The Literary Adventures of an Opinionated Bookworm

"Dub: Finding Ceremony  takes inspiration from theorist Sylvia Wynter, dub poetry, and ocean life to offer a catalog of possible methods for remembering, healing, listening, and living otherwise."  Although I have finished reading the final instalment in Alexis Pauline Gumbs' trilogy, I keep referring back to the synopsis for help explaining the experience. At first glance, tackling theory and Black history in one poetry collection sounds like an impossible goal, but Gumbs does so flawlessly and effortlessly. Dub The thing I love about Gumbs' work is that only she could have written this book; no one else could have accomplished such storytelling in this format. Reading Dub  is truly a journey, as it starts off slow and steady, with the pace and tempo increasing with every turn of the page. The story Gumbs' painted was amazingly vivid, and the history she chose to relate also becomes personal, which added to the beauty of the narrative.  While reading this book, I...

How can a bookworm possibly choose 5 books that changed her life? Answer: She cannot. The evidence is this blogpost, as the person who initially asked me this question received a slightly different list. But I cannot help it! I just love books so much!  Nevertheless, here is my current list, along with a brief description of why I chose these books. Persuasion by Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice is undoubtedly Austen's most famous novel, but I have found that Persuasion is the most beautiful love story she wrote. The story of Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth is one of patience and courage, and it is the story that taught me what love is beyond initial attraction and romance.  The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin Reading Le Guin is an eyeopening experience, because she uses the genre of science fiction to challenge societal norms and open a discussion on gender in a way only she could. This particular book asks the question, how would society work if the people in it...

I remember when I first read The Lightning Thief  by Rick Riordan as a twelve year old. I was completely swept up in the mythology, and the possibility that there was something magical seamlessly woven into Western society that went beyond what I was taught in school. A decade later (yikes!) my copies of this series now show signs of a reader's affection, and yet I cannot stop myself from picking up this book once more. Technically, I am well into my adult years, although my ability to act in a mature matter is somewhat questionable at times. However, reading the first journey of Percy Jackson as an "adult" gave me insight into why I have loved this book series for so long.  Percy Jackson Percy is a not-so-ordinary twelve year old who was raised by a single mother, and at the start of the first book he is attending his sixth boarding school in as many years. Although he is well intentioned, troubling things continuously happen to Percy, and not until he and his mother are...

It is not very often that we get to hear from characters of Ancient Greece that have been sidelined in history, in favour of the heroes that dominate the narrative. Such is the case for Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, whose narrative is retold and reclaimed in Margaret Atwood's, The Penelopiad . Penelope's Story Written from beyond the grave, The Penelopiad is Atwood's way of allowing Penelope to tell her version of the events, from her birth, to the Trojan War, to the years spent waiting for her husband to return. Penelope relates this story thousands of years after the events of the Odyssey, so not only has she had years to think of the events, but she is also aware of present day culture; it is as if she is sitting there with you, pointing out how her life is different from yours. The writing is beautiful, the story unique, and the use of the Greek Chorus is a wonderful addition to a tale that should be considered a classic.   However, I was slightly disappointed by the ...

My third ever blog post was about why we fall in love with the characters in books, and while reading Spoiler Alert  by Olivia Dade, I started to think about why I read romance novels in the first place. Coincidentally, this story was the perfect opportunity to work through my odd fascination with the genre. April is a geologist with a secret life as a fan fic writer for her favourite book/tv series, "Gods of the Gates," which becomes a lot less secret when she posts a cosplay photo of herself, exposing herself to the hateful nature of the internet. Because April does not conform to society's ideal of beauty, as a wonderful, curvy, fat (is the term used in the book) woman. As the hate comments begin to dominate her Twitter feed, the star of the show, Marcus, attempts to combat the negative comments by asking April on a date, only to find out that they had been corresponding for years as anonymous fan fic writers. Just me, as I am Although I had some ups and downs while re...

The semester is finally over, and to celebrate, I would like to talk to you about...a graphic novel I read in school. Lissa  by Sherine Hamdy and Coleman Nye, with illustrations by Sarula Bao and Caroline Brewer, was assigned reading for one of my courses as an example of how academic research can be turned into something creative, and dare I say, absolutely wonderful. Set in Egypt, Lissa  tells the story of an American girl named Anna, her Egyptian friend, Layla, and how these two young women come to understand each other despite their different backgrounds.  Lissa Both Anna and Layla are affected in different ways by the death of Anna's mother, as a result of her battle with breast cancer. After moving back to America, Anna learns that she carries the gene that might trigger breast cancer, and she considers taking preventative measures, something Layla is vehemently against. Back in Egypt where there is increasing civil unrest, Layla's father is suffering from kidney fa...