Women's History Month: Nonfiction Recommendations

It's no surprise that most of the nonfiction I read is women's history or feminist related. Here's a look at some of my favorite in honor of women's history month. 

Half of the Sky, Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

This book is full of so much information about what it is like to be a woman around the world. This book is not an easy read, it's quite heavy and emotional, but it contains enough stories of successful and brave women to carry you through to the end. It also has a great collection of resources for further information and to help you get involved. 

My Life on the Road, Gloria Steinem

This is my first Steinem piece, and I loved it! I loved her writing and her ability to listen. She is truly inspiring and so smart. She's an author I want to read more from ASAP. 

West With the Night, Beryl Markham

I really enjoyed this memoir from female pilot Beryl Markham. She lead such an interesting and barrier breaking life, and I really enjoyed reading this book and reading about this book. After they divorced, her ex-husband claimed to have written the book for his wife, but it is now widely accepted that she did indeed write her own memoir. A great fictional novel about Markham's life is Paula McClain's Circling the Sun.  

I am Malala, Christina Lamb and Malala Yousafzai

 This is another great and moving memoir. I really loved listening to this one on audiobook, and I really want to reread it soon. Malala has such a strong narrative voice and her determination is inspiring. If you haven't read this one yet, you need to pick it up!

The Astronaut Wives Club, Lilly Kopple

I found this read really interesting, as I knew almost nothing about the space program in the 60s. I found myself constantly stopping to look up more information and pictures of the people in the book. I do think this could have been a little more in-depth, but I thought it was a really interesting look at the women behind the most famous men in the Space Race. 

Men Explain Things to Me, Rebecca Solnit

This essay collection is very well researched and Solnit is extremely eloquent. Quite a few of the essays in this collection are shocking and hard-hitting. I really want to read more feminist essays, and I think this was a great place to start. 

Women's History Month:Classic Reading Recommendations

Happy Women's History Month! It's taken me longer than I would have wished to be able to put some posts together about this event because work got in the way, but I'm here now! If you have visited before, you would know that literature and feminism are two of my favorite things, so I love posting about Women's History Month. I thought I would start out with a few reading recommendations in case you are looking for a way to celebrate.

As I was putting this general recommendations list together, I realized I had too many recommendations for one post, so I have decided to split it up between genres. Stay tuned for the nonfiction and Young Adult recommendation lists!

Titles Link to my reviews 

A Room of One's Own, Virginia Woolf

This is a great place to dive in to both Woolf and feminist nonfiction if you are looking for a jumping in spot. Although this was written about ninety years ago, it still rings very true and is very accessible for the modern reader. If you have an interest in feminist literature, this is a must read. 

The Awaking and Other Stories, Kate Chopin

Chopin is the ultimate feminist author. The Awaking is a feminist manifesto for women in every century. Chopin is clever and talented but also fearless with her heavy feminist themes in a time where they were even less accepted than today. 

 Ariel and Other Poems, Sylvia Plath

Plath is one of my all-time favorite authors, and I am constantly in awe of the power her words posses. Her poetry leaves me speechless, and every time I read a poem of hers, I find something new to admire or ponder, which is really saying something, because I have read some of her poems countless times. Plath with always be one of the most talented poets that literature has ever seen in my eyes. 

Frankenstein, Mary Shelley

This novel is a true masterpiece. I thought I would enjoy it when I picked it up, but I didn't know I would be awed by its beauty and power and go on to spend a semester completing two different projects on it. The genre of science fiction was created by a teenage girl, and I really don't think that is a sentence that is said enough. 

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou is my ultimate inspirational woman. I love all of her works and various talents and forms of activism. I have been making my way through her autobiographies and loving each and every one, but her first memoir is my favorite. This book made me laugh and cry and I was completely consumed by Angelou's written voice, and verbal voice, as I listened to this on audio. This book is fantastic and should be read by all.  

Memoirs of a Beatnik, Diane di Prima

I really enjoyed researching this book after I finished it. This novel's history is so much more interesting than the actual novel itself. This is not di Prima's real memoir, as the publishers were not interested in publishing the true story of a female Beatnik poet, but a fictionalized memoir that di Prima wrote to sell to the publishers to fund her poetry projects. I loved reviewing this one and talking about the story of how it came to be, and the reception of the novel. I've got my eyes on di Prima's actual memoir, as I think her life is super interesting. 

The Lamplighter, Maria Cummins

This novel was wildly popular in its time, but is now mostly forgotten. It is a long Victorian novel written by a female author about a female main character. It follows the main character all through out her life (Jane Eyre style) and is a classic example of the domestic novels that allowed women an opportunity to earn their own income in the mid 1800s. For more information on this time period of "scribbling women" check out this post on forgotten American women writers. 

