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bashsbooks's reviews
245 reviews
They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.75
Okay, I absolutely LOVE Hanif Abdurraqib, and I love They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us. I listened to the essay collection slowly, pausing to listen to all the different artists and albums and songs he touches on (Abdurraqib has many a wonderful Spotify playlist to help with this endeavor, including one called They Can't Kill Us. that is a companion to the collection.)
So the context easily gets a 5/5, full stars from me. Read the essays, read them again, read Abdurraqib's other work. Keen-eyed observers will notice, though, that I only gave this 4.75 stars. Why?
Well, I listened to the audiobook production of They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us, and it is a super interesting listen... but it's not the same text as the text versions. Firstly, Abdurraqib adds in a lot of author's notes, editoralizing in a way that I can sympathize with because he came back to this text to read it for the audiobook a few years after publishing. Secondly, one essay is not conveyable verbally - it's an erasure essay, and Abdurraqib notes that he couldn't figure out a way to speak it without compromising the piece. I grabbed a physical copy of the book from my library to read that essay ("August 9, 2014"), and I agree with his assessment that it wouldn't be an easy one to read aloud.
The fact that the audio and written version of the book are different isn't a bad thing per se, but it is a complicated one. And so I don't consider my rating a mark against it as much of a signal/acknowledgment that I read a different version of the text than people with physical or digital copies.
All that said - my favorite essays from this collection were "Under Half-Lit Fluorescents: The Wonder Years And The Great Suburban Narrative," "Death Becomes You: My Chemical Romance And Ten Years Of The Black Parade," "Nina Simone Was Very Black," "Serena Williams And The Policing Of Imagined Arrogance," and "The White Rapper Joke."
So the context easily gets a 5/5, full stars from me. Read the essays, read them again, read Abdurraqib's other work. Keen-eyed observers will notice, though, that I only gave this 4.75 stars. Why?
Well, I listened to the audiobook production of They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us, and it is a super interesting listen... but it's not the same text as the text versions. Firstly, Abdurraqib adds in a lot of author's notes, editoralizing in a way that I can sympathize with because he came back to this text to read it for the audiobook a few years after publishing. Secondly, one essay is not conveyable verbally - it's an erasure essay, and Abdurraqib notes that he couldn't figure out a way to speak it without compromising the piece. I grabbed a physical copy of the book from my library to read that essay ("August 9, 2014"), and I agree with his assessment that it wouldn't be an easy one to read aloud.
The fact that the audio and written version of the book are different isn't a bad thing per se, but it is a complicated one. And so I don't consider my rating a mark against it as much of a signal/acknowledgment that I read a different version of the text than people with physical or digital copies.
All that said - my favorite essays from this collection were "Under Half-Lit Fluorescents: The Wonder Years And The Great Suburban Narrative," "Death Becomes You: My Chemical Romance And Ten Years Of The Black Parade," "Nina Simone Was Very Black," "Serena Williams And The Policing Of Imagined Arrogance," and "The White Rapper Joke."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cursing, Hate crime, Misogyny, Suicide, and Islamophobia
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, and Murder
Heckin' Lewd: Trans and Nonbinary Erotica by Mx. Nillin Lore
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Like every short story collection, there is some variation in the skill of the authors within Heckin' Lewd. Overall, though, this is a talented group of queer writers producing some hot and spicy gender fuckery.
My favorite of these stories was Rien Gray's "The Devil You Blow," which is probably just some of the best erotic writing I've ever read, generally speaking. I will definitely be reading more of their work. Other stories I really liked from this collection were "The Earth Within Me", "Something's Happening to Rylen", and "Better By Half-Elf".
My favorite of these stories was Rien Gray's "The Devil You Blow," which is probably just some of the best erotic writing I've ever read, generally speaking. I will definitely be reading more of their work. Other stories I really liked from this collection were "The Earth Within Me", "Something's Happening to Rylen", and "Better By Half-Elf".
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
There are a couple of stories that have CNC and rough kink play content warnings before them.
