686 books
—
603 voters
to-read
(860)
currently-reading (0)
read (3477)
women (1954)
read-post-ma (1447)
didn-t-finish (1356)
history (1310)
biography (1126)
audio (908)
read-post-college (642)
historical-fiction (542)
world-war-ii (439)
currently-reading (0)
read (3477)
women (1954)
read-post-ma (1447)
didn-t-finish (1356)
history (1310)
biography (1126)
audio (908)
read-post-college (642)
historical-fiction (542)
world-war-ii (439)
japanese-american
(345)
read-for-phd (320)
disability (311)
read-during-phd (306)
read-pre-college (268)
incarceration (230)
interracial (220)
read-for-ma (218)
kidlit (213)
race (213)
nature (191)
animal (169)
read-for-phd (320)
disability (311)
read-during-phd (306)
read-pre-college (268)
incarceration (230)
interracial (220)
read-for-ma (218)
kidlit (213)
race (213)
nature (191)
animal (169)
“Writers remember everything...especially the hurts. Strip a writer to the buff, point to the scars, and he'll tell you the story of each small one. From the big ones you get novels. A little talent is a nice thing to have if you want to be a writer, but the only real requirement is the ability to remember the story of every scar.
Art consists of the persistence of memory.”
― Misery
Art consists of the persistence of memory.”
― Misery
“How can I tell a story we already know too well? Her name was Africa. His was France. He colonized her, exploited her, silenced her, and even decades after it was supposed to have ended, still acted with a high hand in resolving her affairs in places like Côte d'Ivoire, a name she had been given because of her export products, not her own identity.
Her name was Asia. His was Europe. Her name was silence. His was power. Her name was poverty. His was wealth. Her name was Her, but what was hers? His name was His, and he presumed everything was his, including her, and he thought be could take her without asking and without consequences. It was a very old story, though its outcome had been changing a little in recent decades. And this time around the consequences are shaking a lot of foundations, all of which clearly needed shaking.
Who would ever write a fable as obvious, as heavy-handed as the story we've been given?
...
His name was privilege, but hers was possibility. His was the same old story, but hers was a new one about the possibility of changing a story that remains unfinished, that includes all of us, that matters so much, that we will watch but also make and tell in the weeks, months, years, decades to come.”
― Men Explain Things to Me
Her name was Asia. His was Europe. Her name was silence. His was power. Her name was poverty. His was wealth. Her name was Her, but what was hers? His name was His, and he presumed everything was his, including her, and he thought be could take her without asking and without consequences. It was a very old story, though its outcome had been changing a little in recent decades. And this time around the consequences are shaking a lot of foundations, all of which clearly needed shaking.
Who would ever write a fable as obvious, as heavy-handed as the story we've been given?
...
His name was privilege, but hers was possibility. His was the same old story, but hers was a new one about the possibility of changing a story that remains unfinished, that includes all of us, that matters so much, that we will watch but also make and tell in the weeks, months, years, decades to come.”
― Men Explain Things to Me
“Scars are just another kind of memory.”
― The Light Between Oceans
― The Light Between Oceans
“I knew that some victims of powerful self-loathing turn out to be dangerous, violent, reproducing the enemy who has humiliated them over and over. Others surrender their identity; melt into a structure that delivers the strong persona they lack. Most others, however, grow beyond it. But there are some who collapse, silently, anonymously, with no voice to express or acknowledge it. They are invisible. The death of self-esteem can occur quickly, easily in children, before their ego has “legs,” so to speak. Couple the vulnerability of youth with indifferent parents, dismissive adults, and a world, which, in its language, laws, and images, re-enforces despair, and the journey to destruction is sealed.”
― The Bluest Eye
― The Bluest Eye
“Our family used to be like this strong cup,” thought Francie. “It was whole and sound and held things well. When papa died, the first crack came. And this fight tonight made another crack. Soon there will be so many cracks that the cup will break and we'll all be pieces instead of the whole thing together. I don't want this to happen, yet I'm deliberately making a deep crack.”
― A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
― A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
The History Book Club
— 25773 members
— last activity 7 hours, 19 min ago
"Interested in history - then you have found the right group". The History Book Club is the largest history and nonfiction group on Goodread ...more
Goodreads Librarians Group
— 305895 members
— last activity 0 minutes ago
Goodreads Librarians are volunteers who help ensure the accuracy of information about books and authors in the Goodreads' catalog. The Goodreads Libra ...more
Selena’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Selena’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
More friends…
Favorite Genres
Polls voted on by Selena
Lists liked by Selena

















































