I really enjoyed Laziness Does Not Exist as a “grind/productivity culture is a big pile of garbage” manifesto, and I also really like Dr. Price’s writing. I didn’t think I was the audience for this book, which is about the masking Autistic people do to conform with neurotypical expectations, and is written by an Autistic person for fellow Autistic people. Whoodamn, I was wrong about that. This is a thoughtful, compelling, and detailed look at … Continue reading Unmasking Autism: The Power of Embracing Our Hidden Neurodiversity by Devon Price →
Fans of the romantic comedy genre will no doubt enjoy the nonfiction book, From Hollywood With Love: The Rise and Fall (And Rise Again) Of The Romantic Comedy. This book is a history of the “modern” rom-com in film starting with When Harry Met Sally (1989) and ending with To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018). Along the way it discusses what a rom-com is and isn’t, why some work and some don’t, the … Continue reading From Hollywood With Love by Scott Meslow →
Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed by Saraciea J. Fennell (ed.) is tough for me to grade. As many of the other reviewers have mentioned in the past, anthologies can be a struggle to evaluate because invariably some stories are going to resonate more than others. But also I struggled because, despite being Latina, I did not feel like the target audience for this book. The primary aim of this anthology of essays is breaking down … Continue reading Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed edited by Saraciea J. Fennell →
This is a very odd book that I have read one or two chapters at a time, and then told people about, usually starting with, “Can I tell you about this weird-ass book I’m reading that I can’t stop thinking about?” The format follows a dialogue between a student and a philosopher, a follower of the Adlerian theory of psychology. While the subtitle reads, “The Japanese Phenomenon That Shows You How to Change Your Life and … Continue reading The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga →
After I reviewed Opium and Absinthe by Lydia Kang, M.D., one of our commenters requested that I review Lydia Kang’s nonfiction book, Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything (co-written by Nate Pedersen). Well, gosh, it’s a sacrifice, but if I MUST read a book full of weird historical semi-medical remedies for things like Bubonic Plague, well, then I guess I must. I do it for you, Bitches. Quackery is what … Continue reading Quackery by Lydia Kang, M.D. and Nate Pedersen →
I didn’t expect this book to make me cry, but it did. Specifically, I got teary when I was reading the introduction and came across this sentence: “It shouldn’t require an act of feminism to know how your body works, but it does.” I felt equal parts furious, seen, and relieved when I read that. When The Vagina Bible was released a couple of years ago, I devoured it, paying special attention to the section … Continue reading The Menopause Manifesto by Dr. Jen Gunter →
When Books Went To War, by Molly Guptill Manning, is a delightful non-fiction sure to delight the heart of any bibliophile and/or history nerd. The book is fairly short for non-fiction (the paperback is just under 200 pages not counting appendixes), and easy to read (it avoids jargon). It’s fascinating and heartwarming and informative. I loved this book and would suggest it for any avid reader. When America joined WWII, the troops had many problems, … Continue reading When Books Went to War by Molly Guptill Manning →
The Library Book by Susan Orlean is a gripping piece of nonfiction. Using the 1986 Los Angeles Library Fire as a framing device, Orlean explores the mystery of how and by whom the fire was started as well as the history of the Los Angeles Public Library and how libraries today are changing to meet modern needs. Orlean goes into detail about the fire itself, which makes for agonizing, informative, and emotionally gripping reading. The … Continue reading The Library Book by Susan Orlean →
When I recommend Instant Loss Cookbook: Cook Your Way to a Healthy Weight with 125 Recipes for Your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker I do so with the caveat that this book really isn’t about weight loss. If you read the introduction, the author is open about the fact that she struggled with obesity, but the real reason she came up with these recipes is that her child was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis and as a … Continue reading Instant Loss Cookbook by Brittany Williams →
When I was seven or eight years old, one of the highlights of my week was laying on the floor in my living room and watching Dolly Parton’s variety show, Dolly. I was absolutely rapt and thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world, with the very best, biggest hair ever. So you can understand why the hair was such a big deal to me, here’s a promo shot of Dolly from the … Continue reading Songteller: My Life in Lyrics by Dolly Parton →
Finding Faeries: Discovering Sprites, Pixies, Redcaps and Other Fantastical Creatures in an Urban Environment purports to be a scholarly reference work on liminal creatures. Part encyclopedia, part practical guide, this book introduces us to more than fifty species of fae, both the well known and the lesser known. The text is adorned with detailed pen and ink illustrations by Miles Äijälä, which are a little reminiscent of antique scientific illustrations of animals. These are very … Continue reading Finding Faeries: Discovering Sprites, Pixies, Redcaps and Other Fantastical Creatures in an Urban Environment by Alexandra Rowland →
