Again, I'm not quite sure how to group this quartet together. Really what comes to mind is that they all had some kind of feels, and they also all told stories in a bit of a unique way? Sure, Andrea. Read on, I promise my reviews are better than this introduction.
The Meaning of Mariah Carey by Mariah Carey was an interesting memoir. I always find memoirs hard to write about because I'm really critiquing the way someone talks about their own life. I mean, who am I to judge about how someone chooses to do this? I think what I learned most about Mariah was the difficulties of her childhood. This was hard stuff to read, and I appreciated how she showed the connections of this time to her music. For the stuff about her marriages and fame in general, I maybe wanted more, but again, totally her call? It strangely did make me want to see Glitter as I've never actually watched. I know, I know, but I feel like I need the context. All in all, I don't feel like I fully know the meaning of Mariah Carey as the title indicates, but I do have her perspective on a variety of things which helps.
Hood Feminism: Notes from a Woman That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall was phenomenal. It should be required reading, and I personally should have read this sooner! It's been on my list for awhile, and when I heard the author on NPR, I decided there was no more waiting, and I needed to read this now. This is an exploration of what feminism leaves out and why that's a problem. Gender equity isn't just about gender equity, rather there are a number of issues that need to be part of the conversation around the push for systemic change. Each chapter of the book explores a different one of these issues and specifically how they impact women, especially women of color, and then makes the case why this matters. Throughout, I learned so much. Of all the chapters, I would say the one about food insecurity has stuck with me the most. I have plans already to revisit this one as it opened my mind to so many issues that I need to be not only informed about, but to advocate for.
Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly is the third in the Lilac Girls series. Although it's part of a trilogy, reading the first two books isn't needed to follow this one. Much like the first in the series which I have read, there are three storylines. Two of them are more protagonist-y, while the other is clearly an antagonist. This book is set in the Civil War. One of the women is a Union nurse, another is a slave on a plantation, and the third is the wife of a plantation and slave owner. As it happens in Lilac Girls, the three stories have intersections throughout to really tell the story of the war. It's definitely an emotional ride, and there is a lot of pain in the stories of these women to the point that it is a really difficult read at times. That said, it's also important to know and remember and understand that pain in history and the impacts that can still show up today. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this soon to be released novel.
Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano was just an absolutely beautiful book. The story is about a young boy who is the sole survivor of a plane crash. In the crash, he has lost his entire family, so he is navigating his new normal. The story focuses on his grief and how he navigates life with his aunt and uncle. The story is also about the plane's passengers, and it explains who many of the passengers were and what they were carrying with them on that tragic day. I won't explain the end because that's part of the story, but I have to say I was in tears by the end with the way all the stories come together. It was just breathtaking and wonderful and had me all up in my feels - Honestly, the whole damn book did, and that's what makes it worth reading.
Onto the next ones!
