The narrative structure of this book is fantastically creative and hooked me on the storylines, the way they braided together and it was fun to look for all the connections between the plot-streams--reappearing objects and legends and history and lore. Some of it is deeply brutal and violent. Recommend but maybe read it in small doses. I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely loved this book. Despite the fact that I have not loved some of the author's prior novels, and despite the reviews that make valid points about the simplistic tokenism of the one Black supporting character, I nevertheless read this book voraciously and was all in for the whole ride.

I should accept that I really don‘t care for memoirs.

A plot twist near the end strained credulity to the breaking point.

The audiobook narration was too precious, like she was a children‘s librarian at preschool story time.

An interesting look at the concept of mental illness in history and culture, and the implications of stigma on wellbeing.

A fantastic must-read for any American concerned about the rise of Christian nationalism and the conflation of Christian faith with political ideology.

Unquestionably the best book of the year so far. Highly recommended for literally everyone who uses computers or has a smartphone, and especially women interested in the lost histories of women innovators.

Surprisingly scholarly yet readable, not a novelty book or a joke but still with moments of humor. Recommend to fashion history enthusiasts and those with an interest in the subject of social cultivation of body dysmorphia and beauty “standards.”

A fun trio of connected short stories about the Book People, a coven of libromancers that also appeared in this author‘s “The Withrow Chronicles” books.

This is a fascinating piece of ethnographic history. I‘m glad I listened to the audiobook because I get why it is important to write an oral history in the dialect as spoken but I think it would have been difficult to understand. Hearing it was clearer I think.

CW: lots of violence, brutality, murder, and tragedy.

This is the strangest book I‘ve read in years.

An excellent book for adolescents, young adults, and parents who want to shield their children from the effects of diet culture and the body-image obsessions perpetuated by Hollywood and advertising.

I loved this book until it began to strain credulity too far. I‘ll probably try another book by this author in the hopes that she reins in the tendency to jump all the sharks, because the conservationist thriller is a genre hybrid I‘m interested in.

If you are a woman, this book will confirm that you are not delusional in your perception of the world being phallocentric.

I read this because it was a #litsylovereads pick, and because I have a morbid interest in writing hoaxers who adopt and fetishize marginalized identities—think JTLeroy or Nasdijj. But it ultimately adds up to a depressing mental illness and this book portrays it well. It‘s just a difficult psychological space to be in for a first person perspective.

This is a brilliant encapsulation of a specific early-1990s community and if I had read it even ten years ago I would have been all in for the whole ride. Now it makes me sad that a community I was so deeply involved in is revealed to be so vapid and self absorbed.

Abandoning—I would have loved this in my 20s. Now, I prefer the author‘s 4000 Weeks.

Bailing at 56%. This is the type of memoir that is composed of one traumatic incident after another, relentlessly. I commend this author for surviving her shocking childhood and mentally ill, abusive family. I do not however have the voyeur‘s desire to rubberneck at the details.

A good book with an interesting structure. Looking forward to discussing it next month here!

So engrossing. This read like an adventure novel but is actual history and the author cites his sources, even including an appendix of the pseudonymous articles published in abolitionist papers. Highly recommend.

This is so thought provoking and inspiring! Highly recommend to all humans.

Probably a great book for Gen Z readers. I‘m middle aged tho.

This book is full of fascinating information about memory and makes me unafraid to get old, even if I experience memory loss or even Alzheimer‘s.

I have collectors' appraisal books of vintage hats and antique accessories (shoes, fans, etc) that are similar to this book, which seems to be basically an overview of a personal collection including price values--a valuable resource, but of most use to those who collect these textiles or are looking to appraise/sell a collection thereof.

I expected more about writing as a coping strategy and it‘s largely very basic writing advice

This title accompanied and exhibit of the same name which ran at the Museum of Texas Tech University in 2019.

Filled with full color photos as well as an appendix of the TTU feed sack swatch collection and an excellent bibliography.

If you only read one book on feed sacks and their place in the history of American fashion, sustainability, the garment trade vs. domestic sewing, etc., this should be that book.

The volume is printed with full color photography throughout with hundreds of prints, labels/logos, and historical illustrations/photography from periodicals and flyers about reuse of the sacks in various applications. Highly recommend!

The pacing in this novel is odd and sometimes plodding. The concept and plot are engaging enough that I still read it avidly.

As an educator who must work with a campus bookstore for course texts, it's exciting that FanPowered Press, an imprint of C&T Publishing, is bringing out such high-quality titles from cosplayers through a traditional publishing avenue! At 240 pages, this is no thin pamphlet either--it's almost exhaustively thorough! Highly recommend.

A fascinating life of an extraordinary man who clearly loves birds, nature, and storytelling. Glad I listened to the audiobook for the wealth of birdsong punctuating sections.

The information in this is interesting but her devotion to the concept/structure hinders the analyses and messages.

A fascinating reframe of the American mythos and the Western concept of success, genius, and “self-made” greatness.

This was so good. I need time to process it before I can write anything more coherent than Omggggggg

I kept hoping that the aspects of this that bothered me would be addressed or resolved or it would be clear why the author made the choices she did. But, no. Continually underwhelming.

A good craft manual on a genre I generally eschew.

I bailed. The narrator got to be a broken record of uninteresting negativity.

Honestly this probably would have been 5* if I‘d read the book instead of listening to the audiobook. Ironically I found the narrator (who is not the author) unlikeable.

Foam-stadium-finger thumbs-up for this title! I'm thrilled it's out in plenty of time to adopt it as the new required text for my next dye class (Spring 2025).

This book makes me unafraid to die. I mean, not that I'm terminally ill or anything, beyond that every living thing will die at some point. Such a good, fascinating, compassion-filled book.

ETA: The author is a hospice nurse & she does talk about people with religious beliefs but this is not a proselytizing book & some of the people she profiles are atheists and agnostics.

Basically entertaining fluff of the mystery/sleuth variety but with queer characters and none of the icky vibes of hard boiled noir of the 60s/70s. Recommend if that sounds interesting.

[pic: chili weather here]

Back to back StoryGraph giveaways! This month, it‘s my parasol textbook! Enter here:

https://app.thestorygraph.com/giveaways/63bf4818-8b6c-4f23-92de-e769c1559b62

My StoryGraph book giveaway ends tomorrow! If you‘re on there, enter to win and also find me as username labricoleuse

https://app.thestorygraph.com/giveaways/57ad17fb-6ab9-4efb-9233-ecc9b9f44379

I don‘t regret the time I spent reading this book, but it was not what I expected—far more navel-gazing memoir than I anticipated. I assume the glowing recommendations I received were from people who adore memoir—I do not. I skimmed the last 20% because I realized it wasn‘t transforming into anything different than it had been all along.

I just couldn‘t believe the narrative voice. It felt contrived and borderline hillbilly-fetishized, like a JT Leroy novel or AU Dickens fanfic.

What a great little book. I‘m a fan of both these artists and this exploration of what their lives and careers had in common is fascinating and illuminating. Recommend if you are also a fan of both.

A solid Tana French. I‘ve read all the Dublin Murder Squad books and it seems like this might be a one off or the start of a new series.

I have worked in professional theatre my whole adult life, and as soon as it became clear that this was A Secret History with Shakespeare quoting drama teens, I could not spend more time there. It is too much like work.

[Image: restored antique parasol by my graduate student Jillian Gregory]

A hard slog I don‘t have the spoons for right now and other people are waiting for it at the library.

Image: parasols my students restored.

This was fascinating and engaging and as revelatory as I‘d heard from the people who recommended it. Required reading for everyone in education, public policy, and really maybe everyone, period.