We're All Spinsters Here

The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror 
by Mallory Ortberg
To Be Published: March 2018

Thanks to Disney's whimsical remakes of capital "R" Romantic folklore, my only childhood exposure to fairytales was cheerful princesses singing their way to happy endings surrounded by industrious animal friends. But we're all adults here. I think by now, we all know these are just sugar-coated versions of some pretty gnarly source material.

The Merry Spinster meets us somewhere in the middle with 11 twisted versions of well known fables and fairy tales that are somehow as playful as they are sinister. The shorts are adapted from Mallory Ortberg's series Children's Stories Made Horrific from the now defunct  temporarily offline The-Toast.net¹. It's certainly not required that you know the OG classical versions of the stories to understand what's going on, but it can't hurt (so here they are!) As with any sort of parody, the better the grasp you have on what is being referenced, the more you'll get to wryly smirk to yourself as you read along.

"The danger of silence is that someone who wishes to hear a yes will not go out of his way to listen for a no.
- "The Six Boy-Coffins", The Merry Spinster ²

If scary stories aren't really your jam, just know that these aren't necessarily as gruesome as fairy tales of yore (...okay, maybe some are). Rather, they're well-crafted and sly in their horror-- the truly chilling undercurrents are the social mores, the patriarchy, and what we endure in the name of love. This is where Ortberg's particular brand of dry dark comedy really shines through. Much like her debut book, Texts from Jane Eyre, the language and style remain faithful to originals, a truly gritty homage.

Reading through past interviews, I feel like Ortberg's love for the title might be what willed the rest of the book into existence. It's super fitting too: the Merry Spinster archetype may be the only uplifting motif running through these bleak pages. So on that note, here's a quote from the author explaining the concept beautifully:

"I would always love for my next book to be a light comic novella called The Merry Spinster and to explore those themes of glorious female solitude. I think female solitude is a mental condition as well as a physical state. You can be married and a spinster. I think spinster is an identity every woman can claim, if she will. … I feel like a lot of women, or a lot of feminists, joke about taking to the sea or living alone in a cottage as this kind of fun freedom."

// I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Quotes are taken from an advanced readers copy and may not be final. Please refer to a finished copy.

// Footnotes
1. The Toast is dead, long live The Toast...You'd better believe as soon as it's back online I'm linking the shit out of it.
2. This is a random art card from the Smith-Waite tarot deck and has nothing to do with the book, but I tweaked it a teensy bit and now it's just PERFECT you'll see.

Making the Monster, or Happy 200th Birthday Frankenstein!

Making the Monster: The Science Behind Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
by: Kathryn Harkup
To be Published: Feb 2018

2018 marks the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley's gothic masterpiece-- Frankenstein; or The Modern Prometheus. Widely recognized as one of the first (if not the first) work of science fiction, this revolutionary novel has truly withstood the test of time (and continues to haunt middle school literary criticism to this day). Some may already know the broad strokes of how this story came to life: on a dark and stormy night (of course), 18 year old Mary joins her friends in a competitive game to see who can write the best horror story. Inspired by the rational ideals of the Enlightenment and recent advances in electricity research, Mary writes the short story that she will later develop into the novel we know and love.

Making the Monster dives quite bit deeper into the historical context of this work, piecing together not only Mary's biography but those of her family, friends and any intellectual or "natural philosopher" she may have been influenced by. This is interwoven with the upheavals in politics and the sciences leading up to her education and journey away from home. Though the narrative unravels into countless tangents and side-histories, it is well-organized and cohesive. This is a book for anyone who enjoys reading about the history of scientific progress-- the controversies, the blunders, and the experiments that got us where we are today¹. Whether or not you enjoyed (or even read) Frankenstein, if you appreciate its significance in history and are ready to fall down the rabbit-hole of alchemy, galvanism, and medical experimentation (oh my!), check it out.

// I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

*blows dust off drawing pad* 2018 resolutions here we go!

1. If weird medical history is your thing and you're not already listening to the Maximum Fun podcast "Sawbones" Run, don't walk.

