Happy Holidays!

Hope you're enjoying the holidays (and the extra time to read) with the people that you love!

--Whitney

Green Living: Make Use of Your Books

Over at Apartment Therapy, they've featured a cool post on how to reuse your vintage books. You know. The ones collecting dust but you are loathe to get rid of? Well, bust out the creative thinking and a few old pieces of furniture and voila!

Photos: Apartment Therapy

SheReads: Bessie, The Fabulous Do-Gooder

SheReads looks at the reading lists of cool chicks. If you want to be featured, send an email to uptown.literati@gmail.com.

We are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For: Inner Light in a Time of Darkness by Alice Walker. "This book is a beautiful collection of essays and speeches by Walker that reflects wisdom, compassion, and social activism. This book took me on a journey with Alice Walker as she wrote about everything from childbirth, to love, to womanism, sexism, and life."

When Chicken Heads Come Home to Roost: A Hip Hop Feminist Breaks It Down by Joan Morgan. "I read this book in college but I still pick it up and read it every now and then, that is how much of an impact this book has had on my life. This book speaks on the reality of being an African-American woman and touched on male-female relationships in the African-American community. I was definitely able to see myself in several of the chapters."

A Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown. "This book about redemption chronicles the life of the author as she goes through abuse, neglect, prostitution, and then on to college and law school to become a successful lawyer and, now, author. I love stories of redemption, because in life we will all enter a season that will end in redemption at one point or another."

Bessie is an Atlanta-based young women's advocate and social entrepreneur who's equal parts fabulous and philanthropic. Catch up with her at Twitter.com/FabDoGooder or via her Web site, TheFabulousDoGooder.com.

Voices: The Egalitarian Chick on 'Push' by Sapphire

We came across this review of Push by Sapphire, which is now a Golden Globe-nominated film. Check it out:

I love it when a book--any book--is hot property. This is certainly the case these days for Push, which I bought from a book vendor on 125th street. because the title was so popular the weekend Precious came out he had to summon another vendor who came sprinting down the street, book in hand.

So is Push any good, hype aside? Yes. It's a quick read, and a painful read--Sapphire doesn't pull any punches and her heroine suffers every kind of tribulation imaginable--but I found it incredibly worthwhile first as an example of experimental narrative, second as an incredibly real window into a place and time and a person's psyche.


Read the rest at The Egalitarian Bookworm.

--Whitney

Uptown Literati Gift Guide, Part II: For the Kiddies

It's back! Part two of the Uptown Literati Gift Guide is dedicated to the wee ones in your life: your kids, nieces and nephews, cousins, and every other little person with an appreciation for books.

Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas [Ages: 3-6, Jane O’Conner ($10.00, Amazon): All the rage right now, the Fancy Nancy series has a special Christmas story for the young and imaginative minds in your life. For Nancy there is nothing better than fanciness and nothing fancier than Christmas. The New York Times loves the Fancy Nancyseries, stating “Nancy's joy is infectious, and her over-the-top elegant vocabulary pays off in a warm twist.”


The Polar Express [Ages: 5-8], Chris Van Allsburg ($11.07, Amazon): Republished just in time for your holiday shopping (well, really for the release of the film starring Tom Hanks), this book tells the classic tale of the young boy who experiences a Christmas Eve every kid dreams of. Up waiting for the sound of Santa on his rooftop, he discovers the Polar Express outside his home. Already filled with children, the train takes them on an adventure to the North Pole that he never forgets.


The Princess and the Frog [Ages: 8-12], Irene Trimble ($4.99, Amazon): Every little girl wants to be a princess. Now young black girls everywhere have one to call their own. This “junior novelization” is a great way to get your little princess reading chapter books. Not only will she be enthralled with the enchanting love story of Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen, but she will be delighted to have eight full-color pages of scenes from the movie.



