“Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight” by Alexandra Fuller
Title: Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood Author: Alexandra Fuller ISBN: 9780375758997 Pages: 336 Release date: March 11, […]
“To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
Set in fictional Maycomb County in 1930s Alabama, To Kill a Mockingbird is narrated by young Scout Finch, who is generally more interested in finding treasures and scrapping with her brother, Jem, than in the Great Depression or Jim Crow. But tension in the Deep South is unavoidable, especially when your dad is Mr. Renaissance Man himself. Atticus Finch is representing Tom Robinson, a black man accused of sexual assault by an impoverished white girl. Scout is young, but already she struggles with biases inherited from members of this insular community. As she observes the tumult caused by the trial, and as she deals with her own demons, Scout learns that people aren’t always as they appear.
“I Am Forbidden” by Anouk Markovits
There are some books that are so good, as soon as you finish reading you’re ready to tell the world exactly what you loved about it; the words have been forming in your mind the whole time.
I Am Forbidden may not be one of those books.
It’s a book that you read obsessively—it takes over your thoughts—and quickly—because you have to know what happens, you have to stay with these characters. Yet when you put it down, you don’t know how to explain the book, much less why you loved it.
Wordless Wednesday: Hahnemann Memorial
Recently, I discovered this monument on a lunch-break perambulation. Dedicated to Samuel C. F. Hahnemann, a German physician and the founder of homeopathic school of medicine, this colorful memorial has been around since 1900… and I only just opened my eyes and saw it. Living in DC is like walking the pages of a history book.
“What Language Is” by John McWhorter
Title: What Language Is: And What It Isn’t and What It Could Be Author: John McWhorter ISBN: 9781592406258 Pages: 240 Release date: […]
“Next to Love” by Ellen Feldman
Babe, Millie, and Grace have been friends for as long as they can remember. They have their differences—pugnacious Babe grew up in the poor section of town and never met with approval from Grace’s upper-class mother, while sweet Millie dealt with the loss of her parents at a young age. But now, as World War II summons their husbands and boyfriends, the women must come to terms with the reality of an America at war, where romance and joy are replaced with grief and loss and then with strength and wisdom.
“On This Spot” by Douglas Evelyn and Paul Dickson
This guide to the historical landmarks of D.C. succeeds in presenting a thoroughly unique viewpoint of the city and its long and colorful history. Through a combination of anecdotes and images of historical sites — both existing and long gone — each destination has its own story, ranging from the political to the criminal. Dividing the city by neighborhood, rather than into walking paths, this portable little book is indispensable for anyone interested in the history behind the geography.
Melody Schreiber 