Yanique Beliard-Michel’s memoir Unique in America is a recently published memoir about growing up in Haiti and emigrating to the U.S. Her story is extremely important when it comes to the canon of (Haitian) immigrant literature and experiences of Haitian immigrants in America. Haiti, like many colonised places in the world can be forgotten when … Continue reading
So to honour my inner bomber-jacket wearing life coach, I want to talk about the life lessons I learnt from reading Karamo’s memoir, Karamo: My Story of Embracing Purpose, Healing, and Hope. Continue reading
NOTE: Contains discussions about terminal illness. This is the memoir of the year for me. I know it is a bold statement to make considering it is only March and there are nine more months still to go, but I just loved this memoir by Julie Yip-Williams. This memoir spoke to me on so many … Continue reading
As an avid reader of feminist literature, a student of feminist theory, and general lover of feminism, I have read a lot of books that talk about gender, race, class, xenophobia, and discrimination. For me, the importance of these topics is obvious. We need to have discussions about these topics and should be having more … Continue reading
I first found Donna Tartt’s writing through her 2014 Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Goldfinch. I was completely blown away by her storytelling and character building that I went out and purchased her other two novels The Little Friend and The Secret History. I have not been let down by her writing and feel myself … Continue reading
Ayser Salman’s memoir The Wrong End of the Table is a story of awkward childhood-teen antics and trying to figure out who you are when you have so many different cultures pulling you in different directions. Salman arrives in the U.S. with her family after they leave fascist Iraq in the 1980s. Figuring out who … Continue reading
Stephanie Land’s memoir comes at an extremely important time in the world’s social and political climate. The very existence of her memoir is in direct defiance of the shame and stigma surrounding poverty. When I saw this memoir appearing in my social media feeds I was extremely excited to know more from Land. Although her … Continue reading
Michelle Obama’s memoir is a bestseller for all the right reasons. Regardless of your political affiliations and opinions, this book reflects a new era in politics. The lines between politicians and the contemporary notions of celebrities are becoming more and more blurred. The way that we consume, critique, and engage with politics and celebrities is … Continue reading
When I read books, sometimes I know exactly what I want to highlight in my review and other times, ideas and themes from the novel need time to grow and develop in my mind like an oyster and its pearl. The latter was very true for my reading of A.D. Hopkins The Boys Who Woke … Continue reading
CONTENT WARNING: discussions of sexual assault, cancer, death by suicide, and drug/alcohol abuse. As a passionate researcher in memory studies I am always drawn to books, both fiction and nonfiction, that draw on and play with the way we remember collectively and individually. J.M. Monaco’s novel is an exquisitely painful exploration of collective remembering within … Continue reading
