onemorebookpodcast's reviews
80 reviews

How does one review such a masterpiece without realizing one’s own inadequate vocabulary or sense of unrefined literary wording!

Hence, this is not a review because I (IMO) lack the expertise for that so let’s just call this a 'Book recommendation'. Get this book…mic drop

I have this habit of researching an author before or during the time when am reading their work. So, you'll find me scouring the depths of the Internet hours on end getting lost in articles, podcast interviews & YouTube videos of authors talking about what they have written.

''I would hope that readers approach the book, read it, and not necessarily take anything away, not possess anything, but perhaps just more of themselves. If they could see more of themselves in the book and they can carry that and participate in more parts of their lives than before…''Ocean Vuong in a interview that I found on YouTube talking about this book.

This book is a letter written by a son to his mother who cannot read & through this letter 'Little Dog', the writer is on a self-discovery journey about himself but also about his family whose life journey starts in Vietnam to America as they build a new life in their new country. Ocean Vuong is a poet who writes beautifully & after watching his interview, I felt like he had given me permission to simply enjoy reading his book without seeking to understand every single word that he wrote. Believe me, the struggle was real

I feel like I am one of the last people to read this book after making its rounds all over Social Media. Non-fiction books & especially Memoirs are not exactly my cup of tea, maybe because I want books to transport me to an imaginary world & reading about someone’s real life experiences are just the opposite of that.

Whenever I pick up a memoir, I don’t really expect to be wowed by the author‘s literary process, it’s more about hearing them owning their own story & that is exactly what Britney did in this book. As someone who grew up in the 90's with Britney Spears' songs as part of the soundtrack of my life, I remember gobbling up every single story that was written about her in the gossip columns. When she spoke about the 'All denim looks' that she & Justin wore to that Award show, I knew exactly what she was talking, the image was imprinted in my mind.

IMO, apart from the horrendous details about the conservatorship that her family put her under & her life during that time, there wasn’t much new that she added to what I knew of her story. But am glad that she got to tell it on her own terms & also in her own time. Also, Justin Timberlake is

What happens when a free spirited daughter of a well-off Funeral home owner decides to follow her dream of starting her own flower shop & moves to New York to make this dream a reality? Of course she runs into this *TDH & mysterious musician & what follows is not your typical whirlwind of Romance but a connection that is not only magical but also heartwarming. We are taken on a historical journey that spans the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920's accompanied by mentions of music, fashion, art & the activism in those times. With themes of Magical realism, Voodoo, leap year magic, friendship across generations…this book has something for everyone.

And for someone who grew up reading & getting lost in the depths of 'Mills & Boon' books, such a Romance novel is a needed & so much appreciated breath of fresh of air #blacklove

This was a Bookclub pick for April & an introduction to an author who is completely new to me. It is a collection of 10 short stories where the main characters in each story is a South East Asian woman, though that is not explicitly mentioned in the book. As the women go through life dealing with loss of loved ones (both born & unborn), struggles with new motherhood, romantic relationships, interracial relationships, strained mother-daughter relationships, friendships…the one thing that they all have in common is their 'unwillingness' to say out loud what they are thinking. Raise your hand if you struggle with this too

Books IMO are like people, they show up in your life unexpectedly & leave a mark on you without even noticing it. How does a book detailing a letter written by one friend to another chronicling her life journey, heartbreaks, joys, successes, failures manage to bring up my utmost deepest emotions. This book had me crying, cursing out loud & snapping my fingers at some of Ramatoulaye's words. A book that celebrates the strength of an African woman, how she carries herself with dignity & grace during the most difficult periods of her life, motherhood, mental health, the power of friendship, feminism, Africa's political present & future….I could go on on!

The book tells the story of a fictitious town (Kosawa) somewhere in Africa whose land, rivers & air has been taken over by an oil company (Pexton). The story as narrated by characters of different generations is nothing new, we all know & have experienced what happens to indigenous people’s lives & their existence when foreign companies working hand in hand with corrupt leaders decide to literally destroy them.

This is my first time reading anything by this Author & to be completely honest, it took me time to get into the book. It was a May Bookclub pick & since May was a crazy month for me, I somehow never made time to read the book. But am glad that I took time after the Bookclub meeting to finish it at my own pace & give it all my attention. It was a good read even though I was disappointed not to see any big 'David triumphs' in a story that is hailed by Oprah Magazine as a 'A David & Goliath story of our times'. At this moment in time when there are so many atrocities being perpetrated all over the world, I really needed a 'successful David' narrative, we all need it. This book unfortunately couldn’t provide that.

If you need a fluffy book when you just want to escape this 'Ghetto' that we are living in called earth, then I would recommend you listen

I feel like this is somewhat of a sequel book to 'Annie John' but with slight variation in that, Lucy's story begins when she arrives as an Au-pair in the US while Annie John's story ended with her leaving Antigua for England.

This coming of age story follows the 18 year old Lucy as she begins her life in the US living & working for a white family with 4 girls. I was fascinated by her, how her mind worked & the fact that I never knew what she was going to say or do next. As she grapples with life in this new home, the weather, cultural differences, finding friendship, exploring her sexuality while also missing her home, Lucy brings up important themes that migrants deal with all over the globe. And we also get to see a young woman who is trying to find herself away from her other 'titles' as daughter & sister. I loved how 'self-centered' she was, always putting herself & her feelings first, something that we as women are not known or encouraged to do. Jamaica Kincaid has a way of creating characters who go against the norm in a world that pushes women to simply play along & am here for all of it. This is her second book that I have read & am looking forward to reading more of her work.

The late 'Wangarĩ Muta Maathai' requires no introduction but still, reading her Memoir was such a profound experience for me. What a woman, a leader, a fighter, a giver, a visionary, a movement, an inspiration, a better human than most people around her (she showed so much grace to everyone who opposed her)….

As inspiring as her story is I couldn’t help but feel like she was never vindicated enough for all the BS that she had to endure in her fight against corruption, land grabbing, environmental extortion, abuse of power, political persecution, patriarchy….And it breaks my heart to see some of the leaders & institutions that she fought against still holding offices & being given platforms. This memoir put me in this weird place where I am grateful for Activism but am also wondering how lasting the effects of Activism are