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Mother of All Questions: Further Reports from the Feminist Revolutions
Mother of All Questions: Further Reports from the Feminist Revolutions | Rebecca Solnit
Praise for Men Explain Things to Me "It's a fraught time to be female in America (or should I say fraught-er), and Rebecca Solnit's Men Explain Things to Me is the most clarifying, soothing, and socially aware document I've read on the topic this year."Lena Dunham, Wall Street Journal"The Antidote to Mansplaining."The Stranger"Feminist, frequently funny, unflinchingly honest, and often scathing in its conclusions."SalonIn a timely and incisive follow-up to her national bestseller Men Explain Things to Me, Rebecca Solnit offers sharp commentary on women who refuse to be silenced, misogynistic violence, the fragile masculinity of the literary canon, the gender binary, the recent history of rape jokes, and much more.In characteristic style, Solnit mixes humor, keen analysis, and sharp insight in these eleven essays.Writer, historian, and activist Rebecca Solnit is the author of sixteen books about environment, landscape, community, art, politics, hope, and memory, including the national bestseller Men Explain Things to Me, Hope in the Dark, The Faraway Nearby, A Paradise Built in Hell, A Field Guide to Getting Lost, Wanderlust: A History of Walking, and River of Shadows: Eadweard Muybridge and the Technological Wild West (for which she received a Guggenheim, the National Book Critics Circle Award in criticism and the Lannan Literary Award). A product of the California public education system from kindergarten to graduate school, she is a contributing editor to Harper's."
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ink.drinker
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“In other words, books are instructions, you read them to be a man, and that‘s why men need their own list.”

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ravenlee
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Pickpick

Not my favorite Solnit, but she set the bar REALLY high with her other works. I agree with previous reviews that the title, and introduction, are misleading, as this has almost nothing to do with “the motherhood question.” It does have a lot to do with misogyny, female existence, silence, and the violence against women in our current (-ish, mainly from about 2015) world.

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Megabooks
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Pickpick

I love Solnit, but this was a hard read. The first essay was about the choice to be a mother, and I thought that would set the tone for the collection, but most of the essays were about rape culture and sexual assault. Be careful of that is a TW for you. Overall a solid collection, but not my favorite from her.

Up to six bingos for #bookspinbingo!! Closing in on that blackout! @TheAromaofBooks 👍🏻

rockpools Wow! Six bingos!! 3y
TheAromaofBooks Yay!! You have some serious momentum going!!! 3y
Megabooks @rockpools thanks!! This challenge has really improved my reading and sticking (pretty well) to as et TBR every month! 3y
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Megabooks @TheAromaofBooks I love this challenge! Thank you so much for running it and your support!! 3y
TheAromaofBooks ❤ ❤ ❤ 3y
8little_paws Great job!! What's the Fauci book?? I haven't heard of it. 3y
Megabooks @8little_paws it‘s an audible original audiobook about his life and career I think it had 7 chapters. One on childhood, another on med school/early career, two on the AIDS crisis, one on his interactions with all the presidents he‘s worked with (7 total) and two on the current pandemic. It is 3 hours and reads very much like a podcast, as he and other people are interviewed on microphone. 3y
8little_paws @megabooks that sounds so good! I used to share an audible account w/a friend....I should look and see if I still have access. I don't actually pick the books or anything, I just piggyback on his access. 3y
Megabooks @8little_paws if he has audible plus, it‘s included and no extra charge. My dad piggybacks off me. 3y
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OrangeMooseReads
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One orange cover for @gradcat #ispy

I‘ll tag ... @Lynnsoprano @BookwormAHN and @Erofan to spy a book with a MOOSE on the cover

Erofan Thanks for the tag 😊 4y
Lynnsoprano Thanks for the tag, I think😂 4y
gradcat Good one! 😉♥️ 4y
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Jen2
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Pickpick

Amazing!!!

KathyWheeler I really like her. Especially loved 4y
Megabooks I have this on my audiobook TBR! 4y
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Augustdana
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My first Solnit!! I‘m only two essays in, and I just keep saying “yes” and nodding my head a lot.

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Jen2

It is a fact universally acknowledged that a woman in possession of an opinion must be in want of a correction.