Emma, Jane Austen

 I couldn't make this list without including my favorite Austen novel! This novel is so funny, and all of Austen's works are so timeless. Emma is so irritating yet redeemable and really pushes the boundaries set on Georgian women. All of the Austen's works I have read so far are great, but this is by-far my favorite.  

This is just a small collection of recommended reading; this list could be pages and pages long. For more recommendations see my Women Writer's List for reviews of books I have read, and authors I want to read. 

Recently Read Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls

Author: Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo
Genre: Nonfiction/ Illustrated
Publication Date: 2017
Page Count: 212
Rating:  2.5/5

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Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers who Changed the World

Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls in an anthology in the style of bed-time stories about one hundred women from history. Each story is accompanied by an illustration. 

These anthologies of forgotten or overlooked women of history are becoming quite popular, and I love it! I have been reading as many as I can get my hands on because I love using them to discover new-to-me women from history. You may know I majored in English and minored in history, and my area of interest was always gender in both subjects, so these books were made for me! This is the most popular of these anthologies as it is already getting a sequel and has had quite a bit of buzz. However, I heard some critiques of the book I found interesting (mainly this video from Jean Bookish Thoughts on Youtube) so I was really interested in checking it out from the library before purchasing it for myself, and I'm glad I did because I have some mixed thoughts.

Obviously, I love the premise behind this one. I love the idea of a book funded by kickstarter about forgotten women of history all around the world accompanied by portraits of said women done by tons of different women artists, but this sounds better than it was. I found my main problem with this book was the writing of the actual stories. The stories were so vague and watered down that they hardly contained any information about the women themselves or their work. I also found that some of the women's stories focused on strange aspects of their lives other than their work. Virginia Woolf's page, for example, was all about her depression; two short sentences on the page mention that she was a writer. I found myself wanting to learn more about these women than these short summaries offered. There is also the question of the inclusion of a few of the women, as Jean mentions in the video above. There are ancient female leaders who conquered other nations in here, as well as Margaret Thatcher, who was anti-equal rights for many groups of individuals. This brings to light the idea that having power should not automatically earn someone admiration. 

One thing I did love about this book was the full-page color illustration of each woman. I loved that the authors worked with sixty different female artists and that the portraits were of all different styles. Some of the art I loved, and some I didn't, but I appreciated the variation more than I thought I would at the beginning. I also loved that this book included women from around the world as well as  throughout time. This collection was one of the most diverse I have seen. It spans ancient Chinese rulers to current athletes and activists. I also appreciated that current women were represented in this book, and a lot of them are very young. 

If more time and detail had been put into the writing in this book, I would have loved it. I came away with a long list of women I want to research and read about, which is exactly what I'm looking for in these anthologies. I will continue to read every one of these types of anthologies that come out because I love supporting books and ideas like this. Although I think there are probably better anthologies out there, (I'll let you know when I find one) I do recommend you pick this one up.

Let me know if you have any recommendations for me of similar books. Oh, and Happy National Women's History Month :)

Recently Read: My Life on the Road

Author: Gloria Steinem
Genre: Nonfiction/Memoir
Page Count: 280
Publication Date: 2015
Rating: 5/5

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Gloria Steinem has done everything. She's an activist, journalist, organizer, magazine editor, traveler, speaker, and listener. In her essay-style memoir, she recounts some of the most important events in her life and what she has learned from her travels and her long activist career. 

This is my first Steinem experience. I was aware of her and her work before reading this, and I knew she was a person that I wanted to read about and from, so I thought her memoir would be a good place to start. I knew I would enjoy this, but I didn't know the writing would be so good. Steinem's writing is so engaging and entertaining, that even when she is discussing complex or distressing concepts, it felt like a casual conversation with a friend. 

This memoir starts with a chapter on her childhood with a focus on her father. This was my favorite chapter of the novel. The way that Steinem writes about her always-traveling father with love, admiration, and introspective-reflection was quite beautiful. Steinem has a great outlook on life, and has accomplished so much in so many areas of life and activism, it's a bit insane. 

The biggest take away from this memoir for me was the importance of listening. Steinem is a constant listener, and because of this, she is able to learn and experience so much life. She covers so many interesting topics and eras in the novel and recounts the stories of others rather than herself. While feminism is a large focus of this novel, as it is a large focus of Steinem's career, it is not the only focus. Steinem discusses racism, overcoming a fear of public speaking, AIDS activism, the rights of indigenous Americans, and of course travel. Her section on the primary election in 2008 between Obama and Hillary Clinton was fascinating. Her account of listening to democratic women who did not support Clinton was so interesting, and her conclusions were something that I had never thought of before. 

