How to Read Now

How to Read Now is a collection of linked essays by Elaine Castillo that challenges the politics and ethics of reading and encourages a more engaged relationship with our fiction and art, as well as our buried and entangled histories. It reimagines the cartography of the classics, builds a moral case against settler colonialism, takes aim at Nobel Prize winners, and celebrates glorious moments in popular TV and films. The book empowers readers to embrace a more complicated, embodied form of reading, acknowledging complicated truths, igniting surprising connections, imagining a more daring solidarity, and creating space for a riskier intimacy.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 01 June 2023
Publisher: Atlantic Books

How to Read Now by Roxane Gay is a powerful and thought-provoking book that has left a lasting impact on me. In her collection of linked essays, Gay challenges the traditional notion of reading as a means of fostering empathy and unity among people. Instead, she argues that reading should be seen as a more complex and challenging task that requires us to engage with our buried and entangled histories.

Gay's writing is energetic, warm, humane, and incisively funny, making it an enjoyable and engaging read. She tackles a wide range of topics, from the politics and ethics of reading to the reimagining of classic literature, the critique of settler colonialism in the works of celebrated writers, and the celebration of diverse forms of art and literature.

One of the most striking aspects of How to Read Now is Gay's ability to move between personal and political commentary with ease. She shares her own reading experiences and struggles, drawing on her own life as a reader and a woman of color to shed light on the complexities of race, gender, and identity in literature and culture.

Gay's criticism is sharp and insightful, and she does not shy away from challenging the status quo. She takes aim at Nobel Prize winners, indie filmmakers, and popular TV shows and movies, questioning the ways in which they perpetuate harmful stereotypes and narratives. Her writing is a wake-up call, a broadside, and a rich and brilliant war cry, urging us to be more critical and engaged with the world around us.

In conclusion, How to Read Now by Roxane Gay is a must-read for anyone who loves literature and culture. It is a powerful and challenging book that encourages us to think critically and engage with the world in new and meaningful ways. Gay's writing is witty, insightful, and inspiring, and her vision for a more engaged and diverse reading culture is a breath of fresh air in a world that often feels dominated by mainstream media and commercialism.

Weight: 320g
Dimension: 129 x 199 x 36 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781838954956
Edition number: Main