Amazon – …on the B.L.

A Month in Siena by Hisham Matar

April 17, 2020 RaeAnna

Worth A Read Yes
Length 135
Quick Review It has been Matar’s dream to see Sienese art in person, and he documents that dream in this minute memoir.

20200414_145841 — Finding ways to enjoy art while quarantined. | A Month in Siena

If you have a love for art and a desire to not be trapped inside your own home anymore, A Month in Siena by Hisham Matar is a great little book to read. It’s beautiful, inspiring, and consumable in an afternoon.

Matar was drawn to Siena because of the art. After his father died, he found himself immersed in the Sienese School of painting in museums around the world. Over the years, it became a comforting obsession for him. He looked for it everywhere and had a burning desire to explore it more in its home city of Siena, Italy. After publishing The Return, he wanted to center himself and relax, so he made his way to Siena for a month, where he dove head first into the art world and focused on eight significant pieces.

One of my favorite things about reading is the tactility of it. A Month in Siena is a beautiful book with glossy pages and images of some of the notable paintings he mentions within the pages. When talking about art, it’s important to see what is being discussed, and Matar wants the reader to visual immerse themselves in the art as much as he did.

It is more than a memoir or a book about art, it’s a love letter to Siena, to Sienese art, and art history. Matar writes with the confidence of a seasoned writer but with the excitement of a toddler reaching for a favorite sweet. It is evident, he has found himself in the middle of his own personal heaven in Siena. He speaks about getting lost and falling in love with the tangible city instead of the dream he had built up in his mind throughout his life. He fell in love with the city which inspired his beloved art, but he also fell in love with meeting people and unlocking a deeper part of his soul.

The book is beautiful, but you have to have an appreciation and love for art and art history because that is what A Month in Siena is about: Matar’s love for art and the history of the Sienese School of painting. He has a beautiful way of crafting insightful passages, “With every step I pressed deeper into it and, as though in response, it made room.” The sentences create a picture of who he is as a writer but also as a person. He gives meaning to things and the interconnection of everything, “that cities are there in part to render us more intelligent and more intelligible to each other.”

Matar lets the reader into a part of his soul with this tiny memoir. His reverence for art and history come across in every line. I liked reading A Month in Siena, but it’s definitely for a specific demographic of reader.

Memorable Quotes
“I remember thinking I did not mind dying – that it would have to come at some point – but that I was not quite ready yet, that dying now would be a waste, given how much time I had s not learning how to live.”
“And it must surely follow that what lies behind our longing and nostalgia is exactly this need to be accounted for.”

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna

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Title: A Month in Siena
Author: Hisham Matar
Publisher: Random House
Copyright: 2019
ISBN: 9780593129135

Books, NonFiction

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

February 12, 2020 RaeAnna

Worth A Read Yes
Length 320
Quick Review “Not Racist” is inherently racist. We’re all racist, but some of us are actively fighting against racism in the world and within ourselves, and that’s called antiracism.

wp-1581561740133 — Reading How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi in Houston, Texas. | Dress | Headband |

I didn’t know who Ibram X. Kendi was until this book. Now I’m a fan. I would love to go to coffee with him and discuss racism, history, and the meaning of life. He seems like the kind of guy who will point out how you’re being an asshole and let you grow from it because he spends How to Be an Antiracist pointing out the times he was a racist and grew from it. These are my favorite people; the people who acknowledge their growth by admitting the reality of their pasts. If only all of history could do the same, the world would be in a much better place. Books like this one are a step in that direction. It calls attention to history at large and personal to demonstrate and juxtapose how the two intertwine and affect each other. History is an amalgam of individual’s choices for good or bad, and all of those choices converge to create society, thought, and policy, which in turn influence individual choice for good or bad.

Kendi doesn’t state anything revolutionary. If you’re tuned into policy, psychology, history, anthropology, sexuality, philology, African/African-American studies, sociology, gender studies, feminism, ethnic studies, etc., you’ll be aware of most of the topics and ideas in How to Be an Antiracist. The difference is in the wording. Kendi writes clearly and effectively, saying what he means even, especially, when it makes people uncomfortable. I had to stop taking notes and writing down quotes because there were so many poignant moments of blatant honesty. He names things as they are instead of finding a polite way of identifying racism, “Only racists shy away from the R-word – racism is steeped in denial.” As a writer, linguist, and reader, I’m a words person. I like them to be exact, and Kendi is the same. I love that Kendi does not like the word “microaggression” because of its inexactness. As an advocate, I have always used the exact words to describe things because anything else gives room for people to make excuses and shirk personal responsibility. Kendi calls racism racism, especially when it makes people uncomfortable. I’ve always believed people are uncomfortable because they can see themselves in it.

