 Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon) was captured by the North Vietnamese on April 30th, 1975. Photo credit: Tron Le on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla Did I enjoy Viet Thanh Nguyen’s writing style? Yes… but did it also remind me of “Call Me Zebra” and bring back some incredibly unpleasant memories? A resounding yes. These tragic flashbacks may have affected my reading and appreciation of this novel. Also, I don’t care what you say in your Goodreads commentary, Mr. Nguyen, the Philip Roth reference (not gonna describe it—if you know, you know) was very unnecessary. Why every author nowadays insists on alluding to “Portnoy’s Complaint” is beyond me.
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 Support people of color with actions, not just words, says John McWhorter in "Woke Racism." Photo credit: Markus Spiske on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla I read one of John McWhorter’s other books for my mini-review six months ago, and I finally got to reading this one too. Honestly, my mini-review kinda said it all… but there are some new arguments in “Woke Racism” for a little variation. Review: Although trained as a linguistics scholar, John McWhorter has recently made a name for himself as a Black conservative voice in liberal circles. In his newest book, “Woke Racism,” McWhorter continues to provide an unconventional (compared to the traditional liberal news media) perspective.
 Much of "The Trouble With Hating You" takes place in an Indian temple. Photo credit: Sonika Agarwal on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla There’s a movie called “Indian Sweets and Spices” that’s been getting a fair amount of buzz lately. I personally don’t love the film—the plot sometimes comes out of left field, and the dialogue feels a little stilted. This book is like that movie, but twenty times worse.
 Emma Wang performs at Sound Off! in a self-made dress. Photo credit: MoPOP and @sulu.tzn. By Anya Shukla Listening to Emma Wang perform her original songs at MoPOP’s Sky Church, one might think her jazzy, bright voice comes from the mouth of a 25-year-old, not a girl who’s still in high school. Although she’s been singing for most of her life, Wang’s polished sound has only started opening doors for her this year.
 Audrey finds herself (both literally and figuratively) in Montreal, Canada. Photo credit: Michael Descharles on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla I traveled to New Jersey last week, which was pretty exciting! A little break from the usual read book/write review/hang out in my room situation that’s been going on for the last few months. Ever since I left Starbucks, I spend most of my time doing work on the computer, so it was nice to step away and actually meet people in person. Review: In Kim Fu’s “Today I Am a Boy,” Audrey*, the child of Chinese immigrants, knows she’s a girl from a young age. Yet because of cultural pressures and her family’s norms, she cannot express her gender identity. Through the duration of this book, which takes us through Audrey’s childhood to middle age, she discovers her full self.
 Sanford B. Dole, whose cousin owned the Dole pineapple plantation, played a key role in the annexation of Hawaii. Photo credit: Fiona Smallwood on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla I talked to someone from Hawaii last week, and she mentioned that the state relies heavily on the mainland for supplies. Because Hawaii imports almost everything its people eat, if the rest of the U.S. stopped exporting (due to shipping problems, for example), Hawaii would run out of food in two weeks(!). Because of this, the state is trying to become more self-reliant by bringing back some of the old ways of food production—such as fish ponds or taro plants—that got eliminated during the annexation of Hawaii by America.
 What would an apocalypse look like in a robot-filled world? Chiang answers this question in his short story, "Exhalation." Photo credit: Brett Jordan on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla I feel bad writing this, but I didn’t know who Ted Chiang was before I read this book. He’s famous! (Well, writer-famous.) We had a whole sci-fi unit in high school, but his name was never mentioned. It’s not that we didn’t read BIPOC sci-fi authors—‘cause we did!—but I just wish there was more discussion about contributions to this genre by people of color. If all the sci-fi books you’ve read and movies you’ve watched growing up are “white guys fight each other in space” situations, I think it takes more than reading two authors of color in class to feel that you’re represented.
 In the "Crookman hospitals" of "Black No More," Black babies have their skin color changed immediately after their births. Photo credit: Solen Feyissa on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla I’ve been absolutely consumed with CC logistics (outreach for future mentorships, organizing a panel discussion for this mentorship, shipping books, making brochures, answering the emails that keep cropping up in my inbox, etc. etc.). And also my college has started sending me emails like “thanks for taking a gap year! Here are all the forms you need to fill out so you can join us on campus in the fall.” :( :( :( All I’m trying to say is… I’m feeling a wee bit stressed, and I didn’t really want to add another thing to my plate by reviewing this book for you all. But I did it anyways!
 "Palace Walk" showcases the Islamic religion in Egypt during World War One. Photo credit: Omar Elsharawy on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla “Palace Walk” was mentioned in “Conditional Citizens” (BIPOC Book #22) as an acclaimed portrayal of Muslim life. So imagine my excitement when I noticed that the book was on this list! And then imagine my excitement when I learned this book was over a thousand pages. The length of this book means it's not for the faint of heart. I actually managed to get through it just fine (although I will admit it dragged a little), but if you despise reading about domestic life, you might want to pick up another novel.
We've received a donation of approximately 20 art books, and they are looking for a good home! They range in topic from art-making to arts criticism to art photography but are all in good condition. If anyone is interested in one of the below books, please contact us, and we will send it over to you. Teens, teachers, adult CC supporters... all are welcome to ask for a book! Items will be provided first-come, first-served. |
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