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What I'm Reading Lately

Just Finished:

I don't really know what this book is, but it's an adorable work of art. It's a slightly tongue-in-cheek but mostly earnest manifesto of a certain kind of white Southern womanhood: sweet, friendly, and blessedly frivolous. If you're interested in Reese Witherspoon, it's certainly insightful on her upbringing. However, this is definitely not a celebrity memoir. There's nothing (intentionally) controversial here, and while it feels restful, certain comments can be jarring without context (e.g. if you don't know Christmas carols, you live in a cave). Ummm. I don't know Christmas carols because I'm Jewish and have actively worked not to soak them up. I don't think it's meant to be offensive and I don't take it that way because this book is a very specific portrait of a white Christian Southern culture, but, in this day and age, it may make people feel a bit sensitive. All in all, this book is worth a literal look or two, for gorgeous displays of wallpaper, books, and other Southern decor and recipes. Best served with a shot of sorghum whiskey in your grandmother's best transferware.






Currently Listening To:

So far, it reminds me of Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon, which I also recently finished, and a little bit of Dune. It centers on a fantasy prison and a pair of adolescents who each have a key. We'll see where it leads.














Next Up:

I'm a sucker for kitchen memoirs, so we'll see if I like this type of novel as well.

Comments

Judy Krueger said…
I certainly understand your reaction to the Christmas Carols remark. However, one of my best friends in middle school is Jewish and she loved Christmas Carols. Her name was also Judy. She would have a caroling party each year so she could sing them with her friends and she could not even carry a tune! She would visit my Lutheran church and I would go to synagogue with her for Passover and Hanukkah
Hi Judy, It really depends on your upbringing. I know there are a lot of Jews out there that love Christmas carols, but I'm not one of them. However, I do love singing around the menorah with my family during Hannukkah, so I'm sure that for Christian families, singing around the tree brings warm and happy memories, as it should!

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