Qua những câu chuyện tình ngắn và đầy cảm xúc, tác giả cho thấy những thiệt thòi của phụ nữ khi yêu. Còn những nhân vật nam số đông là ngoại tình và không biết quý những gì đang có trong tay. Tuy những câu chuyện không mấy mới lạ nhưng vẫn khiến tôi đọc vì tác giả viết những đoạn sex thật nóng bỏng. Xen kẽ những câu chuyện là những bài viết ngắn khuyên nhủ cho phụ nữ. Chẳng hạn như: phụ nữ vạn người mê nhưng chỉ cần một người yêu.

Những bài văn ngắn viết lại những suy nghĩ của tác giả qua những quyển sách cô đã đọc. Phải là người mê sách Hiền Trang mới đọc nhiều sách với nhiều tác giả khác nổi danh trên thế giới. Những quyển sách được chọn lựa để viết về tuổi trẻ. Tuy nhiên cách viết của Hiền Trang không đủ lôi cuốn và thiếu phần sâu lắng nên đọc không được ấn tượng cho lắm. Có thể là tại tôi chưa từng đọc những quyển sách cô đọc và tôi cũng chưa biết đến nhiều tác giả trên thới giới.

In The Library Book, Orlean weaves together investigative journalism, personal introspection, operational insights, fascinating characters, diverse culture, and social openness to tell engaging, riveting stories of the evolution of libraries. Orlean who writes for The New Yorker is both an excellent storyteller and reporter; therefore, this 300-page book is a breezy read—Carly Loman’s exceptional typesetting helps as well. If you love the library, you will appreciate this book. Here’s one of my favorite passages:

In Senegal, the polite expression for saying someone died is to say his or her library has burned. When I first heard the phrase, I didn’t understand it, but over time I came to realize it was perfect. Our minds and souls contain volumes made of our experiences and emotions; each individual’s consciousness is a collection of memories we’ve cataloged and stored inside us, a private library of a life lived. It is something that no one else can entirely share, one that burns down and disappears when we die. But if you can take something from that internal collection and share it—with one person or with the larger world, on the page or in a story recited—it takes on a life of its own.

1. The Book, by Keith Houston, explores the fascinating history of bookmaking that dates back to more than fifteen hundred years ago.
2. Decoded, by JAY-Z, is part memoir, part lyrical analysis, and much better than what I had expected.
3. The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank, helps put me into perspective at a time of a global pandemic.
4. The Library Book, by Susan Orlean, weaves together investigative journalism, personal introspection, operational insights, fascinating characters, diverse culture, and social openness to tell engaging, riveting stories of the evolution of libraries.
5. These Truths, by Jill Lepore, told the naked truth of our great yet flawed nation through the concoction of illuminating politics, fascinating biographies, arresting journalism, and sprawling technology.
6. Time is a Mother, by Ocean Vương, is beyond my comprehension for poetry. I need to re-read these poems again in order to understand everything he has written; therefore, I bought myself a copy. Gotta support our Vietnamese-American talents.

Tập tản văn này của chị Tư ngắn và dễ đọc so với những bài nặng ký và rườm rà trong những tập sách khác. Những bài ký ức viết về đồng quê nhẹ nhàng và tình cảm. Tuy chưa bao giờ đến Cà Mau nhưng tôi thèm được thưởng thức tô bún nước lèo chị Tư diễn tả. Tôi thích bài viết về nhạc Trịnh Công Sơn và cải lương. Những người xa xứ như tôi, đọc chữ Việt và những câu chuyện quê hương để nhắc nhở mình còn có một nơi tuy xa mà gần.

I wish I can write about everyday life as beautiful and soulful as Levy can. Her candid prose and brutal honesty make this book so damn engaging. Her plumbing struggle, for instance, I know exactly what she was going through. Her writing is concise, funny, and heartfelt. Here’s an example:

To strip the wallpaper off the fairy tale of The Family House in which the comfort and happiness of men and children have been the priority is to find behind it an unthanked, unloved, neglected, exhausted woman. It requires skill, time, dedication and empathy to create a home that everyone enjoys and that functions well. Above all else, it is an act of immense generosity to be the architect of everyone else’s well-being. This task is still mostly perceived as women’s work.

I definitely recommend this memoir for both writing style and vivid storytelling.

To celebrate 20 years of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, hip-hop journalist Joan Morgan examines the profound impact the album had on hip-hop feminist and analyzes the misexpectation fans had for Lauryn. As a result, Lauryn, whose music paved the way for the next generation of black female artists and whose style defined black beauty, fell out of the limelight and got into troubles. She could not or did not want to follow up with another album. I wish Morgan delved more into the songs because I had listened to Miseducation twice, but had not feeling it. I need to go back to it for more careful listens. Still, this is concise and informative read on the perspective of black feminist.

Gorgeous illustration, striking lettering, and inspiring message make it a perfect book for kids to read and for parents to savor.

This book provides general guidelines for writing based on the four basic workflow:
prepare, compose, edit, and finish. It’s a helpful read, but I was expecting a more laser-focus approach from A Book Apart. I would like to see specific tips on writing clear, concise copy for user interface, product, and marketing. Maybe it should not be a brief, but a full book to cover more practical details.

A collection of essays on cultural criticism ranging from politics, music, art, and film. Smith’s writing is thoughtful, honest, and personal. My favorite pieces are on Jay Z, Joni Mitchell, and life-writing.