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Dangerous Fiction: Stories of the Displaced and Placeless – A Reading List by Omar El Akkad
A few months ago, I got the opportunity to attend a talk by Omar El Akkad, the author of the incredible book American War. We were in a small room with about 10 people, and I was in heaven. His talk was fascinating and centered on the ways that displacement and disruption can fracture personal identities. In addition, he did something that will always win me over. He gave us a book list. Some of the books I had read, some I had heard of, and some were completely new. I wanted to share this list with you. It is for those who read American War, and also for those…
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Dead Feminists: A Reading List
Recently, I picked up a beautiful book by Seattle printers Chandra O’Leary and Jessica Spring. Dead Feminists combines brief biographies of women who have worked for feminism and social justice with reproductions of prints they have designed for each woman. Their beautiful broadside prints highlight the words and accomplishments of women throughout the ages, from Sappho in ancient Greece to the Thea Ross, the inspiration for Tugboat Annie. Furthermore, Chandra and Jessica donate part of their proceeds from each print to charities and organizations related to the message and work of the feminist being profiled. These are still being made, and there make a limited run of between 100 and…
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The Golden State Killer: Podcast Recommendations
For someone who actively dislikes scary movies of all kinds, I am weirdly fascinated by true crime shows and podcasts. With the recent announcement that the case of the Golden State Killer (also knows as the East Area Rapist and the Original Night Stalker), I went back into my podcast archives and found some great podcasts for anyone who is interested in this absolutely horrifying case. One of the most fascinating things about this case for me is that because a book called I’ll Be Gone In The Dark came out about this case recently, many of these podcasts are activly intersecting with the recent arrest making them so much…
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Nature Notes: Spring Awakening
For me, the advent of spring is always delightfully frustrating. First, there are the first few days of sun, where my mood lifts and I get excited about the fresh air, shorts, hiking, and the incredible world around me. And then, inevitably, it snows or rains and I go stir-crazy! Over the past week in Montana, we seem to finally have transitioned to a longer lasting spring, and I am elated. My hammock is up, and I am dreaming about all the fun I will get to have over the next few months. One of the most enjoyable things about spring for me is the awakening of my naturalist senses.…
because stories are important
