Angry book recommendations
Sharing news and books that have helped me explore my anger and transform it
TW: sexual violence, incest
In this week’s edition I will share:
thoughts on anger
recommended reads
Anger
Last week was a hell of a week for the news-cycle (like every other week?). Among other news, the director of my alma mater stepped down in the midst an incest scandal implicating Olivier Duhamel, a prominent French politician who was part of the school’s board. His resignation was a long time coming. It was rightfully lauded by feminist groups, who had been raising their voices against the lack of accountability, transparency and the institutionalised cover-up that was deployed to protect the interests of Duhamel and, by extension, the reputation of the school.
I must say that I am both happy and angry (hangry?). I am happy to witness the slight tremors rattling the house of cards. Unfortunately, it will take a systemic overhaul to completely destroy the patriarchal, classist and capitalistic structures that uphold the impunity of rapists in high places, but I am thrilled that the unrelenting work of activists on the ground are making ripples in the murky ocean we’re currently wading through. I am immensely grateful and humbled by the stories coming from #metooinceste, #metoogay, #sciencesporcs that are bending the knees, albeit slightly, of those who thought they were too high up to be held accountable for their deeds.
But I am angry. Iron-hot, burning coal angry. However, 2020 taught me that anger is good, anger is transformative. Being angry means I am empathic enough to reckon that a situation is unjust and needs to be changed. Being angry gives me the impetus to keep writing, to keep sharing the work of activists, to keep protesting even if there is just an inkling of a chance to change the status quo. Anger, in 2020, was a form of hope. In 2021, it’s going be catalyst for action - a fledgling flame, a spark, a bonfire.
(There’s quite a lot of news that has triggered me this week, like France’s far-right policing of academia , the complicity of Mauritian media when reporting on violence against women, or the arrest of the Indian climate activist Disha Ravi … let’s say that my attempts to control my screen-time and news addiction has been nothing short of a failure this time around. I will try again next week and, hopefully, do better next week)
What made you angry recently? What is getting on your nerves right now? Lash out in the comments below - send me some of your angry energy.
Recommended reads
Sister Outsider, Audre Lorde
I often get obsessed with things that I love - a specific breakfast meal, a favourite sweater, or a preferred walking route - and I relentlessly try to sell it to my unsuspecting friends/whoever is listening until they try it. One of the books I have never been able to shut up about since reading it is Audre Lorde’s collection of essays Sister Outsider, more specifically the essay “THE USES OF ANGER: WOMEN RESPONDING TO RACISM”. If ever somebody tries to police or discredit you because of the anger that manifests itself on your face and escapes your mouth, think about this essay. I wrote a review back in November 2020, nearly a year after reading it, and felt compelled to re-read this essay because I was in a phase where I was letting my anger destroy me.
I have since then set up a routine of reading Audre Lorde’s work throughout the year, and recopying the sections that resonate the most at that point in time in my diary. Trust me, it’s better than slamming your head on your keyboard (unless you’re into that kind of release).
Sula, Toni Morrison
If you want to read a book that offers a wide spectrum of what it means to be a Black woman, Sula is exactly what you need. Morrison writes beautifully, but leaves the reader with a sense of discomfort. She takes social conventions (domestic bliss, marriage, monogamous relationships, the good-bad binary) and throws them out of the window, leaving you confused and shook.
Sula is one of those characters that can unmake your views about possessions, romantic relationships and gender conformity. I’m not going to lie; you will probably hate her and, yes, she will get on your nerves, but as the story progresses (and as her friendship with Nel evolves) you will understand that nothing is ever black or white, nor good or bad.
Fun fact: the 18th of February happens to be both Audre Lorde’s and Toni Morrison’s birthdays - A.L would have been 87 and T.M 90. Rest in power, thank you for your words and for creating works upon which Black feminists have flourished, expanded and created, for the benefit of us all.
That’s all for me this week, virtual friends! I hope you enjoyed this week’s edition. Do not hesitate to drop a hello in the comments, and/or share this newsletter with your friends, family and foes.
Have a good one, keep safe and stay angry.
S.
And thanks I just bought Sula. Sounds great.
Absolutely loved that angry newsletter. What made me really angry this week aside from testing positive to COVID (yup, annoying but I’m doing fine) was learning from my office cleaning lady Marisa that people in her underprivileged neighborhood in São Paulo have to wait 60 days in line in order to get tested for COVID at the public local health center. 60 fucking days. It really made me realize that there is no way out: either everyone get vaccinated or everyone gets contaminated, but this testing and isolating thing is never going to work as long as poor people don’t have access to free and fast testing. I’m mad.