I don't have a big, bold intro this month. I turned 39, I worked a lot, I navigated work-and-school schedules, I emailed a lot, I read a lot, I had many cocktails and good dinners, I took a lot of naps, I'm increasingly upset about AI and the state of the world, and I'm very, very tired, all of the time. We lost some icons and I've found solace in the dumb people who say things online like, "I didn't understand feminism until I was a mom," because those icons didn't have kids, and they were beloved, and they were feminists, and I shouldn't let the dumb things people say bother me, but! I'm human, and a cantankerous one at that.
Here's what I read in August, mostly to try and complete the Seattle Public Library's 20206 Book Bingo. Which I'm about to do!
[books i read]
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2025) | Quick summary: A historical fiction novel about (female) astronauts falling in love amid celestial chaos.
I didn't really like this book. I thought the writing was juvenile and the plot predictable, and while I enjoyed the idea, I can't help but think about how often Taylor Jenkins Reid's works are almost direct reenactments of other works.
- Atmosphere is like Apple TV+'s For All Mankind
- Daisy Jones and the Six is like actual Fleetwood Mac
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is like Ava Gardner: The Secret Conversations, or rather, Ava Gardner's life
Maybe that's fine, but if I know or assume without researching where her inspiration comes from, I don't find her a super original writer.
[historical fiction, romance, LGBTQ+, written by a white queer american author, medium-length read]
Pot Shot by Laura Piper Lee (2026) | Quick summary: Nomi is trying to open a dispensary to serve her community's needs, but her high school/current crush wants to ruin that dream.
I read Pot Shot for the Seattle Public Library's 2026 Book Bingo in the HEA/HFA category, and I'm glad I had a reason to read this very-up-my-alley book. I don't personally have Crohn's disease, but as someone with depression whose SSRI isn't enough, I'm a firm believer in marijuana-as-medicine. I thought this book was quite funny and pretty realistic for a mostly fantasy world.
[fiction, romance, written by a white american author, medium-length read]
Swimming Studies by Leanna Shapton (2012) | Quick summary: An autobiographical insight into the world of women's swimming.
I read this for the Seattle Public Library's 2026 Book Bingo in the women's sports category. I was very unsure what I'd read for this category because I do not want to delve into the world of queer sports romcoms, but luckily, I came across this organically while searching in the library. It was a really good read, though dull at times, and I want my best friend/former swimmer to read it because I bet it resonates even more if you have a background in competitive swimming.
[nonfiction, biography/memoir, written by a filipino canadian author, medium-length read]
Train Dreams: A Novella by Denis Johnson (2011) | Quick summary: The life of a day laborer in the early twentieth century.
I read this for the Seattle Public Library's 2026 Book Bingo in the novella category, though I'd previously seen the movie, so I mostly understood what I was getting myself into. This book is short but so punchy with its emotion. There are some gorgeous, short sentences that leave you with a feeling of both inspiration and dread. To me, reading this is what being a person feels like, even all of these generations later.
[historical and literary fiction, written by a white male american novelist, short read]
Don't Breed on Me: A Short History of Abortion by Madeline Waugh Quasebarth (2026) | Quick summary: A historical dive into the ways in which we have always embraced and understood abortion.
I was neutral about reading this book and wasn't even sure I'd use it for the Seattle Public Library's 2026 Book Bingo in the eye-opening category, since I know a lot about abortion. I've worked in abortion, I've advocated for abortion, and I've read about abortion. But what I haven't done is a deep dive into things like how abortion was navigated during the Ming Dynasty or how German nuns smuggled herbs to prevent or eliminate a pregnancy. Yes, my mind was blown. This book fucking rules.
[nonfiction, abortion and history, written by a white american dedicated public health professional, medium-length read]
The Future Is Disabled: Prophecies, Love Notes and Mourning Songs by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha (2022) | Quick summary: A collection about disability justice, specifically during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
I read this book over several months. Or, if I'm being more honest, years. It's a book that's less of a book and more of a guide and a resource, and even though it was published four years ago, it reads almost like a historical document, which is both depressing, telling, and inspiring. I logged this book for the Seattle Public Library's 2026 Book Bingo in the PNW Black, Indigenous, or POC Author category.
[nonfiction, LGBTQ+ and disability studies, biography and memoir, written by a queer disabled femme south asian-american writer, medium-length read]
The Vegetarian by Han Kang (2007) | Quick summary: Yeong-hye decides to stop eating meat, which leads to devastating consequences in her life.
This has been on my life for years and years and years, and when I was struggling with the Seattle Public Library's myth & legend category and saw someone recommend this, I was thrilled. I didn't expect to read this quicker than most books (I think 1.5 days?), but it was so good and unique and multifaceted and fucked up that I was sold. Han Kang is such a good, interesting writer.
