Say It Real Pretty

“Take my hand when you are worried/Take my hand when you're alone/
Take my hand and let me guide you/Take my hand to lead you home.” — Ben Harper

Clearly, I’m outta steam. Or is it gas? Whichever phase is closer to exhaustion, that’s the one that’s got me. I had big plans for a fitting Juneteenth post about Dolen Perkins-Valdez’s latest novel, Take My Hand. Her “jewel of a book” revolves around a horrific true story that took place in post-segregation Alabama nearly 50 years ago. Perkins-Valdez shines a light on the likes of brave Minnie Lee and Mary Alice Relf. I was previously unaware of the two African American sisters who were involuntarily sterilized by tubal ligation, at a federally funded family planning clinic no less. The fact that they were ages 12 and 14 sent me flying.

Perkins-Valdez knocked me for six with the timing of her book release. Her main character, Civil Townsend, is a strong, assertive, principled woman who maintains female bodies “belong to us…poor, disabled, it [doesn’t] matter.” Civil takes seriously Martin Luther King Jr’s reported last words (that inspired the novel’s title)—“Ben, make sure you play ‘Take My Hand, Precious Lord” in the meeting tonight. Play it real pretty”—in fact, she embodies them. Civil joins hands with the least among us and tries, with all the energy of her deep-beating heart, to understand. And Lift.

Posted by Tracy

In a World Where You Can Be Anything, Be a Reader

“I loved The Violin Conspiracy for exactly the same reasons I loved The Queen’s Gambit: a surprising, beautifully rendered underdog hero I cared about deeply and a fascinating, cutthroat world I knew nothing about—in this case, classical music.” —Chris Bohjalian

“Alone, we are a solitary violin, a lonely flute, a trumpet singing in the dark. Together, we are a symphony.”

I need to read. Need like a persistent itch that I’ve got to scratch or it will drive me insane. Hearing other people’s experiences (real or imagined), witnessing their personal stories up close, fills in the seams for me. Cracks and holes too—the ones news and social media (and frankly, some people) open up. Sometimes I simply need to escape. To transport my heart and mind to another place, like portable magic. Sometimes I feel utterly compelled to climb into someone else’s shoes, to see how they feel, only to walk around and get comfortable in a size 13. The fact is reading gives me a new set of eyes to see the world with.

Rayquan McMillian’s eyes felt illuminating to me. Illuminating like Richard Wright’s black boy, Zora Neal Hurston’s Janie Crawford, and Toni Morrison’s Milkman. Yes, The Violin Conspiracy is about a priceless Stradivarius, an unlikely virtuoso, and music that is the full spectrum of colors: golden, blue, red, green, and gray. Beyond that, it’s a coming- of-age story about a boy who course-corrects his future destined for the grind of poverty and, against all odds, replaces it with inconceivable but reachable dreams. This new release reminded me that life needs beautiful rhythm as much as it needs structure and familiarity. More importantly, the heart of Brendan Slocumb’s message is one we all need to hear right now: acceptance shouldn’t be reserved for a select group. Time to shake off archaic, sometimes unwitting, ideas about race (among other things) and belonging. Time to ditch whoever put the rat in rat race.

I know it’s unlikely, but I’d love to meet Bryan Stevenson sometime, Zora Neal, and Toni Morrison too. (God rest that woman’s beautiful soul.) I’m adding a newcomer to that list. I wouldn’t need but a few seconds of Brendan Slocumb’s time—just long enough to thank him for letting me see the world through his mature eyes.

Posted by Tracy

Historical Fiction Homerun

“Let us never underestimate the power of a well-written [book].” —Karen Joy Fowler

Rachel’s been hangin’ with my boys, Rocky and Ryland. And I couldn’t be happier about it. I think it’s safe to say her lovin’ heart pumped chocolate too as she listened to Ray Porter’s expressive voice enlarge Weir’s so-much-more-than-science story.  Project Hail Mary continues to be at the top of my 2022 favorites. I just finished a book that will also land squarely on that list.

 Am I late to the Karen Joy Fowler party or what? She’s a New York Times best-selling author, a PEN/Faulkner Award Winner, and a Man Booker Prize short-lister. Plus she loves Jane Austen. Seems like I should have connected with her via the well-written page long before now. Fowler just offered me a fascinating look into John Wilkes Booth’s chaotic family life and insight into the impossibly vain mind of Lincoln’s assassin.

