miajakobsen's reviews
142 reviews

Léa by Ariela Freedman

informative inspiring medium-paced

3.25

Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement by Angela Y. Davis

5.0

I think that solidarity always implies a kind of mutuality... I think we share our experiences. Just as I think the development of Black feminism and women-of-colour feminisms can offer ideas, experiences, analyses to Palestinians, so can Black feminisms and women-of-colour feminisms learn from the struggle of the Palestinian people and Palestinian feminists.

Optimism is an absolute necessity, even if it’s only optimism of the will, as Gramsci said, and pessimism of the intellect. What has kept me going has been the development of new modes of community. I don’t know whether I would have survived had not movements survived, had not communities of resistance, communities of struggle. So whatever I’m doing I always feel myself directly connected to those communities... we have to encourage that sense of community particularly at a time when neoliberalism attempts to force people to think of themselves only in individual terms and not in collective terms. It is in collectivities that we find reservoirs of hope and optimism.

Angela Davis is brilliant. A must read.

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum

hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

Books are not meant to remain in your mind, but in your heart.

This was such a simple and beautiful story about how books impact people and how we can learn to love and accept ourselves. We are successful because of the good people who surround us! We are doing just fine! There will always be moments of joy and love and strength! I loved this book, it was an incredibly comforting read.

Minor Detail by Adania Shibli

dark sad tense

4.0

Selected Letters of André Gide & Dorothy Bussy by Dorothy Bussy, Richard Tedeschi, Jean Lambert, André Gide

emotional lighthearted reflective relaxing

4.25

Dorothy and André write such beautiful letters to each other. Their friendship is quite amusing, but throughout the tough times, they find love in each other and their words. Dorothy's love for André is charming, despite both being married and him being gay.

I would recommend reading these beautiful set of letters, even if you know nothing about the two and their work.

Here is an excerpt of one of my favourite letters, from Dorothy on May 27th, 1919.

I spent an odd winter with your book. I remember the first time I read it- years ago. I rebelled against it and shrank from it. I wouldn't let it hurt me. It was cowardice. But this time there was no escaping. I leant upon the sharpness of its point - passionately. I drove it home and turned it round in my heart. It has left me, I think, with my own poor little capacity of thinking and suffering and loving enlarged - and oh! I am sure, with an added intensity of wonder and gratitude for the people who can think and suffer and love really. 
And it was my companion. Day and night your voice, your sweet, excruciating voice, spoke to me. I ruminated your words, and their music and their meaning, and let them sink into me and become part of me - I hardly wanted more of you during the winter. 
But now that is over. I have nothing to do, and I am here - in Cambridge - without you - without a single hope of you. It is extraordinarily beautiful in this lovely spring - and extraordinarily haunted - and sometimes I find it very difficult to bear.

No Longer Human by Junji Ito

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

An extremely visceral, uncomfortable, and devastating story. It has interesting reflections on the feeling of performing your life and being uncomfortable in your body. It is also an extremely raw story of an abusive, terrible, unlikeable man who ruins every woman he meets. The art style – which can sometimes be too much – definitely complements the disturbing story. 

I think that understanding the history of Osamu Dazai's life and the context of this book being basically autobiographical is crucial to "enjoying" this book. The actual story itself is quite tough, but the manga is very impactful and compelling. I definitely want to read the actual novel by Dazai now. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Bombay to Bloomsbury: A Biography of the Strachey Family by Barbara Caine

informative

3.75

Read this for a research project and this book was a very interesting look into the Strachey family!

My highlight is Lytton talking about Dorothy and Simon:

Lytton was uncomfortable with their heterosexuality and found any sign of affection discomforting. 'Couples on the road with their silly arms round their stupid waists irritate me in the same way', he added. 'I want to shake them.

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

Happy Place by Emily Henry

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about this book… but Emily Henry ate this up!!!!! Such a good plot and great characters 🥺🫶 Super relatable flaws for the characters too and I definitely needed to get that reminder to be more open too!

Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism: And Other Arguments for Economic Independence by Kristen R. Ghodsee

3.25

This was alright… I kinda had higher hopes for it.