Hello from Boring, Oregon (yes, it’s a real place). We are visiting my family after way, way, way too many months apart. It’s a treat to be on their compound and spend some time in a spacious area with fresh air & family time.
You may have noticed that I missed my July issue. I was with my grandmother at the end of last month and just didn’t get my act together. So my book list below will include the last two months of reading — not that it was a particularly robust set.
In some personal news: I’ve been promoted to full-time at WORD where I work as a bookseller. I’ll be formally in charge of social media, so follow along @wordbookstores if you are interested.
Thanks for joining in my newsletter journey & truly hope you are doing well.
Take care,
Holly
Bookshelf
Reads in June & July
Infinite Country by Patricia Engel | ★★★★★
Genre: Literary Fiction
Sparse and affecting, Infinite Country follows one Colombian family from the earliest days of the parents’ relationship on through two decades of life. Through fateful yet ordinary decisions, the family is fractured between their native Bogotá and the U.S. Talia, the youngest daughter, lives in Colombia with her father while her mother and two siblings carry on life in New Jersey. The story is rich with ambient language and poignant observations. In just under two hundred pages, Engel encapsulates the human toll of a bordered world and the tensions inherent in loving across distance. I was struck by the way Engel crafted the story to be both coherent and disparate, descriptive yet lean. It was as though the book’s style reflected the family’s situation.
Nowhere Girl by Cheryl Diamond | ★★★★☆ (4.5)
Genre: Memoir
In this riveting memoir, Cheryl (a.k.a. Crystal a.k.a. Harbhajan) recounts her childhood growing up on the run, crisscrossing the globe with her family in order to evade Interpol. Apart from globe-trotting & elite athletics (she trains at a high level for both swimming and gymnastics), Diamond’s childhood set the stage for an extremely dysfunctional adolescence thanks to her charming yet intensely controlling father. Not only was the family on the run, they were living by his set of rules and principles that set them even further apart from regular society.
Some reviews of this book have said it feels too unbelievable, but I disagree. It’s far-fetched and intense, sure, but it didn’t feel made up. In fact, it hit exactly the way I think the best memoirs do: a place that is stranger-than-fiction and incredibly heartfelt. On top of that, Diamond is an excellent writer, evoking a strong sense of place in each setting as well as offering insightful commentary on her emotional state along the journey. The concluding chapters verged on sententious, but that’s my only serious qualm with the book. On the whole, I’d recommend it, especially if you liked The Glass Castle or Captain Fantastic.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot | ★★★★★
Genre: Biography / History
This book rides the line between reporting and memoir as author Rebecca Skloot tells the story of Henrietta Lacks and the cells that were taken from her without her knowledge during treatment for cervical cancer. Those cells went on to be known as HeLa and it is no exaggeration to say that they galvanized scientific discovery around genetics and disease. Skloot compiles a gripping, multi-decade narrative that talks about Henrietta’s family — both before and after HeLa, the scientific community’s advances thanks to the infinitely growable cultures, and the medical ethics discussions that surround the cells’ harvest. In and of itself, the story of these cells is fascinating, and complex. However, what the book’s title doesn’t tell you is how much of the book will be about Deborah, Henrietta’s daughter, who was just an toddler at the time of her mother’s death. Her circumstances are tragic and abusive, both at the hands of immediate family and in the dismissive treatment she receives from scientists and doctors when she tries to learn about her mother. Skloot has to work very hard to earn Deborah’s trust (over literal years) in order to get a more complete picture of Henrietta’s family and legacy.
I have read a lot of books in the previously-untold-stories genre, and yet this one stands out in particular thanks in part to the medical ethics quandary, but also due to the extraordinarily bonkers family history and dynamics that constitute the Lackses. I’m glad it was all one book, but there was truly enough story in both aspects for individual books in their own rights! Skloot’s writing is gripping, lucid, and cinematic. I learned a lot from this read and I’d wholeheartedly recommend it.
Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia | ★★★★☆
Genre: Literary Fiction
A sparse intergenerational epic written with evocative, poignant language, Of Women and Salt depicts a line of Cuban women from the 1850s on through present day. With rotating perspectives and non-chronological structure, the story focuses mainly on Carmen and her daughter Jeanette who live in Miami with relatives who remain in Camagüey. One of the most meaningful parts of this book is the way it humanizes every protagonist. Each woman is complicated, relatable, and doing her best with the life she has. Their interconnectedness amplifies the way trauma’s effects ripple in furtive, intractable ways.
