New Year, New Books!
Happy 2020! I hope you all had a fantastic end of 2019. I’m so excited to look ahead into the new year. I feel like it’s gonna be a good one, filled with lots of fun book club events and great reading.
Let’s start the year off on the right foot with our January Literally x #LWLShelf book! This month, we’ll be reading Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West. Lindy’s best-selling, award-winning memoir chronicles her coming of age in a world that expects women to be small, quiet and compliant. I’m about 30 pages in and have been alternating between laughing out loud and cringing in horror as Lindy describes dealing with death, handling trolls, and finding her voice as an advocate. I hope you’ll read along with us this month!
Right after Christmas, the Literally.PDX book club met up at a beautiful old movie theater in Portland to watch the newest adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's beloved novel Little Women. Directed by Greta Gerwig and led by a fantastic female cast, the film was exceptional in its storytelling, emotion, costumes and music. We all left the theater in tears! After seeing so many strong women get snubbed year after year at awards shows, on best seller lists, and in business, I encourage all of you to take agency over where you spend your time and money this year. Purchase and read books by members of the LGBTQIA+ community, eat at restaurants or visit bars and stores owned and operated by minorities, go see movies made by people who are struggling to gain equal footing in an industry run largely by old white dudes.
The more we support each other, the better off we will be. I think this month’s book club pick is a perfect example of that. Lindy is a tireless advocate for women’s reproductive rights, the plus size community and for social justice. I’m excited to support Lindy this month, and am looking forward to a year of great reading, of strengthening my friendships, and supporting those who need it most!
Wishing you a wonderful year ahead.
Happy reading!
-Emily