The Fire Never Goes Out: A Memoir in Pictures by ND Stevenson
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
3.75
Stevenson's style is iconic, and his impact on the comics and cartoon world can't be understated. I remember seeing his work circle on Tumblr back in the day.
This memoir is told partially through Tumblr Year In Reviews, interspersed with important images and memories. It's not always straightforward (though Stevenson is pretty heavy-handed, symbolically speaking), but it is engaging and visually interesting.
The major critique I have is one that I often find for memoirs: Stevenson is very young. As a reader, I'm not sure we needed this from him yet - it feels more like something he had to do for himself. Which is fine, but weird to read as a published piece. I feel like his next endeavor into memoir will be fuller and feel more complete for an audience.
This memoir is told partially through Tumblr Year In Reviews, interspersed with important images and memories. It's not always straightforward (though Stevenson is pretty heavy-handed, symbolically speaking), but it is engaging and visually interesting.
The major critique I have is one that I often find for memoirs: Stevenson is very young. As a reader, I'm not sure we needed this from him yet - it feels more like something he had to do for himself. Which is fine, but weird to read as a published piece. I feel like his next endeavor into memoir will be fuller and feel more complete for an audience.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness and Grief
Minor: Homophobia, Misogyny, Self harm, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, and Lesbophobia
Hope: An Invitation by CSFN. Sr. Josephine Garrett
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
2.75
Intriguing book. Although I am not Catholic myself, I can appreciate the way in which spiritual revelations lead to philosophical ones. I think Sr. Josephine is a talented writer, too, although her appeals to "both sides" is somewhat exasperating at times.
That said, I am not the type of person who agrees with Catholic doctrine on a whole or is terribly compelled by the Gospel as an argumentative cornerstone or moral compass. So there is only so much of this texts that holds value to me, personally.
That said, I am not the type of person who agrees with Catholic doctrine on a whole or is terribly compelled by the Gospel as an argumentative cornerstone or moral compass. So there is only so much of this texts that holds value to me, personally.
Content Warnings
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Racism, Suicide, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Abandonment
All the warnings are mentioned in passing and presented in the most opaque/sanitized ways possible.
Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I must confess, I was never a huge fan of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. I reread it over and over again in high school and college, and I could never get into it. Something about the text was too dense and archaic for me to connect to - which is not normally a problem I have with classics.
When I came across Frankenstein in Baghbad, I thought the concept of a surrealist look into early Iraq War era Baghdad was an interesting concept, but I was skeptical that I'd find the same stumbling blocks with this version as the original. After all, it takes place in a time and setting very different from my own, just like Shelley's original.
But Saadawi's work is different. I realized pretty quickly that this book is much, much closer to my time and place than I thought it would be. It demonstrates, with an unparalleled hand for metaphor, the monster that is the cycle of revenge which makes up the wheels of war.
When I came across Frankenstein in Baghbad, I thought the concept of a surrealist look into early Iraq War era Baghdad was an interesting concept, but I was skeptical that I'd find the same stumbling blocks with this version as the original. After all, it takes place in a time and setting very different from my own, just like Shelley's original.
But Saadawi's work is different. I realized pretty quickly that this book is much, much closer to my time and place than I thought it would be. It demonstrates, with an unparalleled hand for metaphor, the monster that is the cycle of revenge which makes up the wheels of war.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence, Misogyny, Torture, Police brutality, and Classism
Minor: Sexual content, Suicide, Car accident, and Sexual harassment
-Suicide bombing, explosions
-Corpses
-Mutilation
Memorial Drive: A Daughter's Memoir by Natasha Trethewey
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
In Memorial Drive, Tretheway lays bare the loss of her mother, not just on the day she was murdered, but in the years and struggles that plagued them before that fateful June day. She is extacting and relentless in her telling, leaving no detail unturned or undigested, reminding readers that however difficult it is for them to read, it was harder for her to write. Listening to the audiobook version of this text, I was especially struck by the strong and even way Tretheway relayed her mother's last phonecalls with her stepfather, a feat I don't think many of us could do, even in the sacred act of bearing witness to our mother's end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness, Racism, and Suicide
Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis
For Richer Not Poorer: The Newlyweds' Financial Survival Guide by Deborah Wilburn
informative
fast-paced
3.5
This is the first financial self-help book I've read, and I wish I didn't have to read such books at all because I find them boring and stressful. But we live in the capitalist hellscape, and I am getting married soon, so I'm buckling down and trying to figure shit out. This is my disclaimer as a reviewer.
