Sydney Reads and Reads: May

Among other things, May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month here in the United States. So, of course, that influenced my reading. 

First up was, They Called Us Enemy, by Justin Eisner, Steven Scott, and George Takei, illustrated by Harmony Becker. They Called Us Enemy recounts Takei's experiences as a child imprisoned within American concentration camps during World War II through graphic memoir.

I'm not sure this is a book I can say I enjoyed, but I was undoubtedly engrossed. Becker's clean, simple illustrations were the perfect accompaniment to Takei's unvarnished accounts of his family's experiences under government control. From the day in 1942 when they were forcibly removed from their home to an adult George, delivering remarks at FDR's family home, we follow the Takei's journey and George's personal process of unpacking the trauma throughout his life.

To Americans, World War II is often portrayed as a battle against Hitler and the Nazis and all the terrible things they did to the Jewish population of Europe. But what about the concentration camps that were operating here at home? If you, like myself, feel the urge to learn more about this dark and unsettling chapter of American history, They Called Us Enemy is an excellent place to start. 

When I heard that there was an adaptation of You've Got Mail wherein the battling bookstores were dueling halal restaurants and Hana, the Kathleen Kelly character was an aspiring public radio host, AAPI Heritage Month or not, I was in! Enter Hana Khan Carries On, by Usma Jalaluddin.

Not only did Jalaluddin do a stand-up job of adapting one of my favorite plot structures of all time, but she also seized the opportunity to address issues such as White Supremacy, cultural identity, and gentrification in creative and effective ways.

It's safe to say, Hana Khan Carries On will be at the top of my recommendations list for a while.

You guessed it! I kept going strong with the Virgin River series on audio throughout May, completing Moonlight Road, Promise Canyon, Wild Man Creek, Harvest Moon, Bring Me Home for Christmas, and Hidden Summit. I'm hurtling closer and closer to the end of the series, and I'm not sure what I'll do with my afternoons when it's over. Please say one of you will come through with a recommendation for me!

To say I over-romanticized my first reading of Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy, would be an understatement. My memories of that time are entirely consumed by Anna and Vronsky. Being the original object of Vronsky's desires, Kitty registers as a footnote, as does Anna's husband Karenin, but that's it.

I retained none of Levin's tortured longings for Kitty or his hemming and hawing over Russian politics and farming practices, but I think I'll carry more of that with me moving forward. 

Thank you, Traci, and The Stacks, for picking this back in March as our May book club pick. I enjoyed our discussion, as well as your Ep discussing it with Jenny Lee! 

Sharks in the Time of Saviors, by Kawai Strong Washburn, made a lot of "Best of" lists in 2020, including former President Barack Obama. It can now count itself amongst an even more distinguished list of titles, that of the Shelter and Chill Book Club!

"In 1995 Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, on a rare family vacation, seven-year-old Nainoa Flores falls overboard a cruise ship into the Pacific Ocean. When a shiver of sharks appears in the water, everyone fears for the worst. But instead, Noa is gingerly delivered to his mother in the jaws of a shark, marking his story as the stuff of legends."

Noa's struggling family takes his rescue as a sign of favor from the ancient Hawaiian gods. And when he begins to develop new abilities, it looks like they may be right. But over time, Noa's seemingly divine favor begins to drive the family apart, eventually leading to tragic consequences.

I definitely thought Sharks in the Time of Saviors would rank higher on the supernatural scale and lower on the family drama. But I enjoyed gaining a greater understanding of the culture of native Hawaiians and seeing how its seemingly gravitational pull affected each of Flores family members differently. 

Did you read any exciting titles in May? Drop them in the comments! - xo Sydney