I’ve been falling in love with reading. I often find myself reciting poetry on my balcony, devouring a novel in one day, or dissecting an essay. Although being a full-time writer can be a challenge to my bank account, I love it when I am given an opportunity to be paid to read and reflect. Earlier this month, I wrote my first book review for The Washington Post. In the essay, I discuss Shannon Saunders’ new book, Company, a collection of short stories reflecting an African-American family in Washington, D.C. I tried my best to handle the author’s intention and labor carefully. The hardest part about writing the review was keeping it short. My editor gave me an 800-word limit, which minimized my long-winded nature.
Moreover, I wrote a book review for The Nation. In the essay “The Pleasure and Peril of Gardening While Black,” I discuss Camille T. Dungy’s book, Soil, a memoir about gardening, land sovereignty, and writing. Dungy excels at storytelling and providing some care in why we should be stewards of the Earth.
