didis_readingcorner's reviews
188 reviews

A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana Herrera

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4.0

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera

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3.75

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

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4.0

Why did it end like that 😩

In Defense of Common Life: The Political Thought of Raquel Gutiérrez Aguilar by Raquel Gutiérrez Aguilar

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3.5

This short but dense book is my introduction to Gutiérrez’s work, and I’m so glad I have it on my shelf because I definitely didn’t grasp everything on the first read. I’ll be revisiting it for sure.

There’s a lot packed into just 75 pages. From revolutionary movements in El Salvador to feminist organizing in Bolivia and across Latin America, the book weaves together political history, movement strategy, and reflections on how political language shifts across cultures. I went in thinking I could finish it in one sitting, but it ended up taking five or six sessions.

This isn’t a how-to, but a reflection in thinking through how we begin to build collective power. Gutiérrez explores how decisions are made in struggle, outside of rigid hierarchies, and how language and deliberation shape political action. One thing I really appreciated was how she describes moments of political movement and uprising, then admits she didn’t always have the language at the time to explain what was happening. That language and understanding came after, showing how theory can emerge organically through lived experience rather than academia.

This edition, published by @commonnotions and edited by Brian Whitener with translation by JD Pluecker, is incredibly intentional. What stood out most was the care taken in the translation itself. There’s a real effort to create space for dialogue between different political traditions. One standout example is the translator’s unpacking of Gutiérrez’s use of the word una in the phrase una percibe. It’s explained as “perhaps referring to one person, one feminine or femme person… in a moment of intense perception in the midst of struggle.” The note shows how this complicates our understanding of identity and collective subjectivity. Una here opens space for thinking beyond gender binaries, inviting a multiplicity of experiences into the collective nosotras. Political language isn’t static; it shifts, and context matters.

I genuinely think this would make a great book club pick, especially for folks involved in community organizing or movement work. The ideas in here demand conversation. They’re meant to be interpreted, challenged, and adapted to local realities, which is exactly what Gutiérrez calls for.

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

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3.5

The Fires of Vengeance by Evan Winter

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4.0

Ana María and the Fox by Liana De la Rosa

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4.0

Drinking from Graveyard Wells: Stories by Yvette Lisa Ndlovu

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5.0