Monday, 24 March 2025

March Reading


This was a bookclub pick. I struggled with it. It's a lot of exposition and I'm really did not enjoy it. I felt like I was waiting for the story to start almost all the way through. I only made it to the end because my friend said she cried buckets. I missed that part (feeling any emotion) because I think I was just so fed up with it. In fact, I'm sort of curious about that she did. So maybe you'll love it (as one of my book club friends said "you always think the opposite of me"). That said, I did listen to this interview after I read it and I found the interview interesting and I had already been donating to some of the campaigns to prevent the destruction of Ningaloo.



I really liked this book. It's a feminist manifesto of sorts, but to me, more of a way to think about how beauty standards affect you, and consent. I actually want my adult son to read the consent part and I'm getting copies for my daughters because it points out red flags in relationships and acceptable boundaries to have with partners. And consent. Great book and a great gift for young people, women in particular.




 
This is my other bookclub's title and I had thought it was fiction. Midway through I worked out it was autobiographical (I knew the names of some of the legal people), and that she wasn't just referencing real events. It's engaging from the very first paragraph and a real insight into the violence against women in both this country and other cultures. I wouldn't say I enjoyed it but I was definitely engrossed in it and recommend it as a good read. (Trigger warning on domestic violence).


This just turned up in the post. I've no idea when I ordered it but I love Brian K. Vaughan so I definitely ordered it. It was written in 2017 and is about the US invading Canada (and the Canadian resistance). It is fascinatingly accurate given what is happening due to the real reason why. Vaughan is always one to make you think! If one of the bloggers recommended it, thanks for the tip!




I read this play one Saturday afternoon. It was a lovely way to spend a sunny 90 mins. The play was in London and the Edinburgh Festival and I think is currently touring in the US (Boston and New York?). It's about disability and ableism. I laughed out loud quite a few times, and also grimaced uncomfortably when I recognised myself and some of my well meaning but offensive ideas. I was also shocked at somethings I hadn't thought about. We really can do better. If you get a chance to see it, I'd def go! It's great fun and very clever.


Slow reading this month as the Tim Winton was long and I was not eager to get back to it....

What's been on your list?

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9 comments:

  1. These sound like great reads! I want to carve out more reading time myself - I think I will start on that tonight.

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  2. Wow it looks like you had some really thought provoking reading this month.

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  3. Women Don't Owe You Pretty sounds like a terrific book for people who are in a dating phase of life.

    I'm learning a lot by reading about disability and ableism in the last couple of years. There's so much wrong thinking that I absorbed from my childhood and culture.

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    1. I know, right? The disability stuff is where I really see how wrong my thinking is. I went to a talk and she showed these beautiful old sandstone buildings and asked what they had in common & I'm thinking age or type of grand architecture and someone answered "They all have stairs so there's no mobility access" and I just realised how literally blind I was to it.
      Also Women don't owe you pretty also covers accepting your appearance (and the false beauty standards we conform to) as well as your worth in the workplace. It's a really great book, I thought.

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  4. Funny how those counterfactual novels (like about the US invading Canada) are turning into a dystopian reality, not fiction at all. Sorry, not funny. Just dismal.

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  5. You definitely had some fabulous books on this post! Thank you for sharing! I've added them to my shopping list for when I visit my local used bookstore.

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  6. I always get my best reading recommendations from other bloggers. It's sometimes frustrating because I forget to write down who recommended what! We Stand on Guard sounds ominous.

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  7. Women Don't Owe Men Pretty sounds fascinating!!

    That play also sounds really interesting.

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  8. Interesting assortment of books. All of them are new to me. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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