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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

Every time I read Rebecca Solnit, I wonder why I do not read her work more often. Intelligent, eloquent, thoughtful feminist writing. What more could a woman want?

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kalinichta
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Pickpick

Rebecca Solnit, man. Every time I read her, I feel like my mind opens a bit more, and I can see things a little more clearly. In this collection of essays, she focuses her sharp, grounded powers of analysis mainly on the subject of silence - who is silenced (spoiler: it's basically everyone except cishet white men), how, and what happens when the silence is shattered.

Photo: Haymarket Books Twitter

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TheBookDream
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MEGR
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“...if there is no one book that saved me, it‘s because hundreds or thousands did.”

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MEGR
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“... maybe the whole point of reading is to be able to be able to explore and also transcend your gender (and race and class and orientation and nationality and moment in history and age and ability) and experience being others.” 📸: Espacio 186 in Boyle Heights 📚😎👊🏽

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MEGR
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“...a book without women is often said to be about humanity, but a book with women in the foreground is a woman‘s book.”

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MEGR
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“...what was once a radical idea becomes so woven into everyday life that people imagine that it is self-evident and what everyone always knew. But it‘s not, it‘s the result of struggle— of ideas and voices, not of violence.”

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SixteenthStreetBooks
Pickpick

Rebecca Solnit is a keen analyst who takes time to explore the complexity and hypocrisy of life in these times. She explores silencing, categories, rape “jokes,” men‘s book lists and much more in this collection of compelling essays.

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MEGR
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”Maybe our obsession with happiness is a way not to ask those other questions, a way to ignore how spacious our lives can be, how effective our work can be, and how far-reaching our love can be.”

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Beachesnbooks
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January TBR! I‘m hoping to participate in #boutofbooks and #24in48 this month, so there will be more tbrs to come. I‘ve already finished the tagged book and it was fantastic. Love Rebecca Solnit.

Emilymdxn I just read How Long Til Black Future Month and loved it so much!! Red Dirt Witch is one of my favourite short stories of all time now. Also a huge fan of Rebecca Solnit but haven‘t read that one 5y
Beachesnbooks @Emilymdxn Ooo I‘m so glad you loved the Jemisin! I‘m so excited to get into it 5y
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Zoe_reads_books
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Dorianna
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The weather outside is frightful and I‘m so glad to be back inside with my tea and my book. 🌬❄️🍵📖

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Lareliw
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As a woman, there is no right way to be these days. If you do not have children, you are considered less than. If you have children, then you are as soon as that you have no other goals or Ambitions in life. We need to change this View.

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GatheringBooks
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#QuotsyJuly18 Day 4: All the women, #Independent - raise your hand!

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Aimeesue
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Happy Mother's Day!

asiriusreader Thank you so much! Happy Mother‘s Day! 6y
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Eyelit
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From the essay “Men Explain Lolita to Me”

ephemeralwaltz She is so good. I need to read this collection. 6y
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Eyelit
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I can always count on doctors appointments to give me time to catch up on some reading 😄

I‘m really loving this book so far. Glad I‘ll have a chance to discuss at book club later this week!

gossamerchild That sounds fascinating. Let me know what you think of it. 6y
Eyelit @gossamerchild I really liked this one - it‘s a good follow up to men explain things to me 6y
gossamerchild @Eyelit would you recommend reading men explain things to me first? 6y
Eyelit @gossamerchild yes - especially since she refers to some of those essays specifically 6y
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GondorGirl
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Pickpick

Today what I was reading was mirrored in my life and I'm upset about it. Solnit's essays on misogyny and rape culture are sharp and relevant and important. In the middle of this I had to pause my audio book to listen to a co-worker (female) tell me about how most rape accusers are lying. I tried to explain that speaking up is often risky and unlikely to yield results, but she was adamant that rape is rare and people lie about it for attention. 😠