Making Sense of the Alt-Right

Making Sense of the Alt-Right
by George Hawley
Published: September 2017

Making Sense of the Alt-Right offers a quick primer on the relatively new extremist offshoot of American conservatism.
The Alternative Right's primary focus is aggressive, irreverent white-identitarian politics, but as it gains traction has also begun to capture a jumbled web of disgruntled conservatives seeking an outlet from the mainstream.

Hawley details the ideological foundations (racial realism, paleoconservatism, radical libretarianism) as well as the projections for the future of the movement in Trump's America. Because there is no centralized leader, the messages and strategies that "go viral" are the ones that are perpetuated, giving the movement a haphazard, disjointed quality.

4.5 out of 5 stars: Somehow despite being one of the biggest buzzwords of the 2016 election and following year, I didn't know much more about this trend than the fact that it existed and it's lifeblood was extremist hate speech. Turns out, news coverage of the group was only hyperbolic in insinuating the group was organized and cohesive (so don't worry, all of the horrible racist, misogynist, shocking language you've heard spewed really are quite accurate). Well-researched and very thorough read - I will definitely be checking out Hawley's other books in the hopes to shed some light on other factions within our political spectrum. Alt-left anyone?

// I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Inside Private Prisons

Inside Private Prisons: An American Dilemma in the Age of Mass Incarceration
by Lauren-Brooke Eisen
Published: November 2017

First and foremost, Inside Private Prisons is an investigation of the benefits and downsides of privatizing the American prison system. But of course, everything is more complicated than it seems. A journey through the history of privatization goes on to explore our sordid past (and present) of prisoners as commodities, how activists use prison divestment as a tool, and the extent to which immigrant detention centers fit into the prison industrial complex. Overarching the span of the book, readers are encouraged to reflect on the nature of the carceral state: how did we get to this age of mass incarceration? How will our current political landscape shape the future?

3.5 out of 5 stars: This book was well-researched almost to a fault - just bursting at the seams with information. The overarching structure of the book sets a solid foundation for discussion, but I felt within each chapter the narrative tends to diverge wildly, leaving some anecdotes and facts a bit scattered and out of place. On the one hand, I want to casually recommend this to anyone with zero background knowledge of the United States prison system (like me!) because it such a strong collection of data and eye-opening realities*. But if I'm completely honest it was a bit of a struggle for me to get through, probably better suited as a required reading text in a college course.

* Did you know small prison towns get to headcount prisoners in the census? So even though prisoners can't vote, they brings more political weight to the region AND bring down the mean income level qualifying the town for federal aid. What a fun new way to gerrymander over-representation for rural america!


// I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A World of Three Zeros

A World of Three Zeros: The New Economics of Zero Poverty, Zero Unemployment, and Zero Net Carbon Emissions
by Muhammad Yunus

Muhammad Yunus was actually the commencement speaker at my graduation ceremony and even though the whole day is a bit of an emotional blur, his speech (which I'm trying desperately to find somewhere online) stuck with me. It was the first I had ever heard of microfinance- his revolutionary movement creating entrepreneurial opportunities for the impoverished by offering small loans. In A World of Three Zeros, Yunus expands on his vision for the future - one in which economics is shaped by and reliant on social and environmental policies. He imagines a world with zero poverty, zero unemployment and zero net carbon emissions and this book expands on the framework that will help get us there.

One main focus is on the concept of a "social business": the idea that businesses can exist in a realm between nonprofit and for-profit. These businesses serve the community by satisfying a present need and funnel all profits back into the business itself, allowing for expansions and improvements rather than lining the pockets of investors or executives. Social businesses rely on the principle that humans have both selfish and altruistic impulses: the self-propelled nature of this model encourages the distribution of wealth by offering employment, goods and services, and community engagement without relying on donations or charity.

4.5 out of 5 stars: This was a very interesting book to read and catch up on what Muhammad Yunus has been up to, especially since I haven't thought much about microcredit in the last decade. Yunus' passion for this mission is tangible. Though there were times where the book felt a bit like an advertisement for Grameen Bank, I don't feel that it detracts from the message since (by definition) he doesn't personally stand to gain from a more widespread adoption of this model. All in all, this book can be summed up by the age-old adage: "give a man a fish and he is fed for a day; teach a man to fish, give him a small loan to start up his own small company where he is able to hire others to work with him to sell fish to the poor at a price they can afford and you help bring a community out of poverty. Or something like that.

