Two weeks ago, I was at Hilton Head Island, relaxing and reconnecting with my mom and dad (from a distance, of course). One of the primary delights of that week was having time to read:
Old Lovegood Girls by Gail Godwin. Gail Godwin at her best, doing all the things that made me love her: female friendship over a lifetime, what it means to be a writer, what it means to be a Southerner, how to balance the need for love and for creativity. I finished this book and was seriously tempted to turn to the first page and read it all again.
Pride and Prometheus by John Kessel. What happens when Mary Bennet from Pride and Prejudice meets Victor Frankenstein and the Creature—what fun! And lots of interesting intellectual meanders: history and gender and creativity and making a life that’s worth living.
It’s Just Nerves: Notes on a Disability by Kelly Davio. A wonderful collection of short essays that left me with many issues to contemplate—and made me grateful for my mostly good health.
My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem. Wow. One of the best books on the history of racism, our current situation, and what to do about white bodies, black bodies and police bodies that I may have ever read. Lots of insight about how to settle the body and how to deal with centuries of trauma. Lots of specific techniques for both individual and group work. Unlike some books on racism, I finished the book feeling inspired and not overwhelmed. I read this book as part of an online journaling class, and it led to great discussions and great journal entries, like this one of mine:
I'm not sure which sketch from the 3 weeks of journaling is my absolute favorite, but this one is on the list of the top 3. I tried to create an image of patterns from my memories of trying to sew my own clothes as a teenager:
The haiku like creation is an added bonus.
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