Milo and the Calf

Category: Books

  • Lorde’s Coal

    Coal Audre Lorde Audre Lord would go on to be one of the cornerstones of the contemporary poetry, a woman referenced by anyone who cares about the art form. An activist who taught a generation that “”Those of us who stand outside the circle of this society’s definition of acceptable women; those of us who…

  • Hanh’s the Miracle of Mindfulness

    The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation Thich Nhat Hanh A beautiful and practical book on starting and sustaining a meditation practice by Thich Nhat Hanh. If you’re reading this review you probably know Hanh is one of the most important Buddhist practitioners alive today. His writings, courses, and political activism…

  • ,

    Davis’s Are Prisons Obsolete

    Are Prisons Obsolete? Angela Davis   This book came out more than ten years ago, when the modern-day prison abolitionist movement was surging on the left, powered by groups like Critical Resistance and intellectuals like Davis. I was part of that world and I’m a little embarrassed it took me this long to read this.…

  • Chödrön’s Start Where You Are

    Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living Pema Chodron An accessible and clear introduction to foundational principles of Buddhism told through a series of Tibetan Buddhist maxims. Chödrön writes with compassion and clarity, and the structure of the book is elegant in its simplicity, taking one maxim at a time and reflecting on it.…

  • ,

    Ward’s Men We Reaped

    Men We Reaped: A Memoir  Jesmyn Ward There may be other American writers working today who are as gifted as Ward, but I have a hard time believing there are any more gifted. From fiction to memoir, Ward consistently leaves me at the edge of tears at the raw emotion of what she is sharing,…

  • Review: Hoffman’s Greeting from Utopia Park

    Greetings from Utopia Park Claire Hoffman Mindfulness and meditation are having a moment. All over the business world people are extolling the virtues of a daily practice for productivity and mental health. This mainstreaming of meditation is being led by apps like Headspace (which I use) and the leaders of the mindfulness movement like Joseph…

  • ,

    Review: Ide I.Q.

    I.Q. Joe Ide Cat nip for the crime novel fan. Fast paced P.I. story set in Los Angeles with a compelling protagonist, I.Q. A genius, a high school dropout, black, socially insecure and from Long Beach. He’s an unusual hero in a genre more often populated by misanthropic ex-cop white dudes.  You won’t be surprised…

  • ,

    Review: Jemisin’s Stone Sky

    The Stone Sky N.K. Jemisin The final chapter in Jemisin’s Broken Earth trilogy. I reviewed the first book the Fifth Season here and the second book, the Obelisk Gate, here. The Fifth Season is one of the best science fiction books I have read in a years and years. Maybe ever. Its world building is…

  • , ,

    Review: Gay’s Hunger A Memoir of (My) Body

    Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body Roxanne Gay A gut punch, a wake up call, a deeply effecting book about race, sexual assault, food, immigration, class, writing, love and America. Really a must read. I’m someone who cares deeply about health and fitness.  I struggle to make the right food choices, and hit the gym,…

  • Review: Ward’s Salvage the Bones

    Salvage the Bones Jesmyn Ward Stunning prose. A look into a world (rural, black, deep south) that is not often depicted in literature. Really, really good. Salvage the Bones tells the story of a young girl and her family and community as they prepare for, and endure, Hurricane Katrina. The sense of dread that permeates…