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Chapter 9: Mutuality — The Heart of Love is another good chapter. I wish I could make my parents generation read it. I do think Bell Hooks suffers a little from a lack of definition around what forgiveness must look like to then allow more love in the world. I don't like the blind idea of "learn to forgive in order to learn how to love." Perhaps more accurately is to learn how to understand.

Chapter 8: Community — Loving Communion is a beautiful pairing to chapter 7. Again, I find myself wishing for a lot more depth in this book, and I'd especially enjoy a chapter exploring the way we perceive romantic relationships as priority over others.

Chapters 5&6 lost me a bit, especially the chapter on spirituality, which I felt lacked adequate depth and made very sweeping statements. Chapter 7 has struck a chord with me, however, and is definitely one I want to come back to. When I get time I definitely need to journal about the place that materialism and greed has in my life and dreams, and replace it with love.

Chapter Four: Commitment — Let Love be Love in me has been my favourite so far. Once again, I am learning nothing new, but this book is burning in me a desire to take true action over my life. And it's true that self love cannot be found alone — just as is taught in this chapter, my best friend Bex taught me the value of sanctuary, & my best friend Sadie taught me the role of work in self love

Chapter Three: Honesty - Be True to Love was a real eyeopener. Again, not learning anything new but the way in which things are being framed really allows space for personal reflection. Lying as a patriarchal tool particularly in absence of financial domination is not something I've been conscious of, only in bits and pieces. I resonate with the idea that trying to avoid conflict is preventing my reception of love

Chapter Two: Justice — Childhood Love Lessons was good. Whilst it didn't necessarily teach me anything new or bring in a perspective I had not considered prior, it did offer a great structural framework to continue to mediate about how we treat children in society.

I want to track how I'm reacting to this book as I read it, so I'm going to try review this every chapter or two. I've just finished chapter two (clarity: words about love) and it has already impacted me deeply. Learning about cathexis and differentiating it from love really helps to shift perspective on how to receive love as somebody who struggles to remember that my loved ones actually love me.

I'll be so real, I'm starting to struggle with this book. More in the middle section, I just feel like it gets a bit boring and erratic, perhaps sometimes falling short of what I enjoy in autobiographies (poetic introspection.) The book feels real though, Jim Kirk feels like a flawed human being. I guess he's just flawed in a way that kind of turns me off of him 💀

JUST READ GUSSY AND THE BOSS, SAM SELVON WHY DO YOU HATE ME?

Just finished the Trinidad portion of this short story anthology. Sam Selvon is a masterful storyteller, and I love his use of voice and tone. The Village Washer and A Drink of Water have been my favourite so far, although the ending of Wartime Activities was a highlight! Can't wait to read the London portion next.

I can't stop reading this 😫 so nice to finally be into a book again after a 4 month slump

I booked a room at work so I could secretly read for an hour because I am addicted to this book