Over the course of my exam preparation, I developed the bad habit of buying books I don’t have time to read. With my exams just a month away, the end is near. Here are the unread books that have been taking up space on my shelf!
The Promised Land by Barak Obama
Genre: Autobiography
Why I Baught It: If I had to pinpoint the day I truly understood what politics meant, it would be November 4, 2008. We were late for school, and my dad, who was usually not watching CNN in the mornings, was engrossed in the broadcast. When I urged him to hurry, he said, “No, you need to watch this. Sit down.” It was the day Barack Obama was elected President. Over the course of his two terms, and later during the Trump presidency, there has been much debate about Obama’s time in office: Did he fulfill his promises? Did he do enough for Black Americans? I am excited to hear from Obama himself about his thoughts on his presidency.
Page Count: 768
Glory by NoViolet Bulawayo
Genre: Political Fiction
Why I Bought It:I only discovered in 2021 that the Ndebele people of Zimbabwe were systematically killed by Mugabe’s government. This book recounts Mugabe’s rise and fall, employing Orwellian-inspired satire and using animals to tell the story. I’m excited about this book because, like much of African history, I learn about the specificities and effects of internal conflicts on the continent through literature. The book was also shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2022. Plus, I absolutely love the cover!
Page Count: 416
Scenes of Subjection by Saidiya Hartman
Genre: Literary Critisism
Why I Bought It:
The George Floyd protests shocked me, especially because news channels repeatedly replayed his death on TV. It was disturbing to see how people could so comfortably watch a man lose his life, with the footage being shown over and over again for days. I was also upset that it took such a graphic depiction for people to acknowledge that this is an unfortunately common occurrence. I heard a quote from this book during a lecture and decided to buy it because I wanted to understand why there is such a comfort with viewing violence against Black bodies—and, more broadly, bodies of color. Having studied early African American literature, I hope this book will also shed light on the lingering effects of slavery in contemporary America.
Page Count: 560
Slow Down: The Degrowth Manifesto by Kohei Saito(Author) & Brian Bergstrom (Translator)
Why I Bought It:Climate change is undeniably real, and I understand that it’s a serious issue, but that’s about all I know. I’m hoping this book will help me grasp how climate change evolved into such a crisis, whether using paper straws can make a difference, and if we are all doomed regardless.
Page Count: 288
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