Fire Rush, Jacqueline Crooks
I had heard so many good things about Fire Rush and was excited to have obtained a signed copy (!) for super cheap (!) on Vinted (a secondhand site that has almost singlehandedly saved me from having to use amazon ever again). Though the novel was slow to start, principally because the main characters’ dialogue was heavily influenced by Patois, the language spoken in Jamaica. Set in 1970s/1980s London, the story follows Yamaye and her two best friends, who love music and dancing, and what happens after Yamaye falls in love. After his sudden murder (not a spoiler, it’s on the back cover’s description!) by the police, the group scatters, and she goes on a journey that lands her in Jamaica, where she discovers her personal strength and what makes her, her. I can see why so many people loved this book, despite its slow start, because I do, too.
Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power and a World without Rape, Jaclyn Friedman and Jessica Valenti (editors)
Although almost 20 years old, this collection of essays still rings true today, which just shows either how much work we still have to do, collectively as a society, or how far of a step back we have been forced to take – or both. The only way to even tell how old the essays are, in most cases, are the scant references to series or popular culture, or in one case, dial-up internet. From racism to homophobia to transphobia, and of course sexism, this collection deals with it all, gathering perspectives from the people most affected by these pervasive problems. Some names I recognized, such as both of the editors, as well as Jill Filipovic, Samhita Mukhopadhyay, and Kate Harding, but most of them were new to me. Those I’ve mentioned are still writing about these same issues today. Though I prefer reading non-fiction closer to its publication date, this collection did not seem outdated as most non-fiction does after a time, a testament to the times we live in.