What I'm Reading | valery brennan

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I’ll be honest, it’s hard to write right now. Lately, I’ve spent a lot of time going through resources to learn more about being a good ally, and refreshing myself on a lot of history I learned in college. That being said – I’ve also been diving into my library list pretty hard.

One of my first blog posts EVER way back in 2014 was about ebooks and how to check them out from the library and, spoiler alert, that’s still how I get my books! Lately I’ve been loving audiobooks – my brain has been struggling a bit, so audiobooks are a great way to keep reading even when head isn’t in the best spot. I’m also focusing on books by Black authors right now, I try to have a nice variety of topics and I think I have a pretty good balance at the moment. Here’s what I currently have checked out.

Redefining Realness by Janet Mock (audiobook) – If you’re unfamiliar with Janet Mock, she’s an amazing trans activist, writer, director and more. This autobiography is so beautifully written but I’ll be honest, I had to take a little break due to some pretty graphic descriptions of child sexual abuse.

Eloquent Rage by Brittney Cooper (audiobook) – ~~I haven’t started this one yet but I’m so excited to dive in.~~ UPDATE: I just started reading this the day after publishing this blog post and wowwww it’s amazing so far. I’m actually reading it with a Facebook group and I’m eager to discuss it with them.

You Can’t Touch My Hair by Phoebe Robinson (audiobook) – I’m about halfway through this one and really enjoying it! It’s a nice balance of humor, pop culture, conversations about race, and autobiography. I have never listened to the Two Dope Queens podcast, but I’m glad I decided to pick this one up. It’s nice when I need something a little lighter.

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (ebook) – I’ve been watching a lot of Trevor Noah clips lately and had the pleasure of seeing him live this past February so when I saw his book while I was browsing Libby I knew I had to place a hold! Thankfully I finally got my hands on a copy and am so excited to get started.

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (audiobook) – Somehow I’ve never read this book, and what better time to start than now?

And just for fun, here’s what’s on my “Holds” list (but clearly I have enough to keep me busy for a couple of weeks with the above books!)

Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad
Untamed by Glennon Doyle (not by a Black author, but it’s been on my list for some time now)
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
How to Be Less Stupid About Race by Crystal Marie Fleming
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

And lastly, if you need some resources for being a good ally and/or learning more about racial injustice in this country here are some good starting points: