In under 300 pages, Tastes Like War tackles complex family relationships, trauma, poverty, mental illness, sense memory, and displacement and imperialism, to start with. Even at the tensest moments, though, Cho addresses all with sensitivity and, above all, love.
Tag Archives: Nonfiction
‘Fuzz’ Prompts a Different View of our Animal Neighbors
The clash between humans and the fauna we surround ourselves with—and are surrounded by—is both frequent and frequently deadly for one or the other of us. How do we treat our fellow animals, and how can we treat them better? Roach has a few ideas, and while none of them are easy or convenient, they’re worth considering.
‘Difficult Fruit’ Lots of Food for Thought
The Book of Difficult Fruit works as a sometimes meandering but never unpleasant series of thoughts on things most people give no thought to at all.
‘The Facemaker’ Revives a Forgotten History
Reading The Facemaker also feels like an act of witnessing something that shouldn’t have ever been forgotten. We did this to ourselves, from the standpoint of humanity, and over a hundred years later, we haven’t stopped.
‘American Summer’ A Nuanced Portrayal of Trauma, Humanity
While An American Summer can be hard to read at times, it’s not hopeless. Nor are the people Kotlowitz writes about reduced to stereotypes. Rather, he has clearly taken the time to build the relationships that foster vulnerability.
‘The Wager’ A Harrowing Survival Tale
In fairness, at this point, I’d read a takeout menu if David Grann wrote it. But his writing, and research, continue to be rich and compelling.
‘Gentrifier’ Asks Tough Questions Wrapped in Cozy Experiences
Whether she is the gentrifier or isn’t, the perception stubbornly remains that the presence of “[her] whiteness” is linked to upward mobility for the neighborhood by many.
‘Bones’ a Disturbing, Enlightening Account of Violence and Injustice
Kimmerle doesn’t dwell on the violence; her focus is on telling the story without elaboration or obfuscation to best communicate her belief that every scoop of dirt contributes to long-overdue restorative justice for the dead, the broken, and their families.
‘Until Proven Safe’ a Timely Tour of Quarantine Past and Present
Manaugh and Twilley have not provided an exhaustive look at all types of quarantine, but it is comprehensive and cohesive enough to fascinate, or squick out, anyone at a cocktail party who makes the mistake of asking what you’re reading these days.
‘Kissing Bug’ An Education in a Lesser-Known Creepy-Crawly
Part memoir and part journalistic explainer, The Kissing Bug is all terrifying—and unexpectedly tender.
Ring Reads 