While this book is beautifully written and wonderfully atmospheric, the story felt somewhat disjointed and underdeveloped. I suspect it would have made an excellent short story collection rather than a novel.
The Conductors by Nicole Glover | ★★★☆☆
Genre: Historical Fiction
This historical fiction novel is set in Philadelphia during the post-Civil War era, following Hetty and Benjy Rhodes. Each had escaped slavery prior to emancipation and found each other along the way, eventually serving as Conductors, helping others to freedom. While the story tracks with historical events, Glover introduced an alternative history component: in her world, there is magic. Hetty and Benjy both possess celestial magic that they use in their work, previously as Conductors and now as mystery-solvers.
I really liked the protagonists as well as the concept of the book. The magical element was imaginative and the setting of a newly-developing social order intriguing. However, I found the execution a bit middling. It was almost as if the book couldn’t commit to being either a historical fiction or a mystery, and as a result did neither very well. I found the mystery part a bit juvenile and wanted more about the magic Glover introduced.
Susan, Linda, Nina, & Cokie by Nicole Glover | ★★★☆☆
Genre: Biography
Susan, Linda, Nina, & Cokie traces the lives of the eponymous women, aka NPR’s “founding mothers.” A hybrid four-subject biography crossed with history, Napoli’s work presents a engaging, well-researched chronology that highlights some truly pioneering women. I did not know much about NPR going into this book, and it did give me a solid sense of its scrappy, humble beginnings. Each woman profiled had an interesting backstory and sincerely admirable drive to be a part of the journalism world.
However, while the subtitle suggests a focus on the founding mothers, the middle third of the book was heavily skewed towards a portrayal of early NPR: the politicking, the leadership, the financial crises. And, while interesting in its own right, these chronicles only vaguely talked about the headlining women. They were present and held power, but were far from the main players. Some of the most interesting coverage of their individual achievements at NPR actually came in the epilogue, a structural choice and flummoxed and frustrated me. Also, three of the four featured women are alive today. I was disappointed that they did not seem to have a significant role in the book’s research. It would have been even more powerful with direct reflections/commentary from Susan, Linda, and Nina.
For regular posts & reviews, follow along at @fromhollysbookshelf and in my Bookshop storefront. For my monthly staff picks, visit my WORD page.
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Kitchen
In the glorious, waning days of peak summer vegetables, I offer you this near-perfect recipe.
Corn & Tomato Bread Salad
From Six Seasons | Serves 4
Ingredients
• ~2 cups of sweet corn kernels, cut directly off the cob
• 1 lb small tomatoes (multi-colored, if you can!), cut into wedges & chunks
• 3 to 4 scallions, trimmed (including ½ inch off the green tops), sliced on a sharp angle, soaked in ice water for 20 minutes, then drained well (Note from Holly: this cuts the bitterness)
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups 1-inch cubed crusty country bread
• 1/2 cup pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 handful basil leaves
• 1 handful mint leaves
• EVOO
Directions
Heat the oven to 400°F. Toss the torn bread with the olive oil and a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. Spread the croutons on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake until golden brown, checking every 4 to 5 minutes and moving the outside croutons to the center of the pan so they cook evenly. Don’t let them get rock hard. The total baking time will depend on the type and density of bread you’re using, but mostly likely will be 10 to 20 minutes.
Put the corn, tomatoes, and scallions in a large bowl. Add the vinegar and toss gently to mix. Season generously with salt and pepper and toss. Add the croutons, pistachios, pecorino, basil, and mint and toss again. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Moisten with 1/3 cup olive oil and toss again. Serve lightly chilled or at a little cooler than room temperature.
For snippets of my home cooking with occasional tips & recipes, follow along at @fromhollyskitchen.
Miscellany
Patagonia recently shared this excellent graphic about how to donate clothes thoughtfully. I’ve made note of lots of the suggestions and will use them going forward myself!
Olympian Tom Daley knitted himself a pouch for his gold medal and I’m not sure a more wholesome thing has ever existed.
In the month of September, I’ll be participating in Preemptive Love Coalition’s Move for Peace fundraiser. If you’ve been around a minute, you know that PLC is one of my favorite organizations and their work is especially important right now given what’s happening in Afghanistan. If you feel so inclined, you can donate here or start your own campaign here.
My friend Erin put together a gorgeous art piece for Corporeal Lit Magazine. Check it out!
Moment of delight: I cannot stop watching reels like this one from Hayley Morris, UK-based comedian. She is so funny.
I’m thankful that you’d join me here! See you at the beginning of October!
Warmly,
Holly