The other day, I walked outside and realized that the pollen apocalypse is upon us. Here in the South, we may have an early spring, but we pay for it with sheets of pollen coating anything and everything outside. Even the Corgis, the blessed lowriders that they are, carry a significant amount of pollen into the house. So, naturally, I’ve been hiding indoors away from piles of tumble-pollens. But luckily for me, the book world has plenty going on to keep me occupied with so many INCREDIBLE new releases. How about we just jump right in?!
But before that, if you’re looking for fascinating stories, informed takes, useful advice, and more from experts in the world of books and reading, subscribe to Book Riot’s newest newsletter, The Deep Dive. By subscribing, you’ll get exclusive content delivered to your inbox. Subscribe and choose your membership level today at bookriot.substack.com
Bookish Goods
Pikachu Bookmarks by Golden Girl Gamin Story
I love Pokemon, so a Pokemon bookmark combines two of my loves. This bookmark is just too cute. Pikachu’s joy, the sparks — it’s all just perfection. $4
New Releases
Saving Time: Discovering a Life Beyond the Clock by Jenny Odell
Jenny Odell’s How to Do Nothing became a New York Times bestseller, and her ideas on productivity became one of the buzziest topics on the bookish internet. Now she’s back, and with Saving Time, Odell examines the social constructs around time, what it is acceptable to spend time on and what is not. She delves into studies around time and how time has been treated throughout history.
Black Ball: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Spencer Haywood, and the Generation that Saved the Soul of the NBA by Theresa Runstedtler
In the 1970s, professional basketball was believed to be spiraling into chaos. But author Theresa Runstedtler argues that the Black players who entered the league around this time — including players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Spencer Haywood — actually ushered in a new and better age for the NBA.
For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
In the disability community, we often discuss the different experiences of people who were born with their disability versus those who became disabled later in life. Both types of disabled people face unique challenges, and it’s important to read stories from people with all different kinds of disabilities. So today, we’re looking at two memoirs by blind writers, each with their own perspective on the world.
Blind Man’s Bluff by James Tate Hill
When James Tate Hill was 16, he began to lose his vision. He and his parents began visiting doctor after doctor, trying to find some sort of treatment to restore his sight. Hill hid the extent of his condition from everyone around him. As he entered adulthood and attended college, Hill found ways to get around telling his peers the true reason why he didn’t drive or read menus at restaurants. When Hill falls in love and marries his wife, her attitude toward his disability often sours their relationship. Through his story, Hill takes readers through his journey of self acceptance and coming to peace with his blindness.
Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law by Haben Girma
Haben Girma is an Eritrean American DeafBlind activist who graduated from Harvard Law School. She was born with a condition that would eventually cause her to lose the majority of her sight and hearing. But Girma embraces her bodymind as it is, going to a special summer camp for the blind and traveling the world. Her memoir follows her experiences and all of the incredible things she’s accomplished in her life. She describes first standing up for herself when a teacher wouldn’t provide the notes she needed for class when she was in middle school. Girma now uses her law degree to fight for the legal rights for folks in the disabled community.
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