This week has been a series of rainy weather, lots of mud, and endless Corgi shenanigans. Gwen and Dylan visited some friends recently, and they ran around the yard for over an hour. Gwen and her BFF Eddie, a very large shepherd mix puppy, couldn’t be cuter. Dylan’s BFF is his pink rubber ball, which he, apparently, has dedicated his every waking hour to.
This week, I thought I’d share some of my favorite nonfiction books, some of the ones I display in my living room and have even commissioned book art of — you can’t get a bigger endorsement than that! But first, it’s time for new books and Valentine’s!
If you’re looking for a Valentine’s gift, make sure to check out our Tailored Book Recommendations service (TBR). Gift your bookish boo TBR and our professional booknerds will help them achieve their reading goals. Go to mytbr.co/gift.
Bookish Goods
Cozy Fox 8×10 Art Print by Studio Catawampus
Apparently, I am all about cozy things this week. I saw this art print and absolutely fell in love. A fox with a cup of tea, wearing glasses, and reading? Ugh Too cute! $20
New Releases
Win Son Presents a Taiwanese American Cookbook by Josh Ku and Trigg Brown with Cathy Erway
Josh Ku, Trigg Brown, and Cathy Erway have teamed up to bring you this incredible Taiwanese American Cookbook with a delicious collection of recipes. They also discuss the history of Taiwanese diaspora cuisine. There are new takes on classics and fun new recipes — something for everyone!
Against the World: Anti-Globalism and Mass Politics Between the World Wars by Tara Zahra
Author Tara Zahra describes how nationalism rose across the western world after World War I. The Spanish flu and the Great Depression caused many countries to focus inward, resulting in them missing the signs of rising international unrest, which eventually led to WWII.
For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Since it’s been raining/snowing/other chaotic weather, I thought I‘d give us a pick-me-up and feature some of my favorite nonfiction books. Both of these books received the Reading Women Award for Nonfiction, and I couldn’t have been happier for them.
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
Machado’s memoir about her experience with an emotionally and physically abusive partner opens up a dialogue about queer relationships that we often shy away from in queer communities. Each chapter of In the Dream House is written in a different genre, a different style of writing that invites such a rich level of engagement with the text. As we get to know Machado and her partner, at first it seems like a fairy tale love story. But as their relationship progresses, we realize that their story is destined to be much darker. While this book is emotionally difficult, it’s an incredible work of art that I will treasure in my library.
All the Single Ladies by Rebecca Traister
Back in 2016, it felt like a different world. So when I picked up All the Single Ladies, which follows the history of single women in America, I was filled with a sense of hope that America was headed in such a great direction. Of course, that’s not exactly what happened. But All the Single Ladies and its coverage of the history of women in work, politics, and other kinds of independence, still holds up after several years. I was astounded how many ridiculous laws women had to wade through across the country. I still open this book and reread sections, marveling at how far we’ve come and reminding myself how far we still have yet to go.
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