Things are not great right now. I know. I am in mourning with you. I don't want to cause any more pain by rehashing everything going wrong in the world, we're all too painfully aware of it right now. Instead, I want to focus on what we can do to change things and take care of ourselves.
(Image credit: Erik Chistov)
It's fine. We're all fine. It's fine. Remain calm.
Firstly, these are books that I HIGHLY recommend to anyone curious about having a full multi-dimensional understanding of America and its history. That is what I know and can offer to you right now; knowledge. These books cover topics that traditional history texts do not. These books are not dry timeline-narratives of "then such-and-such did such-and-such", they discuss the implications and intentions behind historical actions and their ramifications we're facing today. They contain philosophy and context. If you want your historical understanding to be a whole sandwich, not just bread and butter, then you should read these books.
Dark Carnivals: Modern Horror and the Origins of American Empire by W. Scott Poole
An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado-Perez
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
The Hardest Job in the World: The American Presidency by John Dickerson
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
Here are some podcasts that I also strongly recommend for general historical and scientific context.
Behind the Bastards. Did you know that Hitler was a crazy fanboy for completely fabricated Wild West America fanfiction? Did you know the Regan administration formed national policy under advisement of a secretly hired astrologer? Did you know that Saddam Hussein may have found inspiration for 9/11 in an "Illuminati" game card? Now you do. Good luck bleaching that out of your mind. #Macheticine
Science vs. A podcast that covers the science of EVERYTHING from vaccines, to aliens, to gluten, to mass shootings, to orgasms. If you've ever wanted to know about a topic in-depth with scientific evidence to back it up, this is the podcast you need. #sciencevs
Secondly, you are loved and we will get through this. Humanity has survived plagues, volcanoes, world wars, and the invention of family-night Monopoly (TM). We're frighteningly sturdy. However, you don't have to feel that way right now. It's ok to take time to mourn and collect yourself, to feel fragile. That's important too. Take a breath, take a shower, eat your favorite food, and repeat until you feel ready to do something else. Reach out to your loved ones and feel your community supporting you. Work through a list of what you need right now, then compare that list to what you have right now. Find the things you can be grateful for and what still needs fulfillment. If you do not currently journal, I highly recommend starting one. There are lots of articles out there covering the benefits of journaling. You have nothing to lose but a cheap notebook and a few minutes of your time.
If you are looking for something to ground yourself and give guidance for the trials ahead, then I highly recommend two inspiring authors. Brené Brown has written so many books infused with the strength and compassion we all need right now that I would recommend any of her titles that speak to you. I've read several of her books, each one gave me a different piece of hope and healing I needed. I would also recommend Living Resistance: An Indigenous Vision for Seeking Wholeness Every Day by Kaitlin B. Curtice. It's a great all-around book designed as a guide for self-care, community, and re-centering yourself by exploring the four “realms of resistance”. These realms include the personal, the communal, the ancestral, and the integral. It doesn't matter who you are or what your beliefs are, anyone can use the principals in these books to improve their life.
Stay safe, be kind, and never lose your integrity.
-L.C. Fathom
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