Happy Easter weekend and (almost) April! May you be rich with springtime joy and Reese's peanut butter eggs.
March was a huge month for new book releases, and there were many I was excited to pick up, yet I didn't actually read any of the new stuff I was looking forward to. I had a lot of work and personal stuff going on this month, so I think my attention was elsewhere. I’m working on reminding myself that the books aren’t going anywhere. There’s no need to stay on top of new releases unless I really want to. I'm on spring break next week, and there's a long list of books I'm eager to spend some time with, both new and backlist. But before I get to those, let me share what I read and loved in March.
What I Read
Anisa is a Pakistani Muslim living in London. She works on subtitles for Bollywood films but dreams of being a literary translator. When she begins dating Adam, Anisa is impressed with how many languages he speaks. When she presses him on the matter, Adam admits he goes to the Centre, a top-secret place that promises fluency in any language in just a few days. Anisa doesn't understand how everything works, but she goes anyway, becoming friends with the Centre's manager, who also happens to be the founder's daughter. As the two grow closer, Anisa's questions only add up.
Whether or not you like The Centre will depend on how you feel about the story's conclusion. I found the book's first half stronger than the second because the big reveal was teased so much that it was a letdown in the end. Anisa is an interesting character; her reflections about love, work, and family are timely and relatable. Despite some complaints about the ending, I'm glad I read this novel because of Anisa and the atmospheric writing. I'm intrigued to see what Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi does next.
One of my book clubs was reading books by disabled writers for March, so I chose Easy Beauty by writer and philosophy professor Chloé Cooper Jones. This book is a memoir chronicling Jones's life as a woman living with sacral agenesis, a rare condition that affects her gait and stature and causes her pain. Jones opens the book with a scene in which she and two male friends are having drinks at a bar. The two men are discussing whether or not a life like Jones's is worth living. Later, she talks about a stranger looking her up and down, saying, "Explain yourself." A man once saw her on the street and told her, "You're actually pretty." When she refused to give him her phone number, he harassed her as if she should be thrilled any man would want her.
Those stories and many more make Easy Beauty a gripping read that opened my eyes to the challenges faced by those with physical disabilities. Jones is an engaging writer, and I loved sections of the memoir in which she discussed her travels abroad and her role as a mother. If you like memoirs, don't miss this one. It's excellent and provokes meaningful conversations about belonging and equity.
Monk is a writer who's penned several books. They've received some critical success, but he's not a big name in the publishing world. When he returns home to help care for his ailing mother, he faces a crossroads: take a low-paying job at a local university or hope writing inspiration strikes. It does in a way he doesn't expect. The buzzy book of the moment is We's Lives in Da Ghetto, a book Monk believes to be exploitative of African Americans. In frustration, Monk pens a parody of the bestselling novel and tells his agent to send it out. Unlike his previous book, publishers want this one, and Monk goes on a ride he never expected and isn't prepared for.
If this plot sounds familiar, that's because Erasure is the inspiration for the film American Fiction (which I haven't seen). The movie intrigued me, so I wanted to pick up the book before I watched it, and I'm thankful I did. Monk is a fascinating character, and Percival Everett writes him so well. Erasure was published in 2001, but it still feels relevant, especially considering the recent success of Yellowface by R. F. Kuang. If you liked that book, you'll enjoy the smart satire of Erasure, too. People who love books about books as much as I do will find a lot to love about this great novel.
I read and enjoyed three poetry collections in March, including:
Wound Is the Origin of Wonder by Maya C. Popa
Beautiful use of language and form.
Bright Fear by Mary Jean Chan
Explores gender, sexuality, and culture.
The Orange and Other Poems by Wendy Cope
Includes a mix of lighthearted and serious poems, most of which are short.
What I Loved
FILM: The Eras Tour
Seeing Taylor in person was way out of my budget, so I was thrilled when I heard the concert would be filmed. I enjoyed the show in my sweats with my blankie and candle, as the Lord intended. Taylor puts on a three-hour show featuring multiple costumes, set changes, and music genres. I’ve always admired her songwriting skills, but after watching her concert, I admire her energy, too.
HOME LIFE: Storage bed
I just got a new bed and mattress after needing both for far too long. I’m in love with the bed I chose because it’s beautiful and practical, one of my favorite combos. My closets are pretty small, so I need somewhere to store my off-season clothing. I knew a storage bed would be great for this purpose, so I bought this one. It looks and feels nice, and it offers so much extra storage space that’s also easily accessible. This bed is my new best friend. (Sorry to my human best friend. We had a good run.)
What I Wrote
I’d love to hear what you read and enjoyed in March. Leave a comment below. Thanks for reading!
I read The Centre in Feb and I’m still haunted by it! As for what you wrote about not reading the new releases and that books will always be available, I completely agree and keep reminding myself of the same thing. I’m entering a difficult few months of life transitions and know that while I’ll continue ti read daily, I may find books that bring me comfort instead of the glossy new releases.