We Should All Be Feminists

We Should All Be Feminists by Ngozi Chimamanda Adichie
Published by Vintage on Jul. 29, 2014
Genre(s): , Nonfiction, , Feminism, Essays
Format: Paperback
Pages: 49

Goodreads synopsis: 

What does “feminism” mean today? That is the question at the heart of We Should All Be Feminists, a personal, eloquently-argued essay—adapted from her much-viewed TEDx talk of the same name—by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the award-winning author of Americanah and Half of a Yellow Sun. 

With humor and levity, here Adichie offers readers a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century—one rooted in inclusion and awareness. She shines a light not only on blatant discrimination, but also the more insidious, institutional behaviors that marginalize women around the world, in order to help readers of all walks of life better understand the often masked realities of sexual politics. Throughout, she draws extensively on her own experiences—in the U.S., in her native Nigeria, and abroad—offering an artfully nuanced explanation of why the gender divide is harmful for women and men, alike. 

Argued in the same observant, witty and clever prose that has made Adichie a bestselling novelist, here is one remarkable author’s exploration of what it means to be a woman today—and an of-the-moment rallying cry for why we should all be feminists. 

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Thirteen Reasons Why

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Published by Razorbill on Oct. 18, 2007
Genre(s): , Young Adult, , Fiction, Teen
Format: Paperback/Audiobook
Pages: 288

Goodreads synopsis: 

You can't stop the future. You can't rewind the past. The only way to learn the secret. . . is to press play.

Clay Jensen doesn't want anything to do with the tapes Hannah Baker made. Hannah is dead. Her secrets should be buried with her.

Then Hannah's voice tells Clay that his name is on her tapes-- and that he is, in some way, responsible for her death.

All through the night, Clay keeps listening. He follows Hannah's recorded words throughout his small town. . .

. . .and what he discovers changes his life forever.

I heard about the Netflix show coming out, so as a sucker for screenplays adapted from books, I rushed to read this one before the premiere. It's a young adult novel, so it wasn't exactly my pace; however the unique premise of the story held my interest immediately.

If you've watched the show at all, you know it occurs over a decent period of time. This is a key difference from the book which takes place all in one night, in which the main character has little to no interaction with anyone else. The other characters in the story exist entirely on a set of cassette tapes that the main character has made just before committing suicide.

While I applaud the bravery of taking on such a taboo topic of teen suicide, I felt that this story- presumably targeted toward teenagers- could have done a far better job on discussing the important considerations of this scary idea. For example, there is never any incorporation as to where a depressed, bullied, or suicidal teen should go for help, other than the school guidance counselor. There is no openness with parents on the matter or any other teachers, doctors, or persons of authority. Another problem I had with the book was that the tone of the tapes was very vengeful, as if suicide was this girls idea of revenge on her classmates for treating her poorly. Being that she made tape recordings of herself, she exists on every page of the novel, prohibiting the permanence of death from being real.

Teenagers reading this story, at their point in mental development, may not have a full understanding of the permanence of death; making the thought of a tormented young person reading this novel a scary one. Overall, it was an interesting and entertaining read; however, due to the sensitivity of the topic, I felt that it could have done a better job especially given the immaturity of the intended audience.

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Silence

Silence by Shūsaku Endō
Published by Taplinger in 1966
Genre(s): , Fiction, , Historical, Cultural, Religion, Classics
Format: Paperback
Pages: 201

Goodreads synopsis: 

Father Rodrigues is an idealistic Portuguese Jesuit priest who, in the 1640s, sets sail for Japan on a determined mission to help the brutally oppressed Japanese Christians and to discover the truth behind unthinkable rumours that his famous teacher Ferreira has renounced his faith. Once faced with the realities of religious persecution Rodrigues himself is forced to make an impossible choice: whether to abandon his flock or his God.

Winner of the 1966 Tanizaki Prize, Silence is Shusaku Endo's most highly acclaimed novel and a classic of its genre. It caused major controversy in Japan following its publication in 1967.

Silence will soon be a major film directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Liam Neeson, Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver.

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Truly Madly Guilty

Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
Published by Flatiron on Jul. 26, 2016
Genre(s): , Fiction, , Contemporary
Format: Paperback ARC/Audiobook
Pages: 415

Goodreads synopsis:  Six responsible adults. Three cute kids. One small dog. It’s just a normal weekend. What could possibly go wrong?

Sam and Clementine have a wonderful, albeit, busy life: they have two little girls, Sam has just started a new dream job, and Clementine, a cellist, is busy preparing for the audition of a lifetime. If there’s anything they can count on, it’s each other.

Clementine and Erika are each other’s oldest friends. A single look between them can convey an entire conversation. But theirs is a complicated relationship, so when Erika mentions a last minute invitation to a barbecue with her neighbors, Tiffany and Vid, Clementine and Sam don’t hesitate. Having Tiffany and Vid’s larger than life personalities there will be a welcome respite.

Two months later, it won’t stop raining, and Clementine and Sam can’t stop asking themselves the question: What if we hadn’t gone?

In Truly Madly Guilty, Liane Moriarty takes on the foundations of our lives: marriage, sex, parenthood, and friendship. She shows how guilt can expose the fault lines in the most seemingly strong relationships, how what we don’t say can be more powerful than what we do, and how sometimes it is the most innocent of moments that can do the greatest harm.

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Small Great Things

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
Published by Ballantine on Oct. 11, 2016
Genre(s): Fiction, Social Issues, Contemporary, Adult, Drama, Race
Format: Audiobook
Pages: 470

Goodreads synopsis: Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years' experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she's been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don't want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders or does she intervene?

Ruth hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a serious crime. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender, takes her case but gives unexpected advice: Kennedy insists that mentioning race in the courtroom is not a winning strategy. Conflicted by Kennedy's counsel, Ruth tries to keep life as normal as possible for her family—especially her teenage son—as the case becomes a media sensation. As the trial moves forward, Ruth and Kennedy must gain each other's trust, and come to see that what they've been taught their whole lives about others—and themselves—might be wrong.

With incredible empathy, intelligence, and candor, Jodi Picoult tackles race, privilege, prejudice, justice, and compassion—and doesn't offer easy answers. Small Great Things is a remarkable achievement from a writer at the top of her game.

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The Girl on the Train

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Published by Riverhead on Jan. 13, 2015
Genre(s): Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Suspense,
Format: Paperback/Audiobook
Pages: 325

Goodreads synopsis: 

The #1 New York Times Bestseller, USA Today Book of the Year, now a major motion picture starring Emily Blunt. Don't miss Paula Hawkins' new novel, Into the Water, coming May 2017.

EVERY DAY THE SAME Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. Jess and Jason, she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

UNTIL TODAY And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel goes to the police. But is she really as unreliable as they say? Soon she is deeply entangled not only in the investigation but in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good? 

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