A Really Short History of Nearly Everything [Ages: 9-12], Bill Bryson ($11.69, Amazon): Perfect for the child in your life who can’t stop asking “Why?” about nearly everything. This book will help them understand the fundamentals of the coolest science concepts out there, from atoms to astrology to energy. It’s all there. The best thing about putting this book in their hands? Shhhh… They won’t even know they’re learning.

What do you think of the list? Tweet your reactions to @UptownLiterati!

--Nikita Mitchell

Uptown Literati Gift Guide, Part I: For the Ladies

It's here! Part one of the official Uptown Literati Gift Guide is dedicated to all the fly gals in your life: mom, sister, aunt or maybe your best friend. A good book is always the perfect holiday gift, especially if you choose one of these:


Changing My Mind, Zadie Smith ($17.79, Amazon): Smith's latest is a collection of essays by the award-winning novelist. It's great for the woman that appreciates witty discourse in short chunks (i.e. a train or bus commuter). We haven't read the book yet, but Amazon.com says the subjects range from "literature, movies, going to the Oscars, British comedy, family, feminism, Obama, Katharine Hepburn, and Anna Magnani."

Martha Stewart's Cupcakes: 175 Inspired Ideas for Everyone's Favorite Treat ($14.61, Amazon): Cupcakes are huge these days, with designer creations going for upwards of $4 a pop. With everyone tightening their belt and everyone and their mama thinking their something of a domestic goddess, why not gift your favorite girl with a guide to whipping up these simple pleasures?

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot Diaz ($10.08, Amazon): According to many, Diaz is the best young writer this side of the pond. If you love his writing, pass it on! Oscar Wao, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, is a great introduction to his amazing talent. And, in the words of book tweeter @TatianaRichards: "@uptownliterati The Alchemist, Oscar Wao & Daddy Was a Number Runner are my faves to give!"

Girl Trouble, Holly Goddard Jones ($10.19, Amazon): After reading a great review from Oprah.com, this short story collection immediately made its way to our Wish List. The site describes the books with "the eight stories collected here poignantly dissect a group of trapped people—mothers, lovers, students, dads—all doing the best they can."

Other books to consider:

Girls in Trucks, Katie Crouch

Drinking Coffee Elsewhere, ZZ Packer

To Be Real: Telling the Truth and Changing the Face of Feminism, Foreword by Rebecca Walker

Nanny Returns, Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus (will be released on December 15)

What do you think of the list? Tweet your reactions to @UptownLiterati!

--Whitney Teal

Oh Snap!: 'Glee'-ful About Vonnegut

Quinn Fabray of 'Glee' may be working it out with all kinds of accessories, but the one thing a girl can never have too much of is a good read.

--Nicole

Photo: Jezebel

Uptown Literati x Clutch Weekly Reading Recommendation 11.20.09

Who: African-American novelist Colson Whitehead

What: Sag Harbor. The story of a black teen belonging to a community of upper class African-American professionals and his growth out of pre-pubescence and into self-awareness during summers spent at the gated community Sag Harbor. Using diction and cultural references that lends themselves to the era—the 1980s—Whitehead paints a colorful and humorous sketch of a black teen during the days when ice cream color shirts and jeans, high- top shoes and fades were new fashion statements and not a throwback. Whitehead’s protagonist Benji Cooper is an all-white-prep-school-attending-Lite FM listening-Fangoria magazine-loving teen during the fall and winter back in Manhattan. But during the summers at Sag Harbor his mannerisms morph into a dap-giving-Run-DMC-listening-slang-talking kid. It’s this dichotomy of self in different environments that Whitehead explores in his fourth book.

Why: Using humor in literature requires skill, especially when tackling the issue of race identity. Whitehead’s humor adds a new dimension to the discussion of what it means to “act white” or “act black” without diminishing the significance of the conversation. Through Benji, Whitehead questions what is stereotypical behavior and attitudes of a young black man? How does he fit into or evade the box of black identity? But Whitehead does not approach this question with resentment. Instead, he employs nostalgia to transport the reader back to when they, too, were a teen and how confusing, awkward, and memorable it was for a lot of people, despite your race.

