Books Are My People Weekly Newsletter
out today, paperback releases and more!
Dear Reader,
The school year has officially begun for both of my kids: one is a college freshman and one is a high-school sophomore. It’s wild watching your kids grow up and become sentient young adults! I know the new year officially begins January 1st, but my calendar has always revolved around the school year ever since I was a student, through college, graduate school (twice!) , then as a teacher, a parents of school-aged kids and a college instructor. So the first day of school is how I mark my last day of summer.
More later in the week for paying subscribers about all of the books I read this summer.
Looking to join a book club, but short on time? Join us for our two-month Read With Me Series starting in September. I’ll be releasing an educational video every two weeks during these two months on a different aspect of the novel and there will be four opportunities for online discussions every two weeks with a culminating meetup over zoom to discuss takeaways from the novel.
Become a subscriber to join in the fun!
And my Books Are My People podcast is back! To listen to the first episode of this new season click here or listen wherever you catch your pods. And if you can spare a moment to rate and review Books Are My People, I will be forever grateful! It takes mere seconds and helps new listeners find my show.
Book Giveaway Alert! I am giving away one copy of Xochitl Gonzalez’s Anita de Monte Laughs Last. In 1998, Raquel, a third-year art history student working on her thesis discovers the art of Anita de Monte, a forgotten artist from the 1980’s. Their trajectories overlap to an extent – both outsiders, but then diverge as Raquel fights to bring to light what really happened to Anita. Art enthusiasts, fans of books that take place in New York and books with dual timelines and multiple points of views will love this novel!
To Enter: Simply leave a comment on this Instagram Post. Earn extra entries by tagging a friend in the comments and sharing this giveaway in your stories. This giveaway will close on Thursday, September 5th and I will contact the winner on September 6th. Open to U.S. mailing addresses only.
Let Me Help You Discover Books You Might Not Otherwise Read! You can learn more about me by visiting my introductory post here.
The best way you can support this newsletter is to click on the books below and purchase them through my Bookshop.org affiliate store. A portion of your spending goes to independent bookstores! A win-win-win! (You win, I win, indie bookstores win!)
Out Today (I’ve starred the ones I’ve read) This is the calm before the fabulous storm that is September book releases, so while this list may feel scant, just remember, it’s a prelude of the deluge of books to come.
The Snarling Girl And Other Essays by Elisa Albert
In sixteen essays published over the past decade, Albert considers everything from the creative process to reproductive justice, ambition to Ani DiFranco, Judaism to the ethos of punk, all in the midst of making a home in the strange city of Albany, New York.
That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America by Amanda Jones
Part memoir, part manifesto, the inspiring story of a Louisiana librarian advocating for inclusivity on the front lines of our vicious culture wars. Mapping the book banning crisis occurring all across the nation, That Librarian draws the battle lines in the war against equity and inclusion, calling book lovers everywhere to rise in defense of our readers.
*Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay
An emotionally charged, moving young adult novel about four generations of Filipino American boys grappling with identity, masculinity, and their fraught father-son relationships.
The Border Between Us by Rudy Ruiz
Ramón López was born along the US-Mexico border but is determined to get out and embrace the American dream, but the outside world is rife with danger and temptations threatening to distract Ramón from his dreams of making it to New York and succeeding as an artist.
Paperback Releases:
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
A brilliant novel that enthralls, compels, and captures the heart as it evokes a young hero's unforgettable journey to maturity, set in the mountains of southern Appalachia.
The Wren, The Wren by Anne Enright
The Wren, the Wren brings to life three generations of McDaragh women who must contend with inheritances--of poetic wonder and of abandonment by a man who is lauded in public and carelessly selfish at home. Enright braids a family story of longing, betrayal, and hope.
*All You Have To Do Is Call by Kerri Maher
A gripping and uplifting novel based on the true story of the Jane Collective in Chicago in the early 1970’s and the brave women who worked in the shadows for our right to choose.
Click here to listen to my interview with Kerri Maher.
California Golden by Melanie Benjamin
Two sisters navigate the thrilling, euphoric early days of California surf culture in the 1960’s - a saga of ambition, sacrifice, and the tangled ties between mothers and daughters.
*A Grandmother Begins The Story by Michelle Porter
A powerfully funny and moving story told not just by five generations of Métis women, but also by the land, the bison that surround them, and two utterly captivating dogs.
Click here to listen to my interview with Michelle Porter
Paid Subscriber Corner:
August: Independent reading month. We’ll gather at the end of August to share what we’re reading and loving! WE WILL VOTE THURSDAY ON THE BEST TIME TO MEET NEXT WEEK.
Read With Me Series: We will be reading Caoilinn Hughes’s The Alternatives in September / October. I can’t wait to read this smart, witty, romp about four Irish sisters. THE READING SCHEDULE WILL BE RELEASED ON THURSDAY!
November: Book to Film Series: Poor Things by Alasdair Gray. Read the book, watch the movie, or both!
December: Independent reading month. We’ll meet up at the start of the new year when the craziness of December is over.
Excited to have one of my collages for sale at the Las Laguna Gallery out of Laguna Beach, California. Click on the image above to check out the rest of their abstract collection.
I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week! Share what you’ve been reading below!
Books Are My People: A Podcast Companion Newsletter
(click here to listen to the most recent episode of my book recommendation podcast.)
And, if you haven't yet, the greatest gift would be to rate my show, wherever you listen!
Thanks Jennifer for always encouraging a good read into our lives!
If I enter the giveaway and win, can I send it to someone IN the US?
I’m looking forward to reading That Librarian, the border between us, theWren, theWren.