Books – Page 21 – …on the B.L.

We Were Eight Years in Power by Ta-Nehisi Coates

March 31, 2019 RaeAnna

Worth a Read YES
Length 400
Quick Review Eight pieces previously written by Ta-Nehisi Coates are combined with observations and opinions he has looking back while We Were Eight Years in Power.

*We Were Eight Years in Power* at Oak Alley Plantation | Shirt | Jeans | Shoes | Sunglasses

I am ashamed to say I had not read a Ta-Nehisi Coates book until We Were Eight Years in Power. From the very first page, I was hooked. The majority of Coates’ writing has focused on race in the U.S, and he has become known as a “black writer” for better or worse. Over the course of Obama’s presidency, Coates wrote a great deal. Looking back over that time, he chose eight pieces to document those eight years. Before each, he included addendums, thoughts, opinions, hopes, and more.

From the very first page, I was a little in love with Coates’ style. There is some tongue-in-cheek phrasing throughout We Were Eight Years in Power to subversively emphasize the all too present hypocrisy, blindness, and iniquity within American society. I love reading simultaneously intelligent and accessible works. Coates is like your favorite professor who is really smart but also swears a little. He has a truly remarkable knowledge base spanning classics, science, pop culture references – I absolutely looked up 96.92% of the latter – and everything in between. Reading this was overwhelmingly stimulating in the best kind of way.

One of the most fascinating pieces was “The Case For Reparations.” It was amazing and chilling. Coates brings a light to the haunting realities black Americans live with on a daily basis. Americans (read that as white Americans) need to read it. We cannot be a country divided. To survive, we need to face history. Ruins are not just in Rome, they are all around us. We live in the ruins we created centuries ago. Chicago comes up a great deal throughout We Were Eight Years in Power for good reason. It is a prime example of what we have yet to overcome, “Today Chicago is one of the most segregated cities in the country, a fact that reflects assiduous planning.” If we refuse to even acknowledge the reality of Chicago, how can we possibly move forward?

*We Were Eight Years in Power* by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Obama was the first black president. The progress was followed by a giant side step/fall/catastrophe. Trump won the presidency. (Sadly.) Coates is a realist, but there is an optimist underneath. Like many others, Coates did not believe it was possible for Trump to win, but win he did. Coates was wrong. (Sadly.) The optimist helped him believe in America, even though his career has focused on the stubborn and insidious white supremacy rooted in American tradition, society, and legal institutions. Hope helped so many believe Trump was impossible. Fear made it possible.

I love We Were Eight Years in Power. Ta-Nehisi Coates is a master of words and insight. They say the pen is mightier than the sword. His pen is not a sword. It’s a scalpel cutting precisely to dissect society and humanity to see the reality our country faces. As I was reading Coates’ words, I wondered if he ever reads his writing and thinks ‘damn, I am a magician with words.’

Buy on Amazon | Buy on Book Depository

Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3529801″]

*By the way, I decided to take the pictures for this book in front of slaves’ quarters at Oak Alley Plantation. Our history and current success is due to the thousands and thousands of people who were never considered people at all. They were stolen from their homes, owned, beaten, raped, murdered, and more. America needs to start recognizing history as it happened not how it has been taught or recorded for generations.

Memorable Quotes
“All my life I had watched women support the dreams of men, hand over their own dreams to men, only to wonder, in later years, whether it was all worth it.”
“America had a biography, and in that biography, the shackling of black people – slaves and free – featured prominently.”
“White people are, in some profound way, trapped; it took generations to make them white, and it will take more to unmake them.”
“I would like to believe in God. I simply can’t.”
“The essence of American racism is disrespect.”

Title: We Were Eight Years in Power; An American Tragedy
Author: Ta-Nehisi Coates
Publisher: One World (Penguin Random House)
Copyright: 2017
ISBN: 9780399590573

Books, NonFiction

The Bold World by Jodie Patterson

March 25, 2019 RaeAnna

Worth A Read Most Definitely
Length 352
Quick Review A deep dive into gender, race, relationships, and what it means to grow and be human. Jodie Patterson confronts it all when she realizes her daughter is her son, Penelope.

The Bold World by Jodie Patterson is wonderful. Honestly, I loved it. I had never been heard of her before reading the book, which is nice because I don’t have any preconceived notions. All I really knew was it was about being a mother to a trans son. Yay! Supporting women and the LGBTQIA people! It’s what I’m all about, plus I love reading and educating myself about these things.

About more than just her son, The Bold World is absolutely Jodie Patterson’s story. She begins with her early life and family. There is a commitment to family in every page of this book. Patterson allows herself and the people in her life to be as complex as people are prone to being. Never sidestepping the contradictions, feelings, pain, confusion of humanity. Anecdotes are relaid with a matter-of-factness, which leaves no room for question. It happened. She manages to communicate her self-love and mistakes without ever being apologetic for either.

Courageous is how I would describe The Bold World. It takes a brave heart to lay out the complexities of being woman, of being black in America today. To openly struggle with being a strong black woman and a mother of trans son is another level. Opening up about the ups, downs and absolute mystery of mothering well in a world that too often vilifies different is courageous. It is heartbreaking and overwhelming hopeful all at the same time.

