LitsyFeministBookClub

LitsyFeministBookClub

Girls Burn Brighter | Shobha Rao

Girls Burn Brighter Discussion #5: What did you think of this book? Would you recommend it? If so, to whom?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

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LitsyFeministBookClub

Girls Burn Brighter | Shobha Rao

Girls Burn Brighter Discussion #4: Rao included many issues that women face today such as rape, abuse and sex trafficking. What do the character's experiences add to those discussions?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @4thhouseontheleft @Nickinpa @ericareads @Eggbeater @MoniqueReads305 Discussion time!!! 6y

alisiakae I‘m still on the holds list at the library, I wish I could have gotten it in time to join the discussion! 6y

23 likes2 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

Girls Burn Brighter | Shobha Rao

Girls Burn Brighter Discussion #3: Both Poornima and Savitha exhibit courage throughout this novel. How do you think the abuse they suffered affected their courage?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @4thhouseontheleft @Nickinpa @ericareads @Eggbeater @MoniqueReads305 Discussion time!!! 6y

Eggbeater Abuse never makes people courageous, they are courageous in spite of it because people perservere. 6y

TheNextBook @Eggbeater Well said. Persevering through everything at some point can just become living and making it through the day. 6y

17 likes3 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

Girls Burn Brighter | Shobha Rao

Girls Burn Brighter Discussion #2: How do you feel the friendship between Poornima and Savitha shape their views on life ams their fathers?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @4thhouseontheleft @Nickinpa @ericareads @Eggbeater @MoniqueReads305 Discussion time!!! Tagging you guys today because of the technical issues Litsy was having yesterday! 6y

Eggbeater I think it make Poornima realize her father was a shit in a way his treatment of her never had. Savitha's dad was a drunk but he loved her, that makes all the difference in how a person sees themselves. 6y

TheNextBook I disliked both of the fathers! Poornima‘s father though was jut a tremendous asshole. I hated him for what he did to Savitha! 6y

18 likes3 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

Girls Burn Brighter | Shobha Rao

Girls Burn Brighter Discussion #1: How do you feel friendship is depicted in this novel? Why do you think Poornima and Savitha have such an intense friendship?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @4thhouseontheleft @Nickinpa @ericareads @Eggbeater @MoniqueReads305 Discussion time!!! 6y

Eggbeater They see each other's value as human beings reflected back in one another. Their thoughts and feelings have had very little validation being women before then, Poornima especially. 6y

TheNextBook @Eggbeater Completely agree. With Poornima and her position as the woman of the house, she was never even really able to experience a childhood. And I think her frienship with a Savitha was the first time she was really able to have a friend. 6y

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LitsyFeministBookClub

Girls Burn Brighter | Shobha Rao

Announcement: The discussion for this will begin in two days!!! If you would like us to tag you in the discussion leave a comment below!

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

28 likes

LitsyFeministBookClub

Girls Burn Brighter | Shobha Rao

Time to announce our next book club pick! Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Rao. This will be our April and May book club pick with discussions taking place mid-May. Leave comments letting us know if you would like to be tagged in the discussion and happy readings!

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

Eggbeater I'd like to join, please! 6y

MoniqueReads305 I'd love to join. I just checked this out from the library. 6y

alisiakae I‘ll join in! 6y

Nickinpa I‘d like to join! 6y

EricaReads I‘ll join too! I just finished it! 6y

40 likes7 stack adds5 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

The Belles | Dhonielle Clayton

The Belles Discussion Question #6: would you recommend this book? If so, to whom would you recommend this book?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

17 likes

LitsyFeministBookClub

The Belles | Dhonielle Clayton

The Belles Discussion Question #5: There are few strong leaders in this book. What are some of the missing elements in the monarchy that would help lead the kingdom?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

23 likes

LitsyFeministBookClub

The Belles | Dhonielle Clayton

The Belles Discussion Question #4: Lies and untruths spread in many ways in Clayton's world. How does "fake news" shape the course of the plot in this book?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

23 likes

LitsyFeministBookClub

The Belles | Dhonielle Clayton

The Belles Discussion Question #3: Clayton has mentioned previously that she chose a matriarchal form of government because she wanted to show how women can be complicit in the demise of other women. How did you seen that play out in The Belles?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

TheNextBook I feel like it‘s embedded throughout the book. The Queen only has so much control over the young princess and she watches her take advantage and manipulate other women throughout the story. When we find out there are other “belles” that are disfigured, we learn that they are being held captive be the women running these houses. Complicity is an essential part of this novel. 6y

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LitsyFeministBookClub

The Belles | Dhonielle Clayton

The Belles Discussion Question #2: Orléans is a matriarchy where the Queen must choose an appearance to last a lifetime. Why do you think it was necessary for the Queen's physical appearance to remain constant while everyone else could constantly change?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

TheNextBook I thought it was an interesting choice. The decision making process in itself, if you can choose your appearance what appearance would you choose? And to be secure enough in yourself knowing that you‘ll never need to change because everyone will look up to you in your esteemed position. When it was first mentioned it kind of took me off guard but it made more sense, the more I thought about it. 6y

19 likes1 comment

LitsyFeministBookClub

The Belles | Dhonielle Clayton

The Belles Discussion Question #1: What did you find the most intriguing about the world created in The Belles, where the concept of beauty is constantly changing and you can be changed down to your bones?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

TheNextBook It was all so disturbing and yet intoxicating! I was extremely fascinated by how they were able to change everything and yet terrified by the fact that they did in fact change everything! Clayton did such a great job creating a world that did indeed feel lush and beautiful but was rotten at its core. 6y

rachelm I thought it was so disturbing too. The pain that goes with the body changing was realistic compared to fairy tales with swooping magic wands and sudden transformations. 6y

20 likes2 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

The Belles | Dhonielle Clayton

Have you been reading The Belles? Our discussion begins on Monday! Take a minute to check out this great interview where Dhonielle Clayton discusses her inspiration for The Belles. 💐🌷🌹💐
http://ew.com/books/2017/04/12/dhonielle-clayton-the-belles-exclusive-excerpt/

Also, make sure to comment if you would like us to tag you in the discussion.

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

hermyknee I just downloaded this audiobook, so I‘m a little behind, but I‘d love to be a part of the discussion - is there a timeline? 6y

LitsyFeministBookClub @hermyknee there is not! Jump in whenever you can and tag others in the discussion! 6y

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LitsyFeministBookClub

This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America | Morgan Jerkins

This Will Be My Undoing Discussion Question #5: How did you like the book? Would you recommend it? To whom?

We would like to take this time to thank everyone who contributed to the discussion! We hope you guys enjoyed it as much as we did.

