Abbreviations #140: Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You, The Little Book of Skin Care + Save Me the Plums

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You is the young adult adaptation of the original work Stamped from the Beginning, and it's done by Jason Reynolds in conjunction with author Ibram X. Kendi. And it's brilliant. It takes the detailed information provided in its adult counterpart and distills it into something that was, personally, a little easier to comprehend. (This is especially true for me, as I didn’t grow up learning a lot about American history.) Reynolds uses an easy, approachable tone to relay the facts in straightforward manner; this will, in my opinion, really help this nonfiction YA reach the audience it was intended for and hold their attention. It was a clever idea to adapt the original work (which I certainly also feel is worth the read) to broaden its audience. It’s very good, and worth reading for sure. I would definitely recommend picking up this one for the teens and young adults in your life (or for yourself, if you want a starting point that’s less intimidating than the original Kendi tome).

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi

Pub Info: March 10, 2020 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

I’ve been determined to start taking better care of myself this year, and part of that includes taking better habits when it comes to taking care of my skin. Korean skincare has always interested me, and a couple of years ago, one of my college roomies recommended I pick up The Little Book of Skin Care to help me understand the basics. I should’ve listened to her then and there, but instead, I waited years before picking this one up (which I’m regretting now). While I did know the basics about Korean skincare (thanks to the internet and friends who have incorporated it into their own routines), this book provided me with a fresh perspective. I appreciated the way that it delved a little deeper into the aspects of a normal skincare routine, including the reasoning and benefits to be gained from each. I liked the practical, friendly tone Cho uses in this book, as it feels like you’re learning from a relative or a friend. I also liked that this wasn’t just focused on what products you need to acquire (which can often be overwhelming, and I’ll admit that it still is since both you and the product offerings are changing constantly); it talks about better habits that will also contribute to overall better skin. I definitely tabbed a lot of pages, and will be referring to this one as I embark on a journey to figure out my new skincare habits and routine!

The Little Book of Skin Care: Korean Beauty Secrets for Healthy, Glowing Skin by Charlotte Cho

Pub Info: November 10, 2015 by William Morrow

I probably wouldn't have had Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir on my radar were it not for my friend Kristin, who read, enjoyed and recommended this title after she devoured it last year. Ruth Reichl is a well-known American food writer, restaurant critic and former editor-in-chief of the magazine Gourmet. She's released a number of memoirs, but this one in particular centers around the ups and downs of her life when she was in charge of the magazine. I didn't know anything at all about this author before picking up the memoir, so everything revealed within its pages was new to me. It's clear that Reichl loves food in many capacities; she enjoys consuming, creating and writing about it. And it was pretty interesting to see her at various points in her life and career, especially when it came to being a big player in the magazine industry. I liked it overall, but it did take me longer to read than I'd anticipated since there were portions of the story that didn't hold my attention well.

Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichl

Pub Info: April 2, 2019 by Random House