Favorites, 2016
Favorites, 2016
I feel like I have read an incredible number of excellent books this year. Check out my reviews of them. I hope you will read some of them.
My ability to borrow good global publication has plummeted since my move in 2015–and from my husband’s retirement from his position of library dean. I no longer have a strong library collection or good interlibrary loan access. Since I can’t afford to buy whatever I choose, I read fewer Australian and African books. For some reason I was able to get review copies of Asian and Middle Eastern books. We’ll see what the future brings.
FICTION
The Color of our Sky, Amita Trasi
The Hero’s Walk, Anita Rau Badami
A House Without Windows, Nadia Hashimi
Chronicle of a Last Summer: A Novel of Egypt, Yasmine El Rashidi
Tears in the Grass, Lynda A. Archer
MEMOIRS AND NONFICTION
Disaster Falls: A Family Story, Stephane Gerson
Uncovered: How I Left Hasidic Life and Finally Came Home, Leah Lax
Making Waves: Grassroots Feminism in Duluth and Superior, Elizabeth Ann Bartlett
Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates
Household Workers Unite, Premilla Nadasen
The Third Reconstruction, William Barber, II
Me, you, and books 
How lovely to see that My Sister Chaos made your list:) I really liked that book too. I have two of your list on my TBR (Celia’s Song and Homegoing) thanks to your reviews, so you are a good influence on my reading *warm smile*
So, more books from Asia and the Middle East? I’ll enjoy that too.
Happy reading for 2017, Lisa
Happy reading to you,too, Lisa. You are a good influence on my reading also, even though many of the books you review are going on my TBR list right now. My access to books is pretty random these days, but I have missed being part of the Australian conversation.
I’m curious how you get the review copies from Asia/ Middle East – do yiu approach the publishers direct and if so which department?
The review copies that I get are fairly random and I am not sure why books from Asia and the Middle East predominated this last year—other than my difficulty borrowing library books from other places are reduced. But I am glad to share how I get what I do.
Edelweiss and LibraryThing both publish lists weekly or monthly of books they have available for review. I pick what I would like for the lists and maybe the publisher sends it or maybe doesn’t. I often I have little idea what I am requesting and am surprised at how good or bad the books are. Edelweiss sends digital copies, and LibraryThing sends hard copies.
I also am on the list for review copies from several smaller presses. The big ones are selective and I have given up on anything from them. The smaller ones are eager for publicity and glad to send books, digital or hard copy. I think the ones are places where everyone does everything with changing individuals in charge of access to reviewers. I’ve thought about trying other small presses which may function in similar ways. Each of these has contributed to “favorites” lists.
Spiniflex Press is a feminist press in Australia which publishes usually by women from around the global. Both fiction and non-fiction. Often experimental or radical in style or topic.
Beacon Press is a Unitarian publisher in the US which often publishes books from diverse authors relating to race and gender. Most of those I have reviewed have been non-fiction or memoir, but I think they do some fiction, too.
Akashic Publisher is a Brooklyn publisher specializing in books a variety of diverse authors, often from neglected ones. Lots of excellent fiction, but uneven at times. Their books are beginning to appear in Edelweiss lists.
Good luck and I appreciate your responses to my reviews–usually to the books I have liked best.