Tag: literature

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Backlist Spotlight: Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

I’m starting a new blog series in which I spotlight backlist books I love. My book club just finished reading and discussing Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin. It’s one of my all-time favorite books, so I decided to kick off this series by giving Baldwin’s stunning first novel a little love. Let’s dive in!

The Details

  • Publication date: May 18, 1953
  • Genre: Classic literary fiction
  • Setting: Harlem, New York City
  • Themes: Identity, religious belief and formation, family secrets, racism
  • Summary: On John Grimes’s fourteenth birthday, he experiences a powerful religious awakening as family history, trauma, and secrets come to light.

Why You Should Read This Book

Go Tell It on the Mountain was the first James Baldwin book I read, and after I finished it, I knew I wanted to read everything he’s ever written because I found his writing so profound. In addition to novels and nonfiction, Baldwin also wrote some poetry and drama. His sentence structure and metaphors reveal a poet’s sensitivity to words, and the dynamic scenes he describes would be at home in any theater. 

A vivid setting is important to me as a reader, and Baldwin delivers, whether he’s describing John’s walk down 5th Avenue, the tension in the family’s living room, or a conversion taking place in a raucous Harlem church service. Most readers probably wouldn’t describe this novel as a page-turner, but there are moments when Baldwin exposes a truth or has a character confront another that are as gripping as any thriller. 

Favorite Passages

The opening paragraph

“For he had no words when he knelt before the throne. And he feared to make a vow before Heaven until he had the strength to keep it. And yet he knew that until he made the vow he would never find the strength.”

“But to look back from the stony plain along the road which led one to that place is not at all the same thing as walking on the road; the perspective to say the very least, changes only with the journey; only when the road has, all abruptly and treacherously, and with an absoluteness that permits no argument, turned or dropped or risen is one able to see all that one could not have seen from any other place.” 

Further Reading

If you like or want to read Go Tell It on the Mountain, you might also enjoy:

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8 More of My Favorite Short Books

I love a short book. I appreciate it when writers get to the point and don’t spend pages telling readers something they could say in a paragraph. Short books can be especially appealing toward the beginning of the year if you’re trying to start strong to meet a reading goal. 

A few years ago, I shared eight of my favorite short books. I’ve read a lot since then, so I’m sharing eight more great books that are less than 250 pages. I hope you find at least one title you can’t wait to read. 

8 more of my favorite short books

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
112 pages

If you’re a devoted book lover, chances are you like books about books. 84, Charing Cross Road is one of my favorite bookish books. It’s a collection of letters between Helene Hanff and a bookseller in London who specializes in used and hard-to-find titles. This book is a sweet read and a reminder that literature can bring people together and help them form deep friendships. 

All grown up book cover

All Grown Up by Jami Attenberg
197 pages

I’m always delighted when I find a book focused on a complicated woman. Well-written female characters are such a treat, and Andrea, the protagonist of All Grown Up, is no exception. She’s a single, childless New Yorker who hasn’t entirely lived up to her family’s expectations. So when her niece is born with a scary medical condition, Andrea navigates the situation alongside her family, who are just as complicated as she is. All Grown Up is a witty delight.

Assembly book cover

Assembly by Natasha Brown
112 pages

Assembly is one of the shortest books on this list, but its story is one of the most memorable. The book focuses on an unnamed Black woman who lives in London. She’s doing everything right: she has a good job, a loving boyfriend, and she carefully weighs her choices. But she wonders if her life is enough, if all the rules, responsibilities, and pressures to perform are worth it. Assembly is a beautifully written book that will stay with you long after you finish it.

Diary of a void book cover

Diary of a Void by Emily Yagi
224 pages

I read Diary of a Void last month, but I know it’s a story that I’ll keep thinking about for a while. The novel follows a woman named Ms. Shibata, who works in a male-dominated office. Because of her gender, her coworkers expect her to clean up after them and perform other chores no one else wants to do. Finally, one day, Shibata has enough and announces that she’s pregnant. Her coworkers finally start treating her with the respect she deserves. The only problem is she isn’t actually pregnant. Diary of a Void raises important questions about motherhood and a woman’s worth. It’s also just a fun and funny book. 

Mouth to mouth book cover

Mouth to Mouth by Antoine Wilson
179 pages

The unnamed narrator of Mouth to Mouth runs into Jeff, a former classmate, at the airport. The two head to the lounge to enjoy a few drinks, and Jeff starts telling a story about how he once saved a man from drowning. What follows is how that act changed the course of his life. This page-turner keeps readers wondering how all the pieces of Jeff’s story fit together and whether or not what he’s saying is true. Antoine Wilson fits so much story into so few pages, which makes Mouth to Mouth a quick but memorable read. 

