Summer reading: Sure, some of us like to read a thriller on the beach or immerse ourselves in romance novels by the pool, but where are my true crime girlfriends? Where are the book lovers who love essays that take us deep into the beauty industry? Then today’s newsletter is for you. Plus, we’ve got even more Riot Recs.
But first, books!
Book goods
Chef Bookends by Knob Creek Metal Arts
Here’s something for all my cookbook fans! These adorable bookends are perfect for any cookbook collection. $68
New publications
Carrie Carolyn Coco: My Friend, Her Murder, and an Obsession with the Unthinkable by Sarah Gerard
After her friend Carolyn Bush is brutally murdered in the fall of 2016, writer Sarah Gerard becomes obsessed with trying to figure out how it happened. Gerard conducts hundreds of hours of interviews, sifts through legal documents, and reads a seemingly endless number of newspaper articles to find answers. Eventually, she uncovers a shocking truth about her friend’s life.
Die Hot and With a Vengeance: Essays on Vanity by Sable Yong
Die hot and with all your might examines the beauty industry and its overwhelming demands. Sable Yong delves into the often strange world of beauty standards and shows how, even after all this time, society still insists that beauty is defined by the beholder.
A more comprehensive list of new releases can be found in our “New Books” newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Golem Girl by Riva Lehrer
As a person with a disability, I enjoy reading the stories of other disabled people and seeing how each one is their own unique creation. Golem GirlRiva Lehrer tells the story of being born with spina bifida. When she was born, there was very little support for parents with disabled children, and Lehrer internalized much of the disability-phobia she saw around her. But when she discovers a group of artists who use their work to express the deepest parts of their personality, Lehrer finds a new medium to process her feelings about her identity.
You get what you pay for by Morgan Parker
Literary great Morgan Parker has released a new collection of essays that explores Parker’s feelings of alienation in nearly every area of her life. She describes her life with depression and a deep sense of loneliness. Her experiences with disabilities impact every aspect of her life. She tells stories about her white therapist, who proved unhelpful in Parker’s experiences as a black woman with mental illness. In other essays, she expands on personal ideas and gives her readers a more comprehensive picture of black life in America. Morgan Parker is truly a gem of a writer and one with a unique perspective that is always worth reading.