Rating: 3.5 stars

--Nicole Crowder

Oh Snap! McCainin' It

Actress Rachel True got a dose of inspiration from Meghan McCain's now-infamous Twitpic while reading Feminista.

Photo: The Feminista Files

-- Whitney Teal

Uptown Literati x Clutch Weekly Reading Recommendation 11.13.09

The Weekly Reading Recommendation is a weekly book column written by Uptown Literati's editors for Clutch.

Who: Novelist Sue Monk Kidd

What: The Secret Life of Bees, Kidd’s well-loved novel, which was turned into a popular film last summer. Imbuing much of Kidd’s own colorful childhood, the story is narrated by motherless teen Lily Owens. Along with her Black caretaker Rosaleen, the girl is forced to flee her hometown in 1960’s South Carolina and winds up in the care of the eccentric Boatwright sisters, who are a brand of sophisticated African-Americans that Lily has never encountered. She and Rosaleen experience a short, dreamy reprieve from their usual lives, which were previously filled with longing (for Lily) and animosity (for Rosaleen), before more tragedies strike.

Why: Centering on an orphan’s heart-felt discoveries, the book is emotional and earthy, almost to the point of being overly emotional. Although narrated by White Lily, most of the characters are Black and there is a reverential tone to many of the characterizations that borders on being offensive. But despite flaws, the novel is a celebration of family and sisterhood.

Rating: 3 stars

-- Whitney Teal

SheReads: Christina: Not-So-Mad Scientist

SheReads looks at the reading lists of cool chicks. If you want to be featured, send an email to uptown.literati@gmail.com.

Christina's favorites...

Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk

“Give me anything in this whole fu*king world that is exactly what it looks like. Flash.” Chuck Palahniuk is one of my all time favorite authors; I am strangely attracted to dark comedies where nothing is as it seems at first glance and nothing is as it should be. Invisible Monsters definitely fits this description. This freak show features a horribly disfigured fashion model, a transsexual who is one operation away from becoming a “real woman” and a two-faced pedophile police officer. Together, they embark on a road trip through the U.S. …let the fun begin!"

• Delaying the Real World: A Twentysomething’s Guide to Seeking Adventure by Colleen Kinder

"I have to hide this book on my bookshelf because otherwise I end up flipping through the pages and daydreaming of adventures in faraway places, rather than doing anything I am actually supposed to be doing. Consisting of practical advice, organization and program resources and inspirational stories from others, it’s the perfect book to read if you just graduated from college, are not going straight on to a professional job or grad school and everybody in your life is asking 'So, what are you doing now?'"

• Less than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis

"'I want to see the worst.' If you thought Catcher in the Rye was depressing, then you must have never read Less Than Zero. The novel follows Clay, the young protagonist, as he returns home from college to L.A. for the winter holidays. All his rich and spoiled friends and former classmates are on drugs, having lots of risky sex and generally up to no good. As the days drag on, Clay is faced with several decisions about getting back together with his girlfriend, rekindling old friendships and continuing his education. Even though I am not as wealthy as Clay and his friends, I experienced many similar thoughts, feelings and situations upon returning home from school."

..and her current reads:

• Secrets of the Model Dorm by Amanda Kerlin and Phil Oh

"Drama, drama, drama! Basically, this book is America’s Next Top Model in literary form. I am more than slightly embarrassed to be listing this book as one of my current reads, but it is a welcome escape from the monotony that has become my life as of late."

• On the Road by Jack Kerouac

"Okay, so I admit it… I lost this book in the midst of cleaning my room. I started reading it when I began planning my escape to London. I loved the endless adventure that the group of friends experienced and it made me long for simpler times (before I was born) when our country (and the world, for that matter) seemed like a less dangerous place."

• Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

"Being a huge Vonnegut fan, it may seem odd that I have not read this particular book yet, but I was too lazy to request it at the library (their copy was always checked out) and too broke to pay more than a few dollars for it. Finally, I had a bit of luck finding it at Half Price Books."