On earth we're briefly gorgeous book cover

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
246 pages

Ocean Vuong might be best known as a poet, which seems evident as you read his debut novel. The story is told through letters from a son to his mother, a Vietnamese immigrant who can’t read. Vuong addresses many vital issues in this book, including race, family history, sexuality, addiction, and trauma. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is a must-read for lovers of literary fiction who enjoy an up-close look at complex families.

Recitatif book cover

Recitatif by Toni Morrison
81 pages

Recitatif is a short story by Toni Morrison, the only one she ever wrote. It follows Roberta and Twyla, women who meet as little girls in an orphanage and remain tethered for years. One girl is Black, and the other is white, but Morrison doesn’t reveal who is who. As they grow up, the two women keep running into each other. The only thing they have in common is the time in the orphanage, but they can’t deny that bond and how trauma brought them together. Morrison’s choice not to reveal the characters’ races makes this a story to be read over and over again, exploring the question of how our skin color affects our lives. This story would pair beautifully with Passing by Nella Larsen.

The secret lives of church ladies book cover

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw
179 pages

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies is a collection of short stories about women of various ages and different places in their lives. What unites them is their thoughtfulness about who a woman should be, especially when she has her roots in the church. Short story fans will find much to love in this book since Deesha Philyaw writes complex characters so well in so few pages. If you enjoy Recitatif, pick up this book next. 

What are some of your favorite short books? I’d love some recommendations!

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What I Read and Loved in January 2023

January can be a bit of a downer, but it turned out to be a fantastic reading month for me. I read seven books, and all but one was a four or five-star read. I hope this momentum continues in February. I’m also sharing a few non-book loves for the month. Let’s jump in!

What I Read

One of us is dead book cover

One of Us Is Dead by Jeneva Rose
Format: eBook

One of Us Is Dead is a thriller about a murder in Buckhead, a wealthy neighborhood in Atlanta. The victim is part of an elite group of women with important spouses and equally important images to maintain. These women spend much of their time at Glow, an upscale salon owned by Jenny, who is interrogated by a detective throughout the novel. He’s hoping the secrets shared in Jenny’s salon chair will help him find the killer. 

This book is entertaining, but the story fell flat for me. The characters seem like caricatures, and I got tired of their gossip and backstabbing. However, the book is a quick read, so if you want something light and fast-paced, you might like this novel if you’re in the mood for plot over character development. (Also, the author is one of my favorite TikTok follows.)

Strangers to ourselves book cover

Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories That Make Us by Rachel Aviv
Format: eBook

In Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories That Make Us, Rachel Aviv introduces readers to four people experiencing psychological crises. First, we meet Ray, a once-successful man who can’t let go of his anger. He thinks his doctors are unable to treat him and he resents how his life has turned out. Next is Bapu, an Indian woman who feels an irresistible call to her religion, choosing her god over her family for most of her life as a wife and mother. Then there is Naomi, a poor Black mother who kills one of her sons in a moment of manic desperation. Finally, we meet Laura, a privileged white woman who doesn’t know who she is without her antidepressants. Aviv also shares her own story of being diagnosed and hospitalized with anorexia as a young child.

Each case study is powerful, especially the ones that focus on women. I appreciate how Aviv chose diverse subjects, both racially and economically. Yet, despite their diversity, each person feels trapped in their illness, struggles with hopelessness, and experiences difficulties getting proper medical and psychiatric care. This book makes important points about medication, access to good healthcare, and how one’s environment plavs a role in illness and recovery. Strangers to Ourselves is a book l’Il be thinking about for a long time.

Diary of a void book cover

Diary of a Void by Emi Yagi; translated by David Boyd and Lucy North
Format: Audiobook

Ms. Shibata is a lonely woman in her mid-thirties working a dull office job. Because she’s a woman on a team of men, her coworkers expect her to make the coffee, clean the break room, and take care of other menial chores. Shibata is understandably tired of this role, so one day, she makes an announcement: she’s pregnant. Except she isn’t. 

Diary of a Void explores what happens in Shibata’s life over the next nine months. The “pregnancy” not only allows her to get out of chores, but she can leave work early. With her new free time, Shibata joins an aerobics class for expectant mothers, cooks healthy meals, goes on walks, and marvels at the slower pace of her life. Weight gain and padding help Shibata keep up her ruse. 

