Late last year, I was excited to learn about Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen. I know at least two people who identify as asexual, and although I'm happily married, I've long known that I'm not quite allosexual. This book offers answers about what it means... Continue Reading →
I've been eagerly waiting for Conditional Citizens: On Belonging in America by Laila Lalami for over a year. Since I first heard about it early in 2020, I couldn't wait for it to be published. But although it was originally scheduled for spring 2020, it was delayed to an autumn release. I finally got it... Continue Reading →
In the past couple of years, I've had a growing interest in reading more nonfiction about identity, especially related to racial diversity and immigration. This may be partially because of the obvious tensions present in the United States and around the world. It's also inspired by my husband, a Peruvian immigrant who just recently earned... Continue Reading →
I've been listening to Alicia Keys since I first heard "Fallin'" on the radio, and have collected all of her albums over the years. Her music is incredible, but I've also always admired her as a person. When she announced her memoir, More Myself: A Journey, in early 2019, I was thrilled. It's now been... Continue Reading →
Last summer, I was excited to learn of a new book by Isabel Wilkerson, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. I had launched into a focus on unlearning and relearning -- specifically in regards to racism, anti-racism, and the history of treatment of black people in America -- and this book promised profound insights. Ultimately,... Continue Reading →
Like so many people these days - and perhaps especially among my generation - I've suffered from burnout. For me it comes and goes, and at those times when it's impacting me, I seek answers. That's how I discovered the audiobook The Burnout Generation by Anne Helen Petersen last winter. I downloaded it months ago,... Continue Reading →
Like so many people across the US, I've spent the past six weeks (and counting) feeling disheartened by the ongoing police violence against and murders of Black people and those of other minorities. Seeing the new surge of support for action to help #BlackLivesMatter has been inspiring. This growing movement is what finally spurred me... Continue Reading →
It's been a long time since I learned anything related to science. Other than a small handful of college courses, I haven't studied the subject with any regularity or seriousness since high school. But despite the long absence, I'm still fascinated by science, and decided it was high time I revisited it. To ease me... Continue Reading →
Last summer, I decided to listen to my first audiobook. Something about listening to fiction seems weird to me, so I decided to start with nonfiction and one of my biggest interests: Spain. I found The History of Spain: Land on a Crossroad, and was excited to dive in. This audio book comes from The... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 