Much of August was dedicated to wrapping up the research and writing for our recent exhibit on Impactful Black Women in Des Moines, which debuted on August 27 at SistaSoulFest in Des Moines, Iowa. I didn’t get to read as many books as I would have liked. Here’s what I read, as well as a few podcasts that resonated over the past two months.
The Books
Barracoon by Zora Neale-Hurston: So much sadness + grief in Cudjo Lewis’ story. Cudjo Lewis was kidnapped + sold into slavery around 1858-1859, LONG after the international slave trade had been outlawed. Descriptions of his capture, crying for his family, the conditions in the hull of the Clotilda, being mocked + shunned by other Black people for being “savage.” So much grief over his home and all of the things he never got to do. I shouldn’t have to say this: Slavery did not benefit Black people.
Islam in the Heartland of America by Imam Omar Hazim: Confession: When I bought this book from the Planned Parenthood book sale I thought it would be a history. It does have a wee bit of history AND it’s more about Islamic theology. Each chapter is basically a sermon & contains lessons for how to comport oneself moving through the world.
At its heart, Islam is such a beautiful and peaceful faith.
Folk Roots, New Roots: Folklore in American Life by the Museum of National Heritage: This book is a series of essays by anthropologists and historians exploring the evolution (and at times devolution) of folk art and folk ways in the United States. The scholars explore the impacts of industrialization, as well as a pervasive tendency of our culture to devalue the labor of women and indigenous peoples. While these trends have made folk art accessible to the masses, the disconnection from the original “folk” has troubling implications. Unfortunately this book is out of print, though it may be available at your local library, or perhaps you’ll get lucky and bump into one at a used book sale like I did.
The Genius of Bob’s Burgers by Margaret France: This is a book that I started over a year ago, got distracted, and did not finish. I finished it poolside in August. The author is a friend from college who specializes in gender studies and popular culture. The Genius of Bob’s Burgers wittily breaks down the complete upheaval of traditional gender constructs within the context of a cartoon/pop-culture universe. I found the analysis on drag culture (***spoiler alert: when you watch cartoons where men voice women’s roles and women voice men’s roles you are consuming drag) especially enlightening against the backdrop of the recent wave of anti-LGBTQIA legislation that has swept through many states, including Iowa.
The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama was gifted to me a while ago and this summer I finally had time to read what she had to say about coping during chaotic and desperate times. Part memoir, part self-help, Mrs. Obama’s words provided a much needed nudge to resist cynicism and keep going.
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery is a book I loved as a child. In 1985, I religiously watched the eponymous Canadian mini-series starring Megan Follows. As a kid I rooted hard for Anne – still do. In 2023 I must say that Anne is a weird little kid with some pretty deep trauma. As the parent of a bright, talkative 10 year old, I discovered a new layer of humor, empathizing with the adults’ reactions to Anne’s calamitous capers and multitudinous monologues.
The Podcasts
Worst Best Sellers, Episode 226: Anne of Green Gables was my inspiration to re-read Anne of Green Gables. The hosts also offered some much needed context around Canadian history and the social-political climate of Anne’s world. This episode deviates from the normal format in that the hosts love the book and discuss it with great fondness.
Tilling The Soil, Season 2 Episode 2: Maroon Geographies with Dr. Brent Morris is a fascinating discussion of Maroon culture and communities, the spectrum of freedom, and some utterly fascinating information about communities of self-liberated Africans who hid out and settled in the formidable Great Dismal Swamp. A quick Google search revealed a handful of books on the subject, including Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp by American abolitionist Harriet Beecher-Stowe
GrammarGirl, Episode 944: When you shouldn’t ‘write tight:’ ‘Behead’ versus ‘Decapitate’ is a fun listen for people who love nerding out on grammar and linguistics. This is also a good listen for people like me who live double lives when it comes to writing.
Struggle Care, Episode 40: Anti-Capitalist Financial Planning with River Nice Financial planning for folx who hate capitalism while acknowledging the reality that we exist in a capitalist system which requires money in order to meet nearly all of our basic needs.
Black history research collective 