Bookish Lifestyle – Page 3

Kaboom Books

May 13, 2018June 23, 2019 RaeAnna

Kaboom Books is an independently owned, used book store in Houston, Texas. This place is heaven. I’m not even joking. I found Kaboom almost a year ago. I don’t make it in as much as I would like… Probably because I would be broke if I frequented their establishment.Kaboom is located in the Woodland Heights area of Houston – very close to downtown. It is so beautiful surrounded by cute houses and a few neighboring stores. When you pull up, the entrance is between two large picture windows. The store takes up three more store fronts because who can have enough books? When you enter through the front door, you’re immediately greeted with that familiar book smell and wood from the countless shelves. The big windows let in tons of natural light and are home to a few bright green plants. Right inside the door is a counter and a chair usually occupied by one of the owners and sometimes the store cat.The first space you’re in is a nonfiction area. The next area holds a lot of their fiction, children’s books, and more. The third space is smaller and holds more nonfiction. The shelves line the walls and create mazes within the middle of the rooms. There is no wasted space here. They have filled it to capacity with books. Around 100,000 books! Holy wow. With 76 different sections ranging from fiction to art to science to poetry to a whole lot more you can find popular contemporary books to books out of print. There are comfy reading chairs and sofas calling you to have a seat, look at the books in your pile, and enjoy the beauty of this bookstore. If it weren’t so warm and cozy, the amount of books would be immense and intimidating. The bookshelves are tall, so there are ladders scattered throughout to help you reach the books even I can’t reach easily. Behind the store is a lovely seating area. They use this area to host events. I haven’t been able to make it to one… yet! One of these days, I will.

The owners of Kaboom are a lovely married couple. I have been able to chat with them on a few occasions, and they are the sweetest and so knowledgeable. They originally owned bookstores in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Eight years ago, they moved to Houston and opened Kaboom.

Other than the absolute Instagram worthy bookshelves, they have so many great books. It’s hard finding books in French, but they have a great selection, which I very much appreciate.

If you’re in the Houston area or will be, you should stop by. Truly!!! You will definitely not regret it. For as huge as Houston is, there is a severe lack of independent bookstores. I am a firm believer in supporting small businesses, and this is one of my favorite to support. Even after eight years, it still feels like a hidden gem.

Kaboom Books
3116 Houston Avenue
Houston, TX 77009
(713) 869-7600

Books

Lilac Girls

May 11, 2018 RaeAnna

Read: Yes
Difficulty: III
Length: IV
Notable: New York Times Bestseller
Genre: Fiction – Historical Fiction
Quick Review: Based on a gut wrenching true story, Lilac Girls follows three women impacted by WWII and somehow involved with the Ravensbruck Concentration Camp.

I was a little hesitant about this novel. It could have gone either way from the description. Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly is an impressive historical fiction novel following three women’s complicated journeys during and after WWII.

Three women of varying ages tell their stories in alternating chapters. Caroline, an American working at the French consulate in New York, is in her late thirties when the war breaks out. Kasia is a teenager experiencing love for the first time when the Germans invade her country, Poland, putting their headquarters in her hometown before she is arrested and sent to a concentration camp. Herta is a young doctor and staunch supporter of the Nazi cause, but blinded by the propaganda, she doesn’t see the truth until she begins working at a concentration camp.

Ravensbruck was the only female concentration camp during Hitler’s reign. A group of Polish women from the camp were medically experimented on forever changing their lives. Their legs were mutilated. These women became known as The Rabbits because they hopped around the camp and they were the Nazi test rabbits. Several died from the experiments. Lilac Girls centers around these events.

Caroline (a real woman) helps from the US by sending care packages to orphans and helping the families she can in the US. She ends up in Paris as the war is winding down where she finds out about the Ravensbruck Rabbits through her advocacy work. Kasia (a composite of several real women) was a survivor of Ravensbruck and the cruel experiments. Herta (a real woman) is a German doctor. Due to Nazi regulations, she had a difficult time finding work as a doctor, so she took a position at Ravensbruck Concentration Camp. The characters are all very complex and strong women. They each have their own motivations personal and environmental, which pushed them into the lives, decisions, and actions they made for themselves. They were flawed and survivors. Reflecting humanity: it’s complicated.

I would describe more, but the plot is complex and very intertwined. If I say too much, I will be giving a lot of things away. Although if you’re a history buff like I am, you’ll probably already know a lot of the facts because Hall Kelly does a very good job researching the history, women, and everything in between. Do remember this is historical fiction, so a lot of things have been changed to make it an engaging work.