Before this novel, I admired Steinem for her activism and barrier-breaking career. After reading her memoir, I still admire her for those things, but even more than that, I admire her ability to listen and communicate. Her chapter on talking circles and her audience-involvement at her public speaking events has really inspired me to listen more. I have always considered myself a good listener, but I could always do a better job of listening to individuals (particularly ones I disagree with or who think differently than me) and I think that is something that is universally true of humans. I can see myself revisiting chapters in this novel many times, and found myself marking many sections where I learned something new or was introduced to a new approach to a topic. 

I highly recommend checking this out if you have an interest in Steinem, feminism, activism, or just want to learn something new. I want to search out more of her work, particularly her essays in the near future, as well as learn more about some of the activists I was introduced to in this novel. 

Recently Read: Mary's Monster

Author: Lita Judge

Genre: Nonfiction/Illustrated

Publication Date: 2018

Page Count: 320

Rating: 5/5

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Frankenstein Review

Literary Look: The Gothic Novel 

Mary's Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley created Frankenstein tells Mary Shelley's life and woes with beautiful illustrations. From her own birth, which brings misfortune, to the death of her beloved, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and the creation of her masterpiece and the science fiction genre, Mary Shelley's story is heartbreaking and poetic. 

I read Frankenstein a couple of years ago, and I believe it is one of the best and most important novels ever written, even more impressive, is that Shelley was eighteen years old when she began writing it. I researched the origin of the novel a little bit when I first read it, as I was writing a paper on it, and immediately knew I needed to learn more about Shelley. When I saw this one, I was interested, but upon learning it was completely illustrated, I immediately ran to my library to grab it. 

The story of Shelley's life is told in free-verse and accompanied by absolutely breathtaking illustrations. The back-flap reveals that this books took Judge five years to finish, and I cannot imagine how much work went into this novel. Every illustration is a full-page or double-page charcoal drawing, which captures the mood of Shelley's life perfectly. 

Mary Shelley had a turbulent life and romance with the famous poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Her fear of and tragic experiences with pregnancy and birth lead her to explore themes of creation and motherhood in Frankenstein and her involvement with Shelley, Byron, and others in the Romantic circle allowed for her to create and publish her novel. Shelley wrote Frankenstein in nine months, while she was pregnant with her second child; her first had died ten days after birth. It was published anonymously, but after it's great success with the public, Lord Byron published proof that Shelley was the author.

This biography is a great introduction to Shelley's life. It gives the complete story of Shelley and her creation, but it doesn't go too deep. I have plans to read much larger biographies, but I'm glad that I read this one first. The art is what really makes this novel. Shelley was an amazingly brilliant woman who defied society at every turn and created one of the most important and popular novels ever written. I recommend this novel for all levels of interest in Shelley and her work. Even if you are a seasoned-Shelley-scholar, the artwork in this novel is worth seeing alongside her story. 

My Library Holds List

I've been trying to cut down on my book buying this year, as I am running out of shelf space for my physical TBR at the moment. It really stresses me out to see a jam-packed shelf of  books that I have owned for various amounts of time that are still unread, so I've been trying not to add to it. I have of course bought some books this year,  but I have been using the library a ton in the past two months. One thing I like about placing holds on books from the library is that you're on the list to get the book, but if there are people in front of you, you don't get it right away. That means that in the mean time I can read the books I own and it really is the best of both worlds. Here's a look at what I have a hold on at the moment in both physical and ebook format from my library.

Everything I have read by Maureen Johnson has made me crack up, so I really want to read her new release. She's great at mystery and humor, and since this is a mystery, I think I'll really enjoy it. 

This sci-fi novella is a bit different from what I would normally pick up, but I've heard great things about this series, and I have been interested in science fiction lately. I've got a long list of books I want to read in this genre, and I think this will be a good starting place. 

What really drew me to this nonfiction account of Mary Shelley's life and her creation of Frankenstein was that it is illustrated. I love Frankenstein; I think it is one of the best novels ever written, and I really want to learn more about Shelley. I have a longer biography of her and her mother on my shelves already (Romantic Outlaws), but I think this shorter one will be a nice introduction. 

Ever since reading Women in Science, I have been wanting to read all of the anthologies about historical women! They are so expensive though, so I am loving getting them from the library and then deciding which ones I want to buy in the future. This one looks like it has beautiful illustrations, which is something on my priority list for books like this. 

This is a similar anthology, but I have heard some mixed things about this one, so I wanted to check it out from the library and get in on the controversy. This one has become very popular, which is why I was surprised to see the controversy around it. I don't think this is the best anthology out there, but I want to check it out.

