I haven't felt like writing. But boy, have I felt like reading.
On Facebook, I've been posting book reviews of books that particularly struck me this year, but I thought it would be worth it to aggregate them here. So here are my Interesting Books of 2021, Part One. We'll see how many parts this ends up being.
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"Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses" by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Kimmerer is the author of the absolutely stunning collection of essays "Braiding Sweetgrass," so I knew I had to check out this earlier work, on the topic of her specialty field, bryology (study of mosses). The essays range from the scientific to the poetic, from technical description of moss reproduction to amusing and heartbreaking stories about her work in the field. I particularly loved her description of bogs. The collection is a bit more specialized toward people interested in science than her later book, but she's still a great author and it's well worth the read.
"Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States" by Andrew L. Whitehead and Samuel L. Perry
Although the title makes it sound like a handbook, this is just a research- and statistic-heavy book exploring the connections between Christianity and nationalism in our country: what that means and how it plays out in both politics and everyday life. I wish that the book had been less statistics and more analysis/interpretation, because the interpretive parts were fascinating and gave me a lot of useful language for understanding Christian nationalism (as well as some fascinating insights, such as how nationalism usually trumps denomination in hierarchy of belief), but someone a bit more science-minded would probably appreciate being able to sort through the data themselves. If you're unfamiliar with the term "Christian nationalism" or simply want to learn more, this book is an approachable start.
"The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World" by Wade Davis
This book absolutely blew my mind, and will certainly end up on my "favorite books of 2021" post. It's an anthropological history of several different Indigenous cultures across Polynesia, the high Andes, central Africa, Australia, and more. The book discusses the histories of the various peoples, talking about how each people group relates to the concept of time, space, and what it means to be human. It's a powerful reminder that Western/European norms don't have to be the rule, and that there are as many ways of relating to the earth and each other as there are cultures around the world. Highly, highly recommended.
"Our History Is the Future: Standing Rock versus the Dakota Access Pipeline, and the Long Tradition of Indigenous Resistance" by Nick Estes
This book is a blend of history and memoir, past and present, starting at the Standing Rock protests and jumping back and forth to build context for everything that led up to that moment— and why the protest is only a small part of a much larger history of Indigenous people fighting for their rights. I had never read the history of the Plains nations before, and seeing a different perspective than the "cowboy" version that I read in school was incredibly eye-opening.
Particularly fascinating (and enraging) was learning about the broken treaties: the latest versions of these treaties, from the late 1800s, are made between governments that still exist (the U.S. and the Indigenous nations), meaning that thousands upon thousands of acres of land should be immediately returned to the people who have the legal right to them— the Indigenous people. The book delved into various court battles and other forms of resistance to restore these rights; these narratives, while a bit technical, are still worth the read.
Anyone can benefit from reading this book, but it's particularly important for those of us who live in or near the traditional homelands of the Plains people, or alongside the Mnisose (the Standing Rock tribe name for the Missouri River).
This fascinating autobiography introduced me to an environmentalist I'd never heard of: Sheila Watt-Cloutier, an Inuit woman from Nunavik (northeastern Canada) who has tirelessly worked for decades as an activist, political, and ambassador in order to bring awareness and policy change around issues that matter to her nation, such as persistent pollutants (which drift from warmer regions and bioaccumulate into colder ones) and global warming.
Watt-Cloutier's life spans the gap between the people in her town living a more traditional life (using sled dogs, hunting and fishing to meet most of their food needs, etc.), and the often-coerced modernization of their people (such as a government-run extermination of their sled dogs— that was a horrifying chapter), and on into the revival of traditional culture once again.
She was shipped off to a residential school at a young age, and although that particular school was a mostly good experience for her (in contrast to the horrors of many of these kinds of schools), her years there severed her from her family and culture, and it took her decades to truly fit in again. This book chronicles both her personal and professional life, and how she found her purpose as she fought for the rights of her nation.
Honestly, I got a bit bogged down in the middle chapters discussing her career in politics and policy change. I thought the most compelling parts of her story were the first several chapters, which powerfully set the scene for where she grew up and what being Inuit means to her— and the last couple chapters, as she expressed the hope she has as she watches young people reclaim their culture and heritage.
I'll admit that I'd never read any of Lorde's work before, only scattered quotes in other books, so I'm glad I picked this one up! This was a wonderful introduction to her essays and poetry, from her books spanning her whole career. She writes beautiful, unsettling poetry and scathing critiques (her essay about white women's domination of feminism still, sadly, rings true today), personal stories and philosophical observations that will make you see the world anew, and reflections on being black, lesbian, and feminist in a world hostile to all three identities. I definitely want to read more than just this sampling, but if, like me, you're unfamiliar with her work, I highly recommend this as a start.
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All posts in this series:
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