Welcome to The Book Nook, the Lincoln Log’s very own book review. It’s slightly reminiscent of that of the New York Times if you’re a fan, and I’ll provide you with everything you need to step up your reading game to not only entertain you, but make you a kinder, smarter, more empathetic human.
I’ll be kicking off this new section of the paper by discussing some of my favorite books. You can trust me—I’ve read a lot. And my mom is an English major.
A lot of the books I recommend will discuss heavy and possibly triggering topics. I’ve disclosed most of the major content warnings for you, but if you ever want a little more information, I encourage you to visit booktriggerwarnings.com or check out GoodReads.com. I’ve also included the first line or first few lines of each book so you can see what style of writing you’re getting into.
Happy reading!
“Betty” by Tiffany McDaniel
Content Warnings: rape | sexual assault | racially motivated violence | racial slurs | suicidal ideation & attempt | self-harm
Genres: Historical fiction, coming-of-age, Bildungsroman
“A girl comes of age against the knife. She must learn to bear its blade. To be cut. To bleed. To scar over and still, somehow, be beautiful and with good enough knees to take the sponge to the kitchen floor every Saturday.”
“Betty” is a story of girlhood, sisterhood, and coming-of-age nestled in the foothills of the Appalachians, drenched in rich Cherokee culture. It follows the author’s mother, Betty Carpenter, through a dark world of family secrets, but also the joy and curiosity that one finds in the world around them.
This book stood out to me because of its acknowledgment of a variety of social issues and careful, accurate portrayal of them. It is not a story of saviors – it is a story of finding power from within. I also appreciated the close and careful hand with which McDaniel painted her characters and their relationships with each other. They were real, raw, and vulnerable, like the prose they were written with.
Overall, this story is not a light one. It is powerful, but devastating. It’s the kind of story that sticks with you months and months after reading it, and the kind of story I would recommend to anyone who wants to feel emotions they have never experienced before.
“On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” by Ocean Vuong
Content Warnings: addiction | animal violence | bullying | cancer | death | drug use | homophobia | parental abuse | racism | sexual assault | trauma | war
Genres: Epistolary novel, Bildungsroman
“Let me begin again. Dear Ma, I am writing to reach you – even if each word I put down is one word further from where you are.”
“On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” was written by a poet, which explains its poetic structure and flowing prose. Ocean Vuong frames the novel as letters to his mother – who cannot read – whom he has a complex and often difficult relationship with. He tackles concepts of generational trauma and pain with ease, while also acknowledging the impact this can have on future relationships. He jumps from timeline to timeline, from emotion to emotion, but one thing remains consistent—he artfully and accurately puts the human condition into words.
Vuong teaches lessons, but he also teaches acknowledgment, that the first step to quantifying and explaining the emotions we feel is to accept the fact that they exist, to stop blaming ourselves for what we feel. He explores the impact of someone’s place of upbringing and their childhood on their future relationships, especially relationships with children of their own, and unpacks class, race, and masculinity.
“On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” is urgent, even desperate at times, and the author clearly expresses his desire to be heard. Reading this book helped me feel heard, and I hope it will help you, too.