How to Be an Antiracist is told through personal anecdotes, world history, policy, and culture. Kendi points out what’s wrong with society, policy, and everything by pointing out the ways he has had to face and overcome his own racism while breaking stereotypes, destroying myths, and shedding light on the truth.

The book is pretty much summed up in the quote, “We know how to be racist. We know how to pretend to be not racist. Now let’s know how to be antiracist.” For more clarification on the term antiracist and the title, this quote speaks for itself,

“The opposite of “racist” isn’t “not racist.” It is “antiracist.” What’s the difference? One endorses either the of racial hierarchy as a racist, or racial equality as an antiracist. One either believes problems are rooted in groups of people, as a racist, or locates the roots of problems in power and policies, as an antiracist. One either allows racial inequities to persevere, as a racist, or confronts racial inequities, as an antiracist. There is no inbetween safe space of “not racist.” The claim of “not racist” neutrality is a mask for racism.”

How to Be an Antiracist is intellectually stimulating and emotionally draining. Racism is rampant, systemic, cyclical, institutional, and ingrained in culture, history, religion, and policy. So many lines felt like a punch to the chest. I will never have to live in a world where my skin is viewed as a crime and a threat. I will never be able to comprehend that kind of pain, but Kendi’s words cut, making me ache to hug the pain away for every person who has been wronged, forgotten, abused, and left behind. I was also left to question, ‘What would I have done in that White person’s shoes. Would I make those same racist choices? Or would I have been better, done better?’

Not only is Kendi a brilliant writer and scholar, he is a role model. Everyone has internal biases, which is a nice way of saying: we’re all racists. It’s hard to confront the ugly parts of ourselves, but society can’t move forward until we do so. Kendi is setting an example and a new standard for the way allies, advocates, and activists create change. He does so from the very first page in his introduction where he calls himself out for his racist ideas and misconceptions about the community he belongs to.

People often think books about racism or Black culture are antiwhite, but that, in and of itself, is a racist idea. As How to Be an Antiracist states, “The only thing wrong with White people is when they embrace racist ideas and policies and then deny their ideas and policies are racist.” Calling attention to racism is just that: calling attention to racism. It doesn’t matter your background, ethnicity, education, intelligence, skin color, we are all capable of being racist, but we are all capable of combating that and being antiracist.

Memorable Quotes
“Internalized racism is the real Black on Black crime.”
“Racism itself is institutional, structural, and systemic.”
“The Black child is ill-treated like an adult, and the Black adult is ill-treated like a child.”
“Racist ideas make people of color think less of themselves, which makes them more vulnerable to racist ideas. Racist ideas make White people think more of themselves, which further attracts them to racist ideas.”
“The use of standardized tests to measure aptitude and intelligence is one of the most effective racist policies ever devised to degrade Black minds and legally exclude Black bodies.”
“Racist ideas love believers, not thinkers.”

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna

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Title: How to Be An Antiracist
Author: Ibram X. Kendi
Publisher: One World (Penguin Random House)
Copyright: 2019
ISBN: 9780525509288

Books, NonFiction

The Black Book

February 8, 2020 RaeAnna

Worth A Read Yes
Length 224
Quick Review A heartbreaking history of Africans’ struggle to gain humanity, recognition, rights, and the hope for equality in America from 1619 through the 1940s.

wp-1581016286017 — The Black Book is a devastating history lesson. | Dress | Sweater | Purse | Glasses | Shoes |

The Black Book is absolutely soul crushing and devastating. I read it through tears and fought back bouts of nausea. It is incredibly affecting. I have too many feelings and a lot of guilt during and after reading. I can’t get the words or the images out of my mind.

Tony Morrison prefaces the book with an incredibly powerful piece. It took my breath away, and I was only on page one.

History is white-washed more often than not. We have a tendency to romanticize and paint a much prettier picture than the realities people endured. This is particularly atrocious throughout American history and the treatment of the black community. The Black Book is dedicated to an honest history and depiction of life and society. Though it’s not a happy picture, it’s a picture deserving to be told and heard and taught. If history is not learned, it’s doomed to be repeated. We cannot repeat the history contained within these pages.