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @tjwill @WhatDeeReads @Owlizabeth @Mixedreader @Notafraidofwords @Dorianna @Hooked_on_books @amvs1111 6y

TheNextBook I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was an amazing collection of essays. She was vulnerable, honest and eloquent. Very well done. 6y

Hooked_on_books I liked it a lot. I think it‘s a good choice for open-minded white people as well as anyone of color, especially women. I think many black women would find this book validating and reflective of themselves, which is important. 6y

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Owlizabeth I really liked this book, I thought it was insightful and brutally honest. I‘ve already recommended it to my girl gang and can‘t wait to see what she does in the future. 6y

Notafraidofwords I just drove two hours to go see her today and get my book signed. I think that counts as yes ! 6y

Dorianna I really loved this book. I think most anyone would learn something from her essays. 6y

Mixedreader I would definitely recommend and plan on passing my copy on to a student! 6y

24 likes7 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America | Morgan Jerkins

This Will Be My Undoing Discussion Question #5: Throughout the book, Jerkins discusses her experiences with navigating white spaces and how Non-Black POC navigate Black spaces. What are some of the ways Jerkins has used to attain white acceptance? How do nonBlack people utilize Black spaces yet continue anti-Black racism? Have you been in any of these situations?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @tjwill @Owlizabeth @Mixedreader @notafraidofwords @dorianna @Hooked_on_books @amvs1111 (edited) 6y

TheNextBook *cough* Miley Cyrus*cough* she is best example I can come up with, where it happened publicly. She was totally into in rap music and hip hop and Black men when she wanted to change her image and her career. She used Black women as props on her tours. But the moment she shed her good girl “Disney” image, she all of the sudden didnt care for that kind of music or sound anymore. 🙄 But you were willing to engage in every possible negative Black... 6y

TheNextBook ... stereotype! Seriously!!! It‘s frustrating. I‘ve seen anti-Black racism for POC and most of it has a lot to do with colorism and their need to be affirm by their color. 6y

Dorianna @TheNextBook The music industry has a long history of taking credit from black people and becoming successful off it. But Miley Cyrus was really something else. I guess because it‘s so recent there‘s a part of me that was like “Why don‘t we know better yet?” 6y

25 likes4 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

The Belles | Dhonielle Clayton

We are happy to announce that The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton will be our pick for the month of March! There is so much to unpack in this YA Fantasy novel that revolves around the idea of being beautiful. But there is definitely more to it than meets the eye! Hopefully you'll enjoy this book and join us for our discussion next month.

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

Owlizabeth Hopefully my hold comes in at the library in time! 6y

aeeklund Hooray! I‘ve been meaning to read this one! 6y

36 likes2 stack adds2 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America | Morgan Jerkins

This Will Be My Undoing Discussion Question #3: Jerkins tackles own voices in her chapter "Who Will Write Us?" How do you feel about her stance that it's impossible to write outside of your gaze?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @tjwill @Notafraidofwords @Owlizabeth @amvs1111 @Mixedreader @Hooked_on_books 6y

readinginthedark Interesting! I haven‘t read this yet, but that‘s a similar stance to what Sherman Alexie said at a convention in the fall. 6y

Hooked_on_books I both agree and disagree with it. After all, it suggests that women shouldn‘t write male characters and vice versa, then drills all the way down to the major and minor differences between people, which would leave essentially no options for writing at all. I do agree that some writers have done a very poor job of writing outside their own gaze, but others do this well. Ultimately I think coming down on this in strict terms is too restrictive. 6y

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TheNextBook I support it for the most part. I think it‘s extremely important that we give people the opportunity to tell their own stories. Because it‘s important that stories be told authentically. With that being said I find this to be less of an issue when it comes to women writing me and vice versa but more so when it comes to telling the stories of minorites. But this also why I think we need sensitivity readers. If you are going to try and tell someone 6y

TheNextBook ...elses story then be respectful and listen to the people whose lives they affect, whose representation it affects and recognize when your presenting a harmful stereotypical presentation. If I‘m reading a story with a Black main character, I am going to gravitate to the story told by a Black writer. I don‘t think its meant to be restrictive. Authors have to ask themselves why that‘s the story they want to tell or feel the need to tell. 6y

Hooked_on_books @TheNextBook I couldn‘t agree more with your last sentence. I do think people need to tread carefully when writing outside their own gaze and agree it‘s best to hear the voices of those who live the experiences, but I would not support the idea of a full-on ban against writing outside one‘s own gaze. Caution, sensitivity, and providing everyone with an equal opportunity to have their voice heard is vital. 6y

Notafraidofwords @TheNextBook I completely agree with the idea that we should allow people to tell their own stories. And I would never consider banning someone from telling someone else‘s story but I think that when we allow people to tell their own stories we then allow for that person‘s true experience to shine through. 6y

TheNextBook @Hooked_on_books I don‘t want a full on ban either because I love reading books from other perspectives that have multiple narratives but their has to be more than anything respect. When there isnt any it becomes really obvious to those hoping for better representation. And yes caution, sensitivity and opportunity are all vital. 6y

TheNextBook @Notafraidofwords And that‘s what I really want. I want to read stories that ring true and when I read about other experiences then I want those to ring true too. And I like knowing that more POC authors are out there representing 6y

Hooked_on_books @TheNextBook I totally agree with you. We‘ve all seen stories told without respect and it‘s so bad. No one benefits from that. 6y

Dorianna @TheNextBook Couldn‘t agree more about the need for sensitivity readers. If the characters and experiences you‘re writing about aren‘t your own I think it‘s extremely important to listen to the people you‘re writing about. 6y

TheNextBook @dorianna right! And there is nothing wrong with having sensitivity readers, it‘s no different than hiring a professor, doctor, officer to review your work and check it‘s accuracy. 6y

Mixedreader I agree with Jerkins and it‘s mostly because, as those states above, people don‘t do their research. They take the stance of “artistic freedom” and write stereotypes. Stereotypes are bad craft. Also, we have to consider the historical context of publishing, and who have been given a platform to tell stories about people. And how these stories can completely shape our understanding of a people/culture/place. 6y

WhatDeeReads What I noticed when I was reading it and when reading the around own voices is that only people without marginalization are clamoring for the right of people to be able to write freely. People with marginalization write within their margin. As a reader and media consumer in general, I can not recall and example of people being able to write well outside of their lane. So I guess I agree with Jerkins. (edited) 6y

WhatDeeReads @Mixedreader 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾 I always think, “how many [insert marginalization] people were rejected so [insert NON marginalized] could write about them. Everyone tell their own stories. Maybe after the publishing world starts to reflect the world at large, then people can have some artistic freedom. 6y

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LitsyFeministBookClub

This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America | Morgan Jerkins

This Will Be My Undoing Discussion Question #2: In the chapter "How to be Docile" Jerkins relays some of the worst advice a young girl can be given. What's some of the "advice" you were given as a child that you've had to unlearn?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @tjwill @Notafraidofwords @Owlizabeth @amvs1111 6y

