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I continue to be in a bit of a reading funk! I blame the humidity (I mean, sure). Makes y’sluggish. I find it best to switch up genres, read a few books at a time, and then pick whatever you’re feeling in the moment. I finally got Sapiens again from the library and the pages are plasticky, which is probably bad for the environment, but tactile-wise, it is splendid? Kind of like reading a textbook in high school, but no one is making you do it, so it’s fun.
We got new releases for your Wednesday! (or whatever day you’re reading this) Pretty psyched about them, and they’re all v different, so something for most everybody here. ENJOY.
Hola Papi: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons by John Paul Brammer
Brammer was first called “Papi” on Grindr. Then, “what started as a racialized moniker given to him on a hookup app soon became the inspiration for his now wildly popular advice column “¡Hola Papi!”” In his memoir, he talks about growing up biracial in Oklahoma, and shares some of the advice he regularly doles out in his column. Not to be all about covers (again), but I love this cover. #HappyPrideMonth
Diary of a Young Naturalist by Dara McAnulty
I hope you’re ready for a teenage Northern Irish naturalist, because here we go. McAnulty is only 16 years old, and is part of the youth climate activist movement. His diary “captures his perspective as a teenager juggling exams, friendships, and a life of campaigning.” McAnulty himself says, “In sharing this journey my hope is that people of all generations will not only understand autism a little more but also appreciate a child’s eye view on our delicate and changing biosphere.” He is the youngest winner of the RSPB Medal (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds).
The Ugly Cry: A Memoir by Danielle Henderson
Ok, if you don’t love this part of this book’s blurb, I don’t know what appeals to you. Henderson grew up “Black, weird, and overwhelmingly uncool in a mostly white neighborhood in upstate New York.” She was left by her mom in the care of her grandparents when she was 10, and her grandmother was tough but hilarious (frequently a winning combo). Henderson now is a TV writer who cohosts the film podcast I Saw What You Did and “reluctantly lives in Los Angeles.”
The Sacred Band: Three Hundred Theban Lovers Fighting to Save Greek Freedom by James Romm
HAPPY PRIDE MONTH, here’s a gay classics book. This is the story of the Theban Sacred Band, “an elite 300-man corps recruited from pairs of lovers” in the 300s BCE. Plutarch says they made vows to each other at the shrine of Iolaus. When I saw this title, I was very confident that I’d be sharing it here, because how often do you see something like that? Romm is the director of the Classical Studies Program at Bard College.
For more nonfiction new releases, check out the For Real podcast which I co-host with the excellent Kim here at Book Riot. If you have any questions/comments/book suggestions, you can find me on social media @itsalicetime. Until next time, enjoy those facts, fellow nerds.