This or That Reading Challenge discussion

This: A book you got for free, this includes books that were gifts.
or
That: A book by an BIPOC author.

For July I chose "That: A book by an BIPOC (black, indigenous, people of color) author", and read The Essential Gwendolyn Brooks by Gwendolyn Brooks. It's a poetry collection, and captured a wide swath of poems over the author's 50 year career. There were a number of beautiful poems about life where the author lived, but what was most powerful were some that commented on the persecution of Blacks in America. The sad truth that even though written over 50 years ago, still many of the same challenges that remain today. 4 1/4 stars.

Oof, I've fallen so far behind.

I chose This: The Book of Azrael
The Book of Azrael by Amber Nicole. Got it for free from BookSirens as a review book :)

I forgot to post in July, but I read "Call us What we Carry" by Amanda Gorman. I don't typically read poetry, so I was trying to expand my horizons a bit. Her poems were mostly about social justice, race, covid, isolation, and the human experience. They were alternately elegant and raw, though always powerful and real.

to clarify, my book choice falls into the "that" category :)

I got to see Amanda Gorman at the LA Times Festival of Books a couple of months back. Gorman did an interview and read a poem, both of which showcased Gorman’s talents. Glad to hear it was good.