We’re in our first heatwave of summer here in the eastern US. My spouse and I took the Corgis to the dog park in the morning, thinking that we would beat the heat. Apparently, we didn’t go early enough, because we ended up melting into puddles of goo. At least the Corgis played in the water and had a great time. This week, we’re featuring some queer Riot Recommendations. But first, let’s jump into some bookish goods!
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Bookish Goods
Leather iPhone Wallet by willowist
For over a decade, I’ve had some version of an iPhone case designed to look like a book. I love it! This is a really nice leather version that comes in all different sizes. $42
New Releases
Night Flyer: Harriet Tubman and the Faith Dreams of a Free People by Tiya Miles
Tiya Miles presents a new look at Harriet Tubman, the woman who led enslaved Black people to freedom time and time again. Miles focuses on the context of Tubman’s life and her spiritual connections to the other women around her.
Rooted: The American Legacy of Land Theft and the Modern Movement for Black Land Ownership by Brea Baker
Author Brea Braker examines the question, why is only 1% of rural land owned by Black people? To find her answer, she looks back at the history of Black and Indigenous land ownership and follows it through to the present day.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Dinner on Monster Island: Essays by Tania De Rozario
In her short collection of essays, queer Singaporean author Tania De Rozario shares her experience growing up as a fat, biracial girl during a time when Singapore required children with a “high” BMI to participate in food restriction and extra exercise. Much of the novel follows De Rozario as she begins her journey of self-acceptance, embracing her body and sexuality as they are, not as what society tells her they should be.
Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story by Jacob Tobia
In their memoir, Sissy, Jacob Tobia shares the story of their growing-up years as they navigated the difficulties of being genderqueer in a society that only sees the gender binary of man and woman. In their witty narrative voice, Tobia shares the insights and life lessons they have learned along the way, delivering inspirational quotes along with their hilarious anecdotes. Tobia’s audiobook narration is spectacular, making the whole experience feel like a performance.
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