// I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Brooklyn's Sweet Ruin

Brooklyn's Sweet Ruin: Relics and Stories of the Domino Sugar Refinery
by: Paul Raphaelson
To Be Published: Oct 2017

The Domino Sugar Refinery is an iconic figure of the Williamsburg skyline. At one point it was the world's largest sugar refinery, processing 4 million pounds of raw sugar a day. However production steadily decreased throughout later half of the 20th century and it eventually closed in 2004. Though it was granted historic landmark status in 2007, its fate has been in limbo since.

When I lived in Brooklyn I'd run by it daily, always wondering what was going on behind those shuttered doors. I mean, it stands on prime real estate in an area intent on gentrification, where posh waterfront studios just keep shooting up at an alarming rate. "Brooklyn's Sweet Ruin" gives a final glimpse into the heart of the Domino Sugar Refinery before its demolition. There is a certain sadness in seeing relics of an industrialized era, but in the nostalgia there is awe and wonder at what architecture and workforce are capable of.

4.5 out of 5 stars: The photos are absolutely gorgeous (with an undeniable "Fallout" vibe) but what I appreciated most was the accompanying write up: interviews with workers, a brief history of the refinery, and context for its place in history.

From the Kickstarter page, view from the East River

PS: Apparently this book started as project on Kickstarter, and you can find more information on this video posted by Paul Raphaelson and his website.


// I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Freshwater

Freshwater: a novel
by: Akwaeke Emezi
To be published: Feb 2018

Seamlessly weaving a Nigerian mythos of mischievous gods (Ọgbanje) with a Western understanding of psychopathology, this breakout novel burrows into the experience of trauma, self-awareness, and spiritual awakening.  The deeply surreal story is narrated by a girl with "one foot on the other side" and the chorus of selves that reside in her fractured mind. Somehow despite the extremely heavy and personal subject matter, Emezi's narrative voices are as entertaining as they are painfully relatable.

5 out of 5 stars: What a fucking fantastic, unique read. I knew next to nothing going in and honestly want to cut this review short to extend the same courtesy to anyone else who may happen upon my page. That said, I read it on the tails of my vacation to the Yucatán peninsula, where I had the opportunity to learn more about the mysticism of the Mayans and their regard for their wind serpent god Kulkulkan. It's interesting how certain animals or representations resonate similarly with different ancient cultures. The Igbo and the Mayans may have been separated by a continent and ocean, but they both revered the power of the serpentine life force.

// I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

PS: If you liked this you should also check out:

•  What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky, by Lesley Nneka Arimah

Where the Wild Coffee Grows

Where the Wild Coffee Grows: The Untold Story of Coffee from the Cloud Forests of Ethiopia to Your Cup
by: Jeff Koehler
To Be Published: Nov 2017

"Where the Wild Coffee Grows" takes us on a well-researched trek through the history of the coffee, bringing together the writings of explorers and historians as well as first hand accounts from living farmers, scientists, and magnates of the coffee industry. The journey begins in the forests of Ethiopia, where communities view the coffee preparation ritual as a social activity, an expression of their spiritual connection with nature. Then we follow the beans as they make their way into the Middle East and Europe through conquest and trade. We end in the modern era, riding the wave of mass-consumption and artisanal quality in a globalized market. Yet ominous clouds of issues billow ahead, threatening the natural existence of our favorite beverage: the steadily changing climate, the spread of fungal blights, and the unfortunate homogeneity of coffee-plant genetics leave the future uncertain.

4 out of 5 stars: As Colombian-American, coffee is quite literally my lifeblood. I felt like I owed it to my multi-cup-a-day habit to learn a bit more about this precious beverage, and I found the history of mankind's relationship with this bean to be fascinating. The first few chapters were a bit long-winded and overly detailed while excavating the history of Ethiopian politics, tangential to the story at hand. But once the text returned to the global impact of coffee and threats to its future, the book was hard to put down. The perspectives compiled for this work will appeal to coffee snobs and scientists alike, though honestly anyone with a taste for the black gold will enjoy reading up on its past, present and future.