The book contains first pictures, news articles, poems, songs, advertisements, excerpts, laws, myths, patents, facts, sports, legends, religion, and so much more. History is being told through the lens of the time period. There is no explanation. The editors give the reader the information and allow them to take away what they will. Although, it would be hard to read it without having a horrible view on history. The editors do not edit or politically correctisize (it’s a word now) the word usage. Racist words and expressions are kept to reflect the times and the hatred the black community faced.

Death is better than slavery was a recurring theme throughout. There are stories of men and women fighting back, running away, supporting one another, and standing up for themselves and their community. For all the awfulness throughout The Black Book, there is more time spent highlighting the successes and brilliance of the black community than the nightmares imposed by the white people who dictated society.

There is no part of society that has not been touched and improved by a black person. Throughout history they have fought for the basic right to exist and fought their way into every sphere of culture. Not only were they a part of these spheres, they excelled when everyone told them they couldn’t and weren’t allowed. The Black Book is a testament to black excellence in the face of oppression, violence, and subjugation. For the few who found success, changed culture, opened minds, and affected the law, there are thousands upon millions more who never received the chance. History is a horror, but it can teach us to learn from the mistakes already made.

I have no doubt, you will be haunted by The Black Book if you take the time to read it, and I highly suggest you do. I finished it with tears in my eyes and hope in my heart. The world is changing. Not as fast as it should, but it is changing. Maybe someday, The Black Book will be a distant memory, but that day is not today. We can still feel the echoes of history loudly in our culture.

Memorable Quotes
“Steal away, steal away, steal away home. I ain’t got long to stay here.”
“They failed to ask my name and called me negro.” Henry Dumas

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna

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Title: The Black Book
Editor: Middleton A. Harris, Morris Levitt, Roger Furman
Publisher: Random House
Copyright: 2019
ISBN: 9781400068487

Books, NonFiction

The Cartiers by Francesca Cartier Brickell

January 28, 2020January 28, 2020 RaeAnna

Worth A Read Yes
Length 656
Quick Review Not only is it a history of an incredible family, it’s a history of the world and how they changed it through their creative genius, and kindness.

wp-1580254640861 — *The Cartiers* by Francesca Cartier Brickell talks about drawing inspiration from the world, and I’m always inspired by animals. | Flannel Shirt | Sweater Dress | Hunter Boots | Headband |

Cartier has come to signify opulence and timelessness. The brand continues to be one of the most globally recognizable. It all started with Louis-François Cartier in Paris in 1847. The family history of the great jewelry brand is told in The Cartiers by one of the founders direct descendants. Francesca Cartier Brickell is the great-great-great granddaughter of Louis-François Cartier and granddaughter to the last Cartier to control the family business. The book began when Brickell found a long lost box of letters hidden in the wine cellar at her grandfather’s birthday party. Brickell began reading and piecing together her family’s history like the beautiful mystery it is.

Cartier had humble beginnings. Louis-François Cartier grew up poor and learned the trade before fighting to open his own store. His son Alfred joined the business, helping it grow into something larger and more renowned. Louis, Pierre, and Jacques, Alfred’s three sons, joined the company; they would be the people who took the company from nationally beloved to a global powerhouse.

The reason Cartier became Cartier is because of their dedication to kindness and discretion. Kindness was of the utmost importance from the company’s origins, “”Be very kind,” Louis-François would advise his son, Alfred, outlining a key tenet of his life’s philosophy.” A willingness to adopt new technologies also played an integral role, “Cartier was one of the first firms to have electricity in Paris.” They were able to create new technologies, which enabled them to create stunning jewelry never seen before. It also helped that the Cartier children made advantageous marriages within the fashion and aristocratic elite. The atmosphere also created the company, “Cartier became like an extended family as staff were united by their shared experiences. It wasn’t just the designers, craftsmen, and salesmen who became close, but their wives and children too.” Fathers and sons would work side-by-side in the workshops and sales floors. The Cartiers were able to find talent and nurture it in each other and their craftsmen.

Family came first in the Cartier family, and they were unified. The company lasted three generations. The fourth did not grow up together, so they did not have the same affinity for family unity their fathers had. It would eventually be their downfall.

