Reads + Repeats 06
what i'm reading and what's on repeat
Hi friends and happy March! I hope you enjoy this month’s Reads + Repeats and, as usual, I’d love to know what you’re reading or listening to in the comments.
All the books listed in this Reads + Repeats (and previous posts) are linked to It’s Lit storefront on bookshop.org. If you buy any of the books mentioned, a portion of your purchase goes to supporting this publication :)
The Reads
Constructing a Nervous System by Margo Jefferson
This book was put on my radar in December, after Harmony Holiday mentioned it in her newsletter (the specific post is My Message and My Minstrels, check it out!). I finally got the chance to read it in early February and it was refreshing to be engrossed in something so original. In Constructing a Nervous System, Margo Jefferson fuses memoir with cultural criticism to (re)create a sense of self and identity.
Perfect if you’re looking for: an original memoir, something experimental in form, some cultural criticism, a text you can take your time with
If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin
This past week I've been in one of those moods where I don’t want to watch or read anything new. I’ve been indulging in old comforts, (e.g. watching Love Jones and listening to The Heat and Chasing Summer) one of which is If Beale Street Could Talk. For me, it’s one of Baldwin’s more hopeful novels, depicting the warmth, intimacy, and strength of Black love, even in the midst of an awful situation.
Perfect if you’re looking for: a Black love story, something heartwarming, a novel about family and first love, one of Baldwin’s more optimistic works
Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor
Each of the stories in Filthy Animals has desire and longing at its core. Sometimes, the desire is for something others would deem inappropriate (like another person’s significant other) and other times it is for something more universally accepted and understood (like wanting to be seen and loved by the right person) but in all the stories, the desires are honest and earnest. Two standouts for me were “As Though That Were Love” (which I could totally see as the opening to a horror movie) and “Anne of Cleves” (which read like a tender romance movie).
Perfect if you’re looking for: a short story collection, portraits about love, desire, and longing, some interconnected stories, queer fiction, tales set in the Midwest
“Poem Number Two on Bell’s Theorem or The New Physicality of Long Distance Love” by June Jordan
As I’m sure most of you have noticed by now, I can be a little…verbose (I’m a Gemini so do with that what you will). It amazes me what some writers, poets especially, are able to do in so few words. There are only three lines in this June Jordan poem, yet she says so much.
The Repeats
Raven - Kelela
I don’t even know what to say about Raven, just listen to it if you haven’t already. The transitions are seamless, the production is amazing, and Kelela’s sultry cool vocals are the perfect guide on this sonic journey. It’s been 6 years since Kelela’s debut album Take Me Apart and you can hear how much time she spent reading, learning, and honing her vision of what Raven could be. (Kelela apparently has a syllabus that she sends to potential collaborators. It has books by writers like bell hooks, films like The Last Angel of History, and podcast clips among other thing, so cool!!). My favorite track at the minute is “Holier”, but it honestly changes with each listen and each shift in my mood.
“90s” - Braxton Cook ft Masego
Whoever connected Braxton Cook and Masego was doing God’s work. Both are extremely talented singers and musicians (they both play the sax) and “90s” is everything you would want from a collab between the two. The track is smooth and nostalgic, which makes sense since the duo sing about the kind of Black love you see in 90s movies. Fun fact: the track references my favorite romance movie Love Jones twice!
Chez Baldwin Playlist
James Baldwin had a deep appreciation for music and an extensive record collection to prove it. Ikechúkwú Onyewuenyi, a curator at LA’s Hammer Museum, created this playlist in 2021 based on photos of the vinyls Baldwin had at his Saint Paul de Vence home. It’s over 24 hours long so it’s a great playlist for cleaning or writing or doing anything that takes a while!
“Wicked” - SuperJazzClub
I briefly mentioned SuperJazzClub in December’s Reads + Repeats. They’re a creative collective based in Ghana and recently dropped this song as part of their “Act” series. Act 1 dropped last year and “Wicked” is part of Act 2, check it out!
That’s all for this edition’s Reads + Repeats!
Thanks for reading and talk soon,
-Yeaye
My most recent fave albums are Red Moon in Venus by Kali Uchis which is BEAUTIFUL and College Park by Logic. I'm sure you've seen discourse and such about him but as a longtime fan I can say this album is pretty good and a recent one that shows why I got into him years ago. Also SIXTEEN by BIA? A HEATER. Float by Janelle Monae? A motivational HEATER lol. I also just finished part 1 of the Afro Samurai graphic novel and am reading a book called This is Your Brain on Music!