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All tagged Essays
The essays are short and the tone is warm (but never saccharine), which made book feel easy to sink into. I was sad when it was over. I look forward to reading whatever Jones writes next!
This book is both sad and hopeful, scathing and uplifting. Brb, time to (finally) go read Abdurraqib’s entire backlist.
As a lover of all things fantasy and magical realism, obviously I had to pick this up. And the hype is so justified!
I picked up How to Tell When We Will Die near the start of a period in which my brain wanted only nonfiction, and it only added fuel to the fire. What an incredibly smart, powerful, incisive essay collection.
Ta-Nehisi Coates is one of the greatest writers of our generation, full stop. This is not his strongest book, but it is still very good and very worth your time (it’s also short!).
This book is drop-dead gorgeous and you simply must purchase yourself a physical copy. And if you read it a little at a time — don’t rush it — you will walk away moved and inspired.
Slouching Towards Bethlehem is a really interesting look at early Joan Didion. She’s already good, but there are some gems here that hint at the master she’ll turn out to be.
The White Album is an essay collection that asks for your close attention, but Joan Didion’s sentences are worth it. Parts of it went over my head, I think, but it will make a good reread.
These Precious Days is another beautifully heartfelt essay collection from Ann Patchett. It was a delight to read, especially the title essay.
The Anthropocene Reviewed is a really beautiful, perfectly digestible collection of essays that reflect on the state of the world in a way that touches something deep inside you.
Languages of Truth is engaging and entertaining, although certain chapters will only be for certain people. Don’t be afraid to get a copy and skip around to the essays that interest you!
Intimations can be read in a single sitting, but it is packed with so much. These essays are the simultaneous balm and wake-up call we need right now.
Here for It is an honest, hopeful, moving, funny memoir written in essays by a gay Black man. What else do you need to know?
Figure It Out is an essay collection that I think will have something for everyone, even if not everything is for everyone. I was much more drawn to some than others.
The Source of Self-Regard is an incredible collection, but very academic. While inspiring and impressive, it won’t be for everyone.
Rating: 4/5 | I Miss You When I Blink was a delightful little book of essays. Mary Laura Philpott dives into herself, finds her way around, and then lets us in to see. It's an example of creative nonfiction at its best, the story of an average woman's life (if any of us can be called average) made poignant. A glimpse into the human experience that makes us feel seen and hopeful. (Click the post to read more.)
Rating: 3.5/5 | Calypso was delightful. I listened to the audiobook, actually, which I love to do with nonfiction because the author usually reads it. Listening to Sedaris read his books is especially fantastic, and this one was no different. To parrot what literally the entire rest of the world says, he is hilarious and very real. (Click the post to read more.)
Rating: 5/5 | Tell Me How It Ends is a short, concise, but hard-hitting work of literary nonfiction. It made me think about an issue that I haven't let myself think about to deeply, and it humanized it more than numbers and statistics ever could. This will only take you a few hours to read. Do it. (Click the post to read more.}