Christina is a twenty-something grad school hopeful (she wants to study public health and psychology) who obsesses over her growing hair, daydreaming about far-off places, rediscovering her sewing machine and pomegranates. She can be found at Last.fm.

Zadie Smith Talks with NPR

For today's Zadie Smith fix, check out this recent interview the author did over at our favorite radio station and yours, NPR.

Smith gets candid about her writing process (spoiler: she doesn't write everyday. but would like to), criticism, and her latest collection of essays Changing My Mind. Check the interview to also read an excerpt from Smith's book of essays. Don't you just want to be her friend? We do!

Photo courtesy Roderick Field

Around the Web: Miley Cyrus and Porn, But Not Together

It’s like a car accident: you don’t want to look, but you just have to. That is, Miley Cyrus’s new Wal-Mart collection. [via The Frisky]

A good citizen calls the police to report a drunk driver. A better citizen calls and reports herself. [via Jezebel]

Dakota Fanning was just crowned her high school’s homecoming queen—that must have been a shocker. Check out a gallery of other celebrities who got the royal treatment from an early age. [via The Daily Beast]

Clutch gives us a list of the symptoms of “racism in treatment”: could you be afflicted? [via Clutch]

Porn magazines often depict women who have been so injected, enhanced, and airbrushed that they’re hardly real. In its November issue, Playboy takes things a step farther. [via Feministing]

Reflect on Halloween with this gallery of the admirable costume efforts of residents of New York’s Lower East Side. [via Nerve]

SheReads: Toni: Reader, Writer, Sewer

SheReads looks at the reading lists of cool chicks. If you want to be featured, send an email to uptown.literati@gmail.com.

Feminista by Erica Kennedy

"At first glance, you might think this is another chick-lit book, but upon closer inspection you realize this is much more. The main character, Sydney, already has it all: a well-paying seemingly glamorous job, access to the hottest clothes & celebrities. But she wants more - deeper relationships and a more meaningful career. Along the way she works to reconcile her feminist side with that of her fashionista side. Hence Feminista!"

Daughters of the Stone by Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa

"Beautifully written saga of five generations of Afro-Puerto Rican descent that shows all of their power, resilience and vulnerability. The stone in the title, along with some powers of magic are passed along from female to female among the descendants of Fela, an African women sold into slavery in Puerto Rico. Relationships between mothers and daughters are fully explored here with all the complications that entails. While some turn their back on the magic and "old ways" of their ancestors, the stories and the stone always endure and the generations are brought full circle in their journey."

Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey

"Great book by a first time novelist. Wife of The Gods is a mystery set in a small village in Ghana. A young female med student is murdered in Ketanu on her way home from distributing information about AIDS. Her murder is pinned on a local boy widely thought to be a troublemaker. Darko Dawson, an investigator in Accra, is called in from the big city to help solve the crime. When the Chief of Police, who resents having him there, is convinced that it is an open and shut case, Dawson must continue to pursue the truth on his own. If you like The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, you will like this also."

The Island of Eternal Love by Daina Chaviano

"I love any and all things Cuban and am always on the lookout for fiction about the island. I initially picked up this book at work because the cover was so pretty! Cecilia is a Cuban-born Miami resident who still hasn't made peace with her new home. Longing for her past in Cuba, she befriends an old woman in a bar in Little Havana. The woman enthralls her with stories of their homeland that wind through history and weave in all of the cultures, African, Spanish & Chinese, that make up the people there. These stories also hold a clue to Cecilia's restlessness."

On the nightstand now...The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

"He is not the greatest writer, and I thought I was done with him after The Da Vinci Code. But this book takes place in D.C. and that's my hometown, so I feel kind of obligated to read it."

Toni is a an avid reader, blogger, Twitterer and all around fab chick. Check her out on her site, Sew Transformed , on GoodReads and at Twitter.com/mshoni.