TheNextBook I know most of the bad advice I‘ve gotten revolved around men and my hair! I was one of the young girls getting a relaxer put in at a young age. I had to completely unlearn all of my thinking revolving around hair, which took a long time! The advive about men I learned really early was just bad advice and steered cleared and just learned from others mistakes! Oh and skin color when I was younger I refused to tan because I didnt want to be dark. 6y

Mixedreader @TheNextBook I SO agree about Hair. It took a long time to embrace my hair because of the narratives I received about natural hair. I also got bad advice about how to stay quiet, rather than speaking up for myself. 6y

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TheNextBook @Mixedreader I never got the quiet but I think realized early on that I never stop running my mouth so there‘s that! Hair though...😒 Lets just say my family had to adjust and change perspective when I started wearing my hair in natural styles. I havent had a relaxer in well over a decade but I always wore my hair straight. When that changed people didnt know what to think... 6y

Owlizabeth My mother once, out of nowhere when I was 12 and not thinking of these things, told me “I don‘t care if you‘re gay or straight, just don‘t be bi because it would be too confusing.” Welp, surprise! I think she had an idea and that‘s why she said it, but for a long time it‘s how I thought of myself “confused”. Luckily it‘s not confusing anymore!! 6y

Notafraidofwords That‘s girls sit still...they don‘t run. That girls are clean and can‘t get dirty. I was never allowed to sweat because sweating was for boys and not girls. 6y

Hooked_on_books I was raised Catholic, so it took a very long time for me to not feel shame about sex. Even thinking about sex felt wrong. I know this is taught to some boys and young men as well, but of course we all know the burden women bear on this one. 6y

BookishFeminist Lord, the bad advice I‘ve gotten. I felt this chapter in my bones. I was “too mouthy” & “too boyish” bc I liked to play outside & was faster friends with boys than girls, yet I shouldn‘t “act like other girls.” I didn‘t dress or act in the ways expected of me. I was “too smart” because it undermined the men in my life yet never smart enough. The most damaging advice I got was to trust men when most of them in my life were untrustworthy. 6y

TheNextBook @Owlizabeth that is so random! And odd! 😂 I‘m glad she isn‘t confused and that you are happy! 6y

TheNextBook @Notafraidofwords Oh that sucks! I hate the gendered ideas and now that I‘m older its so easy to see how it‘s bullshit. I refuse to do that with my kid. I like that he looks up to people that he admires! He thought Shuri from Black Panther was the coolesr character ever! 6y

TheNextBook @Hooked_on_books We never really talked about sex so my parents gave me no advice which means I learned things from my friends which isn‘t always the best. Learning to be sex positive and not slut shamed was something that made so much sense when I got older. 6y

TheNextBook @BookishFeminist I remember I loved being different from “the other girls” and cool with all the boys. So many issues with that though! I should been forming sisterhoods but nope! 6y

Notafraidofwords @TheNextBook that‘s awesome. I think the gendered stuff is so constricting to both girls and boys. 6y

BookishFeminist @TheNextBook Yep! Lots to unpack about that. That was a trap I fell into in college especially. Although I think for me when I was younger, it came less from the feeling of disliking other girls and more just not relating to them. Once we hit puberty & started experiencing sexual attraction female conversations tended to revolve around boys & beauty- I never related to it bc I‘m ace and it was easier to find interest-based friendships w guys. 6y

BookishFeminist I never had resentment for many girls having different interests than me. I just felt completely outside of it. I never saw it as something I wanted to pride myself in until I saw other women do it in college. Then i was like, oh, well I guess this makes me cool now even though it made me feel like a wallflower until then. 6y

Dorianna I went to Catholic School for nine years so there was a lot of unpack regarding sexuality and gender roles. 6y

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LitsyFeministBookClub

This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America | Morgan Jerkins

This Will Be My Undoing Discussion Question #1: Jerkins talks about when "she realized she was Black." At what age did you "realize" your race? Did that at all impact your sense of self?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @Notafraidofwords @Owlizabeth @tjwill 6y

TheNextBook I feel like I‘ve always known I was Black. I was surrounded by Black people of different shades I was also around people of other races often. I didn‘t feel any different until the first time someone called me and the people I was with the N-word. I was around 6 when that happened. That changed my sense of self. Not knowing I was Black, knowing that other people would treat me differently because of it. 6y

Owlizabeth My mom is Latina and my dad is white, we grew up around white people but would visit my mom‘s family and it was like entering a different world, so I always knew I was different, but never thought of it as less than or a bad thing. 6y

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Notafraidofwords Hmm. This is a really good question because I‘m not quite sure when I realized that I was Puerto Rican. I knew I was different from white but mostly because I equated white with richness which is a false equivalency. But I remember watching the Disney Channel and seeing blonde girls and really handsome white boys and looking around my life and realizing that no one like that really Lived around me or was around me. But I do remember hearing a lot about how 6y

Owlizabeth @TheNextBook stories like this make my blood boil, even though I know how common they are. Maybe because they *are* so common! 6y

Notafraidofwords Us Puerto Rican as people were always on welfare and how we had many kids and how we never take care of them. That was always a stereotype that was thrown at me at various times in my life. One day I remember someone saying that I wasn‘t puerto Rican because I was clean and washed my hair. And then that‘s when I realized that my people were seen as sort of dirty and careless. 6y

TheNextBook @Owlizabeth Yep and the incident happened over a parking spot. It was pretty disturbing. My kid is very aware of his race because his dad is white and we‘ve had plenty of discussions about race and history in America. But he was really confused when another kid asked if I adopted him because our skin colors are so different. 6y

Owlizabeth @Notafraidofwords I was always taught to say “Hispanic” instead of Mexican or Latina because it sounded better. I only realized as an adult that it was because it was identifying with my European instead of indigenous roots. And my mother had an obsession with our cleanliness when we were kids. She never wanted us to be seen as “greasy”. (edited) 6y

TheNextBook @Notafraidofwords it‘s interesting that you equated white with wealth because that‘s how its always displayed and that‘s how people are conditioned to see it. Could you imagine how different things would have been if you saw a Puerto Rican child on those tv shows living a normal life interacting with tons of different people? This is why representation matters so much especially children. I remembering loving The Cosby show for that reason. 6y

TheNextBook @Owlizabeth @Notafraidofwords I never knew that until recently! I also didn‘t realize how many Hispanic people identified as white until recently either. 6y

Notafraidofwords @TheNextBook exactly. My niece is growing up without much Puerto Rican representation in terms of cartoons or other shows. She‘s mixed. Half Peruvian and half Puerto Rican. I would love to see Disney channel explore those cultures more. 6y

Owlizabeth @TheNextBook at what age did you start discussing race with your son? 6y

TheNextBook @Owlizabeth he was young! I want to say around 3 and I‘m sure he didn‘t understand it much but he is so light skinned and people would call him white and I had to correct them. So we started talking about how even though he looks more like daddy he was both white and black. By the time he was 5 and in school he started to understand. Incidentally that was also when another 5 year old asked if I was his mom. 6y