[contemporary and literary fiction, written by a south korean writer, shorter read]
[books i heard]
Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! by Liza Minnelli (2026) | The memoir of actress and entertainer Liza Minnelli.
Wow, wow, wow. I knew about as much as someone my age should know about Minnelli, but listening to her tell me in her own voice about her struggles, achievements, and relationship with her mom is such a gift. I love all memoirs, but when you get an infamous icon like Minnelli to tell you what exactly was going on, when, and why, it feels extra special. I'll take two more, Liza!
[nonfiction, memoir, written by a white american actress, singer, and dancer, medium-length read, read by the author]
We All Shine On: The intimate memoir of an extraordinary friendship with John Lennon and Yoko Ono and their life after The Beatles by Elliot Mintz (2024) | Quick summary: Close friend of Yoko Ono and John Lennon's memoir about his and their lives.
This came to my attention through an acquaintance, and when I was trying to fit in a book for the Seattle Public Library's 2026 Book Bingo FIFA world cup country, it came off hold. It was a delightful, confusing, mysterious, and devastating read. Lennon died before I was born, and though his death has been a part of my entire life (my mom was A Big Fan), I cried when he was killed in Mintz's story. Well-written and peculiar. I want everyone with stories like this to share them (as appropriate!).
[nonfiction, biography and memoir, written by a white american radio and TV personality, medium-length read, read by the author]
Arsenio: The Memoir by Arsenio Hall (2026) | Quick summary: The memoir of late-night TV host Arsenio Hall.
I remember Arsenio's show being on throughout my early childhood, more so than Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, or David Letterman. When I listened to Arsenio's interview on the Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend podcast a few months ago, I knew I wanted to listen to this book, and it did not disappoint. Listening to Arsenio's Black as hell take on entertainment, late night, and expectations was healing, funny, angering, and good. I loved, loved this memoir.
[nonfiction, celebrity memoir, written by a Black american comedian, actor, and talk-show host, medium-length read, read by the author]
The Secret History of the Rape Kit: A True Crime Story by Pagan Kennedy (2025) | A journalist tries to track down the developer of "the rape kit."
This is one of those books that is not only necessary and hopefully influential, but also infuriating and indicative of who we are and where we are in our humanity. In case you were unaware, rape kits get thrown out a lot, which means victims go through the experience of describing a traumatic assault, being physically prodded to provide evidence of said event, being questioned about the event, all to have everything thrown out because no one actually gives a shit when someone is raped. You should be very mad about this.
[nonfiction, biography and memoir, crime, written by a white american science writer, journalist, inventologist, former zine queen, weirdo, and medium-length read, read by claire danes]
Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones (2013) | Quick summary: The biography of puppeteer, creative producer, filmmaker, and director, Jim Henson.
Goddammit, I loved this book so much. It was on my radar because of Kerry Winfrey's wonderful three-part series about this biography. She wrote it last year, and I knew I'd save the full posts for when I finally listened to it—and I'm glad I did. It's like a postscript! Henson and his family gave us so, so much, and even though I didn't grow up with the Muppets being the center of my world, it is impossible not to have been influenced by them and by Jim.
[nonfiction, biography, written by a white american biographer, longer read, read by kirby heyborne]
Saving Five: A Memoir of Hope by Amanda Nguyen (2025) | Quick summary: A memoir weaving the story of a rapist survivor's bold activism, resulting in the passage of the Survivors’ Bill of Rights Act in 2016, while exploring various ages of her life.
This was good and sad and fucked up and powerful. It's not totally unlike Chanel Miller's Know My Name, but with some more specific congressional action, if I'm remembering correctly. I'm in awe of Nguyen, and also a little unsettled that, though she's an astronaut, she went to space on the cursed Katy Perry-Gayle King-Elon Musk flight. I'm not judging her, I'm just...curious.
[nonfiction, biography, written by a vietnamese-american entrepreneur, activist, and astronaut, medium-length read, read by sura siu]
[what i recommend]
- If you like reading about justice and rights: Don't Breed On Me, The Future Is Disabled, The Secret History of the Rape Kit, and Saving Five
- If you like to get high: Pot Shot
- If you like solid celebrity/entertainment history: Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!, We All Shine On, Arsenio: The Memoir
- If you just need a damn good book: The Vegetarian
“I would go so far as to say that as human beings, we are less of a ‘who’ and more of a ‘when.’ We are a moment in time." Atmosphere
"How can I accept their “no” with anything but rage? They must not love us. They’ve let us down, like all the rest." The Future is Disabled
“When I swim now, I step into the water as though absentmindedly touching a scar.” Swimming Studies
“She'd hardly been awake, much less alive.” Train Dreams
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