--Whitney Teal

Lifestyle Gumbo: No Bookshelf, No Problem

Julia Roitfeld, a New York socialite who happens to be the daughter of French Vogue's editrix, is featured on photographer Todd Selby's site, The Selby. Among her other treasures, the photog snapped her books, which are stacked neatly on the floor, no bookshelf needed.








-- Whitney Teal

Talk Back!

How do you really feel?!





Tell us in this Uptown Literati Survey! Answer any or all of the questions, then leave other remarks in the comments section.

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Oh Snap!: The How To Make A Bibliophile Hyperventilate Version

Water, water, everywhere....

--Samantha Tungul

Photo: strollerderby

The Teacher's Lounge: Dr. Carol Pippen

The Teacher's Lounge eavesdrops on professors from various disciplines at universities across the country to find out what they're reading when they're not assigning you 12-page dissertations...due in two weeks.

Dr. Carol Pippen is a professor at Towson University and a scholar on Jane Austen. She supervises the ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) Writing Lab program as well as hosts yearly trips to England for students to retrace the life of Jane Austen.

UL: What is the name of the course you teach?

Dr. Pippen: I teach writing courses and courses on Jane Austen. I sometimes fill in for other teachers; for example, I taught an American literature survey course last semester.

UL: What five books would you absolutely recommend your students or peers read?

Dr. Pippen: I'd recommend all of Jane Austen books (six), Lee Smith's Fair and Tender Ladies, and the poems of Emily Dickinson--those are the ones that come to mind immediately.

UL: where do you shop for books?

Dr. Pippen: I buy books on-line, at college bookstores, and at the Smith College Book Sale each year. I choose books from the ones I hear about from many sources; I check out bookstores; and I read Bookmark magazine. I love mysteries too.

UL: What books are currently on your personal bookshelf?

Dr. Pippen: Currently, I am pushing Jane Austen and Lee Smith.

UL: Do you have a favorite quote from a book or author that you often refer to?

Dr. Pippen: I remember Dickinson's poetry more than I do lines from novels.

UL: As a scholar whose profession involves constantly reading to analyze works, what motivates you to read on your own free time? Inspiration? Catharsis? Relaxation? For Knowledge?

Dr. Pippen: I read for all the reasons you listed. I read different books for different reasons. I also read to escape and to have travels while being at home.

--Nicole Crowder

Oh Snap!: Rub a Dub Dub...

...who's reading in the tub?

--Nicole Crowder

Photo: Fuckyeahindiegirls

Author Appearance: Dr. Cornel West Visits B.Dalton

Dr. Cornel West will be hitting up B.Dalton bookstore in Washington, D.C this Thursday to discuss and sign his newest memoir Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud. Check the details below!

Date: Thursday, October 15, 2009
Time: 1:00-2:00pm
Location: B. Dalton
2021 14th St. NW
Washington, D.C

Lifestyle Gumbo: Books Over My Head

One of our favorite blogs, Apartment Therapy, recently posted a few ideas on how to turn an overflowing book collection into inspiring home design.

Check out some of our faves:






Here's what they wrote:

No crazy styling ideas, just books in their myriad of colors and sizes. Having shelves above doors and windows is one of my favorite ways to utilize otherwise under utilized space. If you are lucky enough to have built in ones, fantastic. If not and you desperately need more room for books — take a gander above your doors and windows. Could you put a shelf up there?

--Whitney Teal

Oh Snap!: Reading Room After Hours

How about a midnight book to replace the midnight snack? We agree it's much healthier for both the mind and body. And how can one go wrong with Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita?

--Samantha Tungul

Photo by Neeru Khosla

Oh Snap!

Cool, casual and comfortable reading. Exactly how it's supposed to be.

--Samantha Tungul

Photo by dreadpiraterach

SheReads: Annemarie, Travel Goddess

SheReads looks at the reading lists of cool chicks. If you want to be featured, send an email to uptown.literati@gmail.com.