BookishFeminist I realized I was white pretty early on but never saw it as something that made me special. One of my best friends in elementary school was biracial and most of my friends weren‘t white in middle school. I began noticing how my whiteness gave me benefits by 10-11yo, too. I never saw my friends as any less smart but many of them wouldn‘t be placed in the same gifted/talented classes I was. It made me sad bc I grew apart from some of them... 6y

rachelm One of my best friends growing up was black, so I asked questions early. But, like many, my parents were very pro "colorblind" mindset and so I stopped asking questions. Still, the area I grew up in was pretty white- I wasn't really confronted with my whiteness in any real way until my 20s ? 6y

BookishFeminist as a result of not being in the same classes anymore. Especially by high school when hardly any of them were in AP classes with me. I got pretty defensive on my friends‘ behalf pretty early too to racist family members. I enjoyed that we all had different perspectives & upbringings and hated hearing anyone disparage them. I‘m not sure I really understood how racism worked but it was clear society saw differences. 6y

BookishFeminist @rachelm my family was a huge proponent of the “colorblindness” mindset too so I had a hard time confronting my whiteness early. Oddly it was the openly racist family members that put it in more perspective for me bc I hated that my grandpa (for instance) used the n-word and lots of xenophobic slurs when talking about my friends 6y

tjwill Like @rachelm and @BookishFeminist, I also had the colorblind ideas taught to me. I only first saw people as judging other races differently in high school when some family and family friends treated some of my black friends unfairly. Also, the few black kids in my very rural school were considered “not really black” because they didn‘t “act black.” It is sickening for me to even think of how sad it is for them to have been treated that way. 6y

tjwill In college, when I took a women‘s study class, it was the first time I started to truly consider the implications of gender and of race. We read some great essays by Hispanic and black women about how their race and ethnicity framed their sense of self, and I realized that for me and from my experience, being white didn‘t have that sense of cultural ties. 6y

amvs1111 When I was called an "n lover" for my connection with black people as friends and boyfriends 6y

TheNextBook @tjwill @rachelm @BookishFeminist I always find it funny when people are taught the “colorblind” route because that‘s not a choice I‘ve ever been given. I see color. In a room full of people I look to see of there are another Black people or minorities in the room. I dont want someone to not see my skin color, I just don‘t want to be treated differently because of my skin color. 6y

TheNextBook @tjwill that whole “acting Black” thing ties in directly with people stereotyping Black people. I‘ve been told I “act like a white girl” by both Black and white people because I listen to rock or watch certain shows or read a lot. Black people meant it as an insult. White people meant it as a compliment. All of the people that have said have been conditioned to look at things differently. It‘s part of what I had to unlearn... 6y

TheNextBook ...everyone has been manipulated by this system and stereotypes negatively affect everyone. We have to learn to accept ourselves fully and move beyond what other people expect from us or how people label us. 6y

TheNextBook @amvs1111 I wish I could be surprised by that but I‘m not. My hubs is white and some of the looks we got and still get especially with a kid now have been very telling. When people claim they aren‘t racist, just ask them how they would feel if their child dated outside their race. That will show their true colors. 6y

tjwill @TheNextBook I know. It is horrible when people use stereotypes to say how people *should* act. Ridiculous. I think Jerkins did a great job of showing that—especially demonstrating how white people can act like they are complimenting someone while reallly insulting them. I teach middle school and try to teach kids that “colorblind” is not ok, even though their parents may think it is. I have too many students who call others racist as a joke. 😞 6y

rachelm @TheNextBook I think it was a really wrongheaded approach to teaching kids about identity and one I'm not repeating with my own kids. 6y

TheNextBook @tjwill I just had to address that in a class with 6th graders. One of the kids threw “racist” out there as a rebuttal and I stopped everything and damn near gave a speech about how thats not okay! (edited) 6y

TheNextBook @rachelm In many ways it‘s lazy to say I‘m colorblind or I don‘t see race! First of all, it‘s a lie. Secondly, it teaches people that can be lazy and not acknowledge the history of different races and cultures. It‘s like watered down Martin Luther King Jr. history. Read the whole “I Have A Dream” speech people! 🙄 please. 6y

BookishFeminist @TheNextBook @rachelm @tjwill Yep, exactly. Colorblindness was something I never really bought into even as a kid. I loved my friends and classmates and appreciated their differences in cultural/racial experience & worldview. It just assumes you shouldn‘t get along with people unless they‘re the same as you. So messed up because how do you enjoy the richness life has to offer & treat others with respect? Tons of ways to find common ground. 6y

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LitsyFeministBookClub

This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America | Morgan Jerkins

I hope everyone had a chance to pick up this collection of essays because our discussion begins tonight! Take a second and check out this incredible interview between Roxane Gay and Morgan Jerkins about this collection. Also, leave a comment below if you would like to be tagged in the discussion post.

https://www.elle.com/culture/books/a14464215/morgan-jerkins-this-will-be-my-undo...

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @Notafraidofwords 6y

tjwill I‘d like to be tagged. Thanks! 6y

Notafraidofwords Tag me please!!! This book is awesome. 6y

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Owlizabeth Please tag me! I loved this book!! 6y

LitsyFeministBookClub @tjwill @Notafraidofwords @Owlizabeth Absolutely!!! Can't wait to get started with the discussion later on today! 6y

amvs1111 Yes! Also reading this one for an irl book club ❤️ 6y

34 likes3 stack adds6 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter | Erika L. S�nchez

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez Discussion #6 Did you enjoy this book? Would you recommend it?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @Dorianna @kspenmoll @valerie4 @4thhouseontheleft 6y

TheNextBook I really enjoyed this book! I would definitely recommend for many different reasons. It‘s engaging, well written and talks about a lot of issues very current to whats going on in the world today. 6y

kspenmoll Loved it. Would certainly recommend the book as so much that is relevant is explored in the novel. Want to suggest our HS library purchase it. 6y

Chrissyreadit I loved this book! I want my daughter to read it. The complexities of mother daughter and sister relationships was beautifully explored in cultural context. It was a well written, good story about issues that really exist. 6y

26 likes1 stack add4 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter | Erika L. S�nchez

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez Discussion #5: After Olga passes away, Julia discovers a secret life she was leading. What do you think of Julia‘s actions after her discovery? How do those actions define Julia‘s character?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @Dorianna @Valerie4 @4thhouseontheleft 6y

BookishFeminist I probably would have done the same thing if I were Julia, tbh. It shows how curious yet vulnerable she is. She didn‘t have a close relationship with her sister, so I saw her sleuthing as a way to connect with her after her death to smooth over some of the regrets she had about feeling disconnected with her when she was alive. It also shows how much she wanted to find out how ‘not perfect‘ Olga was bc she feels she doesn‘t measure up in some ways. 6y

Captivatedbybooks She‘s a better person than me! I think i would of flipped as a 16 yr old constantly being compared to someone who wasnt a saint. It shows alot of maturity 6y

