So for the month of July & August, I decided to review the book Small Doses: Potent Truths for
Everyday Use by Amanda Seales. This was another good read and this time I decided to try something different. I know many of you enjoy reading and I do too! Overall, this was a really good read. I do love Seales for her other achievements and recommend this book. It did take me a while to get through books these past few months with COVID, working, applying to medical school, and writing countless essays. But I managed to get into two quick reviews for you all.
Pros
There is a wide range of topics covered throughout this book. From racism to career tips. She goes from dating all the way to discussing different personality types and ways to approach life as individuals.
If you listen to the audiobook, it's very entertaining and mirrors her podcast which was named after the book. It really added to the reading experience and allows you to listen to the book from the author themselves.
Each chapter consists of "gems" and Seales even reflects on personal experiences or lessons as it relates to the specific chapter.
There are a LOT of "big" words in this book and I definitely learned a bit more by reading and even compiled a list of new words to keep.
Cons
Does not go into detail about colorism, texturism, and featurism. While I know Seales as a proponent of Anti-racism, I hoped to see the same amount of time and energy put into this part of her book as some other topics. I think it would be nice to expand on these issues.
The next book is How to Be Less Stupid About Race by Crystal M. Fleming. A lot of people have their opinions on anti-racism books, but I happen to enjoy reading books that tackle such topics by black feminists in particular. I read most of the book and toward the end began listening to the audiobook on Audible. As you may have seen on my IG I have shared this book on my stories. Fleming really introduced me to new ideas that I may not have considered before, especially when it comes to politics and the people involved in it. Based on the diction, the book was definitely written for readers or all colors. She not only gives her experience as a black woman in the book but also speaks to many non-black and non-people of color throughout the book. She addresses topics such as steering from non-racism and propelling towards anti-racism, which is something that has been recently addressed in today's racial & political climate. She also takes time to discuss the most recent presidents: Obama & Trump and really dissects many issues that are present during both presidencies. I did not expect her to touch on relationships, but I believe it was a valuable component to this book as she addresses the need for anti-racist relationships and friendships. There is so much more this book comes with and is ranked high on my list of favorite books for 2020. So, if you haven't yet, I would encourage you to be open and try reading this book.
I hope you all enjoyed the Monthly Reads July & August Edition. Aside from working on secret projects, healing, and applying to med school, I am making time to read more books and do things that I truly enjoy! I'll be back for the next Monthly Reads for September!
See you soon.
E.W.
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