"Books featuring plucky girls making it in the Big City never appealed to me. When you’ve already snuck into NYC’s hottest clubs and pulled all nighters at Grey’s Papaya by age 17, you fantasize about the exact opposite: jetting out of town on a whim. Maybe that’s why I love travel so much…

These four books all agree. So, whether you live on the quiet farm and yearn for New York, or were born a hard-edged city kid who needs a break, these books present the ultimate fantasy of running away and finding yourself."

A Cook’s Tour by Anthony Bourdain: "Bourdain is an animal; a glutton. He doesn’t see the world through fanny packs full of maps, bus tokens, or recommendations from a top-notch Four Seasons concierge. In A Cook’s Tour, Bourdain brings us along as he just figures it out. It’s almost tragic, totally exciting, and always hectic, and with each stop on the No Reservations tour, the glutton becomes less animal and more complete man."

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert: "After a messy divorce, Gilbert leaves to experience the world through three different cities. She finds life in hot young men and gelato in
Rome; meditates in India; and gives up her heart in Indonesia. It’s funny and comforting to experience this type of dream getaway honestly, both the good and the bad, while Gilbert slowly rebuilds her life with better understanding of self."

Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer: "Learning about our future through our past. In this Safran Foer book, our lead character does just that. In the search for a woman who saved his families life during World War II, he hops a plane to a near desolate section of the Ukraine and is led on a goose chase by a boy and his 'seeing eye bitch, Sammy Davis Jr., Jr.' On their many mishaps, our boy finds himself through ancestry and the religion he thought he gave up years ago."

[See UL's review of the book]

The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella: "What happens when the big city life you’ve devoted your entire soul to blows up in your face and leaves you with nothing? You learn how to bake pies. After making a horrific mistake at her job, Samantha Sweeting walks out of her office terrified, hops on a train to the countryside, and takes residence as a housekeeper. Without BlackBerry Messenger, she finds a tanner, healthier, happier version of herself who can truly survive in either country or city."

Annemarie is a budget travel maven, and she has the awesome blog, FrillSeekerDiary.com, to prove it. She produces Web sites to pay the bills, often wears awesome hipster glasses and does a little lifecasting at Twitter.com/TravelingAnna.

--Whitney Teal

Lifestyle Gumbo: Skateboard P hears 'The Ear'

Pharrell is adding actor to his diverse resume, which includes producing and performing music and modeling, according to Sister 2 Sister. He stars in a short film directed by Yi Zhou, based on a short story by Russian writer Nikolai Gogol.




The film was inspired by "The Nose." In that work, a government officer finds that his nose has left his face and is living an independent life.


--Whitney Teal

Recognize! Herta Müller Scores Nobel Prize for Literature

Here's another chick to add to your Girl Power! list. Herta Müller, a German poet and essayist, was recognized by The Swedish Academy for "the concentration of poetry and the frankness of prose, depicts the landscape of the dispossessed," reports the Associated Press. The Nobel Prize Laureate frequently writes about her experiences under the oppressing Romanian government, where she was raised.

Prior to today's announcement, Joyce Carol Oats and Philip Roth, both well-known American novelists, were thought to be the favorites for the Nobel Prize in Literature, along with Israeli writer Amos Oz. The last American to win the $1.4 million award was Toni Morrison in 1993.

Müller will receive her prize at a ceremony in Stockholm on December 10.

--Whitney Teal

The Chick Lit Chick: Meet Chick Lit's Frenemy

"Bored of chick lit? Why not check out bitch lit, a new genre featuring female anti-heroes who are mad, bad and dangerous to know." -- The Guardian

Lately publishers and reviewers have been throwing out the term Bitch Lit. I recently finished reading Erica Kennedy’s Feminista, which has earned this label. Mary Sharratt, who co edited the short story collection Bitch Lit, describes the genre as “a smart and subversive celebration of female anti-heroes — women who take the law into their own hands, who defy society's expectations, who put their own needs first.”

