I was about 20 years old and just moved to California when my younger brother sent me a book for my birthday. At that point in my life, I may have read five (here I may be exaggerating a bit) books. My brother, on the other hand, was always immersed in literature. The book was The Last Temptation of Christ by Nikos Kazantzakis. It had a profound impact on me and opened my eyes to the power of the narrative. How impactful storytelling could be . . . how impactful it was on me. How a familiar narrative could unfold differently. I wanted more of the stories unknown to me, and here I am 57 years later, thousands of books (primarily fiction, which I believe speaks the truth) later.
This is not a book review but rather a list of five books I read this year that have moved and inspired me. They all reflect the power of community and love, which I believe without which we are lost.
And then there’s the book I read last year that has stayed with me, The Heaven & Earth Bookstore by James McBride. It exemplifies all the elements I look for in a work of fiction . . . love, compassion, and the power of community coming together. Enjoy!
Finally, how can I share the writing of others without including my colleague, Sadia Hassan (LLC’s Liberatory Leadership Manager), an amazing poet. Here are some of her poems:
- Begin Again
- Prayer for the meat-clung bone, When I am felled in a film still, a sonnet short a dollar
- On The Last Day, The Bullet is Asked
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