If you asked my spouse and my Corgis, you’d probably hear about the frozen tundra that we’ve found ourselves in. Granted, we’re in the American South, where our county possesses a singular snow plow, so overall, it’s not really that cold, but for us, it’s quite chilly. The Corgis have been burrowing in their blankets, and I’ve added on several layers for their afternoon walks. But overall, I’ve enjoyed a chance to snuggle up and read in front of my Netflix fire on my TV. Today, we’ll be talking about new books and history titles that are perfect for a long winter spent beneath fuzzy blankets.
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Bookish Goods
Leather Leaf Bookmark by Hammerthreads
I am a huge fan of leaf designs on just about anything. These bookmarks are made out of recycled materials and will look adorable in your current read. $14
New Releases
Our Hidden Conversations: What Americans Really Think about Race and Identity by Michele Norris
Award-winning journalist Michele Norris created the prompt, “Race. Your Story. Six Words. Please Send.” What followed were thousands of answers that challenged the way American society views race.
Sex with a Brain Injury: On Concussion and Recovery by Annie Liontas
Annie Liontas writes about how she experienced three concussions in one year, which changed her life in ways she never could have expected. Told in beautiful prose and with vulnerability, Sex with a Brain Injury reveals the world of traumatic brain injury like few before it.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
These Truths: A History of the United States by Jill Lepore
I didn’t realize that most Americans don’t have US history in college. So I was thrilled to find These Truths, which gives people a bird’s eye view of American history. It’s great for people who aren’t from the US and includes the history of minority groups, such as African Americans and Indigenous peoples. Jill Lepore tells the story of America in a way that you have never heard before. In this macro look at the history of the American colonies to the modern day, Lepore examines how America came to be and the way that it evolved over the decades. In a sprawling history of the United States, Lepore uses people to anchor the perspective at any given time in history. She makes sure to introduce a new character before another one dies, passing the baton, as it were, to carry you through the overall narrative.
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
Isabel Wilkerson is such an incredible writer and researcher. I adored The Warmth of Other Suns and couldn’t wait to pick up her next book. In Caste, she compares America’s systemic racism to the Caste systems in India and Nazi Germany. She argues that America has a similar Caste system, just by a different name. I really appreciated her insight. Her writing is always thought-provoking, but Caste asks readers to reconsider how they view America’s history of racism. It’s definitely a read you won’t want to miss.
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