Over the holiday weekend, my spouse and I took the Corgis on a hike. Naturally, their favorite part of the hike was playing in the river. Gwen especially ADORES swimming in the river, snatching sticks out of the water and chasing her brother around the sand bar. Dylan prefers to dig in the wet sand and grows frustrated at how the water keeps refilling all of the holes that he’s painstakingly made. Bless their little furry hearts.
Make this your most bookish summer yet with personalized reading recommendations from Tailored Book Recommendations! Our bibliologists (aka professional book nerds) are standing by to help you find your next favorite read. Get your recommendations via email, or opt to receive hardcovers or paperbacks delivered right to your door. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Get started today from just $18!
At any rate, this week, I have another incredible selection of true stories to tell you about. But first, let’s jump into bookish goods!
Bookish Goods
Copper Personalized Bookmark by BestEngravings
I love this copper bookmark. You can personalize the color, the engraving and the ribbon color! $25+
New Releases
The Heart That Fed: A Father, a Son, and the Long Shadow of War by Carl Sciacchitano
In his new graphic memoir, Carl Sciacchitano writes about his experience growing up with a father who experienced PTSD after serving in Vietnam. While Sciacchitano’s father seemed “fine” on the surface, he experienced ongoing mental illness that impacted him and his family for decades.
Pretty: A Memoir by KB Brookins
In this new memoir from queer Black trans writer KB Brookins, they share their experience moving through the world appearing as one gender, while having an ID that says another. Pretty is a call for change and acceptance of Black trans bodies in the face of ongoing prejudice and violence.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
Former Nickelodeon star Jennette McCurdy writes about her life as a child star, a job she never really wanted, but one her mother insisted she did. What’s more, McCurdy shares how her mother was incredibly abusive, forcing McCurdy to submit to intimate inspections of her body, even into her teen years, and restricting McCurdy’s diet to keep her looking younger longer. McCurdy’s reflection on her mother can be very clinical and removed from the emotions of the event, which reflects how she kept herself from thinking too deeply about her and her mother’s relationship. But after her mother dies from cancer, McCurdy must confront the trauma from her childhood if she is ever to truly move on.
Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob
In Good Talk, Mira Jacob describes how her son asked her why his Jewish paternal grandparents would vote for Trump, a man who hated immigrants, like Mira and her parents. This question launches her into even more questions that she’s not quite sure how to answer. She works through these conversations in Good Talk, illustrating them on the page and giving readers a fuller picture. I read this graphic memoir while waiting for a delayed flight at the airport. I felt consumed, and barely even noticed spending the extra four hours surrounded by disgruntled passengers.
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