Nonfiction books to honor your inner scientist
Plus the prettiest bookish mug and why to try classics on audio
Hey, readers!
I have been working hard this week to get ahead on tasks (ahead is not my normal state) because on Monday my husband and I are heading to a cabin in the mountains for a couple nights. I am so excited for a little change of scenery! We’re hoping there will be enough snow for some good snowshoeing treks, but will mostly be hanging fireside watching movies and reading books. The perfect getaway!
This extra push to get things DONE the last few days has reminded me how lucky I feel to be pursuing my bookish dream of making book reviewing and community creating my full-time gig. I can’t even express how wonderful it is that getting ahead now looks like writing book reviews, providing readers with personal book recommendations, putting together Book Club Kits, and reading a book that’s long been on my TBR for a podcast episode. It’s certainly still a lot of work and there are not-so-fun things about it too (figuring out taxes… my email inbox… endless administrative tasks…), but I am thoroughly enjoying feeling creative, connecting with other bookworms, and planning new ways to help you make the most of your reading life. Whether you’re participating in my Patreon book club or following along with my reading here each week, thank you for being part of this community of readers!
This week in books.
This week I read…
Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall. I absolutely loved this collection of essays about intersectional feminism, both for the content and for Mikki Kendall’s blunt, yet lyrical voice. Each chapter focuses on a different feminist issue that is often overlooked or willfully pushed aside by mainstream white feminism. Kendall explores, for example, how food insecurity is an essential feminist issue and how white feminists’ focus on street harassment can be harmful and problematic. I appreciated the way that much of this book wasn’t written for me, a white woman (the “we” of the book often didn’t include me), but there are moments when Kendall specifically addresses white readers to call us out and in. I listened to this on audio, which was great, but I’ll also be purchasing the book to revisit it in print. Amazon | Bookshop
⭐️On Such a Full Sea by Chang-rae Lee. I’d been meaning to read this book for years, so was very excited to choose it for the January FictionMatters Book Club. This wasn’t an easy book to read—Chang-rae Lee’s writing is stylish, lyrical, and dense, and the book is full of figurative language. But I really enjoyed the process of slowing down to take it all in, and discussing with the book club group made me love it all the more. Amazon | Bookshop
Culture Warlords by Talia Lavin. In this book, Talia Lavin takes readers through the history of anti-Semitism in America and into the depths of internet hate groups. I have learned so much from this book—things that were disturbing to learn, but are truly important for my understand of where we are as a country. I highly recommend this one to anyone looking to understand the way white supremacy is operating on the internet today. Amazon | Bookshop
⭐️Each week, I’ll star my favorite book so you can find the best of the best at a glance.
Now I’m reading…
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. This is so outside my wheelhouse but after a quarantine rewatch of all the movies, I decided to pick it up. So far, I’m really enjoying it and it definitely keeps true to the adage that the book is (almost) always better. Amazon | Bookshop
The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter. We’ll be covering this collection of gothic fairytale retellings in a February episode of Novel Pairings. Amazon | Bookshop
And I put aside…
Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan. I was excited about this one but the further into it I got the more I realized I didn’t care about the drama, the characters, or anything else. I DNF’d it around 60 pages. Amazon | Bookshop
Three nonfiction books about sea creatures to indulge your inner scientist
My husband enjoys a good bookish deep dive (pun intended) into sea creatures, and recently he’s been reading passages of Monarchs of the Sea: The Extraordinary 500-Million-Year History of Cephalopods to me. It is fascinating, informative, and written in a way that helps non-science-minded folks understand and get invested. Here are three other nonfiction books about the fascinating oceanic animals to make you feel like a real biologist:
The Book of Eels by Patrik Svensson. For a mix of memoir and exploration of one of the world’s most mysterious creatures.Amazon |Bookshop
Spineless by Juli Berwald. For a discussion of climate change through the weird world of jellyfish. Amazon | Bookshop
Spying on Whales by Nick Pyenson. For an extremely readable, but detailed evolutionary history of the largest living mammals. Amazon | Bookshop
Links I love.
I wrote a blog post for Libro.fm about why you should try classics on audio. I am very passionate about this topic and I had a blast putting this together!
Speaking of classics on audio, Spotify just released nine classic audiobooks you can stream for free with their service. Each book is read by an incredible narrator, with a little commentary included.
This bookish mug from Rifle Paper Co. is dreamy.
25 authors on the books that matter to them.
The Valentine’s Day gift selection from The Bookshelf is super cute.
Love the variety on this list of 25 romance novels to read in your lifetime.
Are you watching Lupin? Learn all about its literary origins.
If you (like me) have every wanted to try PrintFresh pajamas, but have balked at the price. Now is the time! They’re currently offering an additional 40% off sale items.
Why we need to start double-masking.
Novel Pairings.
We’ve got a great lineup of episodes coming your way in February. Here’s what you can expect:
Tuesday, February 2: There is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset
Tuesday, February 9: Fairytale retellings TBR-toppler
Tuesday, February 16: The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter
Tuesday, February 23: Quarterly wrap-up sharing our favorite books we read this winter
We’ll also be hosting an Instagram Live on February 9th to share the books we’ll be covering in our upcoming spring season. Follow @novelpairingspod for that and lots of extra bookish content. Plus we have some exciting announcements coming up soon, so make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter to be the first to know!
End notes.
Watching: We’re in a bit of a watching rut at the moment. My husband finished Industry, which neither of us liked much at first, but he said got much better as the series went on. We picked back up with season 3 of The Crown, which we’re enjoying but its glacial pace makes it a tough binge watch. Advice is welcome!
Listening: The Daily episode about Q Anon believers post-Inauguration was terrifying and informative. It made me think it’s finally time for me to listen to Rabbit Hole.
Making: We are addicted to this shallot pasta and just made it again this week. I also got my husband this sous-vide cookbook so we’re excited to start trying some new recipes with our fanciest kitchen gadget.
Loving: Reading on my Kindle Paperwhite. I will forever be a paper books girl at heart, but now that I don’t exclusively review books on Instagram (very much a visual medium) I don’t feel like I need every book I read in hard copy to feature in a photo. I find that I read more quickly on my Kindle, so it’s perfect for thrillers, mysteries, romance, and other light fare. I also love that I can borrow e-books from my library and send them to my Kindle so easily. Oh! And the new Paperwhites are waterproof which gives me a little peach of mind while reading in the tub.
Also, it appears I put in the wrong link for my favorite boots last week, so here that is again.
Readers, I hope you’ve been able to fit it all in this week. For questions, comments, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing fictionmattersbooks@gmail.com or responding directly to this newsletter. I love hearing from you!
If you’re looking for more book recommendations and delightful bookish community, consider supporting FictionMatters on Patreon.
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Happy reading!
Sara
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