A book review rarely leads to a segment on
The 11th Hour with Brian Williams, but that’s what happened to Nate Marshall last month. I love how he combines a traditional review with a personal essay a hybrid form that has become my favorite subgenre of criticism.
“The presidential memoir so often falls flat because it works against the strengths of the memoir form. Rather than take a slice of one’s life to lay bare and come to a revelation about the self or the world, the presidential memoir seeks to take the sum of a life to defend one’s actions. These sorts of memoirs are an attempt maybe not to rewrite history, but to situate history in the most rosy frame. It is by nature defensive and in this book, we see Obama’s primary defensive tool, his prodigious mind and proclivity toward over-considering every detail.”
Racial justice activist on why she fights for representation in politics When I was talking to Congressman John Lewis, it was almost as if he was passing the Baton to me. He was like, Here you go, it s your turn now.
Image: sade green/ mashable
2020-12-21 11:00:00 UTC
Moving forward requires focus. Mashable s Social Good Series is dedicated to exploring pathways to a greater good, spotlighting issues that are essential to making the world a better place.
In 2017, Olusade Sade Green was wandering, lost, through the halls of the United States Capitol Building when she happened upon on of America s icons, the late Congressman John Lewis. Stunned, she decided this was her chance to meet one of her heroes â an early leader of the Civil Rights movement â so she hung around until his conversation was over and introduced herself. He invited her to have a private conversation, shared advice, and impacted her political aspirations for years after.
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Canceled events, publishing delays, shuttered bookstores in many ways, 2020 was an awful year for Chicago writers. But it was a fantastic year for Chicago readers, at least when it comes to new fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. To keep this list manageable, I ve limited it to books with a strong emphasis on the city itself. That means you won t see books set elsewhere, like Natasha Trethewey s
Memorial Drive and Kathleen Rooney s
Hood Feminism. Nonetheless, here are my favorite Chicago-focused books of 2020, available at an independent bookstore near you.