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Kelsey Ford: New Year, New You: 9 Books for a Better You, 9 Books for a Worse You (0 comment)

I’m not a huge believer in new year’s resolutions — they always feel like set ups for failure and disappointment instead of the well-meaning self-bettering they’re intended to be. However, I do believe in the fresh promise of a new year and taking the opportunity to deliberately (and gently) think about your routines and what you might be missing...

Keith Mosman: Powell's Picks Spotlight: Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham's 'Lunar New Year Love Story' (0 comment)
Kate Brody: What If the Real Monsters Were Inside Us All Along: Kate Brody’s Movie Playlist for ‘Rabbit Hole’ (0 comment)

We Both Laughed in Pleasure: The Selected Diaries of Lou Sullivan

Lou Sullivan and Zach Ozma and Ellis Martin

I love everything about this book, from the meticulous research, to the beautiful cover, to the stunning revelations it holds. Martin and Ozma have compiled a thoughtful, hilarious, sexy collection of Lou Sullivan’s personal diaries. Do you not know about Lou Sullivan yet? A trans icon if there ever was one, he paved the way for gay trans men, who had previously been barred from medical transition. This collection covers myriad topics: Sullivan’s... (read more)
Recommended by Kyan F.

Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl

Andrea Lawlor

Simply put: this is the book I've been waiting for my whole life.
Recommended by Kyan F.

Little Teeth

Rory Frances and Jae Bearhat

I’m always on the lookout for stories about trans punks and art freaks, so imagine my delight when Little Teeth hit my desk. It’s funny, poignant, biting, and deeply loving. If the mark of a good book is feeling inspired to practice more compassion towards others and one’s self, then Little Teeth is among the best.
Recommended by Kyan F.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Konigsburg, E. L.

This was one of my favorite books as a child and, wow, does it hold up! Claudia Kincaid is a precocious 12-year-old who ropes her younger brother into running away with her to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Most of all, I love that this book respects the intelligence of young readers. The author understands that children have rich internal lives and complex emotional motivations. This book, while small, is wise and expansive, and I found its... (read more)
Recommended by Kyan F.

3 Conversations Bodies Work Relationships

Charlotte Shane and Merritt K

Times are tough. All any of us needs is a cool, slightly older friend who will hand us a bowl of cereal and let us pet their cat while they impart their wisdom and affirmation onto us. Fortunately, such a remedy has arrived in the form of merritt k. and Charlotte Shane (cat and cereal not included). Equal parts familiar and challenging, this beautiful, hand-printed pamphlet features discussion of sex work, monogamy, plastic surgery, the paradox... (read more)
Recommended by Kyan F.

The Passion According to G.H.

Lispector, Clarice

Fans of Gertrude Stein, Franz Kafka, and John Waters, get ready to take a dive into Lispector’s avant-garde world. The titular narrator reflects on the cockroach she has discovered and killed in her former maid’s room, culminating in a crisis of personality. Rich with metaphor and social analysis, The Passion According to G. H. is a beautiful meditation that demands to be read. Keep your pencil close at hand; there are sure to be lines,... (read more)
Recommended by Kyan F.