“Yes, we know even before we turn the first page where the intertwined timelines of the Booths and American history will lead, but Fowler’s deftly imagined family portrait keeps us riveted”—I couldn’t agree more with this Washington Post reviewer. Fowler’s strategy to peek into the Booth family dysfunction through the eyes of 3 of John’s siblings works brilliantly.  Now I better understand where the brother-who-could-do-no-wrong got it dead wrong.

P.S. Literati, you’re gonna love how Fowler intricately weaves Shakespeare throughout this historical fiction homerun.

One more P.S. This made me think I should read my niece’s recommendation Chasing Lincoln’s Killer. Asap.

Posted by Tracy

Big Book Hankerin’

“Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?”—Henry Ward Beecher

Right on, Henry Ward, right on. I can get behind a guy who’s all about God’s love and books, books, and more books. Weeks ago, I got a big hankerin’ for some new reads. Entranced, my car headed west towards Barnes & Noble—I was powerless to turn around. The flesh was weak. Inside, when I read this claim about debut novel Shadows of Pecan Hollow, I felt defenseless: “Set in 1970-90s Texas, a mesmerizing story about a fierce woman and the partner-in-crime she can’t escape, perfect for listeners of Where the Crawdads Sing and Valentine.” They had me at the promise of “perfect” for listeners of Crawdads.

I liked 13-year-old orphan, Kit Walker. She’s lost—understandably so—but she’s gritty, determined, and has a backbone that commands both respect and envy. Of course, she’s a child, which means she’s also vulnerable. When Kit meets Manny, a charming con-artist, her life bolts from despairing to pretty twisted. I couldn’t agree more with the Publishers Weekly reviewer who explains, “Much melodrama ensues, including some gratuitous violence. Nevertheless, Frost offers plenty of punchy lines. It’s uneven, but there’s promise here.” Speaking of promise, I don’t think this was “perfect” for listeners of Where the Crawdads Sing. Nope, can’t go there. Crawdads was special. Sharee and I agree Pecan Hollow was entertaining. But in the great expanse of stars, it’s lost somewhere in the 3’s.

Posted by Tracy

Back in a Big Way

"Sometimes, the things we think are lost are only hidden, waiting to be rediscovered."

Sadly, we all have seasons in our lives when we're MIA from books for a minute. My book-starved season is now—the current hurdle of grad school has swallowed my dedicated reading time whole—instead I’ve been chewing on textbooks and research papers for the past nine months. My month-long semester break means I need to get in as many good reads as possible. I turned to my trusted ladies for a recent release that would start my month strong. As always, Rachel and Tray don't disappoint!

I first fell in love with Anthony Doerr's writing in the summer of 2016. On a commuter train from New York City to New Canaan, Connecticut, I devoured All The Light We Cannot See in two days. I could've finished it in hours if it weren't for a pesky, high-demand internship. Will it surprise that I’d go so far as to take the book into the bathroom to steal a page or two?!?

Similar to ATLWCS, Cloud Cuckoo Land is a brilliantly woven together tapestry of stories with a beautiful overarching message at the end. Set in Constantinople and the Bulgarian Forests during the 1450s with Anna and Omeir; Lakefront, Idaho in 2020 with Seymour and Zeno; and years into the “not-so-distant future” on space mission Argos with Konstance, Doerr details the story of those five characters whose lives are brought together in a single strand. All find their way to the translations of the Greek tale of Atheon (Cloud Cuckoo Land)—a shepherd on a quest to find the city of dreams in a cloud. It may sound like a bad bar joke, but in true Doerr fashion, the book is paced out to come to a point in the five individuals' lives that showcase how transformative and influential books and stories can be.

Cloud Cuckoo Land rekindled my love of reading quicker than you can say veracious. Doerr took me back to those days of trying to squeeze out every moment possible to turn great pages. I wouldn't call the first 150-200 pages slow, but I would call them steady. A wealth of information is shared upfront for the reader to remember as the story picks up in the next 400—a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Of note: This book would be tough to Audible because there are essentially five different stories you’re jumping back and forth between – click the link above and get yourself a physical copy! You won’t be sorry. One more thing, I've been asked if this book is better than All The Light We Cannot See. I stand in Tracy's camp that ATLWCS is a timeless classic. But Cloud Cuckoo Land is a brilliant way to rediscover a good story.

