The clover has spread across the yard and happy bees move amongst the flowers. This is the end of Spring here in South Carolina. The Corgis have been spending a lot of time bounding about the yard, playing endless games of fetch. During the summer, it’s too hot for them to go out during the day, so I try to give them as much time outside as possible while it’s still cool enough. In some perfect moments, Dylan or Gwen will start chasing butterflies, and I might die from the cuteness.
Don’t forget to check out First Edition, the new podcast started by Book Riot co-founder Jeff O’Neal. It explores the wide bookish world, with interviews, lists, rankings, retrospectives, recommendations, and much more, featuring people who know and love books. Subscribe to First Edition on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your podcatcher of choice.
Bookish Goods
Custom Birth Flower Bookmark by Los Angeles Party
I’m always looking for more birthday gifts with a touch of custom qualities to them. I love how this bookmark has a flower for each birth month and you can choose the color of the outline. So cute! $10
New Releases
We See Each Other: A Black, Trans Journey Through TV and Film by Tre’vell Anderson
Journalist Tre’vell Anderson writes about the history of Black, trans representation on both the big and small screens. Interweaving their personal perspective with careful research, Anderson has written a beautiful testament to community and the importance of Black trans folks seeing themselves on screen.
Nobody’s Daughter: A Memoir of Healing the Mother Wound by Rica Ramos
Rica Ramos thought her mother would be there to protect her, to care for her at the worst times of her life. But when Ramos told her mother that she was being sexually abused, her mother did nothing, pretending instead that it wasn’t happening. In Nobody’s Daughter, Ramos writes about coming to terms with her childhood and her mother’s indifference.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell
If you love books about cults and how the minds work, Cultish is right in your wheelhouse. This book delves into the details around the language of cults and how everyday exposure to this language influences how people view the world. Through her skill at narrative storytelling and incredible research skills, Montell takes us deep into the influence of cults and the words that help build them.
The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcom X by Les Payne and Tamara Payne
One of the best biographies in recent years, The Dead Are Arising is an award-winning biography of Malcolm X. Les Payne worked on this book for decades, and when he passed, his daughter, Tamara Payne, continued his work and finished the book. The Dead Are Arising went on to receive dozens of accolades, including winning the National Book Award for nonfiction. This is definitely a book you won’t want to miss!
That’s it for this week! You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave, over on Instagram @kdwinchester, or on my podcast Read Appalachia. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles over on Book Riot.
Happy Reading, Friends!
~ Kendra