Feminista's heroine, Sydney Zamora, definitely fits that description. Sydney's brazenly unapologetic for getting what she wants, making her the poster child for this new type of lit. Sydney isn’t out and about with the hopes of landing Mr. Right; She wants Mr. Right, right now -- and she's willing to get him by any means necessary. But it’s not just her take-charge attitude that distinguishes her from the archetypal leads in most Chick Lit novels.

"One of my goals was to write something unabashedly Chick Lit, but give it more edge to show that could be done," Kennedy told us, via her blog The Feminista Files. "I think the reason we get so annoyed when Chick Lit/flicks are just fluff is because we all basically go through the same girl shit. So I think we want these books to tell our story which is why we're so annoyed with them when they don't."

And while Kennedy purposefully "hit all the chick lit cliches," she did them in a different way. Though she has a pretty cushy magazine job, Sydney isn’t one to just throw money around recklessly. She grapples with spending $300 on a new pair of shoes, when most characters in her position would have bought them in a heartbeat.

Check out this excerpt from the book:

She was furious at him, at herself, at the world, really, but Quo was no place to make a scene. It was the überhip restaurant of the moment, the kind of New York it spot that had an unlisted phone number and a menu people called "creative." All the senior editors at Cachet had been raving that the Thai fusion fare was a-maaaaaaaaaazing, hype Sydney was disinclined to believe. It was never about the food at these places. It was about being seen.

And that was exactly what she didn’t want now. Beating a hasty retreat through the dimly lit, ridiculously pretentious subterranean dining room, Sydney flipped up the collar of her trench and donned her plaid newsboy cap, tugging the brim down low. With her healthy five-foot-nine-inch frame, bronzed skin, and chocolate waves of hair falling just past her shoulders, she stood out like a penny in the snow at these trendy hangouts where most of the women were white, blond, and thinner than Darfur refugees. Her honey-brown eyes flicked about the room, on the lookout for Omnimedia employees. The last thing she needed was for this to get back to the office. Those catty bitches (male and female) gossiped about her enough.

Sub-genre Soup

Chick Lit has seen the emergence of sub-genres like Chica Lit (Latina characters, namely in books written by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez), Hen Lit (which is aimed at 40-plus readers), and Mommy Lit (for, well, moms) in its decade-long existence and I wonder how Bitch Lit will fare. Unlike similar books, Feminista at least acknowledges the presence of non-man problems, which some say makes the book more realistic. But, do new generations of women look for characters to relate to? Or is it just nice to kick back and read about someone insanely rich, beautiful, and successful?

While Bitch Lit may be relatively new to Stateside readers, it's not exactly news to British readers. Bitch Lit was published in 2006 in the UK. A reviewer on Amazon.com described the book as, "a collection of bright, darkly funny women."

And while the verdict is still out on whether Chick Lit in general actually empowers young women (one blogger recently called the genre's books a "repetitive story line that was neither empowering or encouraging"), any author who can switch up the usual formula and add a little sass and flair gets a vote from me.

--Ashleigh Menzies

Ashleigh is a bonafide chick lit addict (with the pink collection to show for it), and will be bringing you the best of the genre every other week.

Around the Web: Judy Blume + Aunt Flow

We’ve all been there: a flight across the country, a million things we could be catching up on, and we’re reading SkyMall. But maybe there’s something to be said for those cheesy in-flight magazine. [via Jezebel]

For those of us who are still smarting about missing Judy Blume at the National Book Festival, Double X brings us an interview with the controversial Young Adult fiction writer herself. [via Double X]

Want to look cute this season without poring through ad-clogged fashion mags? Clutch makes it easy with a report on Fall Fashion for Dummies. [via Clutch]

We have Women’s Studies, African American Studies, and Queer Studies. Introducing the next step in the socially conscious college majors evolution: Gat Studies. [via Bust]

In high school, “come over and watch a movie” was code for “come over and make out.” If you’ve outgrown this, take a cue from Nerve’s list of 15 Movies to Guarantee You Sleep Alone. [via Nerve]

Do we need a “menstrual activism” movement to de-stigmatize the period, or is that just bloody ridiculous? (Fun fact: a woman uses an average of 11,400 tampons in her lifetime!) [via Salon]

--Allison Geller

Oh Snap!: Instant Reading Room

Amid the hustle and bustle of Bethesda, Md.'s Montgomery Mall, this gentleman finds momentary solitude with Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird.