Francesca Cartier Brickell does an amazing job pulling the reader into the story. Her personal investment in the history she told seeps through every word. She talks about her ancestors with compassion and reverence even when she tells the uglier sides of the story. She shares amazing anecdotes about the clients who frequented and who famously did not. There is a focus on the third generation with the three brothers and their contributions. Louis, Pierre, and Jacques were all visionaries in their own right. It was the generation which made Cartier iconic, but it is also the generation she had a connection to. Her grandfather was the eldest son of Jacques, and she learned much through conversations with him.

The book contains beautiful moments of insight into the family’s life. Brickell excerpts from letters between the family and other significant people in their lives. There are boxes containing “Conversations with Jean-Jacques,” Brickell’s grandfather, the last Cartier to run the business. These moments give Jean-Jacques’ personal opinions, thoughts on jewelry pieces, the family, business, history, and more. They are poignant and beautiful. Cartier is known for spectacular jewelry worn by the wealthiest and most important people in history. Jewelry spotlights discuss some of the most unique, challenging or memorable pieces they made.

One of the most repeated phrases in the book was the phase upheld by the company and the family, “Never copy, only create.” They drew inspiration from the world, history, and other cultures, but they never copied or drew inspiration from other jewelry or designers. Creating was their purpose in life, and they did just that.

The Cartiers is a story of the world’s elite social and political life as much as it is the story of the Cartier family and business. Francesca Cartier Brickell paints a beautiful story of a complicated family who defied the odds to become the greatest craftsmen in the world to create for Kings and Presidents and Sultans and the wealthiest men and women in the world.

Fun Fact The New York office, still standing and used today, was traded for a pearl necklace. The necklace was traded on behalf of Maisie Plant by her husband Morton Plant in 1916. The necklace would go on to be a fraction of the price a few years later because cultured pearls were created. The trade for the building on 5th Avenue was one of the savviest business deals made by Cartier and possibly in history. “…it wasn’t as absurd as it sounds today. Buildings, after all, could be built or rebuilt, but finding a perfect natural pearl could take months, even years. And finding enough good-quality perfectly matched pearls for a necklace, well, that could take decades.” Jean-Jacques Cartier

Memorable Quotes
“Every piece was unique.”
“Despite the widespread changes in society after the First World War, an innate snobbery persisted in blue-blooded aristocratic circles.”
“Never copy, only create.”

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna

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Title: The Cartiers; The Untold Story of the Family Behind the Jewelry Empire
Author: Francesca Cartier Brickell
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Copyright: 2019
ISBN: 9780525351614

11..., Experiences, Lifestyle, Travel

11… Of My Home For A Midwestern Holidays Activities

January 6, 2020 RaeAnna

I went home for the holidays. Home is such a vague word because I consider home to be Houston and wherever my people are. Other than that, I was in Minnesota, Chicago, and Iowa. I got to spend time with most of the people that matter most to me in this world.

