Book Chatter

Chloe on the couch. The pup has been a loyal reading buddy but now she has to share space with the cat. She is most gracious in giving up her spots, at least for a little while but she has to have a clear view of whatever I am doing or it’s a big no. In this shot, Root Beer the cat is actually on my chest while The Otter Pup observes. This is how I read these days. I have cat hair all over me but I love it.

What am I reading? Murakami’s latest, Murakami T: The T-shirts I Love. It is the perfect read for me right now. Short observations and stories about his go-to, favorite t-shirts and why they stand out to him. The only complaint I have, is that on my Kindle it’s all B&W so although there are photos of the shirts, I don’t get the full design effect. I need to check out a physical copy to see all his colorful choices. It’s the perfect thing to pick up and put down in between things. Some passages are only a couple of pages long. I should finish it this week.

This Thursday my university is closed for a state holiday so I am off. I would love to spend it outside. After quite a bit of rain on Monday, everything is so crisp and new. I am hoping to get outside so I am pondering my options now. I don’t want to waste a good day off.

The other day I got a reminder to call U-verse about my expiring promotions so I spent thirty minutes re-negotiating what I am willing to pay. Next time, I may just drop it and go with streaming but once you add all your streaming services it’s not any cheaper, really. I didn’t get it quite low as I did last year but it will suffice for now. I would really love it if they deducted the cost of channels I do not want like OAN and all those infomercial channels. I could really do without any of it but the Hub likes his live sports and news.

We are all living in weird times. No masks anywhere now and yet numbers do seem to be rising but not alarmingly so. A second booster is coming. I have to think about it more. I am fully boosted but after all the health issues I’ve had of late I am worried what a second booster might do to me. I have some time to think about it.

That’s all I have. I hope you have a great day!

Memorial Drive
By Natasha Trethewey
Ecco, 9780062248589, June 2021, 224pp.

The Short of It:

A beautiful, heartbreaking memoir. If memoirs aren’t your thing, don’t let that stop you from picking this one up.

The Rest of It:

“Natasha Trethewey was 19 when her mother was murdered by her stepfather in 1985. For decades, she hid the event, and memories of her mother, in the recesses of her mind while she went on to win a Pulitzer Prize and become the Poet Laureate of the United States. Now, decades later, she opens herself up to her past to produce a harrowing yet beautiful memorial.”
— Mike Hare, Northshire Saratoga, Saratoga Springs, NY

My book club chose this book for March. Initially I had a hard time finding a library copy so I went with the audio, which is just beautiful but just a few chapters in, I knew I’d want to own a copy so I bought the paperback. Trethewey is a poet so the passages are often heartbreakingly beautiful. I found myself reading a chapter and then taking a little time to sit with it before moving on to the next. I first heard about this book when Obama chose it for one of his “best of” lists. He’s not wrong.

Besides the beauty of the written word itself, I could not help but be affected by Trethewey’s grief and obvious pain over her mother’s death at the hand of her stepfather. Both mother and daughter dealt with his abuse. Steps were taken to ensure their safety, and yet the legal system still failed them. The murder took place in 1985 but really, when it comes to domestic violence not a whole lot has changed.

While reading this book, I was reminded of all the drama over Kanye and his recent threats to Pete Davidson, who is now dating Kanye’s ex. That celebrity couple is in the public eye. The rants and threats are made publicly and still, little is being done. Trevor Noah recently called it out. If a women like Kim K can’t feel protected, then who can?

While discussing this book, many of Trethewey’s poems were shared and they are just beautiful. If you decide to pick this book up, check out her other works too.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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