Posted by Michelle

Finger Flippers

“In the times of greatest darkness, the light always shines through, because there are people who stand up to do brave, decent things…it doesn't matter what you were born to be. It matters what you choose to become.” —Kristin Harmel, The Forest of Vanishing Stars

Is Rae talkin’ book besties? She’s forever mine. When it comes to the very best pages, she has yet to steer me wrong—Rae put the rock in rock-solid, folks. I can’t wait to get eyeballs on her latest recommendations. Love me the good stuff. Meanwhile, here are a few of my latest reads that qualify as “finger flippers.”

Lucy’s makin a name for herself

Sharee and I both pounced on this late-February release. I’ve never read a Lucy Foley novel, not one, so I thought I’d give her a try. She had me turning pages. And she had me guessing. How ‘bout we let a dedicated crime fiction blogger do the honors for this cloak-and-dagger novel? “The Paris Apartment reads like a cross between Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, Riley Sager’s novel Lock Every Door, and the game of Clue; this immersive mystery delights and thrills in equal measure, weaving an engrossing tale that will keep readers guessing whodunnit until the book’s final pages.” Me and Sharee agree—this little thriller warrants 4 stars for plot twists alone.

P.S. This probably isn’t well suited for your mom’s book-of-the-month selection; a somewhat steady stream of f-bombs get dropped in the chic Parisian apartment building where everyone’s a suspect. 

Kwame’s got game

We’ve been accused of not reviewing enough children’s lit here at 2@27. Guilty as charged. Forgive me, and thank my 14-year-old boy, Jonah, who procrastinated his English assignment and had to read a book in less than 24. My first thought: You know I’m an English teacher, right? What I verbalized: Should we listen to The Crossover? Jonah was game. The main character Josh Bell, a twin brother and baller at heart, felt totally relatable to Mista Jones. We both loved Kwame’s “mad beats.” Poetry in forward motion. Here’s a fantastic snippet, an ode to Josh’s hair:

If my hair were a tree

I’d climb it.

I’d kneel down beneath

and enshrine it.

I’d treat it like gold

and then mine it.

Each day before school

I unwind it.

And right before games

I entwine it.

These locks on my head,

I designed it.

And one last thing if

you don’t mind it:

That bet you just made?

I DECLINE IT.

I think anyone who can get kids to love a book written entirely in free verse poetry deserves a medal—glad Newberry thought so too. Personally, I love the theme that even imperfect families are where it’s at.

Kristin does it again

Why do I feel like Kristin Harmel and I should be fast friends? Because we’re equally obsessed with Nazi Germany? Uniformly preoccupied with remarkable stories of survival against all odds that ultimately inspire hope and other glorious feelings? Really the only difference between us is she actually writes motivating stories and I just think about it. I find, like me, she is a teacher. In The Book of Lost Names, she taught me about the value of forgers for Jewish children trying to escape the evils of the Nazi regime. In The Forest of Vanishing Stars (also based on true events), I learned about courageous partisan fighters who risked their lives to hide Jewish refugees in the depths of the wild Naliboki Forest. To the British author who said this story will “touch, educate, transform, and uplift,” Ima holla back, Amen!

Posted by Tracy

My Heart Pumped Chocolate for Project Hail Mary

Move over Bill Nye, there’s a new science guy in town. I’m not a science fiction lover—not by any stretch of the intergalactic imagination—but Andy Weir has gone completely interstellar with his latest: Project Hail Mary. I know we mete out stars to let you know just how shiny and memorable a read is, but maybe we should rank books by how very much we miss the friends we made in them.

I hate to admit that I finished this supernova novel two months ago (and I’m just now blogging about it), but man I miss Ryland Grace, a disillusioned molecular biologist masquerading as a sorta hip Jr. High school teacher. And space alien/engineer Rocky—I’ve missed him a bunch too. One reviewer said this about my buddy Rocky: “As far as I’m concerned, Weir’s alien, Rocky, from the hot, gassy planet Erid, is a stroke of genius and it sets the narrative and this novel apart. Nothing about this alien is, well, properly alien-like, the way popular culture has established….I really liked Rocky and my heart pumped chocolate for him.”

