Hello,
Last week I read Whites: On Race and Other Falsehoods by Otegha Uwagba. It is fantastic and gave me much needed space to reflect on my response to Black Lives Matter movement online and elsewhere as well as processing some of the things I observed during this time. I highly recommend this essay, and am grateful for Black writers who are done trying to cater to non-Black sensibilities and fragility. It’s short and punchy.
I squealed when I saw a new Jhumpa Lahiri book out in the wild a few weeks ago, especially when I learned it was going to be published by Bloomsbury (my workplace). I got my hands on the coveted proof recently and am working through it at a luxurious pace, enjoying taking in her words for the first time and knowing I’ll be revisiting it soon. The book is titled Whereabouts and is publishing in the UK in May 2021. It was first written in Italian and this version is translated by the author into English. I was a bit apprehensive when I learned the protagonist isn’t an Indian woman but after the first page I forgot all about that and started enjoying the brilliance of Lahiri’s craft. Being unable to read any faster than a few pages a day is working wonderfully with this one. It’s a book on solitude.
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Before March 2020, my husband’s work shifts meant I would sometimes go up to five days without seeing him. His night shift and our commutes made it impossible for our paths to cross. I remember catching an earlier train one morning to steal a glimpse of him from across the train platforms where we both changed trains to get from home to our respective work places. A measure of how much I missed him as I’m not a morning person and usually wake up 15-20 minutes before I need to get out of the flat.
When the new year started I was despondent about his weekend and night shifts, wishing things would change so I could see more of him. I guess they say ‘Be careful what you wish for’ for a reason! The beginning of the first lockdown was bliss. Apart from pandemic anxiety, I was happy to be locked in with my husband. But as the months passed, and we ran out of things to talk about, the proximity started to grate. We realised we needed to change the way we are with each other to accommodate our new circumstances. It wasn’t a smooth transition but I’m so glad for the work we put in. This Twitter thread by a relationship therapist reminded me of some of the stuff we did and I thought it was worth sharing here.
A few more recommendations from me:
The Christmas Chronicles: a podcast by Nigel Slater (2018)
This review of A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers. Now the book is definitely on my list.
Twitter thread by author Emily Morris on where to source cheap Christmas presents.
On Toxic Positivity: an interesting and relatable essay. Do check it out!
This brilliant piece in the NYT by my friend C Pam Zhang on junk food as love language, her father and losing him when she was 22.
A joyful Christmas story in the form of a Twitter thread by @RichyCraven.
I hope you are having a lovely start to December. Please take care of yourself.
Zeba
On Whites, Whereabouts and more
I am definitely going to read the twitter threat by the relationship therapist. I recently got married and I understand the feeling of having to get a glimpse of your partner. I only get to see my husband during the weekends. We are completely opposite in our personalities, yet similar in most ways. thank you for sharing your post.