The news right now is absolutely devastating, and any words of mine feel inadequate. I am saying prayers for trans kids and families in Texas, and for everyone in Ukraine (and Afghanistan, still; I have not forgotten about Afghanistan), and I am always on the lookout for ways to help, even though overall I feel very helpless. If you have recommendations of good places to send money, drop them in the comments!
I continue to derive so much comfort from reading, and to that end I’ve got some links. I also recommend the brand new television show Abbott Elementary and the quite old television show Star Trek: The Next Generation, as they are making me feel better. I just finished Xiran Jay Zhao’s Iron Widow and loved it, so that’s another rec for you if you’re in the mood for a story about a girl burning shit down. And now, on to the links!
ABBOTT ELEMENTARY. … This show is great. Here are some things about it and its greatness. (link) Plus an interview with Janelle James, who plays the principal. (link)
Lauren Michele Jackson considers appropriation, AAVE, and the artist formerly known as Awkwafina. (link)
“How can we make men care? Does a fear of being disgraced have to be part of the incentive?” This is an interesting article with the really depressing, though unsurprising, punchline that abusers will only think critically about the harm they’ve caused if they can do so while still controlling the possibility of facing consequences; and not often then. (link)
The Crisis Text Line turned out to be an extremely typical tech bro company. Compassionate care for people struggling with suicidal ideation is incompatible with its ethos. (link)
Pregnancy apps are rife with misinformation and propaganda. (link)
I loved this curated list of Black food cookbooks that focus on plant-based recipes. (link)
Norman Mailer hasn’t been canceled — but the uproar about Random House pulling a planned book of his essays says a lot about the state of cancel culture discourse. (link)
“This is not the end. It is a change.” Tiya Miles advises looking to Black history to understand and ameliorate our current fears. (link)
Toril Moi reminds writers not to write for readers who hate them. Write for the people who want to hear what you have to say. (Great reminder in the age of Twitter.) (link)
Morgan Jerkins thinks it’s long past time for Jessie Redmon Fauset to have a literary renaissance. (I am very easily swayed by people being like “everyone should know such-and-such writer from long ago!”) (link)
This piece about the artist Piranesi makes an excellent companion to Susanna Clarke’s latest novel Piranesi. (link)
You’re Going To Italy In A Novel By A Non-Italian Writer! Are You Going To Have A Good Time? (link)
This is a beautiful piece about love, queer love, platonic love, and how queer literature can help us to escape the trap of believing that love only looks one way. (link)
Caretakers are being left to fail. Any conversation about the so-called Great Resignation has to take this into account. (link)
Delighted to learn that Patricia Lockwood was influenced by Emily of New Moon, which I also love. (link)
Take care, and take care of each other, and also Happy Mardi Gras.