Monday Meme (September 10th 2018)

The It’s Monday, What are You Reading? meme is a space to share what you have been, are, and are about to read.

Didn’t get much reading done this week but did finish and post a review of Hidden Secrets of St. Croix by Clarice C. Clarke, and start listening to The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. I am still struggling with the audio book format – I miss stuff and have to go back because it doesn’t hold my concentration the way turning the pages does. That said, like the World War Z audio book (my second successful go of an audio book this year or ever after Born a Crime), it is the type of book that lends itself to the format with all of its unsettling atmospheric spookiness. We’ll see how I get through. The only other reading I did this week was the Antigua and Barbuda Review of Books. Not finished but the last couple of articles were interesting and there was an article on my books of which I am deeply appreciative. Finally, in bookish news, I didn’t read these books but I did revisit them, my contributions to the 7 days 7 covers facebook challenge.

Also feel free to check out another of my throwback reviews; this one for Vegas Bites.

What am I reading…today, well, Sunday, I did plan to clear my head by reading (it’s a stressful time and I thought it was just what the doctor ordered) but the day didn’t work out that way. So I suppose the only reading I’ve gotten done today was one or two articles on the women’s finals of the US Open – like this one (Of Course, Serena was Fined $17,000. Of Course) at The Root and this one (Billie Jean King: Serena is Still Treated Differently than Male Athletes) at the Washington Post:

(from the latter)
“Women are taught to be perfect. We aren’t perfect, of course, and so we shouldn’t be held to that standard. We have a voice. We have emotions. When we react adversely to a heated professional situation, far too often, we’re labeled hysterical. That must stop. Tennis is a game, but for (Serena) Williams and (Naomi) Osaka, it’s also their job, their life’s work. Yes, Williams was heated during the match because she felt Ramos wasn’t just penalizing her, but also attacking her character and professionalism. Her true leadership and character were revealed after the match, in the trophy presentation, when she shifted the spotlight to Osaka. She didn’t have to, but she did. I know her — that’s who she really is, and she knew it was the right thing to do.”

I actually agree with King (another tennis legend’s) take. Not here to debate it, just sharing what I was reading and won’t tolerate any Williams sisters hate on my blog (FYI). Disagreement is one thing but I’ve seen some really hateful language lobbed at her and willful obliviousness to the realities King articulates. Besides this is Naomi Osaka’s moment (so charmed by her), kudos to her for a match well played. If I’m annoyed at anyone its the media which insists on erasing the Haitian half of her heritage; get it right – this is the first US Open win for someone who by her own words was born in Japan, and raised in America by a Japanese mother and a Haitian father and a Haitian grandmother in a Haitian household.

Champions both.

“She played well and this is her first grand slam and I know you guys were here rooting and I was rooting too but let’s make this the best moment we can…let’s not boo anymore….congratulations, Naomi.” – Serena Williams during the 2018 US Open awards ceremony.

As for what I hope to read, anything sitting in the active reading pile by my bedside would do. Plus I’ll be reading up on and prepping the stories I’ve selected for my Jhohadli Writing Project Creative Writing Workshop Series which has been pushed back one week and begins September 15th 2018.

Shout out to Britain-based Jamaica-born writer Leone Ross on the publication of her story Meat Kind (still tickled to see such a Caribbeanism making it in to the literary lexicon) in The Mechanics’ Institute Review 2018: 15: Short Stories

Check out the music in the current edition of my CREATIVE SPACE series (singer Joss Stone with local Antiguan and Barbudan artist Asher Otto) and… happy reading.