Fables and Fairy Tales
with
The Currently Reading Podcast
Becoming Madam Secretary
By: Stephanie Dry
Karen's Pick: I dare say the overwhelming majority of Americans have never heard of Francis Perkins, and yet we owe so much to her. The most basic workplace safety, the elimination of child labor, and care for the elderly poor are all thanks to her dogged determination to protect the vulnerable during the early decades of the Twentieth Century. Francis was appointed as Secretary of Labor by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1933. She was the first woman ever appointed as a Cabinet Secretary. We get a peek inside the Oval Office as she and FDR become a formidable team trying to rescue America from the depths of the Depression in the 1930s. They faced opposition from every side, but kept fighting for reform and a way back to a stronger country. This book gives us a grateful appreciation for the personal sacrifices Francis made to give Americans a better quality of life that we now all take for granted. She is a beautiful example of how much one person can do when their goal is to make life more bearable for those around them.
Hell If We Don't Change Our Ways
By: Brittany Means
Taylor's Pick: I have written and rewritten this review a copious number of times. It's really hard to assign adjectives to a book like this; a memoir that traverses us through the ebb and flow of a childhood marred by trauma, addiction, abuse, and hardship. And yet, it was written so beautifully. It seems peculiar to attach that particular depiction to this kind of story, but... it simply was. Brittany's innate ability at self-protection, and the way she conceptualizes that, was captivating and gripping to read. When humans endure such atrocities at a young age, we might not be able to physically protect ourselves, but we can fight like hell to do so mentally and emotionally. This book explores the seemingly simple, yet confoundingly intricate concept of 'home.' When we're never allotted one in the traditional sense of the word, our minds can create one in a more abstract notion. Means shows us the raw, inner working mechanisms of the brain's ability to do just that. I cannot recommend this book enough! A poignant memoir.
Kylin's Pick: Kindred follows our protagonist Dana - a twenty-six-year-old black writer living in 1976, who suddenly finds herself in a pre-Civil War Maryland plantation. With the meeting of her two ancestors, Rufus - the white son of said plantation owner, and Alice- a free black woman who eventually becomes enslaved by Rufus. Dana becomes a victim of unwanted time travel and entangles herself within her family’s history. Dana has to make many life-threatening decisions in an attempt at survival and to ensure her way home. A thought-provoking, immersive, and heartbreaking experience from beginning to end. Butler does not shy away from harsh topics. Kindred’s portrayal of the horrors of racism are very real and powerful. This was my first of Butler’s novels, but will not my last.
Kindred
By: Octavia E. Butler
MaKaliyn's Pick: How far would you go to get justice for your loved ones? Sam’s whole life has been dedicated to proving to the world that her mom was a victim of the Beacon Hill Butcher. The only problem being that the butcher supposedly died two years prior to her mother’s murder. Meanwhile, her boyfriend Matt is working on moving into his childhood home after his grandfather gives it to him. Matt’s grandfather Edward Shank, also known as “Chief, was the police chief who shot the alleged Beacon Hill Butcher. As Matt is working on renovating his new home, he discovers a tormenting secret. This causes both Sam and Matt to deal with questions from both of their families' pasts, and work on discovering the truth behind all of these mysteries. The Butcher will keep you on your toes from beginning to end. When you think you know everything, Hillier is sure to pull the rug out from under your feet.
The Butcher
By: Jennifer Hillier
MaKaliyn's Pick: The Witchstone is a hilariously dark, on-the-edge-of-your-seat novel. The reader goes between Lazlo and Maggie’s points of view. Lazlo is a demon - his job being the curse keeper over the Drakeford curse. Maggie is the oldest of the two Drakeford children who is starting to see the first signs of the curse progressing in herself. When Lazlo shows up at their front door saying he will help break the curse, he takes the Drakeford kids on a wild goose chase of an adventure to try and find all of the curse breaking items needed. As the journey progresses, Lazlo and Maggie soon realize that they have many people and demons following them trying to put a stop to their mission. With Lazlo’s smart comments and sense of humor, Maggie’s willing to risk it all for the family's curse to be broken.
