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

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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]