I love this book’s exploration of motherhood and how that role impacts how a woman is seen and treated. Diary of a Void reminded me how much I enjoy Japanese fiction’s playfulness and subversive nature. 

Spare by Prince Harry book cover

Spare by Prince Harry
Format: Print

Spare surprised me. It was one of those books I picked up intending to skim, but I found myself quickly engrossed and read the entire thing in two days. So much has already been said about Prince Harry and some of the things he reveals in Spare, but what stands out above all else is how difficult it would be to grow up with the level of fame he endured and is enduring. Autonomy would be nearly impossible. Mistakes would be headlines. The worst moments of your life might just be entertainment to others. I was moved by Harry’s story and found the section in which he discusses his military service especially interesting. This book could have been shorter–something I say about many of the books I read–but I’m glad I read it. 

Illustrated Black history book cover

Illustrated Black History by George McCalman
Format: eBook

Illustrated Black History is a collection of brief biographies of important Black figures throughout history, including athletes, artists, politicians, chefs, dancers, and many others. Each biography is accompanied by a gorgeous, bold illustration of the subject, which makes this book a joy to read. 

Sam book cover

Sam by Allegra Goodman
Format: eBook

I love reading a novel with solid character development, and that’s what I got with Sam. The book begins when Sam is a little girl and follows her through her teen years. Throughout the book, Sam lives with her single mom Courtney, who’s working two jobs to keep her family afloat. Sam’s dad Mitchell struggles with addiction, so he’s in and out of her life, making promises he can’t consistently deliver. As Sam grows up and becomes more complex, so does Allegra Goodman’s writing. Sam is a heartfelt, moving, and memorable coming-of-age story about a girl I’ll be thinking about for a long time. 

I have some questions for you book cover

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai
Format: eBook

Bodie Kane is a successful podcaster and professor who returns to Granby, the New Hampshire boarding school she attended as a teen, to teach a couple of classes. In her podcasting course, a student starts digging into the murder of Thalia Keith, Bodie’s former roommate at Granby, who was killed on campus. Though the case has been solved for years, Bodie can’t help but ask questions and begins to wonder if justice was really served.

I Have Some Questions for You is a masterful mystery novel about growing up, injustice, and the secrets we keep. Granby feels like a real place, and the characters who populate its campus are complex and interesting. Rebecca Makkai builds tension slowly and methodically until the book’s satisfying conclusion. This novel is the very best of dark academia. I know it will be one of the best things I read all year.

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy of this book. It releases on February 21.

What I Loved

A hand journaling
Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

ACTIVITY: Journaling

I’ve kept journals off and on since I was in elementary school, but I stopped over the past few years. I realized how much I missed the practice, so I took Laura Tremaine’s online class, Journaling for Grownups. The course was terrific, and I learned a lot from Laura and the other students. Picking up journaling again has been such a gift. I’ve been using Archer and Olive journals, which I love.

Sheng Wang sweet and juicy comedy poster

COMEDY: Shang Wang’s Sweet and Juicy

A friend recommended this special, and I’m happy to report that I laughed through the entire thing. I’m eager to watch it again. It’s on Netflix.

A stack of Jess Walter's books

EVENT: Jess Walter’s Library Visit

Jess Walter is a prolific and popular local author who visited one of my school libraries last week. He talked about his writing process, answered questions from students, and read an unpublished short story. As much as I enjoyed hearing him read, my greatest delight was hearing him answer kids’ questions and encourage them to write. (Walter’s latest book, The Angel of Rome and Other Stories, is marvelous.)

FRAGRANCE: Jazz Club by Maison Margiela

While I journaled, watched comedy specials, and listened to local authors, I smelled like Jazz Club, my new favorite scent. Wearing it makes me feel much cooler than I actually am, so it’s worth every penny.

That’s it for me! What did you read and love in January?

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Book Clubbing

I’ve been working in school libraries for about 12 years now, and one of the highlights of my career is the student and staff multicultural book club I co-lead at one of my high schools. I feel lighter and more hopeful whenever I leave one of our meetings, consistently impressed by students’ thoughtfulness and kindness. The world can seem so bleak sometimes, but being around smart, outspoken young people is a nice antidote to discouragement and disillusionment.

Book covers for The Marrow Thieves, Dear Martin, and The Night Watchman

The first session of the book club I ever hosted was in 2019. We read The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline, a dystopian book no one in my group enjoyed, including me. But despite not liking the book, we had fantastic conversations. Since I work in libraries and not classrooms, I only get a little time to talk with kids; I usually only see them in passing. The book club was the first time I had a chance to get to know students and witness them engage with a text. When I hear people say that kids don’t read anymore, I want to roll my eyes and bring them to a book club meeting.

