#62 Cover Your Bases: December Literary Distractions, A Chance to Give Back, and Topical Posts

Yeah, the holidays are here...

DIVING INTO THINGS TO READ

Escape literature: I never stop reading, no matter what’s going on. Since September, I’ve read sixteen novels by Elin Hilderbrand, primarily set in Nantucket and Saint John, VI, which are lovely, expensive vacation islands(I have never been to either). These books, as I have written before, are like warm, soothing cups of tea with lemon and honey, and they drown out all the anxiety and screaming in my head, at least while I am reading them. If you crave distraction, this is one way to go.

MORE FICTION

Queenie, by Candice Canty-Williams, was a very enjoyable read. Though I confess, I wondered what author and critic Tembe Denton-Hurst might have made of it. (I also keep thinking about Bridget Jones’ Diary; there are parallels.)

Tell Me Everything, by Elizabeth Strout, was comforting and well done; if you’re a fan of Strout’s work, this is a good read.

Mostly, though, my reading right now feels like how I see the families in Rumaan Alam’s miraculous novel Leave the World Behind. Like them, I move around in my present-day life while aware that something terrible is happening back in the city, and while it is not here yet, it will reach me in time.

GIVING BACK, AKA PLEASE DONATE IF YOU CAN

I am so proud to serve on the board of non-profit Hack the Hood, where we're empowering BIPOC youth through free tech education and career pathway programs. Our Beyond the Code campaign aims to raise $30,000 by December 31st to provide comprehensive support beyond technical training.

In 2025, we'll empower 280 aspiring tech leaders with:

• Industry-aligned technical training

• Networking and mentorship

• Professional development

• Career pathway support

Please join me in creating a more inclusive tech future: Donate if you can.

TOPICAL AND TIMELY POSTS

What I say I am not going to read, and yet keep reading because I want to know.

• Press Goes Hysterical Over Biden’s Pardon, Ignoring Danger of Trump, Moving on, Scott Dworkin

• The Return of The Erosion of the Pillars of American Power, American structural power will decline slowly, and then suddenly, Daniel W. Drezner

• LGBTQ+ People Are Not Going Back, Julia Serano

• Outbreak Outlook - Dec 2, An abbreviated look at what's going around, Caitlin Rivers

• The DOGE strategy is a cop-out; Elon and Vivek's workforce plans would backfire terribly. There's a welcome alternative, Jennifer Pahlka

• Laughter in the Dark, Humor as a weapon in oppressive states, Andrea Pitzer

Thank you for reading CYB #62. I am still getting over feeling kind of emotionally beaten up, but it’s improving.

If you found this issue interesting, share your thoughts or pass it along. What are you reading, watching, and listening to these days?

Warmly,
Susan