Aside from fashion, my other biggest passion is reading. Ever since I was old enough to spell three-letter words and recognize them, I’ve been addicted to the written word. My grandmother is the one to thank for that. As a retired elementary school teacher and avid reader, she knew the power and limitless knowledge reading offered and she made sure my sister and I fully understood this. My weekends and summer vacations were filled with daily trips to storytime at the library, practicing my spelling with flashcards and phonics workbooks and crossword puzzles. My sister was never one for the educational drills (though now as a grad student pursuing her degree in education, she reads a new book almost weekly), but I loved them. Spelling tests brought me joy in school and I learned to read and retain the contents of several books at a time. This habit has followed me into adulthood, and I read anywhere from 3-5 books at a time, all while constantly purchasing and borrowing more from the library (where I now work in the marketing department, rather unironically).
I come across so many interesting reads that I need to share with everyone so what better place than in my blog! Here’s what I’ve been reading in the first month of this year:
Supreme Glamour by Mary Wilson
The quickest way to my heart is through anything with feathers and rhinestones, and this visually stunning coffee table book documenting the iconic fashion of The Supremes delivers all that and more! Told by Mary Wilson — the longest-tenured member and founding member of the group — the book is filled with personal anecdotes and fascinating facts behind one of the most famous wardrobes in music history compete with captivating archival photography. Get it here
Walking with the Muses by Pat Cleveland
It took me three years to finish this book, but it was worth it! Pat Cleveland’s riveting memoir of her career in fashion gives an intimate look at her humble beginnings as a child sewing her designs on her mother’s antique sewing machine, to being a featured model in the legendary Ebony Fashion Fair as a teen, and finally, her whirlwind travels as THEE muse for the likes of Halston, Karl Lagerfeld, Steven Burrows & Yves St. Laurent. Oh, and let’s not forget the crazy shit that happened in between — like getting arrested in Mexico and surviving quite a few close kidnapping calls!
No Ashes in the Fire by Darnell L. Moore
A gripping and emotional story of survival, and the courage it takes to exist in one’s truth. This book hit home on multiple levels as Moore recounts his coming of age during the crack epidemic of the 1980s and 90s in Camden, NJ and his determination to survive while struggling with his identity as a black queer man. Get it here
My Love Story by Tina Turner
We all know the story of Ike & Tina Turner: Tina (born Anna Mae Bullock) endures years of physical and emotional abuse by husband Ike, finally escaping and reviving her career in the 1980s in what appears to be an “overnight success” to become the undisputed Queen of Rock & Roll. What we don’t know is the unimaginable struggles that came with her rebirth and the health scare that almost claimed her life. But with renewed strength and vigor she attributes to a second chance at love, Tina continues to strut through it all with her legendary legs leading the way! Get it here
Enjoy and look out for next month's reads!
Comentários