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The heat wave has wilted most of us here in the southeast. Walking outside is like having a warm, damp blanket wrapped around you. My glasses even fog up in the humidity. So I’ve been hiding inside, dreaming of cooler days and eagerly awaiting fall. That’s a while yet, but as we wait, we can keep reading, right?
Today I have even more titles for you in honor of Disability Pride, but first, bookish goods!
Bookish Goods
READ Bunting – Colourful Felt Garland by Forged in Fables
Every summer, I’m always sending my nieces and nephews boxes of books for summer reading. I LOVE these little banners. Perfect for my favorite kiddos. $16
New Releases
The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum: The Rise and Fall of an American Organized-Crime Boss by Margalit Fox
Fredericka Mandelbaum arrived in the United States with nothing, but just in a matter of years, she was a wealthy member of respectable society. But underneath that veneer was the truth of Mandelbaum’s wealth: she was a crime boss.
The Home I Worked to Make: Voices from the New Syrian Diaspora by Wendy Pearlman
Through hundreds of interviews with Syrians and members of the Syrian diaspora, Wendy Pearlman examines ideas around what is home? How do you make a new home after losing one? Can you ever find home again? The Home I Worked to Make is a testament to the resilience of the survivors of war in the face of unspeakable loss.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Ten Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation by Hannah Gadsby
Hands down, Hannah Gadsby’s Ten Steps to Nanette was my favorite memoir the year it came out. In it, Gadsby shares what it was like to grow up as a queer, autistic kid in Tasmania, Australia. Gadsby is well-known for her comedy special Nanette, which you can still watch on Netflix. Her memoir expands on the ideas in Nanette and gives us a closer look into how Gadbsy’s life led to her creating this incredible one-woman show. The audiobook is out of this world. It’s hilarious and heartbreaking all in one book.
A Dangerously High Threshold of Pain by Imani Perry, Read by Imani Perry
Earlier this year, I listened to the audio edition of Imani Perry’s essay, A Dangerously High Threshold of Pain. You may know Perry from her National Book Award-winning book South to America, which was my favorite book of the year when it came out.
In this essay, Perry writes about her experiences living with chronic illness and the pressure she feels to be excellent in all things. But the truth is, she can’t do everything. Eventually, Imani is diagnosed with Lupus and Graves Disease, and her doctor warns her that her dangerously high threshold for pain often results in her ignoring her body’s need for rest. Perry narrates the audio version, and her performance has stayed with me since I first heard it.
That’s it for this week! You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave, over on Instagram @kdwinchester, on TikTok @kendrawinchester, or on my podcast Read Appalachia. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles on Book Riot.
Happy reading, Friends!
~ Kendra
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