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He was pushed out of the Chicago PD for refusing to participate in a cover-up involving the death of a young black man. Now, Ashe Cayne fights for justice as a private investigator. When a wealthy young woman goes missing and Cayne is hired to investigate, he quickly uncovers secrets she’s been hiding from her family. He also fears he’ll never find her alive. Then, when her boyfriend is found murdered, Cayne will have to navigate his complicated relationships within the Chicago PD to find the missing woman, see justice done, and earn his redemption.
Welcome to In The Club, a newsletter of resources to keep your book group well-met, well-read, and well-fed. For absolutely no reason whatsoever, these are the songs I’ve been blasting in my wee Portland apartment this week:
- “Since You’ve Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson
- “Happy” by Pharrell Williams
- “Te Bote” by Nio García, Darell, Casper Mágico, Ozuna. Nicky Jam, and Bad Bunny (my people love an ensemble)
- “Bye Bye Bye” by NSYNC
- “Get Out” by Jojo
- “Freedom” by Beyoncé
- “I Don’t F*ck With You” by Big Sean
- “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor
- “Sorry” by Beyoncé (yes, my queen gets two songs)
- “Thank U, Next” by Ariana Grande
It feels good to breathe. To the club!!
Nibbles and Sips
If you thought I was basic in October, I’m almost insufferable in November and December in my obsession with holiday fare. Today’s theme is Hot Buttered Fun, which sounds obscene? I promise it’s not.
First, tea! Try this scrumptious Hot Buttered Silent Night Latte recipe from one of my favorite tea makers here in Portland. The Silent Night tea blend is described as a caffeine-free candy cane in a cup. It’s a blend of peppermint, cinnamon, ginger, and sweet licorice (I hate licorice but I love this tea, fwiw). Feel free to experiment with a festive blend of your choice!
Next up: hot buttered rum! This warm, spicy, sweet version by The Pioneer Woman is calling my name.
Nonfiction November: The Work Continues
Listen, my original plan was to be all “Read whatever you want! Be joyous and frolic!” Turns out that message comes up a little short on the word count. So instead, I’m recommending titles for Nonfiction November that fall under the category of “the work continues.” Maybe your book club isn’t quite here yet; maybe you’re hunkering down with comfort reads for the rest of the year. That’s okay. Bookmark this newsletter for later when you’re ready.
How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America by Kiese Laymon
This is a re-release of Kiese Laymon’s first nonfiction release from 2013, now revised with six new essays. The essays examine race, identity, and injustice through a very personal lens and cover topics that range from college football and Outkast to the labor (good grief, the labor!) of Black women. Laymon recalls being told as a young writer that “Real Black writers” write about topics like race, class, and gender implicitly and that the “‘race narrative’ is over, bro.” Laymon’s writing is anything but implicit; it asks you to stare down the issues he explores head-on with no regard for your discomfort; reading Laymon’s work isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth your while.
Lead from the Outside: How to Build Your Future and Make Real Change by Stacey Abrams
Give Stacey Abrams her flowers. That’s it. That’s the blurb.
The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present by David Treuer
On the last episode of Get Booked, a reader wrote in for book club selections about American politics and history to help club members be better informed. Jenn recommended this title, and while it’s a touch longer than what I’d normally suggest for book club at over 500 pages, I knew immediately that I wanted to recommend it in this week’s newsletter. As Jenn pointed out on the show, so much of the history we’ve been taught on Native Americans stops in 1890, the year of the Wounded Knee massacre. Pero like… that’s some BS! This thorough and very readable history starts at Wounded Knee and carries forward, a topic that feels especially important as many of begin to reckon with—and it’s taken us long enough—the erasure of Indigenous peoples.
Suggestion Section
Yahoo takes a look at the impact of Black-centered book clubs.
Jenna Bush Hager picks White Ivy for Today’s November’s book club. I am hearing sooooo much good stuff about this book!
Trust Exercise by Susan Choi is Vox’s November pick. Wise choice—this is one of those love it or really hate it books!
The Guardian reminds us: there’s a book club for that.
Oh look! This sticker is my personal brand.
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Thanks for hanging with me today! Shoot me an email at vanessa@riotnewmedia.com with your burning book club questions or find me on Twitter and the gram @buenosdiazsd. Sign up for the Audiobooks newsletter and catch me once a month on the All the Books podcast.
Stay bad & bookish, my friends.
Vanessa