The topic of transgender is still such a new concept for so many people. Jodie Patterson is helping to tear down the walls separating normal and other in The Bold World. It is inspirational and necessary. Not only does she tackle trans-issues, she talks about skin color, gender, sexism, family, motherhood, marriage, and being human. It is a remarkable story told with grace and hope.

Memorable Quotes
“The South, I knew had the power to fix anything. There was spirit in the soil.”
“…sometimes the king is a woman.”
“this correlation between money and control, where control is in the hands of men, and women are often excluded, or minimized, from the conversation.”

Buy on Amazon | Buy on Book Depository

Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3522329″]

Title: The Bold World; A Memoir of Family and Transformation
Author: Jodie Patterson
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Copyright: 2019
ISBN: 9780399179013

Books, Fiction

American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson

March 9, 2019 RaeAnna

Reading American Spy on a cruise. | Cute and comfy one-piece swimsuit.

Worth A Read Meh
Length 304
Quick Review I wouldn’t read American Spy for the mystery, but I would read it for the nuance, depth of understanding, and style. Lauren Wilkinson makes an impression in her debut novel.

Lauren Wilkinson sets her novel, American Spy, against the backdrop of the spread of communism during the Cold War. Wilkinson writes a beautiful novel about the ferocity of a mother’s love.

Marie Mitchell is a former FBI operative of Caribbean descent. When her home is broken into late one night, her past compromises the safety of her children. Marie writes about her journey to the FBI and operations with the CIA to explain to her past and decisions to her two young sons. A love story unfolds as Marie, the American Spy, is pulled by country, love, duty, and relationships.

I really enjoyed reading American Spy, but I would not come for the mystery. It is absolutely predictable and not terribly interesting. Then again, I never have any difficulty predicting love stories or mystery plots. What is interesting is Wilkinson’s ability to weave a story and her ability to delve into the complexities of human nature, feeling, and personal history. She also utilizes French words and sayings to add authenticity to Marie’s Caribbean heritage. Wilkinson doesn’t over simplify the French but makes it accessible to non-francophiles.

American Spy has a really interesting organization. Time is not linear, nor is there any specific organization. It reads the way the diary of a distraught person would. A bit jumpy. Talking about the past, the present, important people, events, and minor tangents. It’s a brilliant way of transporting the reader into Marie’s mental state. The majority of the time, Marie is telling a story but often utilizes “you” referencing her two sons.

Wilkinson explores the complexities of human nature and racial charges. American Spy is charged with the difficulties of being a professional woman and a professional black woman in the white, good-ole boy club. Wilkinson demonstrates so many prevalent issues throughout her novel without ever seeming preachy or condescending.

I enjoyed reading American Spy; it is definitely a great vacation read.

Memorable Quotes
“My parents had nothing but their children in common.”
“I think that conclusion was drawn too neatly – people are too complex for such simple arithmetic – but I understand the purpose it serves.”
““I don’t like to say what I’ve read. That’s how you disclose the most about yourself. I never make notes in a book or underline passages either. That’s even more revealing.””
“But for you, for black American boys, the middle class can’t help guarantee your safety.”

Buy on Amazon | Buy on Book Depository
Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3503945″]

Title: American Spy
Author: Lauren Wilkinson
Publisher: Random House
Copyright: 2019
ISBN: 9780812998955

Books, NonFiction

Work Optional by Tanja Hester

February 21, 2019 RaeAnna

It’s hard not to feel like a pretty at Oak Alley. | Missguided Dress | Target Shoes | Jean Jacket | Sunglasses | Book

Worth A Read Yes
Length 288
Quick Review Whether you’re trying to retire in your early 40s or just trying to get a handle on responsible spending, Work Optional by Tanja Hester is a great motivational book.

Tanja Hester retired at 38 with her husband. She began her Work Optional life before her 40th birthday. In her book, she lays out the steps she and her husband took to save money without cutting back on the little joys.

Hester emphasizes the importance of balance. There is a balance between saving and living because living for retirement should not be the time people start living. We have only one life, so it should be a priority to enjoy all the moments of it.

Work Optional seems to be about money and finance. It is. It definitely is. More importantly, it is about prioritising or reprioritising based on the things that bring joy into one’s life. Hester spends the first part of the book discussing how to frame life and make a game plan in order to enjoy that life to the fullest. The next part is how to go about making that happen by making feasible financial plans. The last part is how to put those plans into action. Hester peppers the book with personal anecdotes and anecdotes from others who have also successful started making plans. The inclusion of others’ experiences helps cater to the vast variation of lives being lived.

Hester takes a topic and spins it into something entertaining and inspiring which could otherwise be incredibly dry and boring. Financial matters can be terribly unbearable to read if they are done poorly. Hester weaves the personal with the numbers to make the numbers into something relatable and worth working for.

I enjoyed reading Work Optional because it is motivating to spend on what is important and not on the unnecessary. I am lucky to work doing what I love, but someday, I would love to cut back those hours to enjoy living. This is a great resource to start planning for those days.

