- one book in French (0/1)
- five books about horses (3/5)
- five books about Vermont (2/5)
- five books from the “to be read” pile (4/5)
- one book of poetry (0/1)
- one play (0/1)
- five books by authors of color (12/5)
- three books about museums (2/3)
- five award nominees (Hugo, Nebula, Dragon, Pulitzer, etc.) (7/5)
- two books about science (1/2)
- three classics (0/3)
- three books about organizing/politics (4/3)
- three memoirs or biographies (2/3)
How was June? A couple of books I really loved, actually!
First: The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison is hands-down one of my favorite books of the year so far, maybe of the last two years. I just loved everything about reading it. It was incredibly well-realized high fantasy with everything lined up: writing, world-building, character evolution, you name it. I deeply enjoyed just being in the world of the book, and wanted it to keep going forever, and it was quite a long book. A good antidote to the “all high fantasy must be angsty and dark!” trend right now.
Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland was the sequel to Dread Nation, which I read last month and enjoyed the heck out of. The basic premise is “What if the Civil War, but zombies?” but the actual substance of the book is about race and the choices that we make and the trauma that people endure and also, yes, there is a lot of zombie ass-kicking.
Dreams from My Father by Bararck Obama was…okay? I dunno. It was fine. I did not dislike it. I didn’t particularly like it, either. If you want to bring all conversation in a Vermont room to a stop instantly, mention you’re currently reading it and don’t particularly think it’s very good and WHEW utter silence and looks of horror. If you want to know more about President Obama’s worldview and life, it’s a good look into that. If you want actual conclusions or broader theories about politics or organizing…I suppose you could dig and find some but…you’d have to dig.
beljoeor.com 