// I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Curl Revolution

The Curl Revolution: Inspiring Stories and Practical Advice from the NaturallyCurly Community 
by: Michelle Breyer
To be published: October 2017

Anyone with naturally curly or wavy hair knows how challenging it can be to tame. The goal of this book is to offer support and advice to women and men with textured locks. Michelle Breyer is the co-founder of NaturallyCurly.com which has been a resource of the curly-haired community for almost two decades.

First, we learn about the history and formation of the website and CurlTalk forums. This transitions into a section that provides emotional support to curlies. In a world that hasn't always been accepting of the "wild" or "natural" look, many people have been raised to hate their unruly hair (by well-meaning parents, schoolyard bullies, or subtle social cues).

Then, what I found most useful, the rest of the book provides information on identifying your own curl type, detailing regiments for cleaning and styling hair, as well as tips for cutting, coloring and controlling frizz. Interspersed throughout the text we see accounts of how individuals have embraced their curly hair and what their own personal routines entail. The photos taken for the book are colorful and striking and truly capture the beauty and diversity of textured hair.

4.5 out of 5 stars: None of this information is new per se (as it is all hosted on their website), but this book is an excellent resource for those who may be overwhelmed by the amount of information available online. I can also see this being a great gift for someone who is trying to embrace the wavy/curly/coily natural lifestyle but doesn't know where to start.

// I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Pretty sure I'm a 2B/2C wavy type. Houston humidity loves to destroy my attempts at curl management, can't wait to try out new hair care cocktails on these thirsty locks!

We Were Eight Years In Power

We Were Eight Years In Power: An American Tragedy
by: Ta-Nehisi Coates
To Be Published: October 2017

We Were Eight Years in Power is a compilation of eight essays Coates published with The Atlantic. Each essay is preceded by an introductory chapter that explains why he wrote the piece, what was going on in his life, and how his perspective has changed since it was published. These "blog post-like" tidbits have an almost memoir-like quality to them, offering behind-the-scenes insight into the writing process and allowing Coates an opportunity to vent frustrations unconstrained by the more diplomatic, expository tone of the essays.

Inevitably this book will be compared to Coates' award-winning Between the World and Me as they both ruminate on racial tension in the United States. But where Between the World and Me is deeply personal, raw, poetic and often bombastically esoteric, We Were Eight Years in Power feels more academic. Beautifully written and immensely powerful, it marries heavily-researched longform journalism and unapologetic sermonizing. The essays cover a wide swathe of topics that include meditations on what it means to elect a black president, brief biographies of Malcom X and the Obamas, a case for reparations, and an appeal to recognize the continuous role white supremacy has played in our nation's history.

The title of the work references a post-Civil-War speech given by a member of the Reconstruction legislature in South Carolina. Yet, the titular "We" also echoes modern-day citizens hoping for meaningful change in the area of race relations. The parallels abound, as we too are in the midst of an intense backlash and political tidal change following the wake of progress. As we all know, those who refuse to acknowledge history are doomed to repeat it.

5 out of 5 stars: As someone who hasn't really been following the prolific Ta-Nehisi Coates beyond his last bestseller, all of the essays were new and exciting. Veteran readers of the Atlantic may not be as impressed. Still, the reflection chapters do bring something new to the table and really tie it all together. Come what may, I will definitely be referencing this book for years to come.

// I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Healthy Meal Prep

Healthy Meal Prep
by Stephanie Tornatore and Adam Bannon
To Be Published: December 2017

A colorful, friendly primer to meal-prep cooking that includes an introduction to the art of weekly prep, 12 full-fledged weeks of meal plans, and tips and tricks for snacking and storage. Each weekly meal plan offers beautiful photographs, shopping lists and recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner variations on a theme, e.g. low carb, vegetarian, Asian or Mediterranean. Overall, well organized and extremely useful. That said, if you're not a fan of eating the same meal for a few days in a row, this may not be the book for you. After all, the factory-like assembly of clone meals is basically the whole point of meal prep. Variety is the spice of life and I love rotating cuisines as much as the next gal, but I personally have no issue with repeating lunches if it means I can consolidate the tediousness of calorie-counting, macro-fitting, food-scavenging into one day of the week.