Buy on Amazon | Buy on Book Depository
Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3484888″]

Memorable Quotes
“I was barely out of college even I realized that I could be super successful on paper and even earn loads of money, but shirk probably ever fulfill me the way I hoped.”
“When it comes to sticking to financial goals, simple is virtually always better.”

[I love being able to travel with my work. I took these pictures at Oak Alley in Louisiana just outside of New Orleans. It was chilly, but I love this dress from Missguided. It’s a knockoff of a very expensive dress, which I bought for under $20. Yay sale shopping! A jean jacket goes with everything. Even on overcast days, I like to have a pair of sunglasses handy; these pastel purple shades are super cute and inexpensive. I’m also in love with my Target shoes.]

Title: Work Optional
Author: Tanja Hester
Publisher: Hachette Books
Copyright: 2019
ISBN: 9780316450898

Books, Reading Lists

Cruise Reading List

February 17, 2019February 17, 2019 RaeAnna

My suitcase is packed. My books are packed in my favorite weekender. I have my sunhat ready to go. Wearing my comfiest shoes and yoga pants for a roadtrip!

I’m off on another adventure. Technically, it’s my first adventure of the year. The year rolled over while I was on my last adventure. I’m spending a few days with family in New Orleans before heading on my first cruise. A bunch of my mom’s side of the family are taking a cruise to Mexico to celebrate my grandma’s 80th birthday!

I am working the next couple of days, but I am not working while on the cruise. Well, I’m not working three of the four and a half days on the cruise. Those three days will be the first days I’ve not worked in…. years. I’ll be doing work for the blog like taking pictures and writing. I like to think of that as fun(work). It’s work, but I love it.

I will actually get to sit down and read. Actually dedicate time to reading. I’m super behind on my reading list, so hopefully, I can catch up over the next few days. Fingers crossed. Besides reading, I get to actually put on clothes and look like a human being!!!

Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3479329″]

Work Optional: Retire Early the Non-Penny-Pinching Way
Tanja Hester
I’m currently reading this. It’s full of lots of great ideas. I kind of feel like I’m living a work optional life because I have the freedom of taking my work with me everywhere I go.
We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy
Ta-Nehisi Coates
I’m really excited to read this one.
Mother Winter
Sophia Shalmiyev
I’m looking forward to this memoir about emigration and motherhood.
The Bold World; A Memoir of Family and Transformation
Jodie Patterson
I love the cover, and I’m looking forward to reading about a mother’s journey with a trans child.
French Quarter Fiction; The Newest Stories of America’s Oldest Bohemia
Editor: Joshua Clark
I love New Orleans, and this is an obvious choice since I’m in the city.
American Spy
Lauren Wilkinson
I love the cover a whole bunch. The story sounds pretty great too.
Dreyer’s English; An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style
Benjamin Dreyer
My inner language nerd is going to have so much time reading this. This is my version of porn.

Books, Fiction

Homeward Hound by Rita Mae Brown

February 16, 2019 RaeAnna

Should I Read Meh
Length 336
Quick Review Traditions refuse to change in Homeward Hound even when a snow storm threatens the Christmas hunt. Everyone makes it home safe except one.

Homeward Hound by Rita Mae Brown is comprised of elements, which should make me like it. Unfortunately, they are just that. Elements failing to come together to create a memorable book. What I thought would be a huge cast of dynamic characters was a bland smoothie.

The basic gist: A whole bunch of characters are gathering in the Virginia countryside for the traditional run days before Christmas. The run is steeped in 400 years of tradition and hierarchy. The hierarchy is further bolstered by the social structure of the area they all live. Toss in a pipeline and a wealthy gentleman, who goes missing.

Brown begins Homeward Hound with a list of characters including the humans and the animals. Each character was accompanied by their traits and role within the group. I like the concept when there are so many characters involved because the story doesn’t have to explain it in the story. Unfortunately, the story still felt the need to, so it was basically a waste of time reading those pages. Brown has one family and their “African American”ness was emphasized. Instead of feeling inclusive, it felt racist for needing to point out this otherness in rural Virginia. I got it, they’re black in a sea of white folk in a literal blizzard.

Having a pipeline and a missing person were the main driving forces behind the plot in Homeward Hound, but neither did a great job of making me want to read more.

My favorite part of the entire novel was the way Brown decided to deal with dialogue. The animals had conversations among themselves in the midst of human interactions. The human dialogue was noted in the traditional way with quotes. When the animals spoke, their conversations were italicized, so the reader would know an animal was speaking instead of a two legged character.

I do really like the cover art and the concept of Homeward Hound. The elements just did not come together in a cohesive and compelling enough way to make me enjoy reading the book. I like the cover more than the content.

Buy on Amazon | Buy on Book Depository

Memorable Quotes
“nonagenarian”
“Because those people on the hunt field measured up to sartorial tradition close to four hundred years in practice.”

Title: Homeward Hound
Author: Rita Mae Brown
Publisher: Ballantine Books (Penguin Random House)
Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 9780399178375