Poetry Spotlight: Black History Month

In my second year of college I took an Introduction to Poetry class and I fell in love with reading poetry. Before then, poetry was always a little intimidating and a medium that I didn't have much experience with. But after that class, I became addicted to reading poetry, and during the class I actually found myself thinking in and expressing myself in poetry- which I never would have guessed would happen in a million years. So, with this series I'm here to share some of my favorite poems in a way that I'm sure will turn out rambley and unorganized.

Read the Rest of my Poetry Spotlight Posts 

I figured I would celebrate Black History Month the best way I know how to celebrate anything, which is with some poetry! Today I'm here to spotlight a few of my favorite black poets and their amazing work. I've also rounded up some really interesting links for you at the end of the post!

Countee Cullen

1903-1946

Cullen was an American poet writing during the Harlem Renaissance (see links below for more info.) Harlem, New York was a hub of art and creation for black Americans in the 1920s, and many artists influenced each other and worked together. Cullen has a bit of a mysterious childhood, but he was adopted by black activist and minister in 1918. Cullen was gay, which caused an internal struggle with his strict Christian upbringing, and tension with his adopted father. Cullen was briefly married to W.E.B Du Bois' daughter Yolanda, until she filed for divorce, partly because of Cullen's attraction to men. After their lavish wedding, and then divorce two years later, he taught French at Fredrick Douglas Junior High, where James Baldwin was one of his pupils. Cullen wrote poetry, novels, plays, and translated fiction, but it is his poetry that has garnered the most recognition in recent years.  

Yet Do I Marvel-- I remember reading this poem for the first time, which is how I know it's a good one. Although the poem only contains two sentences, it packs a huge punch. Cullen starts by stating that he "doubt[s] not God is good, well-meaning, kind" and that he could explain his reasons for everything in this world, including the suffering, but he ends the poem by questioning one specific act of God: "Yet do I marvel at this curious thing:/ To make a poet black, and bid him sing!" 

From the Dark Tower-- This is a poem that speaks of history and future change. The imagery in this poem is very strong and clear and the rhythm carries you through the the final message at the end.   

Langston Hughes

1902-1967

Hughes is one of the most-known Harlem poets, and for good reason. His poetry is easily accessible for all ages, yet is complex and powerful. Hughes' work received a fair bit of criticism from his contemporaries, perhaps because his work was so popular during his lifetime, and many questioned his decision to write about ordinary life and ordinary people in black America, including those of the lower class. Hughes was active in every aspect of the Harlem art scene, running a magazine, writing novels and poetry, and contributing to theater programs. The themes in Hughes poems are so applicable to today's political conversations that they could have easily been written yesterday rather than almost a hundred years ago. 

I, Too-- This short poem is bursting with emotion and statement. Hughes is a great poet to read at any time, but particularly in today's political climate.
Harlem-- I wrote on this poem in college and loved taking an in-depth look at all it had to offer. It has so many poetic elements that work together to bolster the impact of the theme. This poem is great to hear read aloud and must be read a couple of times.
Let America Be America Again--This poem is so relevant to the current American political climate surrounding a certain campaign slogan with a very similar message as the poem's title. Hughes challenges the idealistic nostalgia for the American past and shines a light on all those who were excluded from America's 'glory days.'

Claude McKay

1889-1948

Born in Jamaica, McKay was another central figure to the Harlem Renaissance. Many of McKay's poems focus on themes of racism and bigotry. Like Hughes, McKay was criticized by his choice to portray the lives of lower class African Americas, as some activists felt it hurt rather than helped their case for equality. Like Cullen, McKay's work fell out of popularity after his death, but has reemerged and found a new popularity. McKay's poems cover religion, race, Jamaica, and resistance. 

If We Must Die-- One of his more popular poems, McKay speaks of resistance, resilience, and retaliation. 

Harlem Shadows-- Beautiful imagery and a melancholy tone.
America-- This is a great poem about loving your country, while also wanting to change and improve its shortcomings.

Maya Angelou

1928-2014

Maya Angelou is my hero. She was such an amazing woman AND so talented. She literally did it all. She danced, sang, acted, wrote, inspired, and had every job under the sun. Her autobiographies are SO GOOD and I highly recommend you read them as well as her poetry. In addition to all of this, she was also an activist and active in the political spheres of both America and Africa. Her poetry is honest, beautiful, and empowering. Her poems often contains themes related to race as well as gender, and the best way to experience them is to hear her read them herself. 

Phenomenal Woman--This poem is so empowering and really captures the grace of Ms. Angelou.
And Still I Rise--This is one of my favorite poems of all times, and I have linked you to a version of Angelou reading it. I love her delivery of this poem as well as the sentiment behind it.
Caged Bird-- The imagery in this poem is similar to the title of Angelou's first memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. The beautiful imagery and juxtaposition in this poem build the themes of longing and hope. 
Kin-- This very emotional poem is dedicated to Angelou's beloved brother Bailey, who died as a young man. Angelou was very close to her brother, and the two had a beautiful relationship.

