed with “This is not a book about entertaining.” An interesting way to start! It is your introduction and Roman explains the how and why of her writing this particular book. She wants the takeaway to be: “Using your time and resources to feed people you care about is the ultimate expression of love…You got this.” Works for me. She then offers “three helpful things…ask for help; pick your battles; never apologize.” All excellent suggestions.

The ubiquitous grocery list comes next, what you should have on hand, but with an Alison Roman spin. Olive oil, sure, but her take on it? “not the fanciest or the cheapest; make sure it’s something you wouldn’t mind licking from a spoon.” She recommends kitchen equipment and pantry essentials as well.

Remember that first chapter, “snacks?” Roman warns not to confuse those with hors d’oeuvres or canapes. She says “snacks are breezy, snacks are fun.” Who doesn’t want breezy when you’ve invited people over? A most unusual snack that was tailor-made for my husband is Spicy Marinated Anchovies with Potato Chips. If you don’t love anchovies, and I don’t, then probably not for you. But definitely interesting! I like an anchovy in my Caesar dressing, and always use a couple in my Puttanesca sauce. Other snacks that I find intriguing are the Spicy Tomato-Marinated Feta, and the Crispy Haloumi with Honey and Pistachio. And even though I don’t love anchovies, “A Better Garlic Bread/Caramelized Garlic on Toast with Anchovies” is delicious.

I love recipes that can be made in advance, or better yet, ones that you forgot to make in advance, well, let’s make it now! Like “Overnight Focaccia, Tonight!” The salads are all super easy and very different, like “Lemony Watercress with Raw and Toasted Fennel,” “Iceberg with Pecorino, Crushed Olives, and Pickled Chile,” and “Celery and Fennel with Walnuts and Blue Cheese;” I’ll take all three, please! Not to mention the “Little Gems with Garlicky Lemon and Pistachio,” I am all over that. Those Little Gems are just adorable, and this makes a beautiful salad.

Sides are a wonderful assortment from “Mustardy Green Beans with Anchovyed Walnuts,” (there are those anchovies again); “Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Maple and Sour Cream,” which is as delicious as it is beautiful; and the irresistible “Baked Potato Bar.” You can use some of the “acceptable toppings include but are not limited to” sour cream and chives, but also Trout or Salmon roe, and finely chopped fresh dill. The “Frizzled Chickpeas and Onions with Feta and Oregano” will leave your guests talking for sure. Who knew the humble chickpea could be such a star!

The mains are well represented as well, and most have a do-ahead component. “One-Pot Chicken with Dates and Caramelized Lemon” includes a note that you can make this a few hours ahead, and keep in in a Dutch oven at room temperature. It can be reheated for 10-15 minutes if you want. Even better, the “Coconut-Braised Chicken with Chickpeas ad Lime” can be made up to 2 days ahead, and the “Harissa-Rubbed Pork Shoulder with White Beans and Chard” can be made 3 days ahead, and “Soy-Braised Brisket with Carmelized Honey and Garlic” can be made up to 5 days ahead. I can just feel her knocking down any argument about entertaining when you have days to prepare. Stress just flies out the window!

Desserts for Ms. Roman are optional, but she includes some interesting and beautiful ones to pick from. The cakes can mostly be baked a day or two ahead. “Crushed Blackberry and Cornmeal Cake” is not over the top sweet, if that is your preference, while the “Crispy Chocolate Cake with Hazelnut and Sour Cream” is made with Nutella – need I say more? The “Coconut Banana Cream Pudding” is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, with the pudding being made a day or two ahead and the whole thing assembled well before your guests arrive. Finally, the publisher has provided a couple of recipes if you’d like to try on the Amazon page, or if you have a subscription to the New York Times Cooking (worth it!) some of the recipes are there. Enjoy!

12/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

NOTHING FANCY by Alison Roman. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (September 25, 2018). ISBN 978-0544816220. 400p.

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