The Monthly Media Catchup: Everything I Read, Watched & Listened To | June 2020
June 2020 is a month that will go down in history as a time when the Black Lives Matter movement gained huge traction after the tragic death of George Floyd on 25th May 2020. I hope it is the start of an even bigger movement that changes the way we think about race and makes real difference to the lives of black people. I have been making more effort than normal this month to read books by black authors, including books that educate me on the black experience in the U.K and the U.S and this is something I’ll be doing for the rest of my life, not just this month, although it feels particularly pressing right now. I shared some books that I have found to be extremely educational on my Instagram page including Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge, Citizen by Claudia Rankine and Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde, but I thought I’d share some works here by black authors that were not written on the basis of educating their readers on race (although many of them are educational regardless):
Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo (my favourite book)
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
White Teeth by Zadie Smith
Changing My Mind by Zadie Smith
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi
There are more recommendations of books by black authors in the books section of this months Monthly Media Catch Up, as well as the usual TV, film, article and music recommendations.
books
brit(ish) by Afua hirsch | ★★★★★
I went to a talk with Afua Hirsch at Manchester Literature Festival in 2018, where she discussed with Nikesh Shukla some of the experiences and topics featured in this book. Afua’s experiences of what it means to be black in Britain really stuck with me, specifically the story of her name, as she spoke about how throughout her life, she resented people mispronouncing it but when she visited her mother’s home, Ghana, realised she too had been mispronouncing it her whole life. In Brit(ish), Afua explores details of her personal life in this way and relates them to the historical experience of black people in Britain. It’s a unique form that is so engaging, moving and it makes the research and history she recounts accessible in a way history books often aren’t.
The fact that it’s taken me so long to read this book makes me stare at piles and piles of my unread books and wonder what other gems are lying there that I’ve been putting off, because this was one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Afua is such a beautiful writer and is so generous with her personal experiences, stories and family history. I am so thankful to her for writing this book.
It’s a must-read for every British person but especially white British people because it is so educational on Britain’s colonial history. If you’re from Liverpool, I urge you, in particular, to read this book as there are so many shocking details about the city’s black history, from its relationship to the slave trade to the death of Mzee Mohammed and so much more. I think often, and I’m guilty of this myself, Liverpudlians think Liverpool is a city that is totally progressive and innocent because it is so left-wing, but, whether we like it or not, it’s part of a country with a dark colonial past and is by no means exempt from the implications of that.
girl, woman, other by bernadine evaristo | ★★★★★
Some books are ruined by the hype surrounding them, as they inevitably fail to live up to the impossible standards set by booksellers, reviews and their impact on society. But some books are so unique, well-written and timely, that nothing could ever ruin them, not least that everyone is in agreement with regards to their brilliance. Girl, Woman, Other sits in the latter category.
Girl, Woman, Other tells the lives of 12 women who are mostly British and mostly black but vary in their ages, professions and life experiences. For a book that is separated into 12 distinct stories, it flows effortlessly and is absorbing in a way I didn’t think possible for a novel that doesn’t necessarily have a plot. I loved how the stories became interconnected at various points in the book and I also adored the writing style; there are few full stops in the book and too often, stylistic choices like this frustrate me. But this one made sense, as some stories read like poetry and was also made meaningful by the novel’s depiction of how people’s lives and stories inevitably weave together.
i am not your baby mother by candice brathwaite | ★★★★
I am very fussy when it comes to audiobooks, meaning I listen to very few. Generally, they have to be: non-fiction, personal, read by the author and, ideally, I can put a face to the voice or can at least recognise the voice. This one was ideal as I’d followed Candice on Instagram and heard her on a few podcasts. Plus, this is an incredible book and Candice is a brilliant storyteller.
In a similar style to Brit(ish), I Am Not Your Baby Mother is part memoir, part education. Candice recounts her experience as a black mother, as well as providing facts and figures on black motherhood more generally in Britain. The stories Candice tells are moving and shocking, from not being believed by doctors whilst she was life-threateningly ill after giving birth to her first child to making the difficult choice to move out of the city where she was born, London, when she had a son, for fears about knife crime and how it affects black boys and men in the capital.
I’d highly recommend this book, specifically as an audiobook, as well as following Candice on Instagram.
the vanishing half by brit bennett | ★★★
This new release was receiving all the hype on Instagram this month and I totally fell for it. Unfortunately, I think the high expectations I had of this book did tarnish it a little bit, but, nevertheless, I completely understand why so many people love it.
Set between the 1950s-1990s, it follows the lives of Desiree and Stella, mixed race twins who are born in the town of Mallard. Mallard is a town that almost exclusively houses mixed race people and its residents shun dark-skin black people. Desiree and Stella move away from the town when they are young but are separated for the rest of their lives when Stella tries to pass as white, succeeds and starts a new life as such, whilst Desiree continues to identify as black. This part of the novel was the strongest for me, as it explored the intricacies of colourism and allowed the reader insight into Desiree and Stella’s lives and thoughts.
The second part of the novel follows Desiree and Stella’s daughters, which I enjoyed less. The writing was still beautiful and the ideas fascinating, but, for me, the plot became slightly overcomplicated and I yearned for deeper insight into almost all of the characters.
