A chilly breeze blew through Dylan’s butt floof today, and he was…unimpressed. But me? I couldn’t have been happier. After a summer where every day gave me the feeling like my face was going to melt off, I’m ready for jacket season. And who doesn’t love a night of reading in front of my fake fire on my TV? Today, we’re talking about some of my favorite personal narratives around disability.
But first, new books! Also, make sure to check out Book Riot’s newsletter The Deep Dive! In it, our editorial team writes for casual and power readers alike. And, during the month of September, all new free subscribers will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, plus five mystery books from The Deep Dive.
To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!
Bookish Goods
Tea bookmark in floral cup and saucer by Bookmarks By SoleiaV
I love a great cup of tea in the fall as I read my book. So this bookmark is perfect for my cozy-loving heart — and yours too! $10
New Releases
Been Outside: Adventures of Black Women, Nonbinary, and Gender Nonconforming People in Nature by Shaz Zamore and Amber Wendler
In this anthology, Black writers from marginalized genders write about their experience with nature. Scientists share their experience studying everything from freshwater fish to South African plants.
The Burning of the World: The Great Chicago Fire and the War for a City’s Soul by Scott W. Berg
Scott W. Berg writes about the great Chicago fire of 1871, a catastrophic event that forever changed the city. Berg delves into how the fire impacted working class and immigrant communities in the city as the elites of the city grappled for power.
For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Golem Girl: A Memoir by Riva Lehrer
As someone with a disability, I love reading other disabled people’s stories and seeing how each is its own unique creation. In Golem Girl, Riva Lehrer was born with spina bifida. At the time she was born, there was very little support for parents with disabled children, and Lehrer internalized a lot of the ableism that she saw around her. But when she discovers a group of artists who use their work to express the deepest parts of themselves, Lehrer finds a new medium to work through her feelings around her identity.
A Dangerously High Threshold for Pain by Imani Perry, Read by Imani Perry
Earlier this year, I listened to the audio edition of Imani Perry’s essay, A Dangerously High Threshold for Pain. You may know Perry from her National Book Award-winning book South to America, which was my favorite book of the year when it came out. In this essay, Perry writes about her experiences living with chronic illness and the pressure she feels to be excellent in all things. But the truth is, she can’t do everything. Eventually, Imani is diagnosed with Lupus and Graves Disease, and her doctor warns her that her dangerously high threshold for pain often results in her ignoring her body’s need for rest. Perry narrates the audio version, and her performance has stayed with me since I first heard it.
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