It’s spring break, and the Corgis love nothing more than playing with the neighborhood kids at the local park. The Corgis chase the football as the kids throw it back and forth. It’s like a chaotic game of keep-away that never ends. Oh, the joy of spring.
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In today’s newsletter, we have a little bit of the natural world, a little bit of memoir and essays—a little bit of everything! But first, bookish goods.
Bookish Goods
Floral Bat Wing Bookmark by DarkVeinlet
Any goth-at-hearts getting ready for spring? Yes? Then this one’s for you. $8
New Releases
Like Love: Essays and Conversations by Maggie Nelson
I will read anything Maggie Nelson writes, so I’m thrilled that she has a new book out. This collection gathers selections of Maggie Nelson’s work from the last two decades. There are profiles, reviews, personal essays, and conversations.
Joy is the Justice We Give Ourselves by J. Drew Lanham
MacArthur “genius,” J. Drew Lenham is back with another poetry collection that celebrates the natural world. Lanham also writes about topics around being a Black nature lover as an act of resistance in the face of systemic racism.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Wolfish: Wolf, Self, and the Stories We Tell About Fear by Erica Berry
The moment I read the description of Erica Berry’s new book, Wolfish: Wolf, Self, and the Stories We Tell About Fear, I knew I needed to read it. Berry frames her look at wolves as symbols of human fear with the story of OR-7, a famous wolf that roamed through Oregon. She expertly ties together her ideas with the wolf, delving into everything from fairytales to her own story as a woman living in a male-centered world. I found myself consumed by this book, exploring Berry’s different ideas, each chapter building upon the last. It’s such a lush, multi-genre book, full of insightful observations and excellent storytelling.
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
In this gorgeous memoir, Michelle Zauner shares her experience growing up as the only Asian American kid in her community. Zauner grew up in Oregon with a white American father and a Korean mother, which has always made her feel like she was not part of either world. When her mother dies, she finds herself in an Asian grocery store, reminded of her mother and crying in the aisles. Beautifully written and full of quick wit and insight, Crying in H Mart has to be one of the best memoirs in the last few years.
That’s it for this week! You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave, over on Instagram @kdwinchester, on TikTok @kendrawinchester, 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