See All 6 Comments

alisiakae I definitely would have done the same thing as Julia. I completely understand that yearning to search for answers to questions you have about a deceased family member‘s life, especially a relative that you felt some disconnect from while they were alive. 6y

kspenmoll Being that imperfect daughter was such a difficult role to have in her family- finding out Olga‘s imperfection in some ways must have made Olga more human to her, and yes, her sleuthing seemed to help her reconnect to Olga in a way she could not when Olga was alive. It was her way of grieving. Both sisters led lives secret from their parents. 6y

Chrissyreadit I think Julia‘s actions gave her purpose. They also helped her both discover and create a relationship with her sister she did not have in real life. Discovering her sister was not perfect but still clearly caring about her mom and not tarnishing the image. It may have also made her mom even more protective if that were possible. 6y

16 likes1 stack add6 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter | Erika L. S�nchez

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez Discussion #4: Relationships between teenagers, both platonic and intomate, are on full display in this book. How do you feel Sánchez portrayed teenage relationships?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @Dorianna @Valerie4 @4thhouseontheleft 6y

TheNextBook I loved the way she portrayed teens. They were flawed and insecure yet determined. We see all of that in the different relationships as well. I thought the relationship between Julia and Juango showed the most growth. It took time for that relationship to form and there was a lot of jealousy and judgment initially. 6y

Dorianna I liked how the teenagers and their relationships were portrayed as these complicated messes of all sorts of things going on. There‘s awkwardness and conflicting feelings to deal with, troubles at home and interpersonal issues. It showed how the lives of teenagers are often this secret world separated from the adults in their lives as they try to navigate their way to adulthood. 6y

kspenmoll Agree with both @TheNextBook & @Dorianna All their insecurities, bonds, home lives, jealousies, life conflicts were effective and so real. Felt familiar isn many ways as I work in a high school. 6y

18 likes4 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

Ain't I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism | bell hooks

@TheNextBook is only reading Black women this Black History Month as a form of celebration! Read her essay on what motivated her to focus solely on the works of Black women here https://booksthatshookus.com/2018/01/29/celebrating-black-women/

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LitsyFeministBookClub

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter | Erika L. S�nchez

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez Discussion #3: Julia is the daughter of undocumented immigrants. How do you feel Sánchez navigated the issues surrounding being an undocument immigrant in the U.S.?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @Dorianna @4thhouseontheleft @Valerie4 (edited) 6y

TheNextBook I thought the dynamic between parent and child was really interesting and the fact that her parents were undocumented really affected every aspect of Julia‘s life. The type of jobs her parents had, their homes, all of that was reliant on their status. It also really affected what she was willing to share and divulge to others 6y

kspenmoll @TheNextBook Learning that helped in understanding her father more. His lack of ambition, just working the job he had, made sense in that context. Her visit to Mexico & learning about her parent‘s journey to the US helped her in understanding them.The price/fear of Living with protecting their status was clear when her teacher asked her to write about it for her college applications. 6y

20 likes3 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter | Erika L. S�nchez

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez Discussion#2: Julia talks about the difference in her mother‘s expectations for her and the expectations she has for herself. How do you feel those expectations are influenced by Ama‘s immigration to the U.S. vs Julia‘s upbringing in the U.S.?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @Dorianna @Vanessa4 @4thhouseontheleft 6y

Dorianna Ama‘s immigration to the US was dangerous and traumatic, and she came from a culture very different from the one she immigrated to her. The combination of a culture that had more traditional gender roles plus a desire to keep Julia safe from the dangers of the world likely shaped her expectations. Julia meanwhile grew up in the US, and she saw all the opportunities she could take advantage of and a large world she could explore. (Cont.) 6y

Dorianna Julia wanted to break away from the traditional roles imposed on her and broaden her horizons, live a life that was different from her mother‘s. 6y

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alisiakae Ama maintains very conservative traditions and roles, but she underwent a very dangerous migration journey, and raised her children in a crime-ridden neighborhood. That is not easy. Julia, growing up in the US, sees herself at risk of becoming stuck, and never leaving the neighborhood where she grew up. She wants more than anything to escape and pursue her dreams. I‘d love to know what Ama was like as a teenager. (Haven‘t finished the book yet). 6y

TheNextBook @Dorianna I love that your brought up gender roles because in more “traditional” or religious culture those roles are so steadfast. I also thought it was really interesting that Julia isnt at all religious where as we see the mother constantly going to church. Julia and Ama are just so incredibly different! The differences in culture of where they were raised definitely affects that. All well said. 6y

TheNextBook @4thhouseontheleft it‘s interesting in a way because we know Julia wants to chase her dreams and move to New York. Her parents left everything and immigrated to the U.S. much further from their families then Julia will be from them and yet Ama doesnt want her to go! 6y

23 likes6 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter | Erika L. S�nchez

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez Discussion #1: This novel is the story of a Mexican teenage girl and her family, after the unexpected death of her sister. How do you feel about the way Sánchez chose to explore death and mourning?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @Dorianna @Vanessa4 @4thhouseontheleft 6y

TheNextBook I loved the varying emotions. I loved the sense of just coping and making it through each day. The emotions felt real and varied with each family. Julia was dealing with a lot before and after discovering her sister‘s hidden box of goodies and that just added a whole layer of emotions on top of already grieving. Everyone mourns and deals with loss differently and that was showcased well in this book. 6y

Dorianna I thought it was very honest because not everyone acted the same way. Also it dealt with the different family dynamics. It wasn‘t a rosy perfect family that came apart after a loss. There will layers and complicated nuances to their relationships with each other before and that carried on after with a lot of grief added on. 6y

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rachelm I lost my sibling when I was younger and could definitely empathize with the portrayal in this book. Everyone mourns differently, and some apologies or statements of love can never be shared. 6y

alisiakae Like @Dorianna I appreciated that this was not a perfect family that only fell apart after the loss. It felt very real, and honoring of the fact that there was previous baggage (because there always is...families are complicated!), and everyone deals with their grief differently. 6y

BookishFeminist @kspenmoll @trazo @mrozzz @dkingneece @amvs1111 @staci.reads I completely forgot to tag you all in this discussion when it started earlier this week! Here‘s the first question- you can scroll thru on our profile to find the next questions too. 🙂 6y

kspenmoll The mother‘s grief so so real, raw- but felt badly when she locked Julia out of her sister‘s room where she was finding comfort & searching for answers. Her father‘s silence was poignant & sad. None of them were able to share their grief- Responses so different; the loss cracked open their family structure revealing its secrets/flaws. 6y

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LitsyFeministBookClub

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter | Erika L. S�nchez

Hey everyone! Our discussion is starting in a few days and we wanted to share this great interview between Erika L. Sánchez and the journalist at Mashable! Enjoy!

http://mashable.com/2017/11/15/mashreads-podcast-i-am-not-your-perfect-mexican-d...

