Reader,
This comes a day earlier than usual because, despite my best attempts, I couldn’t find a buyer for my Blankets & Wine ticket (it’s 3K, if someone’s interested) so tomorrow I might be bushed or out. Either way, here we go.
This week, The New York Times released a piece about review bombing that had my corner of the bookish internet talking. For those of us who aren’t chronically online, this is when books get hit by a barrage of 1 star reviews on Goodreads in their early days or even before release that see their average ratings tank. A number of books and authors were featured and the marquee book seemed to be a polarising one which is sometimes at the heart of review bombing.
Over on Instagram, there were conversations about how to mitigate it, how to make Goodreads a better space (verifying that one has read the book, for instance, and so on) that were met with great feedback. Haters are going to hate, as always, and at this point the question is whether to cancel oneself à la Elizabeth Gilbert or to plough on. Someone (I forget who, but I saw it via The Stacks Podcast’s stories) mentioned that part of the issue is the dearth of criticism which leads to an either/or approach to book talk that lends itself perfectly to 0 or 5 stars with little room for nuance. Who among us, for instance, hasn’t loved a book they gave 3 stars for a variety of reasons? This dearth is probably at the heart of the celebration when The Nation announced it would relaunch Bookforum - one more place to find writing about books.
Triathlon Dreams
I neither swam nor walked significantly this week thanks to being found by something I’d escaped for a while - H. Pylori. Now, I know some Kenyans make jokes about it but when I tell you it’s been a long week. Bar the complaint-worthy menstrual cramps, pain has not interfered with my life in this fashion in a while and it’s been a real bummer. Today, YB and I walked for 40-odd minutes and while I didn’t always feel, as the youth say, cash-money; it was good to get that in over and above today’s 30-minute hot girl walk.
Speaking of hot girl walks, I listened to this episode of Al Jazeera’s The Take today and it reminded me of the slim novel that introduced me to the island at its heart: Tropic of Violence by Nathacha Appanah (translated from the French by Geoffrey Strachan). So much of the episode resonated because I’d read this novel and I was again reminded of the power of words.
On the topic of the power of words, Anne Moraa put together an inspiring guide to finding your way back to words and included this newsletter’s 82nd entry in it. It was in such good - nay, great - company I’m honoured to have something I wrote chosen. I’ve mentioned before how writing can sometimes feel like shouting into a void (that’s why I so often ask folks to write back!) and it was affirming to see my work read and…perceived. Read the Pocket collection here.
One of the authors in the collection is Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, whose writing I greatly enjoyed in The First Woman (A Girl Is A Body of Water in the US) and Manchester Happened, and when I saw she’s coming for the Macondo Literary Festival, I immediately got an advance ticket (did I learn nothing from the Blankets situation?!). The current line up is so exciting and I’m tempted to revive my dormant podcast to see if I can’t speak to a few folks while I’m there. Please let me know if you plan to attend - it’ll be lovely to connect with fellow readers while I’m there getting books signed and stuffing my totes with more.
Quick news/ things that may be of interest:
Over on Twitter, a weekly library TBR thread; if you’d like to know what titles to expect in the read books section
James Baldwin readalong, complete with Discord server
My homies Rosie and Don are curating open studios at The African Art Trust (TAAT) at Victoria Square, Riara Road
Help us name our kitten (pictures here) as we raise money for the Kenya Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (KSPCA). The deadline has been moved to 14 July to accept more bids:
Dracula Daily, which I mentioned in a past entry, continues apace. Jump on if you’re keen
You can send me books, postcards, letters, and assorted gifts via PO Box 102439, Jamia Posta 00101, Nairobi, Kenya
I have finished two books since I last wrote - a hybrid read of We Should All Be Millionaires: A Woman’s Guide to Earning More, Building Wealth, and Gaining Economic Power by Rachel Rodgers (narrated by the author) and the audiobook version of An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness by Kay Redfield Jamison (narrated by the author) - and my latest video is on borrowed books from April (you can watch it here). To catch the videos I’m working on subtitles for when they’re done, subscribe to the channel if you haven’t yet!
As ever, please write back to me and tell me what books you’re reading or looking forward to reading — it’s always a great time talking about books.
Enjoy the rest of the week and have a lovely time reading. Talk to you soon!