(NEW) Nat's NOLA Book Club — June 2023: All About Love, by Bell Hooks
“Books break the shackles of time. A book is proof that humans are capable for working magic.” — Carl Sagan, American astronomer
NERD ALERT:
Nothing provides more expansive and iterative joy than reading. I hold firm, it is only through reading, through that singular exercise in imaginative rendering, that we fortify ourselves against banality. As a four-eyed fat kid, I soon discovered vicarious pleasure, enjoying a grand and adventurous childhood through the exploits of compelling (anti)heroes, insane maids and Goth horses.
Shortly after moving to New Orleans, I cofounded a two person VIP Book Club with a Southern Belle named Ginny. She’s exquisite, lately our selections are deep diving into the historical evolution of the British monarchy. Notable that three of it’s longest serving sovereigns have been women: Queen Elizabeth I (44 years), Queen Victoria (63 years), and Queen Elizabeth II (70 years).
This week, Novaturient New Orleans is expanding content to a PAID TIER. My colleague Megan Fisher, encouraged me to take the plunge, committing to steady, premium output. Pursuing my dream and bringing y’all for the ride!
Included for Paid Subscribers is a Monthly Book Club selection and corresponding Reading Guide. Books selected will be inspired by the romance and resilience of The Crescent City, books that nurture a passionate embrace of our follies, our loves and relentless American appetite. In an era of manic vapidity, my aim is to foster a forum for depth and contemplation. I invite you to read along and SEND IN YOUR COMMENTS upon completion.
Book Club Schedule
- New Book Selection Announced: 1st of each month
- Audience Commentary Deadline: 28th of each month
Our first selection kicks off with the one and only Bell Hooks (RIP).
All About Love - by Bell Hooks
Reading Guide
Summary from the Publisher:
'“A New York Times bestseller and enduring classic, All About Love is the acclaimed first volume in feminist icon bell hooks' "Love Song to the Nation" trilogy. All About Love reveals what causes a polarized society, and how to heal the divisions that cause suffering. Here is the truth about love, and inspiration to help us instill caring, compassion, and strength in our homes, schools, and workplaces.
“The word ‘love’ is most often defined as a noun, yet we would all love better if we used it as a verb,” writes bell hooks as she comes out fighting and on fire in All About Love. Here, at her most provocative and intensely personal, renowned scholar, cultural critic and feminist bell hooks offers a proactive new ethic for a society bereft with lovelessness--not the lack of romance, but the lack of care, compassion, and unity. People are divided, she declares, by society’s failure to provide a model for learning to love.
As bell hooks uses her incisive mind to explore the question “What is love?” her answers strike at both the mind and heart. Razing the cultural paradigm that the ideal love is infused with sex and desire, she provides a new path to love that is sacred, redemptive, and healing for individuals and for a nation. The Utne Reader declared bell hooks one of the “100 Visionaries Who Can Change Your Life.” All About Love is a powerful, timely affirmation of just how profoundly her revelations can change hearts and minds for the better.”
Thank you for joining our between-the-sheets, bedtime reading circle. We look forward to hearing your thoughts <3
Big Hugs from the Big Easy,
Nathalie x
