issue #70 - the one with a heavy heart
I’m hurting.
Ruth Bader Ginsberg has been one of my heroes for as long as I can remember. And to live in a world where she isn’t serving on the Supreme Court is one I’m not used to living in, and one that has perilous consequences for the future of the republic.
I unloaded my thoughts last night. And now, I’m fired up to do even more for this election and fight for the country I know we CAN be.
I will be donating to every vulnerable Democratic senator and challenger in this election. I’m going to be text and phone banking every second I have.
Justice Ginsberg never stopped fighting for the America she believed in. And neither will I. And hopefully, neither will you.
What we read and loved
Hitha
In The Quick by Kate Hope Day (ARC provided by NetGalley, out March 2) - I feel like a jerk for recommending a book that won’t be out for 6 months, but it was SO GOOD and fits in with my current space obsession right now. A brilliant young astronaut (and the niece of a brilliant rocket scientist) makes it her mission to figure out what went wrong on a deep space mission that stranded 4 astronauts, and watching June grow up and grow into her family’s legacy while traveling through space and solving tricky problems was fascinating. This lacks the humor of The Martian and annoyingly does not use quotation marks for dialogue (a stylistic choice that puzzles me, but I digress), but I tore through it in two nights.
The Boy Toy by Nicola March (ARC provided by NetGalley, out November 17) - Romance novels with depth and representation has become my favorite genre of books lately, and The Boy Toy is an excellent addition to that genre. She’s a biracial Indian-Australian woman who fled Melbourne after her arranged marriage ended in infidelity, and returned to help her cousin launch her business. He’s a stuntsman who has a stutter, looking to move into voice roles. They meet in a random bar and sparks fly. It’s a thoroughly predictable book with a common plotline (one that Ties That Tether did a better job of, in my opinion), but it was still an enjoyable read.
I had high hopes that I'd be able to read a lot during quarantine, but my attention span has sadly been lacking. One of the few books to hold my attention has been former Vogue Creative Director André Leon Talley's memoir of his ground-breaking career in fashion, The Chiffon Trenches - it's juicy and fun.
Luster by Raven Leilani had me hooked from the beginning. I've been really working to read more books by Black authors and I am recommending this one to anyone who'll listen.
From Hitha - I second this recommendation wholeheartedly! Leilani’s writing is otherworldly and I was blown away by this book.
The top 5
Remote Work Can Actually Flip the Power Dynamic With Your Boss (OneZero)
Buying Myself Back (The Cut)
The Day Glennon Doyle Met Abby Wambach (The Riveter)
All The Smart Reads
Monday
Winds a worry as death toll reaches 33 from West Coast fires (Associated Press)
Bigger Than Me: Naomi Osaka on Inspiring Future Generations (Nike News)
Black Creators: The McBride Sisters Embark On A New Chapter (Essence)
Tuesday (curated by Dina Fierro)
Americans Must Defend the Postal Service Like Our Democracy Depends on It (New York Magazine)
Why teaming up with Amazon makes sense for top U.S. mall owner Simon (Fortune)
Joe Biden Sees the Future in Kamala Harris (New York Magazine)
Wednesday
Staggering Number of Hysterectomies Happening at ICE Facility, Whistleblower Says (Vice)
How to Let Go of Working-Mom Guilt (Harvard Business Review)
“I Have Blood on My Hands”: A Whistleblower Says Facebook Ignored Global Political Manipulation (BuzzFeed News)
Thursday
The State of Black Beauty (Elle)
I Love New York Fall Collections (Vogue)
Michaela Coel's Pressure Points (Garage Magazine)
Friday
Trump vs. Redfield and the Dangers of Poor Public Messaging (The Dispatch)
Coffee Rust Is Going to Ruin Your Morning (The Atlantic)
Grace Lynne Haynes Is The 27-Year-Old Painter Behind Your Favorite 'New Yorker' Covers (Elle)
The business of cardboard fans (Axios)
Things I Love This Week
My friend Meghan designed the cutest stationery with The Illustrated Life. It makes me want to be a handwritten note kind-of-gal, but the convenience of Punkpost is more my thing.
I’ve been living in my friend Jess’ VOTE t-shirt, which keeps selling out because it’s the coziest thing ever and supports voter mobilization efforts for marginalized communities. I’ll be wearing mine until November 3rd (and then again next year during NYC’s primaries and general election)…and then for every election thereafter.
MM.LaFleur’s latest collection is full of incredible basics that are both cozy enough for working from home and polished enough for the office (if and when that ever happens). I have my eye on these culottes, this sweatshirt, this sweater, and this t-shirt (which comes with 5 sweet patches, which supports the Girl Scouts). I am an investor in MM.LaFleur
Dina - Not only does Lele Sadoughi make some of the cutest cloth face masks, she's also introducing gorgeous mask chains, which might sound frivolous but are genuinely amazing for dining out and travel.
Callia - Another big priority of mine for the rest of 2020 and beyond is uplifting and celebrating Black-owned businesses, and something that's been bringing me joy during quarantine is Brother Vellies' "Something Special" program. Getting a surprise in the mail every month is such a treat, and I love discovering the stories behind the products that Aurora James so carefully curates.
Looking for my favorite things? You can find them here.
If you like what I’m sending, please forward it with someone you love (or someone you don’t). Or both. Everyone could use some smart reads in their life.
xo,
HPN
Grateful for you my beautiful friend...