I’d definitely still recommend reading this book as I enjoyed the reading experience on the whole, I just wish it was double the length it is so I could have stayed in its world for longer and got to know the characters better.
the new jim crow by michelle alexander | ★★★★
The final book I read in June is the most academic of them all. The New Jim Crow puts forward the argument that the war on drugs and the system of mass incarceration in America is an intentionally formed new caste system, a reincarnation of Jim Crow. I find it difficult to believe that anyone could read this book and not be convinced by its argument, as it is so well-researched and expansive, covering all elements of the criminal justice system in America and how it affects black people, from stop and search, to the court of law to how rights are drastically restricted for felons.
It also provides fascinating insights on how colourblindness came to be considered as a positive thing and why it is, in fact, a regressive way of considering race. It is research-heavy, which is useful, as I was constantly folding pages to come back to and I feel much more armed with facts and explanations to have discussions about systematic racism in America, especially with those who are skeptical that racism still exists. If you’re looking for the same kind of education, this book is a brilliant place to start. It was by no means and easy read and it took me a while to get through but it was so worthwhile.
tv
Dynasty (Netflix) | ★★★★
I asked for recommendations of TV shows on Instagram at the beginning of the month, tailored to my very specific taste in TV (keywords: women, camp, great clothes, basic). A friend recommended Dynasty, describing the main character as ‘Blair Waldorf on steroids’ which completely sold me on it and is also completely accurate. It follows Fallon Carrington, a young woman who is from an extremely rich family that lives in Atlanta, as she tries to become a successful businesswomen and tackle the kind of problems that crop up in soap operas like this one: sudden deaths, kidnapping and marital affairs. It’s the ultimate easy watching and there’s also a musical episode so, yeah, right up my street.
film
The Social Network (Netflix) | ★★★★
This is one of those films I’ve been meaning to watch for years and have only just got round to now. I am fascinated by the creation of social media and the corruption of Facebook in particular, so I was bound to enjoy this film. It made me want to delete social media more than ever but, alas, I’m still here but hopefully, with a more skeptical lens on the digital world. Also, Jesse Eisenberg was so great as Mark Zuckerberg and I’m kind of glad that I waited so long to watch this film because it means I got to see Zuckerberg fumble in front of AOC before watching it, which made Eisenberg’s portrayal of him as an awkward college student all the more convincing.
Easy A (Netflix) | ★★
I think I’ve definitely watched this film in the past, although I obviously wasn’t particularly impressed with it then either as I have no recollection of the plot. The idea for this film is ok, I guess, but it was ruined for me by the amount of insensitive jokes and remarks. I understand that films are a product of their time but the undertones of racism and misogyny in this film were unnecessarily frequent, to the point where I couldn’t enjoy it at all. Plus, 2010 wasn’t that long ago. The extra star is for Stanley Tucci- he was great.
Fleabag (Amazon Prime) | ★★★★
I managed to watch the original play version of Fleabag on Amazon Prime before it was taken down at the end of June and it was just as brilliant as the show. It’s so impressive that Phoebe Waller-Bridge manages to cultivate the same humour and pathos as she does in a full-scale TV production, whilst sitting alone on stage on a chair and I felt like it gave me even more insight into the character of Fleabag and the show. I’ve only knocked off a star because it just isn’t the same watching theatre online for me. If the conservative government allow for theatres to go under, it’s over for them bitches.
podcasts
Freelancing for journalists | ★★★★
I have been trying to navigate the world of freelance journalism this month with varying levels of success and this podcast has been a great guide. It covers finances, networking and pitching and is being made during the pandemic, so is relevant for the current moment too.
At home with Lily And anna | ★★★★
This podcast is the ultimate easy listening as bloggers Lily and Anna chat about their weeks as well as different discussion topics every week including body image, university and ageing.
individual episodes I enjoyed:
articles
I became a member at Gal-dem this month and have been really enjoying their content, including their newsletter. Some of my favourite articles from Gal-dem and other publications I’ve read this month are included here:
The Life of a Song: ‘I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free’ | Financial Times
Falling Out of Love With Modernist Literature | LitHub
What does self-care look like when you’re black, in the media and can’t switch off? | Gal-dem
How Iceland Beat the Coronavirus | The New Yorker
How to love well, according to Daniel Jones, the editor of Modern Love | Sunday Times Style
Paths of desire: lockdown has lent a new twist to the trails we leave behind | The Guardian
Afua Hirsch On The Crucial Black History Lessons All Schools Should Be Teaching | British Vogue
Haim: ‘Men were like, “Get her off the stage, why is she making those faces?”’ | Independent
‘The waste and excess is more visible’: how coronavirus is shaking up fashion | The Guardian
I fell into the emotional labour trap, then my wife divorced me | Sunday Times Style
music
I didn’t make a playlist this month but I’ve been listening to Pip Millett’s entire discography, Rex Orange County’s latest album, Pony, lots of Destiny’s Child and Beyonce (anyone else become obsessed after rewatching her Glastonbury performance?). Since it Haim’s new album Women in Music, pt.III came out, I’ve been listening to that on repeat too. Oh, and this Spotify playlist: