Since 2016, I've made a "commitment" at the beginning of each year to read fifty books. And if you assumed that I put that word in quotes because I haven't managed to fulfill my promise to myself, you are correct. This year it's been particularly difficult for me to focus on reading whole books. Between … Continue reading Season of Reading
Those who follow me here may know that I run a website called Adoptee Reading that catalogs books on adoption either written by or recommended by adopted people. I've had some ideas rolling around in my mind lately for how I might try to expand on the site, which I hope to be able to … Continue reading The Value of the Written Word
I came across a thread on Twitter the other day by a history teacher named Seth Cotlar that I can't stop thinking about. Here's how the thread begins: The conservative freak out about the 1619 Project (of which Cotton is just the latest example) is not about history. It's about memory; about what parts of … Continue reading Re-Creation of History
We're all tired these days, all fatigued, worn out, worn down by the constant barrage of injury and outrage and negligence and injustice that comes at us hour by hour, minute by minute, turning small days into long years. There is no one among us who doesn't feel the need for a break from literally … Continue reading Rest and Return
I'm sitting under a blanket on a purple love seat. A purple anything is a luxury, a privilege, the freedom to be able to purchase an object in a color that is conspicuous, that is difficult to match to the many objects created from the intention of easy coordination. I am from a place of … Continue reading The Privilege of Purple
Karen Pickell: Between 