Gwendolyn Brooks

1917-2000

Brooks is one of the most popular and highly regarded poets of the twentieth century. She was the first black author to win the Pulitzer Prize, and received much recognition during her lifetime. Brooks wrote during the Civil Rights Movement in 1960s America, and many of her poems have a political undertone. Brooks left her publisher Harper Row in the 1970s in order to help publishing companies focused on publishing black authors by allowing them to publish her works. Brooks faced backlash for some of the political statements found in some of her poems, but she was undeterred by this. Brooks experimented with various forms of poetry and wrote a two volume autobiography.

We Real Cool--This is one of Brooks most anthologized and popular poems. This short poem is best heard aloud. Brooks often covered the life of 'everyday' people as Hughes did in his poetry.
The Bean Eaters--There's a lot going on in this simple little poem.
Riot-- This poem has so many emotions and so much human nature packed into it. There's anger and hypocrisy, violence and ignorance, and truth. 

Interesting Links:

Celebrating Black History @ The Poetry Foundation-- This page has poems, articles, essays, and podcasts to help you celebrate Black History Month. 

Modern American Poetry's Page on Countee Cullen-- Poetry analysis, essays, and more links. 

My Literary Look post on the Harlem Renaissance-- Find more information on this literary movement and more recommended authors to check out.  

History.com- Harlem Renaissance

Please leave me your favorite black poet or poem below! I'm always looking to expand my list of favorite poems.

Recently Read: Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers who Changed the World

Author: Rachel Ignotofsky
Genre: Nonfiction- Young Readers
Publication Date: 2016
Page Count: 128
Rating: 4/5

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This is an anthology aimed at younger readers featuring short biographies and facts about fifty women who have made important advances in the STEM field. Each woman is accompanied by an illustration, facts about themselves, and details regarding her findings. 

This book is so cool! Every elements of it is so well-done and compelling. The art work is adorable, but it doesn't make the book feel too cutesy or take away from the amazing work these woman have done. The bios are short enough to make this a fast read, but have enough detail to spark interest and curiosity. I have to admit, I spent longer looking up more information about these women than I spent reading the book. I was introduced to so many new awesome ladies that I will be researching in the future! I was only familiar with a handful of the women in this book, which was great because it meant I was introduced to so many new names. 

Check out the author's website to see this image and 

others from the book here. 

I really appreciated the range of women that were included in this book. The book ranges from Hypatia, born in 350 C.E., to Maryam Mirzakhani, born in 1977. Women from all around the world are included, and their achievements outside of science are also included. A large number of these women are honored suffragettes, civil rights activists, and peace ambassadors, and I loved that this information was included alongside their scientific achievements. Although this book is aimed at younger readers, it did not feel simple. The author does not shy away from including the science and math involved in these women's findings, and the information is engaging but easy to understand.

I also loved that the author included the struggles that many of these women faced in order to be accepted in colleges and graduate programs, as well of those who were snubbed of their rightful acknowledgments because they were women working in the scientific field. One of the only things I remember from my high school science classes is the fact that Rosalind Franklin discovered and proved DNA's double helix structure, not Watson and Crick. I was surprised at some of the treatment that these women endured at the hands of higher-education institutions, and I'm really glad that information was included in this book. Another, and more positive, common theme I saw between a lot of these women, were husbands who doubled as research partners. Some of the couples in this book are seriously #relationshipgoals. As soon as I read about Gerty Cori's husband carrying her around her lab when she became to ill to move around it herself, I immediately Googled books about them, and unfortunately, came up short.    

I hope that with books like this, and the recent success of novels/films such as Hidden Figures and The Imitation Game we continue to tell the stories of these unknown women who have helped to build our society. I know I'm dying to hear these stories, and I think that big media companies are realizing that other people are interested in these stories too. I checked this book out from the library, but will be searching out my own copy ASAP. I also recommend checking out the author's website as she does beautiful illustrations and sells prints of them, including prints from the book. I am dreaming of putting her Women Activists poster in my classroom. 

If you have any recommendations of books/movies/documentaries similar to this, let me know! 

Recently Read: Almost Famous Women

Author: Megan Mayhew Bergman
Genre: Short Stories- Adult Fiction
Page Count: 230
Publication Date: 2015
Rating: 3.5/5

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The stories of women on the brink of fame, including Oscar Wilde's niece, Lord Byron's illegitimate daughter, an aging artist, and Edna St. Vincent Millay's sister, are imagined in this short story collection. These women are connected by their bravery, their proximity to fame, and the sadness that is coupled with being an almost famous woman.