5 out of 5 stars: As someone who probably spends too much time scouring Meal Prep Sunday and mindlessly pinning meal prep recipes, I fall squarely into this recipe-book's target audience. I've even cooked recipes from the authors' YouTube channel, which is part of the reason I was so excited to check out the book in the first place!


// I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Bad Girls from History

Bad Girls from History: Wicked or Misunderstood?
by Dee Gordon
To be published: December 2017

Bad Girls from History recounts a wide array of tales of some very mischievous women. The wickedness captured in these stories ranges from the standard mistresses and adulterers, to the naughty-by-trade pirates, gangsters and witches, all the way out to the most deplorable serial killers and one-off murderers.

2.5 out of 5 stars: Each account is clearly well-researched, pieced together from what remains of records of the past, yet some of the tales still leave the reader wanting more - more historical context, more information about the society that these women found themselves in. Overall, it was interesting to learn of these women's lives and impacts on the world around them, but the book felt as though it was spread a bit thin.

// I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Artemis

Artemis
by Andy Weir
To be Published: Nov 2017

Jasmine Bashara is a citizen of the Moon's first city, Artemis. Raised by a hard-working welder, but independently employed as a freelance porter (aka smuggler), she finds herself at the epicenter of an elaborate conspiracy and must use her quick-thinking problem solving skills to stay alive.

Despite the inherent pressure in being the sophomore novel following an international bestseller, Artemis truly delivers as a gripping page-turner clearly cut from the same cloth, but more than able to stand up on its own. The novel is kinetic, engrossing, and an engineer's wet dream (whether you get your kicks from reading about mechanical processes or from pedantically picking them apart). My only criticism is that the characters, endearing as they were, could be a bit immature. I curse like a sailor and love witty banter as much as the next guy, but at times the dialogue felt a little under-cooked, like the sparring of teenage affectations.

4.5 out of 5 stars: Weir continues to fill that Michael-Crichton-shaped hole in my heart with his take on thrilling lab-lit, i.e. going into excruciating amounts of detail when describing scientific and chemical processes. Honestly, Artemis takes up the torch even more than The Martian as it unravels a slightly wider spread of world-creation and plot: without giving too much away, we're talking geo-political and economic maneuverings on top of all the knee-deep science jargon.

// I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Vacationland

Vacationland: True Stories from Painful Beaches
by John Hodgman
To be Published: October 2017

Former deranged millionaire John Hodgman has run out of fun false facts for us and has decided to instead to get very, very real. In a collection of essays that span his migratory patterns across New England, he has pieced together a deeply personal memoir from reflections on his life. We visit western Massachusetts to learn deference to The Dumpmen and the rock-stacking river witches : we travel to the cruel beaches of Maine to contemplate privilege, aging, and the craftsmanship of boats.

At one point, in reference to therapy, he says,

"Just having permission to talk about yourself, to let your dumb thoughts out of your head so you can see them as they hang there in silence, is an illuminating gift."

and I feel that it resonates the tone of the memoir as a whole. And really, the work of comedians in general. Whether they pour their lives into the stage as stand-up bits, or as characters on satirical news shows, isn't it all just to help themselves (and presumably the audience) deal with reality in one way or another? So if writing up a memoir is what it takes to process the existential dread that accompanies the relentless passage of time and the unruly nature of facial hair, then onward march, man. You're helping the rest of us feel less alone. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an entire drawer of mouse poop to continue to ignore.

He Who Must Not Be Named gets it.

5 out of 5 stars: As a follower of his podcast, audiobooks and Netflix special -- this is the first time I've physically read something of his. If I can even call it reading, this memoir is so true to Hodgman's voice, I literally heard it in my head. A fun brand of deadpan humor that is both self-deprecating and sincere.

Note: The aforementioned quote was taken from an advanced reader copy and may not be final. So you should probably go buy one in October just to be sure.

