I love reading.
Sometimes I think I don’t read much because I don’t mark off 50+ books on Goodreads every year. In fact, I’m lucky if I read a full book a month. But all week long, I read articles on the wide range of topics that interest me: gender, race, Judaism, Christianity, Biden, Trump, motherhood, science, nature, libraries, etc.
I’ve decided to channel this reading into a weekly list, including, sometimes, a brief commentary on what I’ve read. I will also include podcasts as well. My hope is to provide interesting reading and listening for those in search of it, as well as to keep myself accountable regarding viewpoint diversity and how I am spending my time. Some weeks I may read more than other weeks, depending on how much else I have going on in my life. I am, after all, the mom of a toddler, a part-time library worker, and a freelance editor and proofreader.
Articles
On Books and Libraries:
“Gen Zers are bookworms but say they're shunning e-books because of eye strain, digital detoxing, and their love for libraries” by Kate Duffy. Business Insider, March 13, 2023.
On Gender and Sexuality:
“I came out late – only to find that lesbians had slipped to the back of the queue” by Kathleen Stock. The Guardian, March 12, 2023.
On Mental Health and Social Media:
“Why the Mental Health of Liberal Girls Sank First and Fastest” by Jon Haidt. Reprinted in The Free Press, Marcy 13, 2023. Originally published at After Babel, March 9, 2023.
On Politics:
“Nikki Haley’s Résumé Is Perfect. It Might Not Matter” by Jessica Grose. New York Times, March 11, 2023.
On Covid:
“A Church. The State. And a Holy War” by Heather Robinson. The Free Press, March 16, 2023.
Podcasts
Blocked and Reported, Episode 154: “Saddles and Sadness”
Sometimes I’m in the mood for Katie’s and Jesse’s snark and sometimes I’m not. This episode had me in stitches.
The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling, Episode 5: “The Tweets”
Ah yes, the tweets that started it all…
Honestly with Bari Weiss: “Why Men Seek Danger”
Interesting interview with Sebastian Junger. A mix of things that made sense to me and things that didn’t, but it provided plenty of food for thought.
Books
Nonfiction:
The Viking Heart by Arthur Herman.
I found this one completely randomly when browsing the stacks at my library. You know how they say “Don’t judge a book by its cover”? Well, I did. So far I am on Chapter 2 and enjoying the random dive into a topic I didn’t know interested me. So far, so good, except the way the author jumps around in the timeline can be pretty confusing sometimes.
Fiction:
The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
After finishing the highly literary Cloud Cuckoo Land, I figured it was time for something light. Kearsley’s books are pretty predictable and somewhat formulaic, but they’re also comforting and cozy on cold winter nights.
Wanted!
Curious reader is in search of your recommendations on
The best biography of Winston Churchill
The best book explaining capitalism (not from an activist standpoint from either side)
The best book explaining socialism (not from an activist standpoint from either side)
Send me your recs in the comments or on Twitter at @MEAbramsWrites.