The Relentless Reader

Hello and happy Friday! Here we are again on the cusp of the weekend, and a holiday weekend at that. Holiday weekend… that used to mean something didn’t it? Back then it wasn’t irresponsible to sit shoulder to shoulder with other members of your community to watch a baseball game. There was minimal danger in watching fireworks with hundreds of other people. This year we won’t be partaking. And you know what? It’s okay. There’s this call to go back to “normal”, but I don’t even know what that means. We’re in the middle of creating a new normal. Who knows what it will look like going forward? We all have to do the best we can while remaining responsible and conscientious.

Here’s what I’ve been up to this week!

Watching: I gobbled up Diagnosis, a docusseries on Netflix. Doctor Lisa Sanders crowdsources social media for rare medical conditions. It’s based upon her New York Times Magazine column. If it were a book I’d call it a pager turner. Fascinating stuff.

Cooking: It’s too hot to enjoy cooking much right now. I’ll be sticking to the stove top and my Instant Pot for as long as we have these ridiculous temperatures. I live in Wisconsin, why does it feel like I’m melting after 4 seconds outside? It’s just not right.

This salmon with tomato relish and wild rice dish hit the spot last night. Home Chef, I’m telling you. We love it!

Reading: Last night I finished listening to Queen Sugar by Natalie Baszile. I’d like to watch the series now. Have any of you watched? How was it?

I’m in the middle of reading Monogamy by Sue Miller. It’s an excellent portrayal of the complexities of relationships. Look for it at your local bookstore in September!

My gorgeous copy of Skincare by Caroline Hirons arrived a couple of days ago. What a stunner! I mean, look at that thing. It’s beautifully bound, heavy, glossy, and filled to the brim with smashing photos. I’m reading it slowly and taking notes.

How about you? What are you reading? I hope it’s something amazing.

Stay safe out there! #WearADamnMask

Another month has flown by. Time isn’t flying because we’re having a grand time, but it is flying. I know that many of us will be glad to see the tail end of 2020, but it’s not the year that’s making things the way they are. I used to think that America was broken, but it’s working the way it was intended to. It was built to hold certain people up and to hold other people down. I will continue to educate myself, raise of the voices of people of color, and speak out when I see injustices. That means having uncomfortable conversations sometimes, but that’s the very least I can do.

Here’s what I read in June:

Matriarch: Queen Mary and the House of Windsor by Anne Edwards

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

The Half-Life of Marie Curie by Lauren Gunderson

The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King

A Burning by Megha Majumdar

Rivals! Frenemies Who Changed the World by Scott McCormick

My favorite book of the month was The Good Neighbor. I listened to it, and it was read by LeVar Burton. What an absolute treat! The most necessary book of June was So You Want to Talk About Race. I learned a lot and have been able to put those lessons into practice.

Be sure to head to Instagram to enter my End of Pride Month Giveaway!

How was your June reading? What was your favorite book of the month? I’d love to hear.

The Relentless Reader

Relentless Weekly – July 03, 2020

Reading Wrap-Up – June 2020