Loyalty Books is a queer, woman-of-color owned independent bookstore in Washington D.C. and they could use our help. They’re raising money to help sustain their business. They are wonderful people and I recently did a great event with them at the D.C. Public Library. They do so much to support authors and create a vibrant community of readers. Do help if you can.
Our November book club selection is The Unsettled by Ayana Mathis. We will be in conversation with Ayana on November 30th, and registration is open.
As a heads up, our January selection is a cookbook!!! We will be reading Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook by Sohla El-Waylly AND our conversation with the author will take place in my kitchen, where Sohla and I will chat and cook together and she’ll answer all your burning questions. That conversation/cooking will be taking place on January 16th at 7 pm EST/4 pm PST if you want to cook along with us.
My book tour, which has been wonderful and also quite a lot, is winding down. On November 9th, I will be at Southern Methodist University in McCord Auditorium at 7 pm. On November 11th and 12th, I will be at the Texas Book Festival, doing a panel on free expression with Angie Thomas and Luis Urrea (also live on C-Span) and the next day, a ticketed conversation with Miwa Messer.
The 92Y event with Lindsay Hunter and I has found a new venue. It will now be held at the SVA Theatre, same date November 14th at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30.
Earlier in the day on November 14th, I am joining the Joyful Heart Book Club this month as they read Opinions. Tickets are available! All proceeds go to the Joyful Heart Foundation’s efforts to eradicate the rape kit backlog and the rest of their good work.
I was on ABC News Live talking about Opinions. Over at Elle, I make some book recommendations as part of their Shelf Life questionnaire.
Loving this incredible review in the Washington Post of Lindsay Hunter’s Hot Springs Drive, out this week!
Jazmine Hughes, an immensely talented writer, has resigned from The New York Times Magazine, after signing an open letter accusing Israel of committing genocide, among other things. Apparently, doing so violates the Times policy about objectivity. I really wonder about this idea of objectivity. How on earth can we be objective about atrocity? How is someone supposed to set aside their humanity to chronicle humanity?
An Israeli air strike hit a refugee camp in Gaza.
A state department official resigned over US arms sales to Israel.
Ta-Nehisi Coates speaks about visiting Palestine.
Neo Nazis are trying to infiltrate pro-Palestine protests to spread their antisemitic ideology.
Bernice King had to check Amy Schumer over the latter’s use of the former’s father’s words.
In Westlake Village, an older Jewish man died after a “confrontation” with pro-Palestinian protestors. Police are still investigating the incident to determine what, exactly, happened but they are considering the possibility of a hate crime.
As is always the case, there were plenty of warning signs about Robert Card, the mass shooter in Maine.
Anne Lamott reminds us that we are living on borrowed time.
Anna Holmes reflects on Jezebel, outrage online, and much more.
The actor’s strike continues, and AI remains one of the main sticking points.
Lauryn Hill is notorious for being late to her own concerts and the other day, she offered a fairly bizarre explanation which can be loosely translated as, “you get what you get.”
Don’t try to out sing Beyoncé.
Here is a strange story about one of the Les Twins allegedly having 37 children.
Latino representation in Hollywood remains negligible despite the increasing Latino population in this country and a clear demand for true diversity in film & television.
In Alabama, a mayor died by suicide after a conservative blog outed him as a cross-dresser. There are always consequences to bigotry and sometimes, those consequences are fatal. Also, conservatives will clearly turn on one another if there is some kind of benefit to them.
Terrible mayor Eric Adams is in trouble—campaign finance shenanigans, among other things.
Sam Bankman-Fried has been found guilty, guilty, guilty.
RIP Tyler Christopher, who was wonderful on General Hospital and Days of Our Lives.
Isaac Fitzgerald on his love of paperback books.
Why is Rich Paul talking about Adele like this??? Is she your partner or a casual friend? Bruh!
Keeanga Yamahtta discusses what happened with Ibram X. Kendi and his grand ambitions to end racism.
A review of the new film from Raven Jackson, All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt. A review of The Reformatory by Tananarive Due.
Ramona Singer has been fired from her real estate firm for being racist. That took… quite a long time as she has been racist, openly, for years now.
Safiya Sinclair on cutting her dreadlocks.
Apparently, until now, the Cup o Noodles’ cups were not microwaveable. Interesting.
I will always watch anyone doing the Thriller dance.
Keith Lee went to Atlanta, did his restaurant review thing with a positive attitude and the town is in shambles. And he is maybe going to pause his touring because people don’t know how to act right.
The Artsy Vanguard 2023. Some really interesting artists here.
A profile of Stephanie Land.
What about small presses?
The Cardinals owner created a toxic work environment. SMH.
I read Britney’s memoir over the weekend and it is excellent. And truly, shame on her parents, her sister, and all the people that enabled her family to abuse her so terribly while they worked her like an animal and lived off her money. The book has debuted at number one on the New York Times bestseller list.
Custody battles can be ridiculous.
It’s not too late to support the Haunted Kickstarter.
Marvel is in “crisis” as they try to figure out how to make people love superhero movies again. Pretty sure the way forward is nowhere near as complicated as they will make it.
Sometimes, Halloween costumes are hilarious. The imagination!
It’s that time of year!
Thanks again for making these roundups. Some of the best space on the internet.
That rat costume is less a Halloween costume and more performance art and I am loving it.