You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me

Sherman Alexie’s mother, Lillian, died in 2015 at the age of 78. His relationship with her was always complicated, as was his grief over her death. This memoir, composed through 78 essays and 78 poems, teases out those complexities. Alexie and his three siblings were raised by two alcoholic parents; they would throw crazy parties

Rant. Chant. Chisme.

My relationship with poetry has always been tenuous at best. There are a few authors whose works I will read no questions asked. Sherman Alexie or Sandra Cisneros? I’ll read their poetry, and I’ll like it. David Rakoff’s novel in verse, Love, Dishonor, Marry, Die, Cherish, Perish., was another poetry-filled book I enjoyed. There are other

Letters to Palestine: Writers Respond to War and Occupation

If you say, I think the occupation of Palestine is fucked up on forty different levels, people are like, you’re the devil, we’re going to get your tenure taken away, we’re going to destroy you. You can say almost anything else. You could be like, “I eat humans,” and they’ll be like bien, bien. –

Quickies: The Orphan Master’s Son & When Women Were Birds

The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson Publisher/Year: Random House Audio, 2012 Format: Audiobook Narrator: Tim Kang with Josiah D. Lee & James Kyson Lee Length: 19 hrs, 22 minutes Source: Library What it is: Growing up in a North Korean work camp for orphans, Jun Do manages to rise from the humblest ranks in life to one of the highest,

ismi

by Suheir Hammad from Born Palestinian, Born Black please learn to pronounce the name of my spirit the spirit of my name correctly and don’t complain it’s too throaty too deep too guttural begin it in your gut let it tickle the back of your throat warm under tongue let it perfume your breath smooth