Sponsored by A Drop of Midnight by Jason Diakité.
Family. Race. Ancestry. Life has many threads. It’s how they come together that makes us who we are. Born to interracial American parents in Sweden, Jason Diakité grew up between worlds, riding a delicate cultural and racial divide. It was a no-man’s-land that left him in constant search of self. Even after his hip-hop career took off, Jason fought to unify a complex system of family roots that branched across continents, ethnicities, classes, colors, and eras to find a sense of belonging. Read or listen for free with Prime.
Welcome to your new release nonfiction Wednesday! Got some great new picks for you here, let’s check ’em out:
Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation by Anne Helen Petersen. Man. This book rings true. Petersen argues “that burnout is a definitional condition for the millennial generation, born out of distrust in the institutions that have failed us, the unrealistic expectations of the modern workplace, and a sharp uptick in anxiety and hopelessness exacerbated by the constant pressure to “perform” our lives online.” She shows how burnout affects the way we work, parent, and socialize. Want to put that exhausted feeling into words? Here it is.
God-Level Knowledge Darts: Life Lessons from the Bronx by Desus & Mero. Authors Desus Nice and The Kid Mero are comedians who co-host the Showtime show Desus & Mero and the podcast Bodega Boys. Here they answer the important questions of life, such as “How do I talk to my kids about drugs if I do them, too? What are the ethics of ghosting in a relationship? How do I bet on sports? How should I behave in jail? How much is too much to spend on sneakers?” Etc. Jia Tolentino thinks they’re hilarious. So does Malcolm Gladwell! There’s a pair for you.
Good Morning, Monster: A Therapist Shares Five Heroic Stories of Emotional Recovery by Catherine Gildiner. How can someone overcome trauma? Therapist Gildiner has those stories. Here she recounts the stories of five patients’ struggles and paths to recovery. Each patient goes to therapy “to overcome an immediate challenge in their lives, but discover that the source of their suffering has been long buried.” Man, I love therapy.
Create Your Own Calm: A Journal for Quieting Anxiety by Meera Lee Patel. Are you possibly feeling anxious as of the last few months? Just maybe? Here is a way to help deal with that! It’s filled with exercises and spaces for you to write or draw things like what your anxiety feels like, as well as quotes from writers and thinkers to ruminate on. If there’s ever been a time to journal, now seems like it.
As always, you can find me on social media @itsalicetime and co-hosting the nonfiction For Real podcast with Kim here at Book Riot. Until next time, enjoy those facts, fellow nerds.