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

51 likes2 stack adds

LitsyFeministBookClub

This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America | Morgan Jerkins

To celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth, we‘ll be reading Morgan Jerkins‘ brand new memoir on Black womanhood in February!

Our discussion will start February 24 on here AND on Goodreads, but we‘ll be celebrating Black women & femme writers all month long. Stay tuned. :)

It‘s a new release coming out in PAPERBACK on a January 30, so preorder now to join in! If you have questions let one of us know xx

#blackbooks #feministbooks #diversebooks

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

ErikasMindfulShelf I preordered today before I saw this post! 👍 6y

WhatDeeReads Already pre-ordered mine! 6y

mhillis Looking forward to it! 6y

tjwill Just pre-ordered! I‘m looking forward to reading this in February. 6y

GemintheRough Borrowed the audio book on Hoopla! Going to start listening to it on my way home! 6y

59 likes6 stack adds5 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter | Erika L. S�nchez

Just a reminder that this month‘s book selection is I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez! Our discussion will begin on January 26th! If you want us to tag you during the discussion just let us know in the comments below!

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

rachelm Yay! Excited! 6y

Vanessa4 Please tag me :) 6y

Dorianna Tag me, please. 6y

alisiakae Tag me, please! 😃 6y

47 likes2 stack adds4 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife | Meg Elison

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife Discussion #6: Would you recommend this book? If so, to whom would you recommend it to and why?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

rachelm I've already recommended it far and wide 😂I recommend it to my friends who liked

The Handmaid's Tale

juliaporper Can‘t say that I would recommend it exactly. It is too freightening real. I am about half way way through the book and I find myself engrossed in the book. The nightmare that unfolds in this book feels like it could happen at any minute in the real world. (edited) 6y

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LitsyFeministBookClub

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife | Meg Elison

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife Discussion #5: Elison eventually introduces a religious sect into the storyline. How do you feel the introduction of a religion helped propel or add depth to the plot? Do you think it was necessary to add religious undertones to the story?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

rachelm I thought it complicated things significantly, but it especially spoke to the different futures of men and women-- and how things weren't as bright for men either. The fact that so many of the missionaries were sent out away from their wives... in order to steal wives... was really telling 6y

17 likes1 comment

LitsyFeministBookClub

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife | Meg Elison

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife Discussion #4:
This novel is told in both a 3rd person narrative and entries into the Book of the Unnamed Midwife. Did you enjoy Elison‘s choice to have the 1st person entries as well as the separate narrative?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

TheNextBook I really did! I loved that the entries were so personal and intimate. But I also loved that the 3rd person narrative allowed readers to see what was going on around the world. It stopped the novel from being too narrow. 6y

rachelm I think it would have been hard to get into the novel in just the diary format. So much important action happened immediately in the scene, not just reflected upon. I did like that there were multiple diaries and letters in the book though! 6y

14 likes2 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife | Meg Elison

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison
Discussion #3: Sexual violence against women and the enslavement of women become a common theme in dystopia. How do you feel Elison‘s handling of women‘s rights after societal collapse compares to other dystopian novels?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

TheNextBook I feel like this was an extremely dark potrayal but honestly in this situation anything is possible. When I compare this to The Handmaid‘s Tale I‘m not sure which one is more terrifiying. This can be seen as more brutal but both take away the humanity of women. 6y

rachelm The first time I read the book, in 2015, I thought the world descended into madness a little quickly. Now I'm more jaded. I think the physical danger felt really real. 6y

Soubhiville It felt very real to me @rachelm , I was gripping my seat most of the book. I feel like this took the Handmaid situation and turned the dial to 11. 6y

rachelm @Soubhiville agreed completely. We did an interview with her and asked her what she thought of trigger warnings--- she thought they were a really good idea for books like hers. I was glad I had a little warning going in 6y

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LitsyFeministBookClub

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife | Meg Elison

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison
Discussion #2: The midwife made a decision early in the novel to live her life as a man, believing it safer. Do you agree with her decision? How do you feel the unnamed midwife portrays masculinity?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

TheNextBook I don‘t even know if it‘s something I would have thought of. But once the danger is real and no longer perceived you can see where it was the best decision for the unnamed midwife. 6y

rachelm The male portrayal is one of the interesting aspects of the book to me. She had this whole internal monologue switch to gear up to be an alpha male, and she was able to judge the intentions of the men around her really clearly, I thought. I haven't read the second book yet but I'm interested in what further gender discussions it produces. Anyone read it? 6y

Soubhiville I would absolutely do the same thing. It certainly helped protect her, and she played that part well. I haven‘t gotten to the second book yet, but I‘m looking forward to it! 6y

20 likes3 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife | Meg Elison

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison
Discussion #1: Readers never learn the true identity of the midwife. How do you feel Elison dealt with identity and conforming in order to survive?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

TheNextBook I thought it was interesting. Elison made it clear from the very beginning of the novel how dangerous it was going to be if you were a woman. She also made it clear that there would be no heroes! The only person you can depend on is yourself. The concept of continually evolving and changing who you are I think kept her alert and on guard. (edited) 6y

rachelm There was kind of an "Everyman" quality to it, too. Without a set name, the story almost scarier. It could be anyone. 6y

Soubhiville I think in a new world like this you‘d have to be somewhat fluid and adaptable in order to survive. I liked that ambiguity. 6y

19 likes3 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter | Erika L. S�nchez

Join us for our January Read Along! Our book is I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez. The discussion dates will be January 26-31! This book is on sale on Kindle right now for $2.99! Get it!

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

Betty I'm in! 6y

mrozzz Me too! 🙋🏼‍♀️ 6y

mhillis Perfect! I was just about to start this🤩 6y

amvs1111 Excellent! I've been wanting to read this! 6y

JoRead I'm going to do my best!! 6y

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LitsyFeministBookClub

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife | Meg Elison

We hope everyone has had a chance to pick up The Book of the Unnamed Midwife for this month‘s discussion! Meg Elison was gracious enough to answer some questions for us and we would love to share that interview with all of you!!! Enjoy!
https://booksthatshookus.com/2017/12/19/elison-interview/

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

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LitsyFeministBookClub

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States | Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

An Indigenous Peoples‘ History of the United States Discussion #6: Would you recommend this book? If so, to whom would you recommend it? Do you have recommendations to share regarding Indigenous Peoples‘ History?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @Dorianna @CAnne @Notafraidofwords @mhillis 6y

TheNextBook I would definitely recommend this book. I thought it was really well done and provided tons of information. I would recommend to anyone interested in U.S. history or Native American history. There is another book I would recommend but it doesn‘t give as wide an array of information. It is more focused on one specific area of Native American history but still really well done and informative. The Apache Wars by Paul Andrew Hutton

The Apache Wars: The Hunt for Geronimo, the Apache Kid, and the Captive Boy Who Started the Longest War in American History

Notafraidofwords I would definitely recommend this and would like to see appointed to incoming freshman‘s in college. 6y

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Floresj I would recommend this book to all history classes. It would serve as a good balance to the glory of western expansion. 6y

rachelm Yes! I've already recommended it to several friends! I hope they read it-- I'd love to talk about it in person. 6y

mhillis Yes, I would recommend this book! I‘ve already returned my copy to the library but I think there were additional reading suggestions in the back of the book. 6y

CAnne @Dorianna @Notafraidofwords @mhillis @Floresj I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who would like to know more about the hard truths of the birth of our nation. 6y

Dorianna I would absolutely recommend this book. It‘s a great book for people interested in Indigenous history. It‘s very interesting and has a lot of information while also being very accessible to people who may not know a lot about the subject. 6y

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LitsyFeministBookClub

Book of the Unnamed Midwife | Meg Elison

And our December Read Along book will be (drumroll please...) The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison! 🎉🎊🎉🎊🎉🎊 We are ending this year with an award winning dystopia and honestly, it seems really fitting. Since the holiday season is upon us, this discussion will take place in waves with a few questions being posted on December 27th and a few more being posted on December 28th! Hopefully many of you will join us!

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

kyraleseberg This is a great book! I'm excited for the 3rd book to be released!! 6y

MrsV I‘m in! Can‘t wait 6y

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LitsyFeministBookClub

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States | Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

An Indigenous Peoples‘ History of the United States Discussion #5: Dunbar-Ortiz ask later in the book “How then can U.S. society come to terms with its past? How can it acknowledge responsibility?” How do you think the U.S. should proceed in the future in regards to Native American history?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @dorianna @mhillis @canne @notafraidofwords 6y

TheNextBook We should start with advocating for a change in the way we teach history. A formal apology will be amazing along with some type of reparations! Then lets actually keep some of the treaties that are being made! 6y

CAnne @Dorianna @mhillis @Notafraidofwords @TheNextBook I agree we need to teach history differently along with apologies and some kind of reparations. I don't think in our current political climate that change is going to happen in the short term. I do however believe that the majority of the younger generation is less concerned about hanging on to the status quo white washed history that we've all been taught. 6y

mhillis Agreed! Education is the key. 6y

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LitsyFeministBookClub

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States | Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

An Indigenous Peoples‘ History of the United States Discussion #4: In light of the debate around the removal of Confederate Stautes, how do you feel about the existences of statues memorializing men that took place in the mass murder of Native Americans and their place in history? (ie John Sevier)

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @Notafraidofwords @CAnne @mhillis @dorianna 6y

TheNextBook Take them down. And if you are unwilling to take them down then you need to add a disclaimer and include everything! Thomas Jefferson is the easiest: “Founding father who also had children with his enslaved half-sister-in-law Sally Hemings, all of whom were also slaves on his property until after his death. Yes he enslaved his own children and continually raped their mother, who was but 14 when she had his first child.” Gritty and to the point. 6y

CAnne @LitsyFeministBookClub @Notafraidofwords @mhillis @Dorianna @TheNextBook I wholeheartedly agree take them down! I've heard people say that the statues are their history and we can't erase history by removing statues. Well apparently we can erase history simple by not telling it all. 6y

See All 9 Comments

TheNextBook @CAnne That is so true. Those same people don‘t acknowledge that erasure at all. 6y

mhillis This came up when a statue of a soldier who killed Native Americans was vandalized in my hometown! Many residents came out in support of the statue. I agree that we need more education so people can understand our local history more @CAnne 6y

CAnne @mhillis @TheNextBook Sadly those that don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. 6y

Dorianna @CAnne I completely agree. I get so tired of the idea that taking down a statue just magically erases history when their continued existence has yet to truly teach anything. 6y

Notafraidofwords Trust me, the people that learn from history don‘t need a statue to learn from. I mean. We don‘t have statues of hitler. 6y

CAnne @Notafraidofwords that's because the German people are ashamed of that chapter of their history. The U.S. is still in denial. Manifest Destiny and all that hoes with it. Many believe the ends justify the means. 6y

21 likes9 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States | Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

An Indigenous Peoples‘ History of the United States Discussion #3. A central tenet of this book is colonialism. How do you feel the effects of settler colonialism are still felt today in the U.S. and around the world?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @CAnne @Notafraidofwords @Dorianna @mhillis 6y

TheNextBook One of things I‘ve realized is that the US, outside of how things are handled in this country as far education and the genocide that has happened here, has territories! Puerto Rico is still a territory, the Virgin Islands, Guam. All of these places are territories and are part of the settler colonial legacy that exist in the U.S. And when you look at instances like the hurrican recovery “effort” in Puerto Rico compared to Houston for example... 6y

TheNextBook ...it‘s infuriating! So many people didn‘t even realize that Puerto Rico is part of America. It‘s disturbing. 6y

See All 8 Comments

Notafraidofwords @TheNextBook 👏👏👏👏 6y

Dorianna I think settler colonialism is still the unfair basis of who matters and who doesn‘t. Socioeconomic status, opportunity, access to healthcare, education, mortality rates, addiction rates, everything is still dictated by settler colonialism‘ ideas of white supremacy and who gets to have certain things and who doesn‘t. 6y

CAnne Obviously our indigenous peoples in the continental US are still dealing with the effects of colonialism when it comes to the government using or taking lands on their reservations. Look at the Dakota pipeline mess. @TheNextBook I toldly agree with Puerto Rico getting the short end of the stick in the hurricane recovery. 6y

rachelm The PR situation is abhorrent. We are living in the aftermath of colonialism. The statistic in the final chapter about the 1/3 rate of sexual abuse for Native women shocked me cold. On a side note, look today at the press conference with the Navajo Code Talkers? Where's the respect for the veterans, let alone a sitting politician elected by her people. Sorry for the side comment I'm just peeved. 6y

CAnne @rachelm I dismayed myself at the lack of respect by a sitting President. 6y

22 likes8 comments

LitsyFeministBookClub

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States | Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

An Indigenous Peoples‘ History of the United States Discussion #2: What information regarding Indigenous Peoples‘ history were you least familiar with? How did this book help increase your understanding of Indigenous Peoples‘ history?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @Dorianna @CAnne 6y

TheNextBook I was very well aware of the fact that I was not very well versed on all things Indigenous. What this book did was present a comprehensive history of the Native American experience without sparing any words or feelings. Dunbar-Ortiz educated me on a wide range of issues. 6y

Notafraidofwords I realized that I didn‘t know anything and the little stuff I did know what very incorrect. This one spiked my interest in learning more about the Native American experience. 6y

See All 12 Comments

TheNextBook @Notafraidofwords I realized that I only knew information about very specific events but nothing as wide reaching as this. I feel like if I really want to understand U.S. history then I have to be educated on Native American history. I have a lot of learning to do. 6y