Tamra Ugh 6y
MiyakoBunny Even in the face of insurmountable evidence they‘ll still scream it in your face. I was 8 years old when the mother of my rapist who was also my Aunt claimed that I “seduced” her son & then called me a slut and whore while lunging across the court‘s conference table at me. No photos of my broken body or testimony of witnesses(her own daughters)would change her mind. We know the truth & We count *hugs* 6y
GondorGirl @MiyakoBunny I try very hard to keep my politics out of the work place, but it's people like her who are making it so difficult for victims to speak up. No one should have to go through what we've been through. And no one should be punished and called liar for speaking the truth. 6y
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Mollyanna I had a similar argument with a colleague of mine and now I can barely look at the person. He has lost all of my respect. It‘s very frustrating and you are totally correct, they are part of the problem. There was an article today in the paper that something like only 10% of all rapes are reported to the police. 6y
MiyakoBunny I agree 💯! I hear you about your workplace situation. Ignorance and Stupidity are two very different things. I‘m pretty sure you know where your coworker falls between the two. Sometimes I wonder if the blindfold on Justice was meant to mock us rather than help us. I‘m sorry you had to deal w/another empty shell of a being.🌸 6y
cobwebmoth This kind of thing makes my blood boil. I'm sorry that you have to deal with someone like that. I tried to tell a family member about a time when I experienced physical/sexual abuse and they didn't want to hear it because they didn't want to think badly of the person who did it. 6y
Andrea4 When the phrase "I'mma slap a b*tch" comes to mind...I wouldn't be able to talk to that person after that. 6y
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GondorGirl
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2BR02B Great quote. 6y
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OrangeMooseReads
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I‘m bailing on ‘The Honest Toddler‘ it‘s just not for me anymore. It‘s humorous, but I‘m too far disconnected from the toddler years. I‘m still going to pass it along to SIL and Bro, if they don‘t want to read it they can give it away or donate it.
I‘m not sure which of these I will stick with. I‘m going to start one tonight and one tomorrow and see which pulls me in the most.

WarpedSweetness A Clockwork Orange was very good, but it took me about three or so times to actually complete the book. 6y
OrangeMooseReads @WarpedSweetness I‘ve heard good things about it. I know that it is different from the movie which I‘ve actually never seen. 6y
SpeculativeFemale I found A Clockwork Orange quite hard to get into at first, but well worth it in the end. 6y
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amvs1111 I love Rebecca Solnit! 6y
WarpedSweetness @OrangeMooseReads It was very good, and the movie is different. (If you get a chance to see the movie, that was also good.) Like @SpeculativeFemale said it is well worth the read. 6y
OrangeMooseReads @WarpedSweetness @SpeculativeFemale now that I‘m passed the first chapter and better understanding the language I‘m getting into it. There are some rough moments in those first few chapters that made me not so sure. 6y
WarpedSweetness @OrangeMooseReads I was lucky enough to have found a copy with a little guide in the back that helped a lot. 6y
OrangeMooseReads @WarpedSweetness ooh that would be helpful. Maybe I should check the back of mine lol 6y
WarpedSweetness @OrangeMooseReads I wish I could remember where I had gotten that copy, but it was so long ago. 6y
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dixi_e
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dixi_e
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Language = Power was a concept I based my classes around. How I wish I still had my own class ‘cause I‘d be expanding and revising my lesson plans.

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dixi_e
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😡

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dixi_e
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1. I feel cheated not knowing this until now.
2. Imagine if we all knew this.

#patriarchalpowers #incompletetruths #feminism

UrsulaMonarch Truth!!! 6y
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dixi_e
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mrozzz
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You know you have a problem when.....
A) you have so many books to read you forget about a prime package for 1 year
B) you find the package under a stack of winter clothes you haven't worn since last winter
C) you ordered the package out of urgency at the best prices but left it unopened because you knew you wouldn't get to it soon
D) finding & opening year-old package still feels like Xmas morning
E) all of the above

📦📦📦📦📦 #bookmail

Suet624 😂😂😩 6y
Conservio That sounds like wonderful surprise 6y
DebbieGrillo Like finding money in a coat you haven't worn since last season, only better. 6y
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mrozzz @DebbieGrillo so much better!! 6y
mrozzz @Conservio it was! I can't believe that I actually forgot what was in it. And I'm lucky I didn't but that Rebecca Solnit again 😆 6y
mrozzz @Suet624 😅😅😅 6y
emilyhaldi Hilarious!! What a great surprise! I almost want to try it myself but worried I might buy the same titles multiple times 😂 6y
MicheleinPhilly Best discovery! 🙌🏼 6y
Kalalalatja 😂😂😂 6y
LauraBrook That‘s the best! 6y
TricksyTails Love it when this happens! 6y
mrozzz @emilyhaldi I must say I came close a couple times... 🤣 it's like my brain would remember the interest I had in a book and yet nudge me away from it and kept my ownership of this stack a secret. 6y
mrozzz @MicheleinPhilly it totally was!!! 6y
mrozzz @Kalalalatja exactly my reaction 6y
mrozzz @LauraBrook @TricksyTails I almost couldn't believe it. Almost. 6y
96 likes15 comments
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UrsulaMonarch
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Pickpick

I found this book at times brutal but always necessary.

