Diversishelf Newsletter #14, 15 Apr 2024
Hello and welcome back to Diversishelf!
This week we have such a variety of genres: memoirs, horror, epic fantasy, translated literature — truly something for everybody! Please bear with the low resolution of some of the covers this week, sometimes these are the only versions we find available online.
The recommendations this time come from yours trurly, Victor, and my amazing co-editor Ailey. Scroll all the way to the end to check them out!
Some of these books contain sensitive themes. Please check content warnings before purchasing and reading these titles.
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The Band by Christine Ma-Kellams — Out 16 Apr 24 US
Info & Order — US link
To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods by Molly X Chang — Out 16 Apr 24 US/18 Apr 24 UK
Info & Order — US link & UK link
Immortal Pleasures by V Castro — Out 16 Apr 24
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Withered by A.G.A. Wilmot — Out 16 Apr 24 US
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Butter by Asako Yuzuki — Out 16 Apr 24 US/Out Now UK
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The Long Hallway by Richard Scott Larson — Out 16 Apr 24
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Dear Bi Men: A Black Man’s Perspective on Power, Consent, Breaking Down Binaries, and Combating Erasure by JR Yussuf — Out 16 Apr 24
Info & Order — US link & UK link
Hood Wellness: Tales of Communal Care from People Who Drowned on Dry Land by Tamela Gordon — Out 18 Apr 24 US
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Weird Black Girls by Elwin Cotman — Out 16 Apr 24 US
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The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain by Sofia Samatar — Out 16 Apr 24 US
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Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao — Out 16 Apr 24 US
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While We Were Burning by Sara Koffi — Out 16 Apr 24 US/25 Apr 24 UK
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A Kind of Madness by Uche Okunkwo — Out 16 Apr 24 US
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Sheine Lende by Darcie Little Badger — Out 16 Apr 24 US
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When I Think of You by Myah Ariel — Out 16 Apr 24
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One of Us Knows by Alyssa Cole — Out 16 Apr 24 US/25 Apr 24 UK
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Committed: On Meaning and Madwomen by Suzanne Scanlon — Out 16 Apr 24 US/25 Apr 24 UK
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Henry Henry by Allen Bratton — Out 16 Apr 24 US/02 May 24 UK
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Moon Dust in My Hairnet by JR Creaden — Out 19 Apr 24 US
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Team’s recommendations
I Can’t Talk about the Trees Without the Blood by Tiana Clark
Info & Order — US link
Ailey’s recommendation: In a world where every leaf holds a narrative, “I Can’t Talk About The Trees Without The Blood” by Tiana Clark emerges as a towering testament to poetic brilliance. Clark’s prose resonates with emotional rawness and truth, echoing through the annals of history and culture, beckoning us to listen, to feel, to comprehend. Within the melodic lines of her verses, Clark invites us to delve into the depths of colonialism, ancestry, and identity, seamlessly interweaving Trinidadian folklore and spirituality with an intimacy that captivates and transforms. With every poem, she unveils the layers of our shared experiences and pains, exposing the wounds of the past and paths by which we might heal them. Reading these poems, I found myself utterly captivated by Clark’s skill in merging the personal with the political, the tangible with the transcendental. Her poems serve as a testament to the potency of narrative, gently reminding us that poetry possesses the capacity to traverse time and space, to mend scars, and to kindle revolutions. For those who seek solace amidst the shadows, for those yearning to reclaim their voice, “I Can’t Talk About The Trees Without The Blood” serves as a beacon of hope in a world often shrouded in silence. It is a tender ode to the marginalized, a fervent call to arms for the oppressed, a testament to the enduring resilience of humanity. Within this book lie both the echoes of days gone by and the seeds of a brighter tomorrow. In honor of National Poetry Month, I encourage you to pick up a copy of this collection and consider its message that we must articulate the unspoken. For, as Tiana Clark vocalizes, “I Can’t Talk About The Trees Without The Blood,” and neither should we.
The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi
Info & Order — US link & UK link
Victor's recommendation: A rough but necessary read, this book tells the story of the death of a young, trans nigerian person. The narrator takes us through not only their life, but the history of their parents, their aunts and uncles, their grandparents, their neighbours and school friends, and essentially their whole village, showing us (instead of just telling us) the environment that Vivek struggled against during their short life. Needless to say, it’s not a story with a happy ending, yet I think it’s one that is very much needed, both because it is beautifully told, and because it is very real and very plausible. The Death of Vivek Oji reminds us that there is no length too great to go to to ensure that trans people’s lives are protected and understood, and that invisibility and lack of understand are still one of the biggest threats to trans people’s safety.
Read Victor’s original review here (Instagram.com)
Thoughts? Comments? Or simply want to keep in touch? Email us at diversishelf@gmail.com, or find us at @diversishelf on Instagram. The next issue will be out on Monday, April 22. In the meantime, why not reach out with a comment, or share this with your friends?
