Today I'm sharing the best book I read in September.
Of the 9 books I read this month, my only 5-star read was a reread (and my
January 2024 Best of the Bunch), so I'm going to crown my one 4.5-star read my Best of the Bunch!
Full of Myself was a beautiful book, even more vulnerable and personal than Brown's first book. It's a memoir told in snapshots, which made it a quick read because every chapter is just a few pages long. The title refers to Brown unapologetically sharing all of herself: yes, the trauma and racism we've been conditioned to expect in memoirs by Black women, which is often the only thing publishers want to extract, but also her joy at learning hand-clapping games with other Black girls at the playground at recess, the community that exists within a store catering to Black women's hair compared to the solidarity found with another Black woman fruitlessly searching the shelves at CVS, the anxiety and depression that have played large and small roles in her life over time, and her sadness when finally allowing herself to think about her grandmother's mortality. While the book covers a wide range of experiences from Brown's life, there is nonetheless an arc to it, previewed via the book's subtitle as "the journey to self-possession." Brown's four decades of experiences move slowly toward better self-understanding, the ability to set and maintain boundaries, and healing from past trauma. This was a fabulous read and I definitely recommend it.
What is the best book you read this month? Let me know in comments, or write your own post and link up below!
Looking back:
One year ago I was reading:
Stepping Off the Relationship Escalator,
Who Deserves Your Love,
Dracula,
Meditations for Mortals, and
The Well of Ascension
Five years ago I was reading:
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and
Know My Name
Ten years ago I was reading:
The Guns of August,
All Creatures Great and Small, and
Adoption Parenting
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