Show & Tell: Swifties, Spice, and Everything Nice
Unstacked Digest for the week of August 11 -17
This is Show & Tell where I tell you some things I loved from the week and the one thing I hated, plus round up everything else going on around these parts. The first half of Show & Tell is free to all. The adoration and hateration are for paid subscribers only.
Another absolutely chaotic week for me. I barely read at all, which I hate for myself, but am in the middle of a handful of projects, so I know I will have something to show for myself in the coming days and weeks. This is honestly one of the most challenging parts of being part of the content/creator economy. Trying to balance all of the work and rolling it out in a way that feels manageable for me and all of you. It is very much a when it rains it pours situation.
In other news. My kids started Kindergarten! Which like, on one hand, what? On the other hand, I actually have time to work again.
This Week in The Stacks
I went to the Oregon Shakespeare festival and ICYMI men are jerks.
was on The Stacks this week to talk about his book Black Genius and he offers up some behind the scenes realness on becoming a full time writer.
A new Nonfiction Files with 31 book recommendations for Black August — and a quick history lesson on this month long commemoration of Black Freedom Fighters and the push toward liberation for all.
Books I Read This Week
Another week where I didn’t finish a single book, and sadly, this time I cannot blame Barbara Kingsolver. The truth is I am in the middle of six books for a myriad of different reasons, and I haven’t finished any yet. This time next week I will have finished at least one or two, or I will have missed a bunch of deadlines1. I will quickly tell you what I’m reading and how I’m feeling about them so far. Presented in no particular order.
Ghost by Jason Reynolds. The Minis and I have been listening to this one (a re-read for me) and they are loving it. It is a little older than their age level but they are following along. There is another book in this series coming later this year so I want to read the whole thing before it arrives.
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. This month’s book club pick. I’m chugging along in anticipation of recording this episode later this week with
. It’ll be out on August 27th. Here is Alexis’ first episode on the podcast ICYMI.The Gods of New York: Egotists, Idealists, Opportunists, and the Birth of the Modern City: 1986-1990 by Jonathan Mahler. This book is so much fun. I am sort of obsessed with it. Its like history, but make is gossipy. I’m about half and its a big yes!
Unnamed Romance Novel. I am a judge for The Blacklist’s Unpublished Novel Award in the romance category. So for the next seven weeks or so I’m working my way through seven romance novels. I won’t be able to share my reading with you all, sadly, but the winner will be announced in December.
The Grand Paloma Resort by Cleyvis Natera. I started this novel on my trip to Oregon and I had to put it down to read for book club, but as soon as I am done, I can’t wait to dive back in.
The Devil Reached Toward the Sky: An Oral History of the Making and Unleashing of the Atomic Bomb by Garrett M. Graff. I couldn’t not start the latest oral history from Graff. This one on the atomic bombs is good, a little slower than the rest for me because there is a lot science.
Housekeeping
I spoke about Demon Copperhead and James on Here and Now with host Scott Tong. It was our little mini-book club and it was a great chat.
And we’re getting closer to this event with Cleyvis Natera for her novel The Grand Paloma Resort at Reparations Club on August 28th. I started the book this week, and I really can’t wait for this chat.
We’ve got less than a month until the Mississippi Book Festival. The line up includes so many friends of the pod like Hanif, Kiese, Cree, Sara, and Jason2. September 13th you, me, books, and Jackson, MS.
Things I Love…
Pop Culture
The homie, Ivana, sent me this video late Friday night as I got into bed to read. Obviously after watching this, I did not read a single page. Spice Theory is the theory of the femme/butch gender binary expanded and revised through the five spices — Scary, Baby, Ginger, Sporty, Posh. A way to understand the world using the Spice Girls? Was there ever a more me thing?
After watching the video and thinking for approximately 16 seconds, I am a Sporty Ginger (the dominant spice goes second). I think I have a Posh rising, but maybe I flatter myself with that. I feel like I might have to dedicate the rest of my life to this work. Do you think I could get a PhD in Spice Theory? Thank you Jordan Rasko for your brilliance in the pop culture space.
Do not keep reading until you tell me what you are!
Politics
I have been and remain critical of Gavin Newsom for a myriad of reasons, but recently for being absolutely trash on trans rights. His lack of vision and bullshit arguments are embarrassingly bad. So, what I am about to say is to be taken with a grain of salt.
