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.

In his practical guide for designing usable and accessible forms, Silver walks readers through 10 different design patterns that focus on the user experience. The book is well written, thoroughly researched, and approachable. The only technical issue is that all the codes presented in the book have no space, which makes the codes hard to follow. Other than that, it is a valuable resource for web designers and developers.

Tập truyện ngắn của nhạc sĩ Tuấn Khanh một phần ba là về đàn bà. Hai phần còn lại là cảm nghĩ của tác giả về sự khác biệt giữa văn hóa thời nay và thời của ông. Những bài tôi thích nhất là viết về nhạc. Còn những câu chuyện về xã hội đọc cũng tạm.

Đọc truyện chị Tư cần thời gian thong thả và chăm chú. Tôi đọc lúc được vài phút rảnh nên bị vắng đoạn. Cách viết của chị khó hiểu nếu không được tập trung. Hai câu chuyện ngắn tôi nhớ rõ nhất đứa học trò yêu cô giáo và người chị coi chừng em. Truyện tựa đề (bài dài nhất trong sách) viết về cách trả thù của người con gái với người cha trọng nam khinh nữ khiến tôi nổi da gà. Tôi sẽ đọc lại tập truyện này thật kỹ khi dư dả thời gian.