Infidel

Infidel by Pornsak Pichetshote, art by Aaron Campbell, 168 pages

Leslie lives in an apartment building that is infamous throughout the city as the location of a poorly planned terrorist attack several years earlier, and while most of the people who lived there at the time have since moved away, those who remain seem to be a bit skittish about Muslims and those of Middle Eastern descent. Enter Aisha, fiancee of Leslie's son, and a Pakistani American Muslim, who comes to live with her future mother-in-law. Aisha keeps seeing horrific beings in the building and starts to wonder if it's not haunted by those who died in the explosion years ago. Soon, Aisha's fears and those of her neighbors come to a head in some fairly horrific ways.

That's a fairly bad description of a truly wonderful graphic novel. As Jeff Lemire points out in the afterword, horror and politics are hard to do well in comics, but Pichetshote and Campbell prove that it can be done. The story seamlessly weaves together several types of horror, both real and supernatural, and Campbell's disturbing and amazing artwork makes it all the more convincing. I'm in awe of this book, and their talents.

Mae Among The Stars

Mae Among The Stars by Roda Ahmed  37 pages

This story is a juvenile picture book about Dr. Mae Carol Jemison, the first African American Female Astronaut. This particular book stuck with me because it is a message to young children to stick with your dreams regardless of who says you can't do it. I also believe this novel stuck with me because as a child, your adult peers always feel like you should be doing something other than what you want to be. Dr. Jemison's story tells you to follow your heart and do something different.

As a young adult who should have it figured out by now, this story taught me that you have to follow your dreams regardless of what people say. Sometimes it's hard to do that when other people tell you stereotypical occupations others who look like you have and should be your goal in life. Live life for yourself.

I read children's books because adult books never sugar-coat which is a good thing. However when you need a good dose of inspiration and encouragement, there is no better book to read than a children's book.

Well-Read Black Girl: An Anthology

Well-Read Black Girl: An Anthology by Glory Edim    239 pages

This collection of short essays, novels, and poems, have the purpose to inspire and inform black woman. This book includes works that were stemmed from the teachings of women like Toni Morrison and Audre Lorde, whose main objective was to provide a outlet for any women regardless of their race, class, gender, religion, and physical ability. Books like this provide a place where women can read a story and think, they are talking directly to me. That sort of thinking leads to one major conclusion. REPRESENTATION MATTERS!! As an African American woman, if I find science fiction or fantasy literature that is written with a person of color as the main character, it makes me feel included and valued.

My personal opinion about this book however, is that I didn't enjoy it. I have read about 50% of the essays in this book in my women and gender studies classes at Mizzou and the other 50% are writing that are targeted towards women of color who have not "discovered themselves" and who are still trying to find ways to embrace their identity. I personally know who I am and where I come from, so a book like this would have been more exciting for women who are seeking identity discovery and meaning, where as I am looking for inspiration and guidance from one person of color to the other.

I also want to add that books like this are so important to read, which is why I checked it out despite having read some of the pieces in it. Reminding one's self who you are is okay. Self acceptance is okay and I believe due to all the racial injustices that marginalized communities face, we forget about that. Books like these allow us to love ourselves in ways that others have been denied and sometimes it is reassuring to have that, especially in our society today.

The Obelisk Gate

The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin, 410 pages

The second book in Jemisin's Hugo-winning trilogy (Yes! All three!) picks up where the last left off (so SPOILER ALERT if you haven't read The Fifth Season, which you really should): Essun is attempting to fit in with the community in the underground community of Castrima while simultaneously getting lessons in controlling the floating obelisks from her dying mentor, Alabaster. Meanwhile, Essun's daughter, Nassun, and husband, Jija, have fled south in search of a place that Jija is convinced can cure Nassun of her orogeny. When they get to this place, it's not exactly as it seems, bringing Nassun under the tutelage of Essun's old Guardian Schaffa. Has Schaffa changed his ways? It's unclear.

What is clear is that the final book in this series will bring some major power and major conflicts to this super-powerful mother and daughter, and I can't wait to read it. I love how Jemisin has created all of these wonderfully complex characters and situations in a world that's both completely foreign and so realistic. No wonder she's the first person to win the Hugo Award three years in a row, for all the books in a trilogy.

My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me

My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me: A Black Woman Discovers Her Family's Nazi Past
By: Jennifer Teege and Nikola Sellmair    221 pages


"What would he have said to a dark-skinned gran-daughter, who speaks Hebrew on top of that? I would have been a disgrace, a bastard who brought dishonor to the family. I am sure my grandfather would have shot me."