CAnne I had a vague idea of indigenous peoples lives in the U.S. I had no idea how little I knew until reading this book. Most of what I thought I knew was incorrect. 6y

CAnne This book helped me understand that the indigenous peoples had and maintained homes, communities and governments before a white man ever set foot on U.S. soil. Our history taught us that we brought order to their lands. 6y

TheNextBook @CAnne Very succinct way of putting that! I definitely feel like we were taught that the Europeans brought an order that the Native people didnt have on their own! What I‘ve learned is that I was taught a caricature of an “Indian” that created a narrative they wanted us to know. And it was nowhere near the truth. 6y

CAnne Sadly true 6y

CAnne "Propaganda" is the word often used when referring to deliberate false information taught by governments. 6y

mhillis Thanks for tagging me yesterday @rachelm The last part of this book (about other countries) opened my eyes. Particularly because I was reading another book at the same time

Notes on a Foreign Country: An American Abroad in a Post-American World

Dorianna @TheNextBook This was the same for me. My knowledge of Indigenous History was very vague and only a slight improvement on what I was taught in school. This book was very eye opening to me and provided a more in depth lens that I really needed 6y

Dorianna One thing I did not know at all, not even in the most vague sense, was early Native American trails and roads. How extensive they were and how early settlers adopted them. Now it makes sense, of course they would have created a road system. But I honestly didn‘t think of it at all before and that specific detail really drove home my ignorance and how important it is that I learn more to take apart all the misinformation I had been taught. 6y

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LitsyFeministBookClub

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States | Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

An Indigenous Peoples‘ History of the United States Discussion #1: How were you taught U.S. history? How has your view of the way United States history is taught changed since reading this book? How has your view of the “Founding Fathers” and early presidencies changed after reading this book?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

LitsyFeministBookClub @CAnne 6y

TheNextBook 🙄 I was taught US history in the most generic way possible. We learned about Columbus, Jamestown, the American Revolution, The Civil War, and Civil Rights era. I definitely feel like I learned much more about World History and was taught in a more comprehensive way that I was ever taught U.S. history. Most of what I know now about Native American history, Colonialism and Reconstruction after Civil War are things I learned researching as an adult 6y

TheNextBook As far as the “Founding Fathers” go, that was completely watered down. Especially in relation to their slave holding ideals, even though they fought a war to free themselves while leaving people enslaved. The complete irony and gall! I find myself disgusted the more I learn because we put these people on a pedestal and they have done some terrible things 6y

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Dorianna My education in US History was a mess. Especially anything about Native American history. I was basically taught that Native Americans liked corn and that colonialists unintentionally gave them small pox. I think it‘s embarrassing the way schools mythologize US History where anything that makes the USA looks bad is either glossed over or just left out. 6y

Dorianna I‘m not into deifying the Founding Fathers. Reading about their actions that do not make them look like the heroes they‘re portrayed as validates my position that they should not be treated as these untouchable beings. We can not look at history accurately or truly learn anything from it if we treat our beginnings as something sacred. 6y

TheNextBook @Dorianna I completely agree! And thats the problem. U.S. history is treated as something sacred and for that reason it isnt discussed honestly! Which is a travesty! That‘s why so many people think the U.S. is the best country in world. “We‘ve come so far since slavery.” 😒 That‘s not saying much. I also loved the Dunbar-Ortiz made it a point to say the U.S. instead of America because there are two “American” continents. 6y

CAnne My education in U.S history started with Columbus sailed the ocean blue and discovered America in 1492. Next came the Mayflower with the religious freedom seeking pilgrims. After that the American Revolution, the Civil War and both world wars. Always painting the U.S as on the right side. Even though I knew before reading this book that we as a nation took what wasn't ours and treated the indigenous peoples very badly I didn't know to what extent we did that until now. It explains a lot as to where we are today as a nation. The U.S. is like a dysfunctional family member who refuses to admit that they are culpable for another's pain and suffering and like any family until responsibly is taken for one's actions healing can't begin. 6y

rachelm @CAnne my experience exactly. Even in AP History we didn't get a nuanced view of US history. It is insane how deeply ingrained colonial ideas are. My office mate is a Native American Studies prof and she confronts so many misplaced ideas in the college classroom... I feel like this book is a good primer for someone ready to read further. 6y

TheNextBook @CAnne what you said about the U.S. being a dysfunctional family member would be hilarious if it wasn‘t so damn true! 6y

TheNextBook @rachelm I dont envy that professor. It is so hard to get people to see outside their own mindset if they aren‘t ready. I can only imagine the pushback she gets when she has to tell them the truth! 😳 6y

CAnne @rachelm it's an excellent book to read further. Unfortunately so many people are afraid to know the truth or just plainly deny it. 6y

rachelm @mhillis read for this month too, so tagging :) 6y

CAnne This was not an easy book to read. 6y

CAnne In my option our founding fathers and early presidents clearly set the tone for racism in the U.S. 6y

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LitsyFeministBookClub

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States | Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Our discussion of “An Indigenous Peoples‘ History of the United States” begins later on today! But before we begin we would like to share with you this amazing interview with author Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz.

https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/history/events/indigenous-peoples-history-...

Enjoy! Comment below if you would like to be tagged during the discussion!

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

rachelm Can't wait! 6y

CAnne Great interview! 6y

Jgotham I love that she calls it for what it was and what history taught in schools avoid-genocide 6y

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LitsyFeministBookClub

The Ballad of Black Tom | Victor LaValle

The Ballad of Black Tom Discussion Question #5

Lavalle includes a vivid depiction of a wrongful police shooting. How does this event effect the change we see in Tom's character?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

TheNextBook I feel like the death of his father at the hands of the police was a brutal turning point. The officer felt no regret or remorse and the fact that he knew his father was not a threat and knew that the officer should never have been in his home, just did it for him. 6y

21 likes1 comment

LitsyFeministBookClub

The Ballad of Black Tom | Victor LaValle

The Ballad of Black Tom Discussion Question #4

Robert Suydam was set on the concept of bringing back old Gods and also of enlightenjng the people around him, specifically minorities. What did you think of his intentions? How did those intentions change Tom's reality?

19 likes

LitsyFeministBookClub

The Ballad of Black Tom | Victor LaValle

The Ballad of Black Tom Discussion Question #3

Black Tom started the story as a hustler simply trying to make ends meet, but developed into a monster. How do you feel about his development as a character and the factors that played into that development?

BookishFeminist, TheNextBook, rachelm

Hooked_on_books His character development seemed realistic. He had limited choices and skirted the edges of legality from the start, but seemed to become much more willing to go down a dark path after his father was killed. The way it was depicted, I felt like I couldn‘t really blame him for submitting himself to despair, grief and rage. 6y

TheNextBook @Hooked_on_books I agree! When I was reading it, I felt like he was becoming the monster they believed him to be! He was becoming the very embodiment of everything they feared. 6y

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