When the pandemic shut down in-person schooling, we decided to try having the book club via Zoom. I was doubtful we’d have much success, but I’m happy to say how wrong I was. We had the most participation we’d ever had as we read and discussed Nic Stone’s Dear Martin, a powerful novel about police brutality and growing up as a young Black boy in predominantly white spaces. Even though we were faces on a computer screen, we were able to have important conversations about race, policing, violence, and friendship. Those are complicated topics, but students were always patient and understanding, even when there was disagreement. We had two more rounds of online club meetings before we got to meet in person again. As much as I love the in-person meetings, I look back on the online discussions with fondness and gratitude. They provided connection and community when we were desperate for both things. 

When we returned to the school building, we read The Night Watchmen by Louise Erdrich. I don’t read much historical fiction, so this book stretched me and challenged me, which I appreciated. Erdrich is an incredibly gifted writer, deserving of the many accolades she’s received over the years. (I really love Shadow Tag and The Round House.) In our meetings, we talked about missing and endangered Native women and discussed why their cases are too often ignored. We pondered Native resettlement together and marveled at the events that inspired the book. The Night Watchmen is heavy and long, but the students consistently showed up with things to say.

Book covers for When stars are scattered and Go tell it on the mountain

We strive to read a variety of genres and viewpoints, so we decided to switch things up and read graphic novels for the next book club session. One of the books we read was When Stars Are Scattered, a middle grade book that tells the story of Omar Mohammed and his brother growing up in a Kenyan refugee camp. A local refugee came in and spoke to us about her experience in a camp. Her story was moving and powerful, and I remain grateful that students could hear someone speak who was directly affected by the subjects we’d been reading about.

Right now, we have two more meetings before we finish Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin, one of my favorite novels. Having the opportunity to discuss Baldwin’s brilliant writing with a group of thoughtful readers is a joy. The theme we’ve focused on throughout the novel is identity. How does your family shape who you become? Can a person really change? What happens when someone is hungry for power? We’ve examined these questions and many others over the past few weeks.

Along with our primary texts, we pull in outside readings and media, such as poems, essays, interviews, and videos. I love doing this because it’s nice to connect different cultures and formats with the books we’re discussing. 

Over the years, many people have questioned why I like working at high schools. They think of teenagers as wild, rude, and uninterested in reading. But young people are some of the most thoughtful readers out there. They’re passionate, critical thinkers who speak their minds and ask great questions. It’s been an absolute joy being part of a community of kids and school staff who value literature and the benefits it brings to our lives. 

A group of nine book club members with their faces obscured by smiling heart emojis
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My Top 10 Reads of 2022

After taking a year off from writing, I missed this space. But I’m back with new ideas and posts to share, and I want to start with my favorite books of 2022. I set a goal to read 75 books this year, and I reached that goal with a few days to spare.

Keep reading to see which titles I loved the most.

My Top 10 Reads of 2022

The butterfly house book cover

The Butterfly House by Katrine Engberg

The Butterfly House is the second book of a Danish crime series following two detectives, Jeppe Kørner and Annette Werner, as they solve murders in Copenhagen. In this volume, they’re trying to find a serial killer who uses antique medical tools on their victims before leaving them in public fountains. Clues lead the detectives to a hospital and former psychiatric facility where questions arise about how patients were treated. 

The characters here are well-developed, the writing is engaging, and the setting is exactly what you’d want from a dark crime novel. If you’re a fan of the Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French, don’t miss this book. 

Dinosaurs book cover

Dinosaurs by Lydia Millet

Dinosaurs was a wonderful surprise. I had never read Lydia Millet before, and I wasn’t even sure what Dinosaurs was about, but I picked it up anyway. I’m glad I did since it became my favorite book of 2022. 

The story follows a man named Gil who starts a new life by walking from New York to Arizona after a breakup. Independently wealthy, Gil seeks volunteer opportunities to help bring meaning to his life. He becomes close with the family next door and embraces his new role as a friend and mentor to the couple’s young son. 

If you need a lot of plot in your fiction, this isn’t the book for you. But if you want a beautifully told story full of love and hope, don’t miss this gem. 

Happy go lucky book cover

Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris

David Sedaris is one of my go-to authors, one whose work I know I’ll always enjoy. Happy-Go-Lucky might be my new favorite collection from him. Many essays address his time in New York during the Covid-19 pandemic and his complicated relationship with his dying father. In true Sedaris fashion, he brings humor to bleak situations. We could all use some of that after the last few years. 

