KWICK 6: Common Reactions, WNBA Playoffs, and Books

Thought of the Week:

Watched a video by a Youtuber named FD Signifier called Love & Basketball and the Black Gender Wars. He broke down how each of the main characters struggled under the gender roles that their parents placed upon them. This video reminded me why I loved the movie so much. It resonated with me as a young female hooper. It also got me thinking about how gender roles can be so stringent sometimes that can be damaging. It made me think about a 30 Minutes with the Perrys podcast episode that I need to go back and listen to. Gender roles are a topic I want to explore. Got some books and podcasts in mind already.

What I've Consumed:

I Just Killed My Dad and Sins of our Mother

Last week, I wrote a little about true crime and copaganda. This week I watched a couple of true crime documentaries that I thought were very interesting in a few ways. "I Just Killed My Dad" focused holistically on the case and the personal impact. One thing I took away from the documentary was the impression of body language and preferred reaction. When something bad happens, we collectively expect people to act in a certain way based on how close they are to the situation. For example, when a parent dies, we expect the child to display sadness and grief, but we see those things through tears. If someone is stoic and not crying, we tend to perceive that as unordinary. The problem with these conclusions as a prosecutor, police officer, or juror is that those who act outside of the "norm" are considered guilty. "Sins of our Mother" takes a look at the personal impact of the crime committed. This shows how one crime can have a cascading effect on the family's relationships. It asks the question of how you can balance who that person was before the crime and who the person was when they committed the crime. Both documentaries are available on Netflix.

Books Other People Read

I always find it fascinating to read or watch book reviews and learn what people are reading. I believe it gives you an insight into what the reader is exploring. This week I read two different blog posts about what other people are reading or planning to read. The first is a post from Dalton Mabery, who summarizes a book called "Revolt of the Public." It seemed to have some interesting ideas but based on the summary; I think the book may be lacking some perspective. I will have to read some more on this book to determine if it is an idea worth exploring more. Right now, I don't think so. The next post, by Nat Eliason, made me think about what constitutes a great book or a classic. This post discusses how the writer lost his enjoyment of reading. He decided to make a 5-year plan to read the greatest books. He curated his list by looking at a couple of other lists. What constitutes a classic? Longevity in academics?

The Color of Law and Second Foundation

I finished two books! Coming out of a really long slump! I finally finished The Color of Law after starting and stopping numerous times. It was okay. I don't think I really learned anything new, but it does give a resource for pulling out statistics and case law. My main gripe, as I said last week, is that it is very repetitive. Another thing I wonder about is who this is written for. Who is the intended audience? Either way, I think it expansively introduces the topic and hits all the major issues. It gives people the language to convey the points. The FAQ at the back is very useful.

Second Foundation is the wrap-up of the original Foundation trilogy. The author does write a few more books in this world and connects them to another series. I am unsure if I will continue. Part 1 was the strongest part of the book for me. I enjoyed that story more. However, I think this book is my least favorite. The theme that stood out most to me was the theme of free will and fate. Throughout the book, there is this clear tension between the characters believing they are acting on their own and believing that the Second Foundation has calculated their fate to the extent they aren’t making decisions. I think the clear themes in the books are why I like the series as a whole. It got me thinking along with enjoying the story. If you are looking for a story about the fall of one empire and the rise of another, this series would be a good one to pick up. Especially since it inspired a lot of the space operas people love.

WNBA Playoffs

Congrats to the Las Vegas Aces for winning the championship. The WNBA playoffs have been outstanding this year. The games were competitive and entertaining. There were some upsets. I truly enjoyed staying up and watching the games. One thing that did irritate me was the difference in marketing the games. If you were a casual fan, it would be few and far between the advertisement you actually saw about the games. I think ESPN really needs to do a better job covering the games. I will admit it has gotten better, but the league has a way to go. But with an expansion team on the horizon, I think the WNBA's future looks pretty bright.

Currently Reading:

The Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois by Honoree Fanonne Jeffers

• 3% completed. Not much of an update on this book. I'm moving pretty slowly. It's harder for me to get lost in this type of story, but I plan to jump into it more this week.

Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett

• 22% completed. This is starting off really strong. I really enjoy stories with an AI, and although this book does not have that, it has something similar. We are following a thief who had gotten caught up in something much bigger than she intended. I am enjoying this book so far. Plan to get to 50% by the end of the week and hopefully finish it before the next KWICK 6.

African Samurai: The True Story of Yasuke, a Legendary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan by Thomas Lockley and Geoffrey Girard

• 10% completed. The first time I heard of Yasuke was when I saw the show on Netflix and thought, oh, that sounds interesting. I didn't know it was based on a real person until I found this book in the bookstore almost a year ago. After finishing The Color of Law, I wanted to read a different nonfiction and decided on this book. So far, it's really good. It reads like a fiction book. It's doing a good job of mixing historical context with the book's flow. It's an easy read. One interesting quote states: "One Jesuit forefather described their typical game plan: "We came in like lambs and will rule like wolves."

If you need some recommendations, check out my Goodreads or StoryGraph. And then follow me on Instagram and Twitter. One of my favorite newsletters to read for current events is Morning Brew. Check it out.