The Books I'm Reading Now
I'm listening to The Anthropocene Reviewed, John Green's collection of personal, thoughtful essays that consider humans' place in the universe; I'm reading Wanda M. Morris's All Her Little Secrets, a fast-paced Southern mystery that also explores issues of race and power; and I'm listening to Molly Shannon's memoir of tragedy, resilience, and humor, Hello, Molly!
What are you reading and enjoying these days, bookworms?
01 The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green
When people we love are suffering, we want to make it better. But sometimes--often, in fact--you can't make it better. I'm reminded of something my supervisor said to me when I was a student chaplain: "Don't just do something. Stand there.”
The Anthropocene Reviewed is a collection of personal essays from author John Green (Turtles All the Way Down, The Fault in Our Stars, Looking for Alaska).
Green is thoughtful and self-effacing, curious, sensitive, and imperfectly lovely. He explores our human-centric views of the world and of the universe, questions assumptions, and delights in the beauty of the natural world's showiest and most humble productions. He considers the ways in which we shield ourselves from vulnerability and copes with the pandemic.
I'm listening to The Anthropocene Reviewed as an audiobook.
02 All Her Little Secrets by Wanda M. Morris
A faction of my book club attends (virtually, the past couple of years) our local Library Foundation's fundraising event, in which authors read from and speak about their recent books, and we try to read a couple of these books in the following year.
All Her Little Secrets by Wanda M. Morris is one of our picks from last year's event, and because it's a fast-paced mystery, we decided it would make a great summer read.
Ellice Littlejohn is coping with the challenges of being a Black female lawyer in what increasingly seems like an Atlanta company hostile to women and minorities.
She never said she was perfect, but as her professional and personal lives begin to unravel in dramatic fashion, Ellice's past mistakes threaten to destroy everything she's worked so hard to build. And she's not about to allow that to happen.
03 Hello, Molly! A Memoir by Molly Shannon
Should I begin this review by admitting that I kind of, sort of followed Molly Shannon through my neighborhood once when we lived in New York, or is that too creepy? Does it seem more acceptable if I basically only went a block out of my way to do this on my way home? Yes? No?
Anyhoo, Hello, Molly! is Shannon's account of her childhood and the shocking tragedies, found joy, and resilience that led her to become the person she is.
Her memoir focuses largely on her younger years, but also explores her mainly positive, almost dreamlike Saturday Night Live years, her friendship with Lorne Michaels, and more.
I'm listening to Hello, Molly! as an audiobook.