Sponsored by HMH.
An intimate memoir by the controversial and outspoken, Oscar-winning director and screenwriter about his complicated New York childhood, volunteering for combat, and his struggles and triumphs making such films as Platoon, Midnight Express, and Scarface.
Happy Wednesday! The new release stream is beginning to slow a bit (classic late July/August!) but there are still some great new books coming out. Here we go:
The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist by Adrian Tomine. Cartoonist Tomine writes about “fandom, fame, and other embarrassments” in his memoir. It’s designed as a sketchbook, which is super cool, and he walks you back to his childhood and through his career, including the racism faced as a Japanese American and how it has interfered with his ability to enjoy his successes (like drawing covers for The New Yorker!). This one looks really good.
They Didn’t See Us Coming: The Hidden History of Feminism in the Nineties by Lisa Levenstein. Awwwww yeah, ’90s feminism. If you’re around my age, you were a child in the ’90s and vaaaguely aware of the state of feminism. Scholar Levenstein talks about “the Year of the Woman,” which can be traced back to Anita Hill’s testimony against Justice Clarence Thomas and the subsequent election of five women senators the following year. ’90s feminism involved coalition building that “centered on the growing influence of lesbians, women of color, and activists from the global South.”
Unidentified: Mythical Monsters, Alien Encounters, and Our Obsession with the Unexplained by Colin Dickey. Look. We all love weirdo mysteries. And travelogues! Because where can we go right now. Dickey goes to Mount Shasta in California (did aliens live there! probably not but maybe!), looks into the Great Kentucky Meat Shower (noooo), and talks about why we’re so into these stories. Dickey is the author of Ghostland, so also check that out if you want some more about the paranormal.
BACKLIST BONUS
A lot of feminism-centered books are out this week (find the full list on Book Riot Insiders‘ New Release Index), so let’s look at some feminist backlist!
Feminism is for everybody: passionate politics by bell hooks. “Simply put, feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression.” If you’re looking for a short intro to feminism (from the year 2000!), this is a classic. It goes from defining feminism to “an argument for the enduring importance of the feminist movement today.” Remember when people tricked the culture into thinking “feminist” was an embarrassing word? hooks wrote this when that was still a prevalent thought.
Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde. Okay, maybe read this first, because these essays/speeches are from 1976-1984 and then you get to experience a LINEAR HISTORY (if that is your jam). Lorde covers “sexism, racism, ageism, homophobia, and class, and propounds social difference as a vehicle for action and change.” This was sold out eeeeverywhere recently, but I think it’s starting to become readily available again, so check. it. out.
All right! Find me on social media @itsalicetime and you can also find me co-hosting the nonfiction For Real podcast with Kim here at Book Riot. Until next time, enjoy those facts, fellow nerds.