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UrsulaMonarch
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😂 a lot of this collection is great and/but depressing so it's nice to encounter some levity (although even that part is depressing in its own way!)

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Suelizbeth
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Pickpick

Sometimes it‘s a difficult undertaking to read an entire book of essays written by the same author, but not so with Rebecca Solnit. Her essays are intelligent, informative, thought provoking, humorous, and entertaining. She is a feminist with a strong voice and a strong message. This is the first of her books that I have read. It will not be the last.

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vivjm
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Rebecca Solnit is such an intelligent writer. Lunch & feminism for the win!

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thereadingwomen
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Somehow, we're already half way through September—how does this happen?!? Anyway, this means we have a new episode! Our full review and discussion of THE MOTHER OF ALL QUESTIONS and THE FIRE THIS TIME is live. Check it out and let us know your thoughts about these books.

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DyAnne
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Notafraidofwords
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Pickpick

This was a short read, but I found it to be really powerful. Solnit offers commentary on women who refuse to be silenced, misogynistic violence, and fragile masculinity. While I have read some of the same arguments before, Solnit spins them in is such a great way. She is smart, witty and her writing is so sharp. I would love to sip tea and discuss all things feminism with her. ❤️💛💚

lauren.lerner You should follow her on Fb. She recently shut down comments for non-friends so you can't comment, but her posts are thought provoking and he commentary can be really interesting to read. 7y
Notafraidofwords @lauren.lerner nice! She has such a great way to simplify tough subjects. 7y
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lalatiburona
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"There is always something unsaid and yet to be said, always someone struggling to find the words and the will to tell her story. Every day each of us invents the world and the self who meets that world, opens up or closes down space for others within that."

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AlexGeorge
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Pickpick

Read it right through, pen in hand, as always. Rebecca Solnit is a national treasure.

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AlexGeorge
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Another day, another extraordinary book by Rebecca Solnit.

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Kathrin
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Pickpick

Great finish to the trilogy. These essays are condensed feminism and very powerful. Solnit has this talent to talk about these issues and hit the nail on the head with precise language.

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RealLifeReading
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#jubilantjuly day 12: #cheerful
I haven't been very good at keeping up with my own challenge of late!! Will try to do better this week...! (Summer feels very tiring this year)
Anyway this is a cheerful colour for a cover but it's definitely not a #cheerful read at all. Insightful and important - yes. I like how Solnit makes her ideas and thoughts accessible. Love her writing.

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RealLifeReading
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#jubilantjuly day 3: #starsandstripes
Erm well my kids' swimming bag is a stripey one and Solnit is a star in my books so here we are, #starsandstripes sort of 😀

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RealLifeReading
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This little library only opens on Wednesdays and while it's got a great picture book selection there are only a few shelves for adults. I did however spot this on the new arrivals shelves and knew I was meant to pick it up!

Nadineisreading I just followed you to join in on your monthly challenges! 7y
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kspenmoll
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#WeAreNotHysterical #StrandBookstore #RebeccaSolnit
Just saw this today.
@strandbookstore/we-are-not-hysterical-1f4b21e33d0c?subid=21771239&CMP" rel="nofollow" target="_top">https://medium.com/@strandbookstore/we-are-not-hysterical-1f4b21e33d0c?subid=217...

Lacythebookworm That's a fantastic list of books! Thanks for sharing 🙌 7y
Kmmsellers Wonderful list! 7y
kspenmoll @Lacythebookworm @Kmmsellers Glad to share, it is a great list! 7y
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Bookish_penguin
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Pickpick

Read this book. Solnit hits the nail on the head in every essay in this book.

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