I will check back for everyone's suggestions because right now I'm reading Fae Romance and make zero apologies for it! I am so full of rage right now and I can't touch overtly political things at the moment🤷♀️ I am happy to put the books i recommend in a reply to this if anyone is with me on the Fae Romance 🤣🔥🤣
Recs for Fae romances- "Bride" by Ali Hazelwood, "Filthy Rich Fae" by Geneva Lee, ACOTAR- whole series but particularly Book 5 and Crescent City Book 1- but he's not Fae, more like bat boy🤣🔥🤣 i didn't like book 2/3 of Cresent City but I feel 1 is worth the read🤔
I'm reading The Bulwark, Damon Linker, Heather Cox Richardson, Steven Bechloss, and Matt Labash. They are all helping me make sense of where we are now and where we are headed. Oh, and Letters from God for some comic relief.
ProPublica and Emily Amick’s “Emily in Your Phone” have been some go-to resources for me. I also like to read BBC and Al Jazeera for ex-US based takes on the US
All excellent choices that I subscribe to (except for Kinzinger, and I'll try him out.) I would add Jay Kuo, Joyce Vance, Seth Abramson, and Andy Borowitz, Adam Parkhomenko and Sam Youngman, and God to the Substack list. The first three area in the HCR/Reich/Mary Trump vein, and the last three are in Tiedrich's camp, with lots of gallows humor and swearing. And Jessica Valenti on all things abortion related.
I'm subscribing to more Substack writers (like you), and digging into theological resources about God's call for justice. Nadia Bolz-Bolz-Weber, for one. Books: "God is a Black Woman" by Christena Cleveland, and Barbara Brown Taylor's "An Altar in the World.
The Intercept. They are COMMITTED to ethical and reliable journalism. They have had articles looking into AIPAC, Trump’s machinations and Project 2025.
All About Love by bell hooks and Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit are offering my solace and a way through. Reminding me of my values and what I can do for the people I care about.
My drug of choice is cheap Regency romances; I've just started one that's riffing on Rumpelstiltskin.
Other than that, I read the Guardian, several Substack newsletters, the NYT and Washington Post; I considered unsubbing, but I think I have an annual subscription. I'd like to subscribe to Zeteo, but with the exchange rate AU-USD at the moment - and I'm unemployed - it's that or eat.
I'm heartened by the fact that so many of the people in my community - spinners, knitters, weavers, sewers - take for granted that OF COURSE we're upset about the US election, even though, by assuming that, they may very well lose customers. Although, I do find it hard to imagine a MAGA peacefully sitting at a spinning wheel, spinning rainbow piles of fluff.
I devoured Talia Lavin's latest book "Wild Faith" when it came out last month and have been stewing on it since. I've also been reading and listening to a lot of 404 Media's reporting on tech and privacy, which is former Vice Motherboard reporters and editors doing a subscription-funded independent version of what they were doing before Vice went bankrupt and laid off most of its talent.
I bought "Wild Faith" back in April for prerelease and was totally surprised when it suddenly showed up on my Kindle last month! I started reading it but it just made me too angry/scared to continue... I'll pick it back up in a few months maybe when I've gotten over the election.
Emily in Your Phone, Jessica Valenti, anything by Tressie McMillan Cottom, Hmm that’s Interesting- I particularly loved Clara’s piece on evenings she published on Election Day- tied in well with all the dark time in America imagery of Kamala’s concession speech.
And reading the wonderful book The Fall of Whit Rivera by Crystal Maldonado- MC is Puerto Rican, bi, fat senior in HS with PCOS- love interest is Black skater- they plan Fall Fest together and discover their breakup in 8th grade was based on misunderstanding. Also has a lot of the nostalgia of leaving friends to go to college, autistic rep with her sister, inter generational family as she’s raised by her Abuela and lots of traditional Puerto Rican foods mentioned!
Yes to Tressie. I have eschewed all post-mortems on the election except for hers. If you're not a Black woman I just don't give a shit what you have to say about Kamala's campaign or the Democratic Party for the foreseeable future.
On Tyranny by T. Snyder. Recommended by Jess Piper, author of another Substack I follow. I am also going to actually read the constitution and remind my elected officials at the national level what it says
The Message, because anything by Ta-nehisi Coates go to the top of the must-read stack. I'll pore over the recommendations here today for reprioritizing the rest of my stack.
