First off, I must admit I’m a bit embarrassed it took me
so long to finally read this literary gem!
I knew I would love Zadie Smith’s White Teeth within the first few sentences. I’m a fan of the candid
wit of Brits and loved how imaginative and biting Smith’s storytelling is
throughout. There was a freshness in engaging with characters who were flawed,
inappropriate, and messy – yet they had such a strong desire for defining and
owning their identity, I found myself relating to and forgiving their
preposterous behavior.
As a mixed-race woman of color, I could feel the internal
and external tensions the characters faced, finding their struggles extremely
relatable and important to consider in our current moment in time.
One of the most talked about fictional debuts of recent years, "White Teeth" is a funny, generous, big-hearted novel, adored by critics and readers alike. Dealing - among many other things - with friendship, love, war, three cultures and three families over three generations, one brown mouse, and the tricky way the past has of coming back and biting you on the ankle, it is a life-affirming, riotous must-read of a book.
From IG clips to deeper dives, I’m so happy to be able to literally hold onto the wisdom of Nedra Glover Tawwab.
After following therapist Nedra on Instagram for a minute, I was excited to read through her first book where she outlines so many helpful tools for improving relationship dynamics. She has such a simple way of saying things where I found myself going, “Ah, of course that’s how you say that!” making setting healthy boundaries feel attainable vs just a buzzword that people throw around these days.
I love having a mini therapy library to turn to and this book is the perfect addition.
End the struggle, speak up for what you need, and experience the freedom of being truly yourself.
Healthy boundaries. We all know we should have them in order to achieve work/life balance, cope with toxic people, and enjoy rewarding relationships with partners, friends, and family. But what do "healthy boundaries" really mean - and how can we successfully express our needs, say "no," and be assertive without offending others?
Licensed counselor, sought-after relationship expert, and one of the most influential therapists on Instagram Nedra Glover Tawwab demystifies this complex topic for today's world. In a…
I adore short stories and Ling Ma does the medium justice
with her willingness to push outside reality in such a dark, beautiful way.
The stories range across a variety of characters however
there’s a thread I found extremely relatable as a young woman who isn’t maybe so young anymore. This tendency to
fantasize a different future for myself if I didn’t do x, y, z… or replaying
the past and wondering how I dated that person, stayed in that toxic
friendship, or frankly, survived a foolish night out ;)
I deeply appreciate how Ma toys with time and perspective
while using humor and absurdity to grapple with growing pains.
A National Indie Bestseller Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Story Prize, and a Windham-Campbell Literature Prize A Best Book of the Year at The New York Times, The New Yorker, Vogue, Houston Chronicle, Roxane Gay’s The Audacity, Mashable, Polygon, Kirkus Reviews, and Library Journal A New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice
“Uncanny and haunting . . . Genius.” ―Michele Filgate, The Washington Post “Dazzling.” ―Maureen Corrigan, NPR’s Fresh Air
What happens when fantasy tears the screen of the everyday to wake us up? Could that waking be our end?
Cake Mix: Learning
to Love All Your Ingredients is a picture
book for children ages 5-8. The story features a young mixed-race girl named
Remy, who encounters that intrusive question, “What are you?” during her first
day at a new school. Feeling confused about where she belongs, Remy learns
about ethnicity and what it means to be mixed by doing her favorite activity
with her mother—baking a cake! Remy discovers each of her ingredients, finding
new flavors along the way, and learns self-acceptance is the sweetest reward.
