Sunday, May 31, 2020

Compulsive Reader Newsletter for June

"Books" by Jules Hawk is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Hello readers.  2020 has been relentless, and I’m well aware that I’m one of the lucky ones - privileged, comfortable, surrounded by books. Will it end up being a year of dissolution, transformation or both?  I don’t know and it’s probably too early to tell, but the toll either way has been terrible. So much of what we’re going through right now seems to me to be connected. I want to do more - to help more.  Is my tiny platform the right place?  How do I amplify other voices? How do I make space for much-needed change? I don’t have the answers, but I’m trying to learn and grow, and the best way to do that, I think, is through listening/paying attention to people who know firsthand. For the US, Rachel Cargle’s course is excellent - with simple, actionable items and more extensive resources if you are able to go there. Rachel (https://www.rachelcargle.com) has a whole list of resources here: https://linktr.ee/1thatgotawayy, and you can sign up for the free course at the link. I’m also on the lookout specifically for Australian resources. I have lots of books, podcasts and am reading and listening widely but if you’ve got specific resources that you want to share around climate change, living sustainably, or combating racial and other forms of inequality - both structural and personal including indigenous deaths in custody and the shameful way we treat refugees, please let me know, particularly if they are are in the voices of lived experience that I might be able to help amplify.  What is becoming increasingly obvious is that we all have to work together to make this world a kinder, safer, more inclusive place. I’m ready to #dothework, so hit me up if you’ve got ideas.  In the meantime, June’s newsletter is bigger than usual - I’m trying to catch up with a lot of backlogged reviews, and to get on top of my teetering stack, so we’ve got 15 new reviews instead of the usual 10.  There’s also a big roundup of news, and 3 fantastic new giveaways as well, including fiction, nonfiction and poetry.  If you’re a subscriber, you should have your copy soon (but check spam as the word ‘compulsive’ often triggers the filters). You can also grab a copy in the archive here: Compulsive Reader Newsletter Archive   To subscribe visit: http://www.compulsivereader.com.

Friday, May 1, 2020

CR Newsletter for May

The Compulsive Reader newsletter for May has just gone out.  Wherever you are, I hope you’ve got good reading material. Our newsletter this month includes 11 new reviews and interviews to help keep you in the know about the latest and greatest new books coming out - we’ve got, for example, Sophie Hardcastle’s Below Deck (check out my interview with Sophie here: https://youtu.be/82COIj2UXbw), All My People Are Elegies by Sean Thomas Dougherty, Stanley Park by Sapphira Olson, interviews with Michael Foldes, Kristina Marie Darling, Ashley Kalagian Blunt, and lots more. We also have a big news roundup including some fantastic virtual events happening, and 3 fantastic new book giveaways.  If you’re a subscriber, you should have a copy already in your inbox. If not, you can grab a copy directly from our archive here: http://www.compulsivereader.com/sendpress/email/?sid=MA&eid=MTUwOT