It is incredibly well written. Each woman has her own style, thought process, and narrative. There were a few grammatical mistakes throughout, but they do not impede the reading in the slightest. There are a great deal of feminist themes, which I appreciated. Hall Kelly explores the often overlooked Anti-Semitic attitudes the US had during the time. I found the supporting characters to be more relatable than the main characters, but they were not placed in the difficult situations the main characters found themselves in. At times, the anti-semitism was nauseating, but that is exactly how it should be.

I found Lilac Girls to be an impressive novel exploring lesser known experiences of WWII. Though it is not a light read, it’s the perfect book to dive into over a summer vacation because you’ll want to invest some time in it.

Memorable Quotes:
“No one said they were selling items taken from the Jews, but we all knew.”
“”Somewhere in the corner of our hearts, we are always twenty.””
“Why does a woman’s women’s voice so often not command the respect it deserves?”

Title: Lilac Girls
Author: Martha Hall Kelly
Publisher: Ballantine Books (Random House/Penguin Random House)
Copyright: 2016
ISBN: 9781101883082

Books

Envy

May 8, 2018 RaeAnna

Read: Yes
Difficulty: III
Length: I
Quick Review: A Russian classic examining the socialist society it was written for.

Yury Olesha is known as a great Russian novelist. Not only was Envy his debut novel, it became one of his most recognizable works. Olesha had an immense talent for appearing pro-Soviet but, in actuality, was critiquing the Communist government when read with an eye for detail. The Soviet’s played hardball when it came to censorship because Olesha subtly critiqued the government through satire, he was able to avoid punishment or jail.

Nikolai Kavalerov is a young and slightly bitter young man. After being tossed out of a bar, Andrei Babichev rescued Kavalerov allowing him to sleep on his couch. Babichev manages a sausage factory and is the perfect Soviet citizen. When Babichev’s brother, Ivan, returns, everything is turned on its head.

I love this little book. I read it in Russian awhile ago. Under 120 pages, it is a dense story filled with a tons of nuance, meaning, history, and culture. Through the character of Babichev, the story is a paragon of communist values. Olesha is not only critiquing the Soviet government but also capitalism. It is also an interesting look into the psychology of the characters. It is also interesting to note how well it was received by his contemporaries. Enjoyed by all the Soviet literary greats, Envy was also in high regard by Pravda, which was run by the state.

I love this book. It’s a great one. If you want to dip a toe into Soviet literature without committing a ton of time, this is great for a night in or quick weekend read.

Memorable Quotes:
“I spoke, horrified by what I was saying.”

Title: Envy
Author: Yury Olesha
Translator: T.S. Berczynski
Publisher: Ardis Publishers, Inc
Copyright: 2004
ISBN:9780882330914

Experiences, Travel

Bathhouse Soapery

May 7, 2018September 8, 2019 RaeAnna

Bathhouse Soapery

Last post from my trip to Arkansas last month. It’s also a really short one! Mostly fueled by my love for being sudsy and smelling nice.

Talking about one of my favorite… What goes better together than books and a bubble bath? Not much.

I found Bathhouse Soapery a couple years ago when I was wandering around downtown Hot Springs. The store is just the cutest! I am absolutely in love with their soaps and scrubs and bath bombs and everything in between. Every time I visit my grandparents, I stop and stock up. So many varieties. So many colors. So many opportunities for relaxation.

I really don’t know much about their store, but they have three locations: Hot Springs, Natchitoches, St. Charles, and you can shop online! I swear by them. The staff is always really nice and knowledgeable. Ready with suggestions if you want to combine scents, which you can do with their scrubs. One of my favorite things of theirs. They have everything you could possibly need and want. It’s not just for the ladies either; there are a lot of masculine scents too. Although, I’m more drawn to those than the flowers. My guy friends enjoy the soaps as much as my lady friends.

Bathhouse Soapery

366 Central Avenue
Hot Springs, AR 71901
(501) 525-7627
Instagram: @bathhousesoap

*I wish this post were sponsored, but it is not. I have spent tons of my own money at this store. I am a believer. I have also converted my friends.

Books

The Book of Tea

May 5, 2018 RaeAnna

Difficulty: II
Length: I
Quick Review: A beautiful look into the history and importance of tea from a master and historian.

