Do I Have a Diverse Bookshelf? Part 1 - Geography
Before ALL THE THINGS of what is 2020 happened, I did a thorough Marie Kondo of my bookshelf because I was finally ready to admit:
> that I needed more book space
> that the only way to obtain that space meant finally acknowledging I probably wasn't going to read that book I bought X years ago
> OR I probably really didn't need to keep that book I read once and would never read again even though I loved it A LOT that one time.
After the whole process, I had over 10 bags of books to part with. It was very cathartic.
So like any normal bibliophile, I admired my newly organized shelves, and then I began to wonder about the diversity of the books I decided to keep.
Whether we like to admit it or not, what we decide to display in our shelves is much like an online social profile. It lets people know who we are, what we value, what we know and what we might be interested in.
And outside of those shallow reasons, it's also important to just be a curious reader who isn't afraid to traverse all the different types of books out there. When you do (I know I do), you get exposed to different cultures, ideas, perspectives, lifestyles, historical periods, contemporary subjects, etc. You also learn about different forms of expression, creativity, genres, languages, etc. You just expand your awareness of EVERYTHING, and that's just fun!
So to help me out, I did a quick Google search and found this blogpost . It's was originally about children's books, but I made it work for me.
First up is ....
GEOGRAPHY
According to the post, reading books about different geographic locations is a must. It helps us become more aware of the world but also about the dangers of generalizations. These books represent the diversity of communities and cultures across place.
Here are 5 titles I still have that apply:
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
I first read this title in elementary school when I didn't necessarily understand that Maniac was white while the Beales are black. I'm pretty sure I also understood there were disparities in wealth and lifestyle, too. What I did love about the book was that Maniac needed a family, and the Beales gave him a home. He runs aways from a dysfunctional household to a functional one, across lines that people don't seem to be able to cross and into the arms of people who do. I've since reread it as an adult; it's lovely.
Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet and Sour Memoir of Eating in China by Fuschia Dunlop
I randomly picked this book at a local bookstore because I wanted to read more travel writing. Even 10 years later, I still think about it! Dunlop writes about 1990s China when foreign students are just beginning to be allowed inside. She really breaks down how much we culturally define and confine ourselves to our gastronomic identities. It's fun and eye-opening. It's made me a braver traveler at the dinner table.
A Personal Matter by Oe Kenzaburo
This is the book that taught me how the post-WW2 literature of Japan is BLEAK . Oe is one of Japan's 2 Novel Prize winners. The book is a dark, unsettling and intensive study of a man, Bird, who must determine whether he wants the responsibility of fatherhood at all.
Love, Anger, Madness: A Haitian Triptych by Marie Vieux-Chauvet
Gifted to me by someone who knows I'm an adventurous reader, this was another dark collection of novellas by the exiled Haitian writer Vieux-Chauvet about life under tyranny. At one point, I needed a break because the abuse described was just too much. The reason it's still on my shelf is because the book really made me consider how it's important to read and acknowledge the reality and trauma imposed upon generations by a violent dictatorship. Overall, what I took from the story was this: If the trauma runs so deep, what if any triumph might truly heal or even ease the scars?
Campfire Stories: Tales From America's National Parks Edited by Ilyssa and Dave Kyu
I rarely love anthologies, but I love this one. The editors traveled across six national parks in the USA to collect short stories, personal anecdotes, poems, songs and other facts. It's a wonderful collage of the history, culture and people who have shaped our parks. It made me want to visit more of them!
So let's end on that uplifting note!
Next up? Part 2 - Holidays and Festivals.
> that I needed more book space
> that the only way to obtain that space meant finally acknowledging I probably wasn't going to read that book I bought X years ago
> OR I probably really didn't need to keep that book I read once and would never read again even though I loved it A LOT that one time.
After the whole process, I had over 10 bags of books to part with. It was very cathartic.
So like any normal bibliophile, I admired my newly organized shelves, and then I began to wonder about the diversity of the books I decided to keep.
Whether we like to admit it or not, what we decide to display in our shelves is much like an online social profile. It lets people know who we are, what we value, what we know and what we might be interested in.
And outside of those shallow reasons, it's also important to just be a curious reader who isn't afraid to traverse all the different types of books out there. When you do (I know I do), you get exposed to different cultures, ideas, perspectives, lifestyles, historical periods, contemporary subjects, etc. You also learn about different forms of expression, creativity, genres, languages, etc. You just expand your awareness of EVERYTHING, and that's just fun!
So to help me out, I did a quick Google search and found this blogpost . It's was originally about children's books, but I made it work for me.
First up is ....
GEOGRAPHY
According to the post, reading books about different geographic locations is a must. It helps us become more aware of the world but also about the dangers of generalizations. These books represent the diversity of communities and cultures across place.
Here are 5 titles I still have that apply:
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
I first read this title in elementary school when I didn't necessarily understand that Maniac was white while the Beales are black. I'm pretty sure I also understood there were disparities in wealth and lifestyle, too. What I did love about the book was that Maniac needed a family, and the Beales gave him a home. He runs aways from a dysfunctional household to a functional one, across lines that people don't seem to be able to cross and into the arms of people who do. I've since reread it as an adult; it's lovely.
Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet and Sour Memoir of Eating in China by Fuschia Dunlop
I randomly picked this book at a local bookstore because I wanted to read more travel writing. Even 10 years later, I still think about it! Dunlop writes about 1990s China when foreign students are just beginning to be allowed inside. She really breaks down how much we culturally define and confine ourselves to our gastronomic identities. It's fun and eye-opening. It's made me a braver traveler at the dinner table.
A Personal Matter by Oe Kenzaburo
This is the book that taught me how the post-WW2 literature of Japan is BLEAK . Oe is one of Japan's 2 Novel Prize winners. The book is a dark, unsettling and intensive study of a man, Bird, who must determine whether he wants the responsibility of fatherhood at all.
Love, Anger, Madness: A Haitian Triptych by Marie Vieux-Chauvet
Gifted to me by someone who knows I'm an adventurous reader, this was another dark collection of novellas by the exiled Haitian writer Vieux-Chauvet about life under tyranny. At one point, I needed a break because the abuse described was just too much. The reason it's still on my shelf is because the book really made me consider how it's important to read and acknowledge the reality and trauma imposed upon generations by a violent dictatorship. Overall, what I took from the story was this: If the trauma runs so deep, what if any triumph might truly heal or even ease the scars?
Campfire Stories: Tales From America's National Parks Edited by Ilyssa and Dave Kyu
I rarely love anthologies, but I love this one. The editors traveled across six national parks in the USA to collect short stories, personal anecdotes, poems, songs and other facts. It's a wonderful collage of the history, culture and people who have shaped our parks. It made me want to visit more of them!
So let's end on that uplifting note!
Next up? Part 2 - Holidays and Festivals.
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