Fellow readers! Didya miss me? Whether or not you did, here I am again with one of my intermittent news updates covering the world of diverse books and diverse readers. Let’s jump right in!
- Last summer I attended the Prague Summer Writer’s Program and while there, met an opera singer with a podcast on what it’s like to be an artist in the current climate. She graciously had me on as a guest, discussing AI, returning to America, and how I became a writer. I get a bit nervous about speaking on the record, but this came out pretty well, and I appreciate the thoughtfulness of this interview. [Artists on the Verge]
- Presented (largely) without comment: Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha was captured, detained, and beaten by Israeli forces when evacuating Gaza. [TIME]
- I’m not going to make this blog a focal point for things I don’t have expansive knowledge of, but I will say that reading diversely and extensively is how I understand that one can condemn genocide and anti-Semitism without contradiction. Some of the books that helped me develop that understanding came from Haymarket Books, who are giving away free books about Palestine that are worth reading and marking the rest of their catalog down by 40% until January. If you’re looking to enrich your knowledge of social justice, history, or global issues, check them out. [Haymarket Books]
- November is Native American Heritage Month and while I decided a while ago I find it too exhausting to read and blog in themes, other people are still doing the good work. Novelist Oscar Hokeah made a list of other indigenous writers and their works to check out this month that is a great place to start. [Pen America]
- Theatre professionals in Kathmandu are making a point of reading diverse literature to boost their creative capital, and the resulting booklist is an interesting snapshot of what Nepalis are reading. [Kathmandu Post]
- I really want to read The Heaven And Earth Grocery Store but my literary cup runneth over and I’m not sure when I’ll have time. Anything that revisits historical solidarity between marginalized communities — in this case, Black and Jewish people –is my cup of tea. [The Guardian]
- Last link for now; Rwanda has been on my curiosity radar for a moment, and Scholastique Mukasonga’s new novel Kibogo, all about the country’s Christianization, definitely has my attention. [The Guardian]
See you next time I have a spare moment to do a round-up, beautiful people. If you want to buy some diverse books and support this site, be sure to check out the Equal Opportunity Bookshop. We get a small commission for every book bought, and Amazon gets none. Now, go read something good. Peace!
(The photo at the top of this post was taken by Happy Black Chick Photography, who you should also check out.)
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