At the park over the weekend, Gwen met a whole host of new friends, and Dylan once again illustrated his never-ending adoration for his pink ball. My spouse and I sipped iced lattes and watched Gwen try to make friends with every single large dog, never seeming to realize that she was way under their weight class. Her tail whips around, and she hop-runs over to her new BFF. What a perfect day. This week, I’m recommending two memoirs for Latine Heritage Month.
But first, new books and a reminder to check out our personalized TBR service, where you can get book recommendations tailored to you.
Bookish Goods
Ghost Reading Png by Dennis Basset Bleude
This cute PNG is perfect for anything— stickers, buttons, totes, sweatshirts and more! You can put it on whatever you like. $5
New Releases
In the Form of a Question: The Joys and Rewards of a Curious Life by Amy Schneider
Amy Schneider, the most successful woman to ever appear on Jeopardy, writes about her life, which perfectly prepared her for her 40-week winning streak. Her story highlights the importance of representation for queer and trans folks everywhere.
A Man of Two Faces: A Memoir, A History, A Memorial by Viet Thanh Nguyen
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen writes about his life coming to the U.S. as a Vietnamese refugee, touching on the larger colonial powers at play and the experience of living out his everyday life.
For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
A Cup of Water Under My Bed: A Memoir by Daisy Hernández
Daisy Hernández’s memoir in essays chronicles her Cuban Colombian upbringing as her family worked to make a home for themselves in the United States. Hernández’s life is filled with the women of her family teaching her the way to love and be loved. They teach her how to be in the world. But her tía disapproves of Hernández’s queer relationships, never accepting her partners. Full of love and loss, A Cup of Water Under My Bed is an incredible story of a woman and her love for her family.
Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz
Jaquira Díaz moves with her family from Puerto Rico to Miami Beach. There, she lives a tumultuous childhood as her mother experiences mental illness. She finds refuge in her friends. Ordinary Girls is a story of resilience and coming-of-age as a queer Puerto Rican woman forced to find her own way in the world at an early age. Her prose is beautiful. It has a vibrancy to it that lingers in the mind long after you’ve finished the last page.
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