"Woe" serves as both a touching tribute to a beloved cat and a comforting reminder to those who have lost a four-legged friend that their sorrow is valid and shared.
All tagged nonfiction
My Friend Dahmer – Derf Backderf
While the graphic novel was initially intriguing, it felt a bit lacking in depth, particularly considering its length. I also began to question the necessity of Backderf telling this story. He was only a passing acquaintance of Dahmer, so the armchair psychology and hindsight observations felt a tad inflated.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings – Maya Angelou
This is a classic for a reason. Nothing I say about this novel will diminish its relevance, but I must be honest with myself and others when I say that I didn’t really enjoy it.
How to Write an Autobiographical Novel – Alexander Chee
Alexander Chee’s essay collection is first and foremost a showcase of his nearly unmatched talent. It's a celebration of the craft, of teaching and of the relentless pursuit of one’s artistic vision. Yet, for all its brilliance, the book is dreadfully boring.
Hi Honey, I'm Homo!: Sitcoms, Specials, and the Queering of American Culture – Matt Baume
An interesting retrospective on how sitcoms helped pave the way for broader queer acceptance, with “Hi Honey, I’m Homo!” Matt Baume offers a mostly lighthearted read for fans of pop culture and LGBTQIA+ history.
Through original and sourced research, the author traced the often fraught path to introduce positive portrayals of queer people to the masses, but this isn’t the kind of behind-the-scenes tell-all that will help elevate the book beyond its niche target audiences.
How We Fight For Our Lives – Saeed Jones
I had put off reading Saeed Jones' "How We Fight For Our Lives" for years, expecting a depressing, harrowing manifesto about the multitude of ways America fails Black men. Let this be a lesson in not judging a book by its cover, because Jones instead offers readers a sometimes funny and relatable exploration of growing up gay.
The Times I Knew I Was Gay – Eleanor Crewes
A choppy narrative and sparse illustrations made it difficult to truly connect with the emotional turmoil Crewes walks the reader through. Initially intended as a 10-page micro-comic, it certainly appears that was the right length for a story that felt incredibly thin.
The Groom Will Keep His Name: And Other Vows I've Made About Race, Resistance, and Romance – Matt Ortile
Between the bloat, uneven pacing and self-absorption you’ll quickly find yourself tired of the lecture and wondering how a book that started promisingly can derail so quickly.
Brave Face – Shaun David Hutchinson
Hutchinson’s conversational writing style allows readers to connect with his experiences and fill in the blanks with their own. It's a reminder that sometimes you’re simply hiding scabs, but you’re never too old to heal the wound. While not necessarily targeted to young adults, the author – a prolific writer in that genre – uses short, fast-paced chapters that mirror the chaos of his internal life.
Out of the Shadows: Reimagining Gay Men's Lives – Walt Odets
Complicated and challenging, Walt Odets' "Out of the Shadows" is not a comfortable read. Part psychology text and part memoir manifesto, it is aimed at helping cis-gendered gay men live authentic and complete lives: emotionally, physically and sexually.
Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio – Derf Backderf
Derf Backderf's "Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio" takes readers beyond the iconic photograph, offering a meticulously researched and haunting graphic novel about the events that occurred on May 4, 1970, between students at Kent State University and the Ohio National Guard.
Madonna: A Rebel Life – Mary Gabriel
Making my way through this epic often felt like a slog. It was frustratingly repetitive but also enlightening, forcing me to re-examine my own biases against someone who, I think now, is largely misunderstood as an artist and person.
Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears – Michael Schulman
For expecting this to be a frothy history, I was surprised by the detailed explorations of how the sausage was/is made – from studio system contracts to politicking and power grabs. People looking for an exhaustive recap of the awards themselves will be disappointed as Schulman presents more a chronicle of Hollywood in 11 eras, with the Oscars serving as a (sometimes loose) connective thread to introduce the films, actors and creators that defined each generation.
March: Books One-Three – John Lewis and Andrew Aydin
For readers that want to brush up on the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, the “March” series is an exemplary feat of storytelling that exposes the hypocrisy, violence and injustice that spurred the movement while celebrating the everyday people who protested – and died – for desegregation and the passing of the Voting Rights Act.
Pink Triangle Legacies: Coming Out in the Shadow of the Holocaust – W. Jake Newsome
While not as well-known in the mainstream as the Pride flag, the pink triangle – the Nazi concentration camp symbol for prisoners convicted under Paragraph 175, the German law that criminalized homosexual activity among men – is an enduring and important marker of queer history that morphed from an emblem of shame into a symbol of activism.
High-Risk Homosexual – Edgar Gomez
After a choppy start, Edgar Gomez’s engrossing memoir, “High-Risk Homosexual” morphed into an interesting dissection of cultural expectations, acceptance and self-discovery.
The Library Book – Susan Orlean
A mashup of true crime, memoir and history, the story is more glossy magazine feature than stodgy tome and stands as a love letter to libraries, and the crucial role these institutions play in building healthy communities and safeguarding democracy.
A Fever in the Heartland – Timothy Egan
Paced like a thriller – there’s short chapters and each has a clear focus – Egan stays rooted in basics and not minutiae. There’s detail on the inner workings of the KKK, state and national politics, “Roaring 20s” culture and immigration panic to provide a contextual foundation, but the author keeps everything aligned to his thesis: how Indiana served as a microcosm for a growing wave of racism in northern states, and the resisters who fought it.
A Conversation About “The Woman in Me” by Britney Spears
For a generation of Millennial readers, the release of Britney Spears’ memoir was a landmark moment: the opportunity for our beloved superstar to say her piece after more than a decade of forced silence. As a lifelong fan, it is difficult for me to be unbiased in my assessment of the narrative crafted with ghostwriter Sam Lansky, so I once again invited my friend Heather to discuss it.
Notable Native People: 50 Indigenous Leaders, Dreamers, and Changemakers from Past and Present – Adrienne Keene
If you find time to read only one book in recognition of Native American Heritage Month (or Nonfiction November, for those who celebrate), I highly encourage Adrienne Keene’s excellent spotlight on notable individuals from some of the 574 federally recognized American Indian Tribal nations.