As for news, I've been reflecting upon the comments here and heard elsewhere, about how the "golden" days of evening news on only three channels was the height of bipartisanship and good governance et al. Mmm. Look, I came of age last century with a political science major + journalism minor. Dixville Notch will always be my porn star name. Do not @ me re: "FOUR wrong answers!" I nonetheless believe we're in a better media place now -- the voices excluded from those nightly 30 minutes may not be on equitable footing just yet, but they can be heard now. Manufactured consensus is not in our best interests (presuming Lyz-heads are not billionaires, but hey, you do you if so) as a civilization, never mind as a community. I don't miss the crappy local newspapers that were full of society pages and photos of accomplishments too many readers were prevented from attaining. Maybe it's more like when the big cities had multiple (dozens, even) daily newspapers and there was it was closer to something for everyone. May the gray flannel suits we burn light the way? Anywhoodles, my media jams include MYaM (duh), Al-Jazeera, Democracy Now, FAIR, several excellent Guardian columnists, the 19th, and Truthout, but there's still room for more. As for legacy media and the nightly news, ugh. We live the consequences of the elite's rule, so I don't need to hear someone with nice teeth recite their press releases, too.
I will check back for everyone's suggestions because right now I'm reading Fae Romance and make zero apologies for it! I am so full of rage right now and I can't touch overtly political things at the moment🤷♀️ I am happy to put the books i recommend in a reply to this if anyone is with me on the Fae Romance 🤣🔥🤣
I feel you. I am half way between scared to death and wanting to kick people’s ass in rage.
Also, SISTERS: you all need to read “Unlocking Women’s Health: FemTech and the Quest for Gender Equity” by Dr. Brittany Barreto
Please share recs, am begging you.
The Folk of Air series by Holly Black is so good.
Oh, good choice!
Recs for Fae romances- "Bride" by Ali Hazelwood, "Filthy Rich Fae" by Geneva Lee, ACOTAR- whole series but particularly Book 5 and Crescent City Book 1- but he's not Fae, more like bat boy🤣🔥🤣 i didn't like book 2/3 of Cresent City but I feel 1 is worth the read🤔
Also, the Elemental series by Sharon Shinn
I’m readying a cozy fantasy so I’m right there with you, no apologies
Well, my mind worked the same way. I am now on book two of the Court of Thorns and Roses series, and I am deeply comforted.
I am reading the Everflame series and I am loving it. The first book is Spark of the Everflame.
404Media, ProPublica, ErinintheMorning, Popular Information, Grist, The Marshall Project, Black Girl in Maine, and anything Tom Tomorrow writes.
I'm reading The Bulwark, Damon Linker, Heather Cox Richardson, Steven Bechloss, and Matt Labash. They are all helping me make sense of where we are now and where we are headed. Oh, and Letters from God for some comic relief.
ProPublica and Emily Amick’s “Emily in Your Phone” have been some go-to resources for me. I also like to read BBC and Al Jazeera for ex-US based takes on the US
I too started hitting BBC and Al Jazeera during the pandemic for perspective (and news) from over the ocean.
Same. Very helpful
I read Salon,. I also read Jewish Currents for lefty Jewish perspectives. And Electronic Intifada for Palestinian perspectives.
For trans stuff, I read Julia Serano. I especially recommend her book Whipping Girl. It's basically trans 101.
Of course, MYAM!
Heather Cox Richardson, Robert Reich, Jeff Tiedrich, Dan Rather, Adam Kinzinger, Mary L. Trump.
Same, minus Kinzinger, and adding Marc Elias (not for his scintillating prose, but because somebody smart has to be defending, you know, democracy.
All excellent choices that I subscribe to (except for Kinzinger, and I'll try him out.) I would add Jay Kuo, Joyce Vance, Seth Abramson, and Andy Borowitz, Adam Parkhomenko and Sam Youngman, and God to the Substack list. The first three area in the HCR/Reich/Mary Trump vein, and the last three are in Tiedrich's camp, with lots of gallows humor and swearing. And Jessica Valenti on all things abortion related.
I'm subscribing to more Substack writers (like you), and digging into theological resources about God's call for justice. Nadia Bolz-Bolz-Weber, for one. Books: "God is a Black Woman" by Christena Cleveland, and Barbara Brown Taylor's "An Altar in the World.
