Books are small universes—affordable and easily carried, yet filled with endless possibilities to expand and enrich the mind. Through their pages, I explore new experiences and worlds, meet unforgettable characters, and deepen my understanding of humanity.
These are the books I read in March 2025, listed chronologically, and graded by recommendation (highly recommend, recommend, and do not recommend).
Rubyfruit Jungle
Man, I needed a happy lesbian book after “The Well of Loneliness,” and Rita Mae Brown delivered.
There are no shame spirals here! Just a vibrant young woman, living her best life, from a girlhood on a Pennsylvania farm to the cusp of adulthood in NYC.
Molly is whip-smart and funny. You’ll enjoy getting to know her; highly recommend.
The Memory Police
On an unknown island, at an indeterminable time, objects are disappearing. Randomly, and worse: the memories of the object vanish as well.
Citizens use their last memories of the objects to know what to voluntarily destroy. Cuz if they don’t, the Memory Police will get them.
This island’s last novelist discovers that her editor isn’t losing his memory of the disposed objects. The Memory Police hate that, so she hides him, Anne Frank-style.
A tender little book about the trauma of loss, the fickleness of memory, and the bonds of love; highly recommend.
Cabinet of Curiosities
If you’ve seen a YouTube video, or read a trivia card, or seen any short form content about any strange historical happenings, you have no need to read this book.
Apparently, these stories are from a podcast, which makes sense. They need to stay there, as this book is not the proper medium for them; do not recommend.
Hang the Moon
Sallie is scrappie, you hear me? She may be the daughter of the holler’s “mayor,” and therefore elevated to a false position through family tragedy, but she proves herself capable of carrying the Kincaid Legacy.
She also has a heart of gold, you understand? She is not racist or grasping or violent or a dipsomaniac, despite her upbringing and overstory.
I’m having a little fun at Sallie’s expense. She’s a trope, but a darling one, fleshed out by Walls’ lovable writing style; recommend.
Revenge
This collection of dark tales from Yoko Ogawa was well-written, but I’m used to Joyce Carol Oates. Their “darks” are not the same; recommend.
How To Be A Citizen
Are you bothered by nation states? I know I am. What if we just…threw it all out? The bathwater, the baby, the tub, the whole idea of government. Like anarchy, but nice.
It’s a pipe dream, but the author presents reasonable arguments for the abolishment of nation states, governments, constitutions, the whole kit and caboodle, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommend.
Revenge of the Tipping Point
Twenty years after publishing “The Tipping Point,” Gladwell returns to the subject with more definitions and engaging examples of social phenomena.
We can’t see the water we’re swimming in, you know? Books like these help describe the Zeitgeist Ocean that we’re ALL swimming in; highly recommend.
The Life of Herod The Great
As interesting a concept as making Herod, if not a hero, then an understandable historical protagonist, is, I found Hurston’s writing belaboured.
If you love Zora (or Herod, I guess) like I do, then this historical fiction book is worth reading. If not, skip it; recommend.
The Pugilist At Rest and Sonny Liston Was A Friend of Mine (not pictured)
I re-published my Thom Jones article, inspiring me to look him up on the Evergreen system (thereby gaining access to Jones books that were previously unavailable).
His two short story collections from the ‘90’s have held up well; highly recommend.
Nuclear War
How much do you know about the history, possibility, mechanics, and aftermath of nuclear war? Wanna know more?
Probably not, but it’s good for you.
Understanding this aspect of modern warfare helps you understand the maintenance of the military-industrial complex. Understanding the maintenance of the military-industrial complex means you can better understand The Oligarchy. Highly recommend.
Hiroshima: The Last Witnesses
Another super fun book!! Now that you understand what nuclear war can do, check out the perspectives of those who have actually lived it.
I always wondered why Hiroshima/Nagasaki survivors have lived so long, and it’s because, at the end of WWII, schools were closed so those children could join the workforce.
Ok, good talk. Recommend?
Magic Pill
A nonfiction book about semaglutides (Ozempic, Wegovy, etc), Magic Pill is chock full of history, food manufacturing examination, zeitgeist dissection, and nuance.
This book is earnest, sensitive, and full of vital information; highly recommend.
Ageless Aging
Good for a skim, this “better aging manual” had interesting information about movement, menopause, and more.
I enjoyed that she included several different types of treatments: a gamut of those that were less expensive, woo-woo, or accessible and those that were more; recommend.
Cher The Memoir Part 1
I wasn’t a Cher fan, necessarily, before reading her memoir. I mean, I wasn’t *not* a Cher fan, I just didn’t know much about her.
But I’m a Cher fan now.
She’s amazing. She’s done everything, met everyone, and has the most awesome stories to prove it; highly recommend.
Venus Envy
Frazier thinks she is dying, and therefore (under the influence of morphine!), writes letters to her closest friends and family, telling them exactly what she thinks of them. Oh, and that she’s probably gay.
Ka-BOOM goes the dynamite!
Frazier is still around to deal with the fall-out, as that fatal diagnosis was a computer glitch. What to do now? She stands to lose familial peace, her multi-million dollar art business, standing in the community, and her (secret) girlfriend.
But Frazier handles it all with verve and grace. You’ll root for her and be as pleasantly surprised (and mad) at the reactions of the recipients; highly recommend.
Conclusion
I hope my March 2025 bite size book reviews open up new literary adventures for you!
These recommendations are more than just pages bound together; they are invitations to explore, imagine, learn, and feel.
Want More?
Check out these articles for more bookish content:
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab Review
- Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner: Book Review
Happy reading!
Love,