--Nicole Crowder

Photo courtesy Whitney Teal

Recognize! UL visits the D.C Book Festival

Last weekend, UL had the chance to join other giddy bibliophiles at the annual D.C Book Festival held on the National Mall. We scoped the festival grounds looking for cool readers like yourselves to find out what books they are currently reading and which authors they came to see:

Meet American University student Lauren, who we initially spotted for her adorable red-framed glasses.

"I wanted to meet Junot Diaz who wrote The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. He signed my book, and that was really nice. He was the primary author, but I’d really like to see John Irving and probably Lois Larby, if that’s possible."

"The last book I read... I’m reading a couple of books at school right now. I’m reading a book by Gabriel Garcia Marquez called Love in the Time of Cholera.

Next up are two friends M (left) +A who we spotted while checking out an author reading.



UL: Is there a particular author you came to see?

M: Not really, but there is this woman here named Sharon Robinson. When I was younger we went to see her at the National Book Fair, but I didn’t get to talk to her.

UL: What book are you both currently reading?

A: Right now I’m reading Dude, Where’s My Country? by Michael Moore.

M: My favorite book would probably be First Part Last by Angela Johnson. But right now I’m reading Gravity by Leanne Lieberman. It’s about an Orthodox teenage-Jewish girl, but then I guess she starts questioning her sexuality.


And before the rain ushered everyone under tents we bumped into mother-daughter duo Linda (left) and Jasmine.

Jasmine: I had my book signed by Jodi Picoult.

Linda: I'm hoping to catch Walter Moseley at four o'clock. I'm currently reading The Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T.E Lawrence (also known as Laurence of Arabia).

Jasmine: I'm reading Julie & Julia.


We hope those of you in D.C area were able to check out all the goings on of the Festival last week. And meet us back here for more coverage of future book festivals and events!

SheReads: Miss Melissa, Do-Gooder-in-Training

SheReads looks at the reading lists of cool chicks. If you want to be featured, send an email to uptown.literati@gmail.com.

The Ditchdigger's Daughters by Yvonne S. Thornton: "I heard this one on tape (yes, as in cassette) many moons ago, then it was made into a movie. As usual, I still love the book and it really makes me want to write a book about my family too. Synopsis: Man, a ditch digger in fact, has family of six daughters who all grow to be professionals including two doctors and a lawyer."

Big Girls Don't Cry by Connie Briscoe: "One of those books I can just keep re-reading. In this book, we watch Naomi mature and find her best personal and professional life. I felt like I was right there living, loving, being lost, being found. This is a great story you may not be able to put it down either!"

Veronika Decides to Die by Paolo Cuelho: "Just that. She decides to die and attempts suicided but suddenly she wants to live more than ever. Really makes you appreciate life."

Must Reads ("I hope to get to these before the year 2011, if life every slows down!")

• The Alchemist by Paolo Cuelho: "The first book my boyfriend read and enjoyed. Ever. I want to see what it's about one of these days."
• 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene and Joost Elffers: "I want to be powerful, what can I say?"
• Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison: "A classic. I've started and hope to finish."
• Seen it All and Done the Rest by Pearl Cleage: "I LOVE Pearl Cleage. Ever since I read What Looks like Crazy on an Ordinary Day we've been together. This is her only one I have yet to read. Yippee!"

Miss Melissa is a do-gooder-in-training in Cleveland (literally; she's studying to receive a Master's in Non-Profit Organizations). Besides helping the world, she enjoys reminiscing about the glory days of smooth R&B, meeting other non-profit visionaries and reading. Catch her hilarious take on life, in 140 characters or less, at Twitter.com/MissLissa08.

--Whitney Teal