For Richer, Not Poorer was written in 2005, and in many ways, it shows - from the numbers it cites to the way to talks about the internet, it is clear even to me that it is outdated. That said, it has some important timeless tips - like it walks you through a balance sheet and lists important questions for you to discuss with your partner. And though the numbers are no longer accurate, many of the accounts and insurance types still exist. I didn't really know about HSAs, for example, before reading this - while the numbers around qualifying for one have certainly changed, being informed of their existence allowed me to do my own research. Ultimately, that is the primary advantage of this book.
For Richer, Not Poorer was written in 2005, and in many ways, it shows - from the numbers it cites to the way to talks about the internet, it is clear even to me that it is outdated. That said, it has some important timeless tips - like it walks you through a balance sheet and lists important questions for you to discuss with your partner. And though the numbers are no longer accurate, many of the accounts and insurance types still exist. I didn't really know about HSAs, for example, before reading this - while the numbers around qualifying for one have certainly changed, being informed of their existence allowed me to do my own research. Ultimately, that is the primary advantage of this book.
Content Warnings
-The Sheer Capitalistic Gameplay Of It All
Indoor Cat: How to Enrich Their Lives and Expand Their World by Lynn Bahr, Laura J. Moss
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.
Condescending tone and repetition of the same three or four talking points.
Queen's Shadow by E.K. Johnston
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I'm biased because Padmé Amidala is one of my favorite fictional characters of all time... but I love this book. Johnston has such a good grasp on her voice, and her belief system. The Clone Wars is my favorite version of the Star Wars canon, so seeing characters like Bonteri and Clovis was really cool. I've always wanted more political nitty-gritty from Star Wars (which feels like a weird thing to say, but it's true), so Queen's Shadow felt tailored to me. Can't wait to read the other two!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery and Trafficking
Moderate: Misogyny, Violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Death, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
-Evils of capitalism
-Space pirates
-Major natural disaster
-Assassination attempts
Educated by Tara Westover
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I see why Educated is such a popular memoir - an avid reader of the genre myself, many people have told me that this is the only one that they've read in the past half-decade or so.
Westover has a vivid and transporting sense of description, and Whelan reads her words with a measured and flowing cadance (although I could do without her attempts at Idaho accents and masculine tones when reading dialogue). Westover is also extremely cognizant of the core of memoir - that it is one person's truth, and that one person's truth has power. Add that to how it demonstrates the highly political nature of education, and of course Westover has a captivating book.
That said, I feel part of the appeal for a lot of people is the shock of Westover's upbringing and a certain desire to gawk. This gawking desire draws lots of people to memoirs, but Educated is especially primed for it. I have to wonder how others are engaging with it - hopefully more than on a 'damn, that was crazy' level.
Westover has a vivid and transporting sense of description, and Whelan reads her words with a measured and flowing cadance (although I could do without her attempts at Idaho accents and masculine tones when reading dialogue). Westover is also extremely cognizant of the core of memoir - that it is one person's truth, and that one person's truth has power. Add that to how it demonstrates the highly political nature of education, and of course Westover has a captivating book.
That said, I feel part of the appeal for a lot of people is the shock of Westover's upbringing and a certain desire to gawk. This gawking desire draws lots of people to memoirs, but Educated is especially primed for it. I have to wonder how others are engaging with it - hopefully more than on a 'damn, that was crazy' level.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Cancer