i heart reading dammit

Episode 20: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Type of book: Historical Fiction/Southern Fiction/American Novel Synopsis: Homegoing is a novel that follows the decedents of two Ashanti half-sisters from Ghana. One linage is sold into southern slavery while the other marries a slave trader and stays in Africa. As the story unfolds we follow both families through time and discover a deep, felt history from their collective lives, which in turn helps to highlight the human condition. Love? Like? Dislike?: I LOVED it! It is exquisite. Verdict: Read it. Then read it again. Goodreads score: (out of 5): 4.4 My Score: 5.0 stars – all of them :) Themes: slavery, the human condition, oppression, liberation, family, home, world history, American history, African history, love, loss, abuse, growth… Pages/published: 300 pages; published June 2016 Correction: I said as a white European. I meant as a white European descendent who is a U.S. citizen. I’m from the United States, I’m not from the E.U. Thanks for listening, I super appreciate it. Please feel free to follow on iTunes (podcast app on your iPhone), Google Play Music (android users), Stitcher, RadioPublic and Podbean. If you want the www's it’s, www.iheartreadingdammit.podbean.com [http://www.iheartreadingdammit.podbean.com] :)

Episode 18: Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

Type of book: Suspense/Sci-Fi/Thriller/Action/Love story/What If - Basically everything all wrapped up into one amazing book Synopsis: After Jason, family man and physics professor, is abducted and wakes to a world he does not know he must use every once of his wits and everything he knows to try and get back to the family he loves. Great suspense and plot turns. Awesome read! Love? Like? Dislike?: I LOVED it. Gripping. Devoured this book in two days. It pulls you in from page one and doesn’t let you go. Verdict: READ IT! So good. I thought I knew what was happening/coming numerous times and was wrong more times than not. A book that keeps you guessing this much is worth reading. Goodreads score: (out of 5): 4.1 My Score: 4.5 stars Themes: family, science, regret/what if, parallel universes, love, moments, fate, appreciation, mystery, deep thoughts Published: July 2016 Thanks for listening, I super appreciate it. Please feel free to follow on iTunes (podcast app on your iPhone), Google Play Music (android users), Stitcher, RadioPublic and Podbean. And remember dammit has 2 m's. :) Also on insta!

Episode 15: Sing Unburied Sing by Jesmyn Ward

Type of book: Southern gothic/family drama with heart and soul Synopsis: A story told through the perspectives of three of its main characters. Based in the deep south, this journey is more than a road trip to pick dad up when he’s released from prison. It is, as I say in the podcast, “the intersection of everything that’s f’ed up about race and systemic injustice in America, but it doesn’t beat you over the head about it…It simply tells a story about people and inside of that is the truth. It’s so simple it’s profound. It’s so interwoven it’s a tapestry – a tapestry of our American experience. About the human experience and the human condition.” (7:59 minutes) Wrapped inside the hurt are heart, kindness and big love. It is a balance of all of the human emotions. Powerful doesn’t even begin to do it justice. Love? Like? Dislike?: I LOVED this book and felt the story come to life through the protagonists’ eyes. Beautiful and poetic, this book touched my heart and stirred my emotions to the point of tears and inspired soulful reflection. Verdict: Read it! Goodreads score: (out of 5): 4.1 My Score: 4.5 stars Themes: family, regret, death, life, kindness, racism, poverty, drugs, the American story, the human condition, ghosts, letting go, slavery, injustice, love Footnote: Yes, those are birds in the background. Sorry, that's just part of this artist’s experience as my living space has poor insulation. Personally I think it gives the show character and adds to the charm. Regardless, it simply is. Thanks for listening - I super appreciate it. Please feel free to follow on iTunes (podcast app on your iphone), Google Play Music (android users), Stitcher, RadioPublic and Podbean (iheartreadingdammit.podbean.com). You can also find us on instagram. And remember dammit has two m's. :)

Episode 14: The Power by Naomi Alderman

Type of book: Feminist in nature. Explores power dynamics. Synopsis: Teenage girls develop a power that allows them to harness electricity in the palm of their hands. They can then pass this power on to older women. Women around the world are now able to defend themselves and others and free themselves from unjust circumstances. The book explores how this power changes and influences the world, culture and society around them, and what happens when power dynamics are switched.   Verdict: I liked it because it made me think, because it is extremely relevant to our current political climate and because it gave a balanced perspective of power and how it has the ability to corrupt. I will admit to feeling a bit bored in the middle but concede that stories sometimes lose my attention there anyway. It wasn’t a book that I couldn’t put down, but then again, it was a book that I kept thinking about when I did. Goodreads score: (out of 5): 3.9 My Score: 4 stars Themes: power, feminism, role reversal, culture, religion, politics, patriarchy Memorable quote from the podcast: That’s “why it’s called the power, not the love, not the evolution, but the power. And what do we do, how do we use that power responsibly? Because yes we can hurt people with a force that we might have, but should we? And how do we act humanly toward one another? Because we can be cruel but how can we use our power for good and not for abuse or evil?” Thanks for listening - I super appreciate it. Please feel free to follow on iTunes (podcast app on your iphone), Google Play Music (android users), Stitcher, RadioPublic and Podbean (iheartreadingdammit.podbean.com). You can also find us on instagram. And remember dammit has two m's. :)