If I survive you book cover

If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery

A debut of interconnected short stories, If I Survive You follows a Jamaican immigrant family after they settle in Miami. The protagonist is Trelawny, the family’s younger son, who can’t quite live up to the eldest. He believes he’s meant to be a scholar, but life unfolds differently than he expects. Though this book addresses topics such as racism, classism, and immigration, there’s plenty of humor and lightness to be found. I love this book and can’t wait to see what’s next for Jonathan Escoffery.

Klara and the sun book cover

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

The Klara of this book’s title is an AF, an Artificial Friend for a sickly 14-year-old girl named Josie. Josie saw AFs in a store’s window display and immediately felt a bond with Klara, who comes home with Josie and her mother. As Klara grows to know Josie, she comes up with a plan to end her sickness. Klara and the Sun is wise and tender with important things to say about science, friendship, and what happens when those two things are combined. 

Now is not the time to panic book cover

Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson

In 1996, teenage Frankie met Zeke and finally found a friend, someone who saw her and encouraged her creativity. The two designed a unique poster and hung it all over town. The cryptic, dark artwork took on a life of its own, scaring the townspeople, who were sure something deadly was coming their way. When a reporter calls thirtysomething Frankie and wants to do a story about the Coalfield Panic, Frankie has to face her past and the choices she made with Zeke. Now Is Not the Time to Panic is a perfectly nostalgic novel about two misfits and the power of art. 

This here flesh book cover

This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories That Make Us
by Cole Arthur Riley

I first became aware of Cole Arthur Riley through her excellent Instagram account, @BlackLiturgies. I knew I’d love her book, and I do, but it surprised me how slowly I wanted to read it. I’m usually a fast reader, but the essays in This Here Flesh deserve to be savored. I took my time, underlining sentence after sentence. In prose that often reads like poetry, Arthur Riley explores faith, family, Christianity, and the stories that shaped her. This Here Flesh is a gorgeous book. 

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow book cover

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow follows 30 years in the lives of Sam and Sadie, two childhood friends who decide to create a video game together and ultimately become business partners. I expected this book to be lighter than it is, but its depth was a pleasant surprise. Sam and Sadie are well-developed yet flawed characters I rooted for and got frustrated with in equal measure. They love each other, but this book isn’t a love story. They play and make games together, but this book isn’t about gaming. Instead, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a thoughtful, sprawling story about how friendship can sometimes save us. 

When stars are scattered book cover

When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed

When searching for possible book club selections for the student and staff multicultural book club I co-lead, I picked up When Stars Are Scattered. I started flipping through it and was immediately absorbed by the true story of Omar and Hassan, two brothers growing up in a Kenyan refugee camp after fleeing war-torn Somalia. Hassan has special needs, so Omar becomes his caretaker, a situation that becomes more complicated when Omar has the chance to attend school. 

I don’t read graphic novels very often, and I read middle-grade books even less, so I’m thankful to have stumbled upon this wonderful title. Kids and adults will both appreciate this one.

You don't have to be everything book cover

You Don’t Have to Be Everything: Poems for Girls Becoming Themselves
edited by Diana Whitney

Anthologies rarely, if ever, appear on my favorites list, but this poetry collection is special. Editor Diana Whitney chose poems from a diverse array of poets, including Amanda Gorman, Kate Baer, Andrea Gibson, Elizabeth Acevedo, and many more. The poems would be enough, but the book is also full of beautiful, brightly-colored illustrations. I read this book on a day when I felt down and discouraged, and it was just what I needed. Consider reading this next time you need some comfort and inspiration.

Honorable Mentions

Here’s a list of other books I enjoy and recommend in the order I read them:

  • And We Rise: The Civil Rights Movement in Poems by Erica Martin
  • Mouth to Mouth by Antoine Wilson
  • Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
  • Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese-American by Laura Gao
  • The Angel of Rome and Other Stories by Jess Walter
  • Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America by Maggie Haberman
  • The Appeal by Janice Hallett
  • The West Wing and Beyond: What I Saw Inside the Presidency by Pete Souza

The Stats

Fiction vs. nonfiction (40.8% and 59.2%)
Format (Audio 1.3%, Print 51.3%, and Digital 47.4%)
Where I got my books (Gift 2.6%, Purchased 32.9% and Library 53.2%)

In Conclusion

2022 was a great year for books, and there are already many 2023 titles I’m excited to read. I’d love to hear what books you loved this year. What books were your 2022 favorites?