The Chateau

The Chateau
by Paul Goldberg
Expected Publication: Feb 2018

After losing his job, well-seasoned DC journalist Bill Katzenelenbogen flies south in an effort to stave of a budding existential crisis and redirect energies into an investigation on the untimely death of his college roommate (a distinguished plastic surgeon well known as "The Butt God of Miami Beach"). While in town, he visits his estranged father and becomes immediately entangled in a complicated web of feuds erupting from within the Chateau condo between the Board vs. Residents, Russian Immigrants vs Americans, and Jews vs. goys. Set during the inauguration of Donald Trump, this novel tackles political and social tensions from the perspective of immigrants on either side.

4.5 out of 5 stars: Overall, a fun read: satirical and subversive with heavy doses of despondence and brutal realism. I especially enjoyed the tidbits of Russian literature and poetry and vocabulary that were sprinkled throughout.

// I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Planet Factory

Planet Factory: Exoplanets and the Search for a Second Earth
by Elizabeth Tasker
To be published: November 2017

In a fantastic primer for budding planetary scientists or armchair explorers, astrophysicist Elizabeth Tasker shares her passion and expertise for the astronomical sciences. Planet Factory chips away at the mountains of exoplanet research and presents it in approachable chunks of historical context, current research and exciting conjecture. Tasker describes how celestial bodies emerge from swirling space dust, details prevailing theories for the varying compositions of known planets and explores the incomprehensibly strange worlds that exist in distant systems (hot Jupiters, super Earths and rogue planets, oh my!).

4 out of 5 stars: There were some stretches of text in the middle that felt a bit tedious and recursive, going through the litany of possible explanations for any findings that didn't fit neatly into the currently accepted theories. But hey, that's science! The repetitive circular critique of hypotheses is both a strength and weakness in the text: it was honestly very refreshing to have each theory delineated with a little dollop of doubt, teaching the reader to question and critically assess previous explanations when presented with new evidence. It's even addressed point-blank in the introduction: any scientist trying to report this amount of interstellar research as fact with the pretense that 'we've got it all figured out' is doing a disservice to the reader and to the field. Overall, this is a very friendly introduction to the awe-inspiring mysteries of our universal neighbors.

Sidenote: I was a little surprised to see no mention of the TRAPPIST-1 system until I realized that announcement was just made February of this year, so of course the author didn't have time to cram in a whole new chapter of reactions to these 7 little buddies and their ultra-cool dwarf. That said, this book leaves me feeling well-equipped to tackle the news of exoplanet discoveries on my own.

// I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Soonish

Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That'll Improve and/or Ruin Everything 
by Kelly Weinersmith, Zach Weinersmith
To be published: October 2017

Power couple SMBC cartoonist & Rice University professor pick apart ten burgeoning fields of research: from space elevators, nanorobot swarms, 3D organ printing to brain-computer interfaces... and beyond! It’s no small feat predicting how upcoming technological advancements will play out -- both accidental discoveries and the complex dynamics of interacting fields of research can really throw a wrench in timelines (we were promised self-tying shoes and hoverboards damnit!), but the Wienersmiths do a fantastic job of presenting what’s out there, where it’s likely headed, and what we can expect to see ...Soonish.

5 out of 5 stars: No, I'm not just excited about this because I'm a hard fan girl of Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal and anything associated with my alma mater. But also yes.

In other news, snag a copy of of Soonish from the Goodreads Giveaway! (Ends 8/18/17) I was very lucky to have received an advance reader copy from a friend so I have to do my part to spread the love. Now I just have to lure Kelly and Zach into a book signing at my favorite Rice U pub...

Dragon Teeth

Dragon Teeth
by Michael Crichton
Published: June 2017

Though my favorite Crichton novels are his techno-thrillers, he weaves a damn good historical fiction. Set in 1876, this story follows the rivalry of two (real life) paleontologists and the treacherous trade of fossil excavation in the West. Though not particularly seat-gripping, the tale is immersive and educational (and, as most of his novels are, extraordinarily well-researched).

3.5 out of 5 stars:  It wasn't bad, and honestly makes me want to give his other posthumous work a chance. Maybe.