Three long road trips to Chicago to Ames to home [Houston] with my favorite man and being, aka my life pawtner aka my boyfriend and my dog.
Stopping at the World’s Largest Truck Stop in Davenport, Iowa. | Crop Sherpa Jacket | Yogas | Red Wellies | Stud Earrings | Glasses |
I played with horses in Minnesota. Alex’s mom has a horse farm in the middle of nowhere Minnesota, and it’s one of my favorite places on Earth. The farm is surrounded by bluffs, and it’s just beautiful. I was only there for two days, but it was a great way to start my holiday trip.
I love horsie cuddles!!! | Wool Skirt | Sweater | Stud Earrings |
Had a family Christmas in Effingham, where Mom and Dad are building their retirement lake home. While Mom was showing us the sight, we got the car stuck. None of us wore the right shoes, but we pushed anyways and made it back onto the road. Girl Power.
We were all visibly thrilled about the situation.
I dressed up with my sisters and Beau on Christmas morning to be Santa and her elves because we don’t require Santa to be a man in our family. I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything as cute as Beau in a Santa costume. Made my entire year.
Elf Pajamas | Elf Hats | Santa Costume
One of my Christmas presents was two tickets to The Second City for their Do You Believe in Madness? Show, critiquing the modern political climate and culture in general. Kelsey and I went and had an AMAZING time. I don’t know if I’ve ever laughed that much in a two hour period. (I probably have, but it was at myself, so it doesn’t count.) We had front row seats, and they served hot chocolate. I mean, it was made for me.
Enjoying Chicago. | OTK Boots | Coat | Hat | Purse | Scarf
I got to spend the evening with my brother and sister-in-law in Chicago, enjoying good food, yummy chocolates, and even better company.
Two of my favorite people!!! | Jeans | OTK Boots | Sweater | Scarf | Earrings |
Beau got bit by my parents’ new rescue dog. Stay tuned for more on this week’s Blog + Dog for more details. She’s fine, but it was ruff.
I did some unnecessary shopping in downtown Ames with my mom, pawtner, and dad. I picked up very important things, like popover tins, tea, soap that smells like hot chocolate, and dog treats/toys/chewbones. Beau appreciates the fact we spend more money on her than ourselves.
I took pictures in the Iowa Law Library. There will be a post about that in the future. It’s amazing. If you ever have the chance to go, do so. You won’t regret it.
Honestly, one of the most beautiful places ever. | Skirt | Sweater | Heels |
The family went to the Iowa State Capitol Building and East Village in Des Moines to explore and have a fun afternoon on New Year’s Eve. I had never been with my dad, and my mom hadn’t been in two decades – since I went on a second grade field trip.
Posing with my Iowa baseball cap in front of the capitol. | Jeans | Sweater | Flannel | Boots | Scarf |
I dressed up as a flapper for New Year’s Eve, took pictures in Beardshear Hall on Iowa State’s campus, and attended a concert in a speakeasy. It was a lot of fun. My parents had an amazing time, and Dylan and I got to dance together, which was a nice way to bring in the New Year.
Flapper Dress | Satin Gloves| [Faux] Fur Cape | Heels | Purse | Pearl Necklace | Pearl Bracelet | Art Deco Earrings | Stud Earrings | Headpiece

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna

Books, Fiction

Christmas in London by Anita Hughes

January 4, 2020January 4, 2020 RaeAnna

Worth A Read Meh
Length 288
Quick Review Two women spend Christmas in London to make a cooking show, and their lives find new purposes.

wp-1578169065977 — Christmas in London by Anita Hughes at Levy Park in Houston. | Green Dress | Red Heels | Sapphire Necklace | Sapphire Earrings | Fossil Watch | Pearl Bracelets |

Christmas in London by Anita Hughes has a lot of things you want in a Christmas story, but it falls short in just as many ways.

Louisa is a small time pastry chef working in New York City. Kate is a producer for a local cooking show. They spend Christmas in London to be a part of a holiday cooking show. Louisa grows close to an assistant from New York, and Kate revisits people from her past.

I’m fairly ambivalent about this book. It’s not bad. It’s definitely not great, but it’s what people want and expect during the holidays. Loads of ridiculous romantic stuff and drama for no reason. Hughes writes in the third person and switches between Louisa and Kates’s point of views throughout Christmas in London. It’s mostly told in the present, except for when Kate has flashbacks to the past for a muddy subplot. Honestly, the writing is really boring and cliché. There is an abundance of similes. Hughes is overly descriptive to the point of monotony. It became so repetitive when as the narrative said in one way or another “a man showed up and she realized it was Trevor/Noah.” Yuck. It doesn’t build suspense. It’s just boring and a waste of ink.

I could get past the writing if the characters were more believable or even likable. Louisa and her love interest felt like they were in high school more than adults starting out in a romantic relationship. Kate is more mature but not by a lot. I have a hard time identifying with adults in relationships who are completely lacking in mature communication skills. At the same time, their conflict resolution comes far too easily after they’ve bungled the whole situation from poor communication skills. They’re also not very likable. The parallels drawn between Louisa and Kate are not subtle; they’re basically living the same story arc.The male characters are the worst. Honestly, I don’t know why either woman put up with it? No man is better than any man.

Anita Hughes’ Christmas in London is a decent mindless read to keep you busy instead of spending time with the in-laws or family. It’s not great, but it could be a lot worse.

Memorable Quotes
““But there isn’t time to be passionate about more than one thing. If you want something in life, you have to sacrifice everything else to get it.””
“She had never been able to separate love and attraction.”
“That was the problem with sex; it made it impossible to think.”

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna

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Title: Christmas in London
Author: Anita Hughes
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Copyright: 2017
ISBN: 9781250145796