Don't Let It Get You Down

It's books like this that betray the BS of the “star” rating system.

I loved this book. Nolan's writes with the precision of a lawyer (which she is) and the heart of a poet (which imho, she also is)–it's a really great mix of styles, her writing, and I can't wait to read more. She also manages to navigate writing about the (deeply) personal while tying it in ways that aren't heavy-handed to systemic issues like racism and fatphobia. Also a fine line to walk, and she nails it.

That said, each essay mostly only whets my appetite for more–I want even more depth on the systemic stuff, and that's not the fault of the book or the author, just a preference. So how do I express a preference in a star rating...? I don't. I hope we get a lot more from her, but I also hope for something more long-form.

A great collection that looks at colourism and being black and light-skinned, and living in a fat body. Good stories about race, gender, fatness, and their intersection.