I have had this collection on my TBR for quite some time. The premise and the beautiful cover sucked me in and I knew this book would be right up my alley. I picked it up as I have been so busy with teaching this month,that I thought a short story collection would be easier to get through than a novel. The stories in this collection range in length, some are only three pages, others are twenty-or-so, and I loved reading one or two stories a night before bed. 

Each story features an image of the woman it is about as well as suggested reading material about that woman in the author's note. I loved this touch, and found myself itching to research the real lives of these ladies. Bergman uses a close companion or third party as the narrator for most of these stories, which really helps to build a common thread through the collection and commentary on what it was like to be a woman breaking the mold. These women were never given the opportunity to tell their own stories, and gossip runs wild about a woman challenging society's standards, so being once removed from each title lady was the perfect way to convey these ideas. 

I enjoyed all of the stories in this collection; I felt like each story was equally as good as the last, but I didn't feel like any of the stories particularly stood out as amazing. I really loved the idea behind this collection and thought it was very well executed. I will definitely be spending some time researching more about these ladies!   

Need Something to Watch? Try This!

I've been wanting to write up a post about what I have been watching and loving recently on Netflix, but haven't gotten around to it. In the past half-year or so, I've watched a lot of things that I want to recommend to other people, but I thought I would just highlight a couple today in this post. As always, my to-watch list is a mile long, but I'm really into supernatural T.V. shows right now (the older the better) so leave me your recommendations if you have some!

Twin Peaks

I have recently rewatched the original Twin Peaks in preparation for the reboot with my brother who had never seen the show. (I haven't started the reboot yet, so no spoilers please!) This show took over my life the first time I watched it, which was this past winter right around the end of the semester. I finished the whole series in about four days and was floored by the supernatural scenes. This show is so interesting and was groundbreaking for 1990 when it first aired. If you are unfamiliar, it is part soap-opera parody part supernatural thriller and entertaining as all get out. If you haven't watched this yet, it's a must. The juxtaposition of the soap-opera drama with David Lynch's dream-logic supernatural scenes are so jarring in the best way possible. I'll never forget the first time I watched the second episode in the series and experienced the Black Lodge; I was floored. This show really started my obsession with old supernatural T.V. shows, and now that's all I want to watch. This show is funny, over-the-top dramatic, and creepy. It's a must watch. 

The Crown

 

The Netflix original The Crown about Queen Elizabeth II took over my life last semester as well. This show had a HUGE budget, and it really shows. I loved the cast chosen for each part and the drama. I'm a history minor, so I love a good historical drama and this one delivered! I flew through this season and then immediately Googled when to expect season two. I discovered that they will cast new cast members to play the cast as they age on the show, which I think is a brilliant idea, and I'm eager to see how it turns out. I'll definitely be rewatching the first season before the second one comes out. This show left me in the mood to read all of the historical biographies and historical fiction on my shelves. 

The Keepers

*TW: SEXUAL AND PHYSICAL ABUSE*

The Keepers is a multiple part true-crime documentary made for Netflix revolving around the decades old murder of a nun turned public school teacher. My mom and I have been watching a lot of true-crime documentaries lately, and when this one came out, we decided to start it on a whim. All I can say about this one is WOW. This documentary deals with a lot of very heavy and heartbreaking topics, including sexual and physical abuse within the Catholic Church. This was so heart breaking to watch, but so worth it. There are so many fearless and strong women in this series. While I didn't enjoy this in the traditional sense of a light T.V. show, it was such a powerful and engaging watch. I highly recommend this one, just be ready for some tears and anger. 

Packed in a Trunk 

This lovely documentary was discovered on a whim by my mom, and I'm so glad she discovered it. It's about a woman's search to understand the life story of her great-aunt, Edith Lake, who was an amazing artist before she was institutionalized in her early 50s. This documentary has smart and witty real-life women, amazing art, history, and the discovery of forgotten female artists; is there anything else you could ask for? This is a hidden gem that I highly recommend you check out. It will leave you feeling inspired and determined. 

What have you been watching lately? Any good old Sci-fi to recommend?  

Recently Read: West With the Night

Author: Beryl Markham
Genre: Nonfiction- Memoir
Page Count: 294
Publication Date: 1942
Rating: 4/5

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Circling the Sun by Paula McLain 

Beryl Markham was the first person (man or woman) to fly nonstop from Europe to America. She was born in Britain in 1902 and moved to Kenya with her family shortly thereafter. She was a renowned race horse trainer and adventurer. West with the Night is her memoir of her life in Africa.

Last year, I read Circling the Sun by Paula McLain because she is an auto-read author for me. I had no idea who Beryl Markham was, but by the end of McLain's fictionalized story about her, I knew I needed to learn more about her. 

