#radical reads
The perfect pair from the same book store, although I had to hunt to find this match.
“The Abolition of Prison” by Jacques Lesage de La Haye (translated by Scott Branson)
Again I know very little about this book other than it’s a French piece from a well known intellectual. The abolition of the prison system would be extraordinarily profound.
As of a couple of years ago I read in the book “The New Jim Crow” that while the United States made up less than FIVE percent of the world’s overall population, we accounted for well OVER a whopping TWENTY-FIVE percent of the world’s entire prison population. It never sat right with me. I think about that statistic every day and wonder how it’s changed in recent years.
Certainly a hot topic right now.
“The End of Policing” by Alex S. Vitale
“The problem is not police training, police diversity, or police methods. The problem is the dramatic and unprecedented expansion and intensity of policing in the last forty years, a fundamental shift in the role of police in society. The problem is policing itself.”
Again, hand in hand with a lot of the other books currently added to my bookshelves. The need to study intersectionality and how it affects all aspects of our lives from the way we conduct business, to the way we socialize, to the way we’ve allowed the police to evolve into a borderline military industrial complex. We border on living in a police run state.
The problem with that is the origins on the police force and basically how it never really evolved, it just learned to cover its tracks. And boy did it cover its tracks POORLY.
Only a couple books left from “Independent Bookstore Day”!!
“So you want to talk about race” by Ijeoma Oluo
I have yet to crack this one but I’ve considered buying it for a while. Pair this with some of the other books I’ve reviewed and posted about here and you’ll be on your way to a more diverse perspective.
As a white ally I know I can always be better. A big part of that is listening to, and uplifting, those around me, and those who are oppressed. This book helps open the door to that conversation.
**LONG POST ALERT**
Yesterday was “Independent Bookstore Day” and I was able to hit five of at least eight locally owned and operated bookstores in my area.
Socialight Society — at the Lansing Mall in Lansing, MI this local bookstore uplifts black and female voices in literature. I absolutely love this place, it’s beautifully designed and laid out. A great selection of books from the classics, to lifestyle, religion, young adult and children’s books, and more!!
The Resistance — a relatively new book store selling both new and used books in pretty much every category and genre you can think of. The Resistance is a community based bookstore that willingly rents out their space, FOR FREE, to local organizations, book clubs, and groups. They also carry what they call community credit so that nobody walks out of the store without a book. Can’t afford it? Don’t worry about it, take the book. Read it. There’s a line of community credit to cover the expense of books for individuals that might not be able to regularly have access to their own books and resources. Probably my favorite spot of all time. Ever. Favorite bookstore hands down.
Wayfaring Booksellers — a new and used bookstore operating out of one of those micro-markets, you know the flea market style one where everyone has their own space/booth in a shared building? Yeah I love this place too. It’s tiny but packed to the gills with books. First editions, classical editions, new books, used books, art books, fiction and non fiction, there’s so much packed into such a small space!! Also they do punch cards so every 10 books gets you 10% off your next purchase. How can you turn down a rewards program for books??
The Robin Books — umm I didn’t even know this place existed until yesterday?? It’s a tiny bookstore inside the local community theatre that’s only open two days a week for like six hours a day. Beautiful little bookstore and theatre, some amazing books and a surprisingly large selection. For a first visit it was overwhelming I will have to be back for further investigation.
Deadtime Stories — boasting the nations ONLY truly true crime bookstore. They carry nothing but true crime novels, books on serial killers, and all kinds of stuff like that. Definitely unique and you will find basically anything crime related here. If you ever make it to mid-Michigan it is worth a stop.
