American History, Feminine Rage, & Inspirational Musicians

Greetings, Enchanted Ones!

Today we delve into the world of nonfiction, or informational texts! I will admit, in my youth, I was almost exclusively a fiction reader. When I thought of nonfiction, I thought of textbooks. I thought of long paragraphs with tiny words that droned on and on and on. However, as an adult, I have come to love nonfiction. I have always been a fairytale enthusiast, but it wasn’t until I learned the dewey decimal system that I learned that folklore and fairytales are classified as nonfiction. Say what you will about the DDC (and believe me, I have my own opinions), but it laid a foundation for me to understand the vastness that is nonfiction. It’s not all dry textbooks designed to bore you to tears. I have since expanded from books about witchcraft, fairytales, and the occult to reading about history, science, technology, and so much more. I have come to enjoy nonfiction in all its forms (minus old boring textbooks). As a children’s library staff member, I have come to adore juvenile nonfiction just as much as I adore adult nonfiction. I often find myself telling my peers, that if nonfiction is intimidating to them, start in the children’s section! There is no shame in it in the least. It lays out the information plainly in a way that just about anyone can understand. I am guilty of checking out children’s gardening and craft books…they are just much easier to follow, and tend to be straight to the point.

However, this week has been my first time returning to YA nonfiction as an adult. I don’t recall reading it much as a teen, and I have found that I love it. No big surprise there. This week, my assigned reading was America Redux, by Ariel Aberg-Riger, which if it’s any indication of my love for this book, I instantly purchased two copies within minutes after finishing it. One copy for me, and one for my teen brother. Today, it is my aim to briefly review America Redux, and share some other nonfiction books that I discovered this week. So, if you’re interested in hearing about how America Redux may be my favorite history book I have ever read, or what to see what other books I dug into this week, stay tuned!

My review of this book will be different from the others I have reviewed previously, as there are no characters or plot points to go over. I honestly don’t even want to spoil it, in case anyone who hasn’t read it reads this post. The book begins with this quote by James Baldwin: “American history is longer, larger, more various, more beautiful, and more terrible than anything anyone has ever said about it.” followed by a preface by the author, Ariel Aberg-Riger, who explains the book more eloquently than I ever could:

“This book is nothing like the history textbooks I grew up with. It's visual, it's handwritten, it jumps around in time. It's an attempt at a new way of seeing history—placing movements, and events, and people from across time in conversation with one another in a way that I hope, offers insight into who we are as a country and who we have the power to become.”

The book not only stands out to me because of how candid it is in it’s delivery—it’s unafraid to show the ugly truths of our country that many would like us to forget. But the visuals, including many primary sources in the form of images, made into beautiful collages and pieces by Alberg-Riger herself, not only draws the eye, but makes the words on the page feel that much more real. Because it is real. The book is not afraid to show just how ugly our history is, as well as how beautiful it can be. I am not embarrassed to admit that I learned a lot from this book. I genuinely believe that no matter the age, prior beliefs or misconceptions held prior, regardless of ANYTHING, anyone who picks up this book will learn something new. Unless they’re a historian. But even then, no one person can hold every bit of American history in their brain, let alone see it clearly. I’m not exaggerating when I say that this book is a work of art that I believe everyone should read. It’s a five star book for me, and I genuinely think it needs to be integrated into every high school curriculum. I really am going to leave it there, this is a book that one should read for themselves, not have others summarize it to them.

Now that I’m done gushing about this wonderful book, I will share some of the other books I discovered this week.

Selecting my nonfiction books:

So, admittedly, I was working on a YA book list for the final project in my class, so the last few weeks, this one included, was mixture of finding books to share here, as well as make part of that list. There’s some overlap there. All of my books came from my place of work, the Marlborough Public Library, some of which I grabbed from the shelf on my own, others handed to me directly from the helpful teen librarian—shout out, Erin! Two of the books I am sharing today are celebrity biographies, because in my experience working with the youth, they LOVE those, so I figured it would be good for me to check out some of the latest. The other book I chose to share in this blog is a history book.

Kendrick Lamar: Revolutionary in Rhymes (2026) by Carla Mooney

This is a short read, and because I have finished all my other reading for this class, I was actually able to read it in full. I chose Kendrick because, for starters, my fiance loves him, and I have heard some of his music through him. Second, my fiance isn’t the only one who loves him. Many teen boys especially love Kendrick and relate to his music, and as teen and middle school boys tend to be the demographic I struggle to connect with the most, learning everything I can about their interests helps. This book took me only about 35 minutes to read in full, it’s short, but jammed pack with information. I genuinely felt inspired after reading it. Hip-hop is not my top genre when it comes to music, but if I am listening to hip-hop or rap, it’s probably Kendrick. Anyway, I’ll stop blabbing and share my graphic.

Angry Girls Will Get Us Through (2026) by Rebecca Traister & adapted by Ruby Shamir

I don’t have as much to say about this one as I do the other two, because I have not had the time to read it in full yet, as it is (unsurprisingly) more dense and complicated to read than the other two books I am sharing today. The crux of this book is that it is a look at how women's anger throughout history has been viewed and utilized. It explores the history of women’s anger and activism in the United States, showing how generations of women have used their voices, resistance, and strength to challenge injustice and fight for equality. It’s no secret to anyone in my life that I am a raging feminist, so, of course I gravitated toward this book.

Chappell Roan: A Vibrant Journey Through the Career and Influence of the Indie-Pop Superstar (2025) by Harbert Day

Last but not least, I picked up this Chappell Roan biography. I have not heard all of her music, but everything I have heard, I’ve loved. Like many, my first introduction to her was through her 2024 single "Good Luck, Babe!" (and if you haven’t heard any of her music, I recommend that song, or "Pink Pony Club” as an introduction to her music). I read this book cover to cover as I did the Kendrick Lamar book. It’s a bit longer and a lot more comprehensive. It’s really inspiring to read her story, from her transparency about her mental health, her sexuality, and what inspired her. Also…as a queer woman who came from the bible belt, I totally relate to her story!

Well, here we are again! Another successful week of reading and browsing books. It’s wild to think that next week will be my last required blog post already! It has been a blast, and with time in graduate school coming to an end (in 138 days to be exact, clearly I’m not counting down…) I definitely think I will be continuing to blog, or use my talents to create newsletters. Regardless of what I do, I don’t believe this is the last readers will see of me. But I am not done yet, my friends! Next week I will be reviewing a book that I read that was recommended by my teen brother. I cannot wait to give my thoughts. But until then, I must bid you all a fond farewell.

Sincerely,
The Keeper of the Enchanted Library