February 2020, Black history month

I like February. I like Black History. I abide by the quote once spoken by, uh, a man I should not name because he broke my heart (it's K***e W**t) but once he said, "make Black history every day, I don't need a month" and I think about that line a lot and I wish someone else had said it so I can quote it in a more comfortable way.

Throughout my life, I have always been super aware of and excited about Black History Month, particularly when it comes to books and film. My friend Jadine and I watch movies "together" meaning at the same time because we live on different coasts. The other night when we were trying to pick one to watch, she suggested a Black film because of Black History Month so we watched Dolemite Is My Name Is and it was very good. Jadine is a great friend to me for many reasons, but she has—many times—affirmed my Blackness, reminding me that she sees me as her Black friend, and not a person who barely ekes by. It means a lot to me because I feel Black and I have always felt Black and I got in trouble for mouthing off to a teacher in the 2nd grade because I had to choose a race on a form and I told her I couldn't choose and she told me to just pick white and I refused and it was a whole thing and my mom had to get involved. I'm insecure about it and sometimes I just say "I'm Black" and sometimes I get nervous and say I'm mixed, or I'm Black and white, or I'm Black but I look pretty white, or I'm partially Black or whatever comes to my mind in the moment.

Anyway this is all to say that I am Black, if you did not know that, and that I consume Black entertainment all year-round, so some of these books are written by Black people and some are not, but if you do not often read Black books or watch Black films, I encourage you to do so throughout the year, not just in February. And anyway, here's what I read and listened to in the past month.

(Jump to the end if you just want the recommendations.)

[Physical Books]

• Blood in my Eye by George Jackson
  Nipsey Hussle died tragically last year and that means nothing to some people but it means a lot to others. One of my brothers cried, real tears down his cheek, telling me about how our other brother conveyed his pain around imagining losing him, like Nipsey's brother lost his. It matters to a lot of people, so much so that Nipsey's death has inspired Black men to read more. I decided I wanted in on that Nipsey inspired list and read this off of it. George Jackson was the real deal and spoke directly to my revolutionary heart and soul.
  [biography/memoir, nonfiction, Black male writer, mediumish in length]
  
• Sabrina & Corina by Kali Fajardo-Anstine
  My friend and I agreed earlier that we aren't big into short stories all the time, but this one was great. The writing was lovely. Of course some stories stood out much more than others, but it was good and not very time consuming.
  [short stories, fiction, biracial female writer, shorter read]
  
• The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom
  I can almost guarantee that when I am making my top 10 list of the year, The Yellow House will be in the top, like three? This book is such a gorgeous deep dive and beautiful observation of a family and somehow also pivots completely into Hurricane Katrina, which Broom and many others refer to as "the Water." My family—the Black side—has New Orleans roots that run as deep as the city itself. The city has always called me home. And this book hit me in a way that a person who has never been there should not be able to feel, but here I am, feeling.
  [memoir, nonfiction, Black female writer, longer read]
  
• salt slow by Julia Armfield
  This was good, but not great. Some stories I really loved, like one about a girl who has a wolf sister. It was kind of like Carmen Maria Machado's stories, but not as poignant or hard-hitting. An enjoyable read on the train to Portland, however.
  [short stories, fiction, white female writer, magical realism, shortish read]
  
• Modern Rasputin by Rosa Lyster
  My friend Brady sent me this book out of the blue, from the goodness of his heart, and he marked poems that he especially enjoyed or thought were relevant. I loved reading like that, knowing which ones he cared about most. I loved this book of poems, and like the above book, it was a great train read (while I was a little hungover).
  [poetry, female (white) South African writer, short read]
  
• ​What We Talk About When We Talk About Books by Leah Price
  This was a gift from my lovely boyfriend, who is a very thoughtful gift giver. I loved reading this book about books, not just the content of books, but like pages, and spines, and onionskin paper, and what digital and audio mean for consuming literature. Very up my alley, very fun and good.
  [literary criticism, nonfiction, white female writer, medium read]

[Audiobooks]

• Fresh Off the Boat by Eddie Huang
  I enjoyed Eddie's voice, and how he laughed while he was telling some of his stories. I have reservations with Eddie because of how ingrained he feels in Black culture and how he seemingly doesn't have a problem saying n***a in his audiobook, but I appreciate his storytelling and enjoy most of the television show version of his memoir, even though Eddie does not enjoy that at all.
  [memoir, nonfiction, Asian American male writer, read by author]
  
• I'll Have What She's Having: How Nora Ephron's Three Iconic Films Saved the Romantic Comedy by Erin Carlson
  This one has been on my radar for quite some time and I decided to listen to it, which was very fun, but I will also probably purchase it and read it again sometime in the next year or two. Nora Ephron is my favorite writer, her films mean so much to me, and even though everyone highly associates me with Titanic (as they should), I think When Harry Met Sally is my actual favorite movie. Listening to how three of Nora's most iconic romcoms were made, from casting decision to the success of the film at the box office, was a real treat. I feel even closer to her, and to Tom and Meg Ryan. What a wonderful book. What a wonderful woman.
  [film studies, nonfiction, white female writer, read by Pippa Armstrong] ​

[What I Recommend]

Everyone should read The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom, and if you love Nora Ephron and romantic comedies, you should also read I'll Have What She's Having by Erin Carlson.

"She has always considered herself the kind of person seen to best effect at 4 p.m., once the day has burnt away and softened up her difficulties." - salt slow

"so stay calm, breathe low, and be ready to wait." - Modern Rasputin

"Whatever life lessons we can glean from having read, perhaps being in the middle of a book is what really counts as living." - What We Talk About When We Talk About Books