Markham was tall, blonde, and fearless. She inhabited many male dominated spheres without second thoughts or doubts. This memoir covers a few events from her life, but Markham leaves quite a bit out. She leaves out all three of her marriages, and her various love affairs, as well as the birth of her son and her turbulent relationship with her mother. But she talks of her childhood in Africa, training horses, and learning to fly. I was taken back by Markham's writing skills and ability to create an image. 

There is a blurb on the cover from Ernest Hemingway who writes:

"Written so well, and marvelously well, that I was completely ashamed of myself as a writer... Markham can write rings around all of us who consider ourselves as writers... It is really a bloody wonderful book."

Now if you know anything about Hemingway, and his reluctance to compliment any woman he wasn't trying to sleep with, that's high praise. The book's introduction speaks of claim's made by Markham's ex-husband after their divorce that he actually wrote the book instead of Markham, but I, along with most of those who read this book, have a hard time believing that claim.

I love the pictures that Markham creates of Africa in the early to mid 1900s and the way she speaks about the country she loved. It really has sparked an interest in me to learn more about British colonized Africa. While Markham doesn't write a linear biography of her life, she writes about events that were particularly special to her, which makes this novel, in turn, special.

I highly recommend checking this out the next time you are in the mood for adventure and a far-away setting. I'll leave you with a taste of Markham's writing. This is from one passage about the solitude of flying an airplane that stuck out to me.

"You can live a lifetime, and at the end of it, know more about other people than you know about yourself.... The abhorrence of loneliness is as natural as wanting to live at all. If it were otherwise, men would have never bothered to make an alphabet, nor to have fashioned words out of what were only animal sounds, nor to have crossed continents - each man to see what the other looked like."  

Used Book Haul!

I went a little crazy in the used section of my local bookstore. I had some credit I had been hanging onto for a while as I was so indecisive as to what I wanted to spend it on. When I was browsing recently, I found a couple books that I have been keeping an eye out for, and a couple more that just caught my eye, so I went for it! Be prepared, I also made a Book Outlet order recently, so that post will be coming too... oops!

Tea: Addiction, Exploitation, and Empire by Roy Moxham

Two things I love are tea and history. I am a history minor, but since I have finished my degree, I have missed learning and studying history on a regular basis. I think this book will be a perfect fix for that learning void. I love approaching history through an object or artifact, and tea has such a long history and world-wide significance. I'm really eager to get into this one and love the images included in the book.  

On the Pleasure of Hating by William Hazlitt

I have quite the pile of these Penguin Great Ideas sitting on my shelf that I need to get to, but when I saw this one on my bookstore's shelves, I couldn't pass it up. These are near impossible to find in America, unless you buy online, and I love the compact design they come in. This is an author I know absolutely nothing about, but the concept sounds really interesting to me, and it has been on my wishlist for a while. 

Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

I just finished and loved (and reviewed here) my first Water's novel Fingersmith, and loved it! So naturally, I had my eyes out for more of her works. I wasn't planning on picking up this one next, but since I found it used, I might have to. The concept of this one, oyster-girl turned music hall star, sounds really interesting. 

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

I love historical fiction so this one has been on my wishlist forever. I decided to finally go for it when I found a used hardcover copy. I have really high hopes for this one, and plan to get to it very soon. 

Those are the books I've picked up lately! I'm really keen to get to all of them very soon. Let me know your thoughts about these ones! 

Recently Read: The Hate U Give

Author: Angie Thomas
Genre: Young Adult- Contemporary
Publication Date: 2017
Page Count: 453
Rating: 5/5

Add on Goodreads 

I'm sure you don't need to hear a synopsis of this book since it's been everywhere lately, so I will keep it short. Starr feels like she maintains two versions of herself. The version of herself that goes to a suburban prep school and the version of herself that she is at home in the poor black neighborhood where she lives. One day. Starr is the only witness to the shooting of her best friend by a white police officer, and she must decide if, and how, to use her voice to speak up for her friend and her neighborhood. 

I loved this book, and I'm so glad that everyone else is loving it too. This is one of the only books that I actually thought that the use of slang and pop culture added to the book instead of just being an aspect that will leave the book feeling quickly outdated. Starr talks and thinks like a REAL teenager and I loved that. Of course, I also loved the political themes in the novel and the accurate representation of the current political culture and movements such as Black Lives Matter. I thought the political events and story line were realistic and very well done. I love that teenagers are getting involved in the political culture of today and using their voices through social media, and this story reflected that. 

This book covers many important topics very well including youth activism, police brutality, gang violence, love between different cultures, and the importance of using your voice. Of course this book deals with very serious and harrowing topics, but it also contained large amounts of humor and love. This book never felt too heavy or hopeless, and all of the characters felt real, despite how small of a part they may have played in the story, I couldn't read the second half of this novel fast enough and flew through it. 

