The Devil Wears Prada is my comfort movie. I can repeat it from memory. And I was fascinated by the documentary The September Issue. The Chiffon Trenches by Andre Leon Talley is partly a chronicle of his career in fashion, but more importantly a revelation of the discrimination and dismissiveness by the very people who sought his talents. He is a brilliant, educated and refined man and his memoir is deeply personal.
Brit Bennett tells the story of twin sisters, Black but so pale that one of them decides to "pass" as white. Though The Vanishing Half includes some eyebrow raising coincidences, it is a compelling read and raises questions for the reader of identity and how we present ourselves to the world and our family.
At the risk of repeating myself, I am strongly recommending two books by James McBride that I mentioned in a previous post. The Color of Water was published in 2006 and I found it to be a stunning read. This year he published Deacon King Kong which was equally brilliant.
For a far lighter read, particularly for fans of Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich Asians Trilogy, pick up Last Tang Standing by Lauren Ho. Set in Singapore, it follows a young Asian attorney and her harried pursuit of a relationship that pleases both her and her Mother.
Looking for a thriller to read at the pool? Here are three- Mr. Nobody by Catherine Steadman, Please See Us by Caitlin Mullen and How Quickly She Disappears by Raymond Fleischman.
Just started two new books today- details to follow!
Happy reading!
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