Novels about the end of the world can feel like garden-variety stories. Yes, Weir’s premise revolves around saving the solar system. Yes, time is of the essence because a microorganism called Astrophage is essentially eating the sun. And yes, billions of people’s lives hang in the balance with an impending Ice Age chilling faint hearts. That’s semi-standard fare for Sci-Fi, no? So what makes Project Hail Mary so remarkable? For starters, Weir wrote, “For John, Paul, George and Ringo” on the dedication page. (You’ll see why—perfect for across the Universe stuff.) Turns out, the former computer programmer turned novelist can create anticipation. His story starts with this hook: “What’s two plus two?” Grace follows with, “Something about this question irritates me. I’m tired. I drift back to sleep. A few minutes pass, then I hear it again. What’s two plus two?” I’m interested, are you? You’ll be riveted throughout, especially if you’re listening to PHM—I don’t know who Ray Porter is, but he cut a whole lotta mustard in his audible performance. In fact, he earned The Top Listen of 2021. Porter definitely added to the metagalactic magic. And then there’s my friends, my relatable, I-get-by-with-a-little-help-from-my friends. I miss you boys. So much so, that I’ll be sure to tune in again. Soon.

Posted by Tracy

Rock-Solid Reads

“My mama say education will give me a voice. I want more than just a voice, Ms. Tia. I want a louding voice,” I say. “I want to enter a room and people will hear me even before I open my mouth to be speaking. I want to live in this life and help many people so that when I grow old and die, I will still be living through the people I am helping.” —Abi Daré, The Girl with the Louding Voice

I’ve got two new book besties: Jenna Bush Hager and Barack Obama. Reese and I have had a bit of a falling out of late, but Jenna and Barack, we’re rock-solid. They’ve yet to steer me wrong. Here are four of the Read with Jenna picks I can’t stop thinking about. You’ve got next, Barack. Ladies first.

Favorite Listen of 2021

Had I done a Best Of for 2021, this beauty would’ve taken top prize in the listen category. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, should read this book. Which is why it’s been my most gifted book of the year so far. Hard to sum it up better than Jeanine Cummins, author of another favorite of mine: “The girl with the louding voice is a character for the ages. Adunni is a girl who narrates her own suffering with levity, who paints depth and texture and beauty into her Nigerian homeland, who tenderly cultivates her own humanity even while everything around her seeks to thwart it. She is an ambassador for girls everywhere. She is important, funny, brave, and enduring. Abi Daré has written an unforgettable novel, by the strength of her own louding voice.”

Best Memoir 2021

Seems to be a day of bests. I would add a caveat here, only because declaring bests always makes me nervous: this wins favorite new memoir I read last year. It must be said that I equally loved one written a few years ago that I waited way too long to read: Born a Crime. You can read Sharee’s review of that winner here. But back to Beautiful Country. It’s so good it landed on both Jenna and Barack’s lists. I love this description by Gish Jen: “Heartrending, unvarnished, and powerfully courageous, this account of growing up undocumented in America will never leave you.” I know it hasn’t left me.

Amor does it again.

Another Jenna and Barack crossover. Seems Michelle and George aren’t the only Bush/Obama besties. A Gentleman in Moscow remains my favorite Amor Towles to date, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t love every page of this one. Pardon me while I let Ann Patchett (man, I love her) tell you why you should read this book: “Welcome to the enormous pleasure that is The Lincoln Highway, a big book of camaraderie and adventure in which the miles fly by and the pages turn fast. Set over the course of ten riveting days, the story of these four boys unfolds, refolds, tears, and is taped back together. When you aren’t actually reading the book, you’ll be worrying about the characters, so you might as well stay in your chair and keep reading.”

Family Saga with a Twist

This was probably my least favorite of the four, but considering how much I loved the other three, that’s not a fatal criticism. It’s still well-worth the read. I found the premise intriguing: while we can’t choose what we inherit, can we choose what we become? At times clunky—mostly due to trying to cover one too many social issues—it explores its premise well and leaves us with a beautiful family saga rich in culture, courage, and the sheer force of will. Not to mention a nice helping of murder mystery on the side. Word has it it’s soon to be a series on Hulu. Sign me up!

Posted by Rachel