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Cover of NIGHT PEOPLE

NIGHT PEOPLE

by a musician with a home studio. But this was an absurdly lucky break, even for me.” Ronson writes beautifully about the allure of the nightclub: “For someone who grew up amid chaos and uncertainty, the DJ booth was the perfect refuge—a one‐man command center, where every fader and dial bent the world to my will.” His chronicle of his rise to success is entertaining, funny, and humble\u003B while he allows that he’s good at his job, he remains well aware of the role that chance played in his career. You don’t have to love dance music to enjoy this thoroughly charming memoir."⭐ 3.8/5(219)

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Cover of NINETTE'S WAR

NINETTE'S WAR

by Basque smugglers. Ninette sat out the rest of the war in Madrid, only returning to France after the Allied victory. Her life is told by a master storyteller, himself a child of Jewish survivors, based on her diaries and the conversations that the elderly Ninette had with her biographer. Jay’s book focuses on a young woman’s coming of age in a time of trauma. It writes an inner, psychological narrative of getting by, getting along, and not getting caught. It illustrates how even the most privileged of people could be ensnared in prejudice and persecution. Ninette’s life does not have the tragic poignancy of Anne Frank’s, and her diary and reminiscences carry little of the existential weight of Frank’s famous journal. Ninette ages into what her biographer calls “une grande dame from central casting.” What we learn from her story, though, is how family gets you through the worst of times—how parents and children bond and bear the terror of a knock on the door, a casual encounter with a man in uniform, and the foreboding sense that, irrespective of your importance, they may come for you too."⭐ 4.2/5(10)

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Cover of NOBODY CAN GIVE YOU FREEDOM

NOBODY CAN GIVE YOU FREEDOM

by virtue of, among other things, his rejection of some of the Nation of Islam’s more extreme tenets, including its unbending view that white people were incapable of redemption, while he “did leave open the possibility of White people being involved in the struggle.” Andrews paints with a broad brush in condemning the authors of the myths surrounding Malcolm, among whom he names Black intellectuals and writers, including Spike Lee, Manning Marable, Cornel West, and Alex Haley. Similarly, he scorns the Civil Rights Movement as led by Martin Luther King Jr. and Bayard Rustin, holding that revolutionary struggle for liberation alone could achieve equality: “Malcolm didn’t believe we should rely on White people (e.g., affirmative action) because the Western system was incapable of providing justice for Black people.” Andrews’ disdain for the civil rights approach extends to such efforts as the New York Times’ 1619 Project, calling lead editor Nikole Hannah\u002DJones “a witness, and so we should not embrace the solutions she has offered, especially when they involve draping yourself in the American flag—as though this could ever offer some kind of protection.” Andrews’ ad hominem observations make this a slog. He can also be repetitious, hitting several times, for instance, on Malcolm’s views of race less as biological fact than as a political construct. (As Malcolm said, “White is an attitude….”) This diminishes the author’s project of identifying the enduring lessons of Malcolm X’s legacy and how to put them into action."⭐ 4.3/5(10)

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Cover of NOBODY KNOWS YOU'RE HERE

NOBODY KNOWS YOU'RE HERE

by one of the callous “goons” who occasionally drop off kidnap victims or, scarier still, take them away (“Maybe They would kill us all”). Beatrice, with no access to a cellphone or the internet, is ostensibly in the middle of nowhere. That, however, doesn’t stop her from contemplating escape, or attempting it when she has the chance. Greenwood’s novel is steeped in mysteries beyond Beatrice not knowing where she is\u003B for example, she can’t be sure her indifferent father, or anyone else, is even looking for her. Aiden and Isabel are likewise unpredictable—they also seem to be victims of whatever organization is behind the kidnappings, but how much of what they tell Beatrice is the truth? Beatrice, who narrates, makes for a laudable hero\u003B she’s bright, empathetic, patient when it counts the most, and a mental powerhouse. Some of what she endures is vicious, though the author implies much of the violence and consistently lets suspense drive the narrative. All of this begets a sublime final act that focuses on the enigmatic characters and their complicated relationships. "⭐ 4.3/5(457)

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Cover of Nostalgia

Nostalgia

by his stage name, Nostalgia) was once a revolutionary musician, but after not making any new music for years, he’s become completely detached from both his creative life and his former insurrectionist ties: “I can’t get arrested these days,” he says to someone currently fighting against the system. “And I’m not looking to.” When Nathan appears, claiming to be his son, Craig is skeptical but open to forming a bond with the younger man. The story flashes back to Craig’s earlier life—his parents, his rise to fame, and subsequent withdrawal from the world—while, in the present, Nathan’s involvement with a shadowy rebel organization is revealed. Unlike a lot of other dystopian fiction, this story’s setting and its technology is fleshed out just enough to be intriguing without feeling excessive\u003B the futuristic way that music is created is especially engrossing. There’s a twist just before the end that some readers may see coming, but Hoffman (perhaps better known by his stage name, Babydaddy, of the glam\u002Drock band Scissor Sisters) still manages to make it compelling. Žeželj’s art style is more abstract than one typically encounters in comics—reminiscent of flyers from punk shows, but more richly colored. It’s an appealingly bold stylistic choice, but it causes a few problems at times, as characters’ faces are sometimes too abstract to recognize. The story itself is moody and introspective, ruminating on such ideas as what it means to be famous, how to use that fame, and what a celebrity owes to the world\u003B however, it avoids feeling self\u002Dabsorbed. Truly, the biggest downside is that the story ends just as it seems to be getting started."⭐ 3.6/5(74)

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Cover of ODDITY WOODS

ODDITY WOODS

by town of Perdita, where he worked with the police. But the town’s police are dismissive, saying they’re too busy to follow up on a “silly ghost story.” To keep children out, people say that “deep in the woods, a ghost train appears, which steals your soul if you ride it.” Trusting her instincts, Marietta runs directly into those storied woods. Upon crossing a mystical threshold that disappears behind her, she finds herself in an otherworldly realm. A boy named Wyatt with a mysterious past appears to be the only living human in a landscape otherwise populated with monsters and ghosts. After escaping a terrifying encounter with the conductor of the ghost train, the two team up, working together to find Marietta’s father and get Wyatt home. Originally released as a webcomic, this series opener features luminescent and evocative artwork reminiscent of chibi\u002Dstyle manga. The illustrations effectively convey threats, movement, and emotions. Though the latter half of the book gets a bit complicated by added characters and side quests, the magical gadgets, compelling characters, and exciting twists give the story strong appeal for young fantasy fans. Most human characters are white presenting."⭐ 4.2/5(121)

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