Written by and for the tea lover. This incredibly short book is jam packed with teaism. In reality, The Book of Tea isn’t a book at all but a long essay by the Japanese scholar Kakuzo Okakura. Written in English for the Western world to pear inside the world and history of Japan through tea. Tea is a central component of Japanese and Asian identity. It has played a major role in their culture for a millenia and some. With a beginning in the religious and medicinal worlds, tea evolved into a staple beverage in Asia and eventually the world. As times changed so did tea. It has lived a life in three different stages with three different preparations. Boiled Tea came from a cake or brick of tea, which, at one point in time, the ingredients included salt and even onions. After that period, Whipped Tea was concocted from a powder forever leaving behind salt and onion. As technology progressed, tea arrived in its modern form of Steeped Tea utilizing the leaves. Whipped Tea or powdered tea is still present but not popular.

The first traces of tea, as we know it, arriving in Europe was documented by Marco Polo in 879. Tea gained immense popularity in the sixteenth century as access increased and cost decreased. Tea became a drink of the people no longer reserved for the filthy rich and royal.

Okakura talks extensively about the history and significance of tea. It embedded itself in the Asian cultures and religions. Tea plays a significant role in Taoism and Zennism. The tea ceremony has evolved as Tea Masters have mastered the art. Okakura discusses the masters in length before describing the tea ceremony. The efforts required to hold the ceremony are extensive starting long before one even begins. The tea room must be built from the best materials, flowers must be just so, the tea must be grown correctly, so on and so forth. Like many things in Japan, the tea ceremony is executed with precision and mindfulness.

Okakura’s first language was Japanese, but he wrote The Book of Tea in English. The language is simple, elegant, and captivating. He draws the reader into his world. Through focusing on tea, he is able to allow the Western world into a culture vastly different than our own. His words are about more than tea; they are about appreciating the beauty in life.

Memorable Quotes:
“Tea began as a medicine and grew into a beverage.”
“In joy or sadness, the flowers are our constant friends.”
“He only who has lived with the beautiful can die beautifully.”

Title: The Book of Tea
Author: Kakuzo Okakura
Publisher: Dover Publications, Inc
Copyright: 1964
ISBN: 9780486200705

Books

Keep Marching

May 1, 2018 RaeAnna

Difficulty: II
Length: III
Quick Review: A look into the pitfalls, the successes, the struggles, the reality of being a woman in the United States today.

Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner is a founder of MomsRising and works tirelessly to promote women’s rights through public speaking, campaigning, writing, and, yes, marching. Keep Marching is a look into the status of women in the United States. It’s incredibly well researched and accessible. I will refer to the author as KRF for the rest of the post because it is simpler.

I am always wary of feminist books, especially when written by white women. Feminism, historically, has left women-of-color out of the narrative, out of the statistics, and out of the picture. From the beginning of Keep Marching, KRF preaches inclusivity and intersectionality. Thankfully, she follows through.

I don’t want to give too much away. KRF discusses topics falling into three categories: Our Money, Our Bodies, Our Communities. Under these categories our right to choose, pay gap, motherhood, immigration, laws, and more are discussed at length.

Full of statistics, Keep Marching is both distressing and shows signs of hope for women and society. Motherhood is a recurring topic as it is a central component in many women’s lives, even those who are not mothers face obstacles based on reproduction. Women of color are often overlooked, and KRF includes statistics to show just how left behind they are. The stats are often given for women as a whole, but also given based on ethnic background, socioeconomic background, motherhood status, and more.

The book is separated into three parts discussing different topics in chapters. The reader is not bogged down solely in statistics. There are many anecdotes supporting her claims and statistics. The stories also show the struggles every day women face from all backgrounds. They ground her argument in reality. At the end of each chapter, there is a short section about taking action. In case the chapter sparks your interest or lights a fire under your butt, you now have a resource to help you know where to start.

As a cofounder of MomsRising, KRF has been a part of legal reform on state and federal levels. She often reiterates the phrase “we won” giving a sense of hope. An important theme to keep repeating. If we connect, support, fight, and raise our voices as a group, women can win. When women win, society wins. KRF gives many examples showing that when women win we all win. Investing in the future and success is an investment in society. She gives a lot of statistics on how society improves when women are involved at all levels because people need proof to take women seriously…. Or at least, that’s my experience.

It feels like Keep Marching is directed at white women. It is important to educate all women, but KRF makes it important to highlight the battles woc face. White feminists have left this group of women out of the discussion, and KRF is doing her best to include them. I was really impressed by the fact KRF focused so much on the different groups making up women. We are a group, but we are a diverse group, most of whom are consistently overlooked.

None of the information was new to me, but KRF does an excellent job laying out the information in an appealing and educational format without losing the reader.

Title: Keep Marching; How Every Woman Can Take Action and Change Our World
Author: Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner
Publisher: Hachette Books
Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 9780316515566