This is a book that I would love to use in my classroom in the future, as well as a book I will be buying a copy of to have on my classroom library shelves. I think this book is so important, but also entertaining and heartfelt. It delivers its important message, but it also delivers a message of hope and persistence, which is equally important for the younger generation to receive through art. 

Have you read this? Did it live up to the hype for you? I'm very glad this book exists and is getting the recognition it deserves!  

Poetry Spotlight: Wilfred Owen (Happy National Poetry Month)

In my second year of college I took an Introduction to Poetry class and I fell in love with reading poetry. Before then, poetry was always a little intimidating and a medium that I didn't have much experience with. But after that class, I became addicted to reading poetry, and during the class I actually found myself thinking in and expressing myself in poetry- which I never would have guessed would happen in a million years. So, with this series I'm here to share some of my favorite poems in a way that I'm sure will turn out rambley and unorganized.

SEE THE REST OF MY POETRY SPOTLIGHT SERIES HERE

There's a lot of stuff going on this month. It's the 100th anniversary of the U.S.'s entry into the first World War, and it's national poetry month. So as a lover of history and poetry, naturally, I have combined them into today's post about one of my all time favorite poets Wilfred Owen. The poems I will be talking about today come out of Penguin's Little Black Classic collection of his works, which I highly recommend. This edition has all of the essential Owen's poems, in a small and affordable package.

Author Bio

What makes Owen such a remarkable poet and recorder of history is the fact that he served and died in WWI. Up until WWI, many of the poetic recordings regarding wars in America, the Civil War is a great example of this, were recorded by poets who were not fighting the wars and were only outside observers. During WWI, we see a shift in the attitudes regarding war in art. In the Civil War, for example, poetry highlights the honor, righteousness, and even beauty associated with war and defending one's country, but in WWI, the poetry highlights the horrors of war and even suggests it's lack of purpose. This has everything to do with the advanced technology of war that debuted in WWI including machine guns, trench warfare, mustard gas, and fighter planes. The death toll for this war was unlike anything the world had ever seen, and it left a whole generation of men missing, or "lost" as Gertrude Stein phrased it (hence the literary movement named The Lost Generation). Young men lined up to join the war, eager to earn the honor and respect that the older generations associated with war, but many felt that nothing had been gained from the conflict and all of the bloodshed was for naught after the war's conclusion. There was no clear winner or loser. This is also the first time we as a society come to recognize and try to treat PTSD or shell-shock as it was referred to.

Owen was from England, and wrote all of his poems in the just-over-a-year that he served in the British army before being killed in action at the age of twenty-five, one week before the Armistice. Owen met Siegfried Sassoon, another well-known and excellent WWI poet, in an army hospital while being treated for shell-shock, and the two became friends. Sassoon was responsible for publishing much of Owen's works after his death. 

You can read more about Owen at the Poetry Foundation. 

  

Spotlighted Poems 

Like I mentioned above, WWI poetry was revolutionary for the way it talked about war. In many poems, the divide between generations regarding the purpose of war and the honor associated with participating in it is visible. Poetry of this era is honest and brutal and even bitter and sarcastic. Owen is one of the best poets to come out of WWI, and his poems are breathtaking and so poignant. Many of these poems left me speechless after reading them for the first time. 

Poem titles link to poems 

Dulce et Decorum Est- If you read one poem from this post today, make it this one. This poem left me absolutely speechless after I translated the last line of the poem from Latin (It is sweet and proper to die for one's country.) If you have taken a literature course, you have probably read this poem, and rightfully so. This poem forces the reader to face the horrors of the trenches as a solider would, while also applying traditional poetic techniques such as rhyme and alliteration, causing quite the contrast. This poem has that bitter and sarcastic punch ending that many war poems have and also highlights the shifting attitudes towards war. 

Bonus: Hear it read by Christopher Eccleston here.

Anthem for Doomed Youth- This is another poem that illustrates the shifting attitude towards war by the young generation that is currently facing it. The "Doomed Youth" of this poem is of course the generation of soldiers fighting in the war. Again, Owen paints a clear and horrifying picture of life at war with traditional poetic devices. 

Bonus: Here it read by Sean Bean here.

The Parable Of the Old Man and the Young- This poem alludes to the biblical story of Abraham and his son Isaac, who God asks Abraham to sacrifice in order to prove his devotion. Owen uses this story to create a parallel between Isaac and the soldiers. Once again, we see the shift in thinking from the older generation to the younger. 

The Chances- This poem is interesting because it deals with all of the chances a man takes when he signs up to be a solider. Owen lists all of the bad things that can happen, including going "mad." This is an early poem to deal with the psychological and physical affects of war, and Owen does it in a very powerful way. 

As usual, leave me your favorite poems or poets below!