The Intercept. They are COMMITTED to ethical and reliable journalism. They have had articles looking into AIPAC, Trump’s machinations and Project 2025.
Just ordered
https://bookshop.org/p/books/rage-becomes-her-the-power-of-women-s-anger-soraya-chemaly/6690645
All About Love by bell hooks and Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit are offering my solace and a way through. Reminding me of my values and what I can do for the people I care about.
Just started reading Talia Lavin's new book Wild Faith (Her other book Culture Warlords is also incredible.)
My drug of choice is cheap Regency romances; I've just started one that's riffing on Rumpelstiltskin.
Other than that, I read the Guardian, several Substack newsletters, the NYT and Washington Post; I considered unsubbing, but I think I have an annual subscription. I'd like to subscribe to Zeteo, but with the exchange rate AU-USD at the moment - and I'm unemployed - it's that or eat.
I'm heartened by the fact that so many of the people in my community - spinners, knitters, weavers, sewers - take for granted that OF COURSE we're upset about the US election, even though, by assuming that, they may very well lose customers. Although, I do find it hard to imagine a MAGA peacefully sitting at a spinning wheel, spinning rainbow piles of fluff.
I love Regency novels! Courtney Milan's have incredible social commentary
I devoured Talia Lavin's latest book "Wild Faith" when it came out last month and have been stewing on it since. I've also been reading and listening to a lot of 404 Media's reporting on tech and privacy, which is former Vice Motherboard reporters and editors doing a subscription-funded independent version of what they were doing before Vice went bankrupt and laid off most of its talent.
I bought "Wild Faith" back in April for prerelease and was totally surprised when it suddenly showed up on my Kindle last month! I started reading it but it just made me too angry/scared to continue... I'll pick it back up in a few months maybe when I've gotten over the election.
Emily in Your Phone, Jessica Valenti, anything by Tressie McMillan Cottom, Hmm that’s Interesting- I particularly loved Clara’s piece on evenings she published on Election Day- tied in well with all the dark time in America imagery of Kamala’s concession speech.
And reading the wonderful book The Fall of Whit Rivera by Crystal Maldonado- MC is Puerto Rican, bi, fat senior in HS with PCOS- love interest is Black skater- they plan Fall Fest together and discover their breakup in 8th grade was based on misunderstanding. Also has a lot of the nostalgia of leaving friends to go to college, autistic rep with her sister, inter generational family as she’s raised by her Abuela and lots of traditional Puerto Rican foods mentioned!
Yes to Tressie. I have eschewed all post-mortems on the election except for hers. If you're not a Black woman I just don't give a shit what you have to say about Kamala's campaign or the Democratic Party for the foreseeable future.
On Tyranny by T. Snyder. Recommended by Jess Piper, author of another Substack I follow. I am also going to actually read the constitution and remind my elected officials at the national level what it says
Constitution? Read Kimberly Wehle's How to Read the Constitution - And Why.
Ditto anything by Timothy Snyder. I have his newest On Freedom on hold.
The Message, because anything by Ta-nehisi Coates go to the top of the must-read stack. I'll pore over the recommendations here today for reprioritizing the rest of my stack.
As for news, I've been reflecting upon the comments here and heard elsewhere, about how the "golden" days of evening news on only three channels was the height of bipartisanship and good governance et al. Mmm. Look, I came of age last century with a political science major + journalism minor. Dixville Notch will always be my porn star name. Do not @ me re: "FOUR wrong answers!" I nonetheless believe we're in a better media place now -- the voices excluded from those nightly 30 minutes may not be on equitable footing just yet, but they can be heard now. Manufactured consensus is not in our best interests (presuming Lyz-heads are not billionaires, but hey, you do you if so) as a civilization, never mind as a community. I don't miss the crappy local newspapers that were full of society pages and photos of accomplishments too many readers were prevented from attaining. Maybe it's more like when the big cities had multiple (dozens, even) daily newspapers and there was it was closer to something for everyone. May the gray flannel suits we burn light the way? Anywhoodles, my media jams include MYaM (duh), Al-Jazeera, Democracy Now, FAIR, several excellent Guardian columnists, the 19th, and Truthout, but there's still room for more. As for legacy media and the nightly news, ugh. We live the consequences of the elite's rule, so I don't need to hear someone with nice teeth recite their press releases, too.