Jennifer's family history is a story covered in hatred and blood. The discoveries made in this book would shock anybody as well as question their morals and beliefs. This story reminds its readers of the importance of knowing their family history and to question how that effects their everyday life. This book did an excellent job at providing historical context and explaining Jennifer's emotions as she processes the injustices served by her grandfather, Amon Goeth.

If you want to have open dialogue about culture appropriation, disrespect, and how that plays in to the search for glory, power, and greed, than this is the book for you. If you want to follow a Nigerian-German Woman on her struggle for self identity and personal security, this is the book for you. If you want to understand how people can stand by and let individuals they know haunt, torture, and kill innocent people, this is the book for you.

I wouldn't suggest a trigger warning for this book because it isn't overly graphic however, I would say be prepared to be shocked because this book is not for the lighthearted.

Dear America

Dear America: notes of an undocumented citizen / Jose Antonio Vargas, read by the author, 245 pgs.

At twelve, Vargas' mother sent him to America to live with her parents.  Her goal was to join him within six months. She never made it here but Vargas thrived in his school and community.  When he went to get a driver's license, he discovered he was here illegally. What do you do in that situation?  Well, not much.  He continued living his life and as he grew older, told more and more lies to do things like work and live his life.  He has never been back to the Philippines, and has, in fact, never left the country.  If he leaves, he has no idea if he will be able to come back.  In addition to the personal memoir part of this story, he talks bigger picture immigration and the current political situation.  I listened to the book which added to the experience because he gives us a taste of his native languages. An interesting timely read.

$10 Dinners

$10 Dinners: Delicious Dinners for a Family of Four That Don't Break the Bank by Julie Grimes, 255 pages

As you may be able to guess from the title, every dish in this wonderfully presented, and wide-ranging, cookbook is costs less than $10 to prepare. That said, the $10 price tag can be a bit deceptive, as some of these dishes can't serve as full meals — unless you consider a 4 oz. chunk of pork tenderloin a meal — but I get the appeal of throwing the $10 label on these for simplicity's sake. Speaking of simplicity, some of these meals are ridiculously simple (like, to the point that my non-gourmet family has already figured out a variation on our own) while I passed on others because of the amount of time it would take to prepare them. While there were definitely a few recipes that I'll be hanging onto, the true value of this book lies in the page of ingredients that belong in a well-stocked kitchen, as well as the brief intro that covers the ways to stretch your dollar at the grocery store.

In My Father's House

In My Father's House: a New View of How Crime Runs in the Family / Fox Butterfield, 265 p.

An in-depth examination of one extended family, the Bogles, who have at least 60 members over several generations who have been in prison.  Juxtaposing current research on how and why crime is 'inherited' with the real life stories of these men and women makes for fascinating reading. 

The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells ; 637 pp

     All Systems Red, 149 pp
     Artificial Condition, 158 pp
     Rogue Protocol, 158 pp
     Exit Strategy, 172 pp

In a corporate-dominated future, Security Unit bots must accompany all approved planetary missions to guarantee the safety of the humans on the mission. One SecUnit that calls itself Murderbot has hacked its own governor module, yet continues on with its job because it has plenty of time to surreptitiously watch media. (Its favorite show is Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon.)
        "Confession time: I don't actually know where we are....In my defense, we'd been here twenty-two planetary days and I hadn't had to do anything but stand around watching humans make scans or take samples of dirt, rocks, water, and leaves. The sense of urgency just wasn't there. Also, you may have noticed, I don't care."
Then an emergency happens and Murderbot actually has to decide whether to do its job....

Murderbot is snarky and anxiety-ridden and unsure what to do with itself when humans try to talk to it. It's also great fun to read about. These novellas feature action and intrigue as well as introspection and growth. The fourth title ends the story arc begun in the first title, but there's a novel coming out in 2020 to look forward to. (Woo!) I can't wait.

The Freeze-Frame revolution

The freeze-frame revolution / Peter Watts, read by Emily Woo Zeller, 190 pgs.

How do you overthrow a system when you are awake only a few days every thousand years or so?  When the crew you serve with is never the same?  When the "master" is a know-all see-all system that level of monitoring isn't exactly clear to you?  Seems like you start a music appreciation club and send coded messages.  Sunday is a crew member on the ship and was completely sold on the mission but that was millions of years ago.  Now she is having doubts.  Others are doubting too.  Conspiracy, codes, and plans are laid over the millennia.  Will the rag tag group be successful? Read and find out.