The Best Book I Read This Month: Wild Faith by Talia Levin

The best book I read this month was perhaps not the best choice to read before this year’s presidential election, as it ramped up my election anxiety exponentially. Having said, that, the book is definitely worth reading. Talia Lavin’s Wild Faith: How the Christian Right Is Taking Over America recounts the rise of Christian nationalism in the United States and the movement’s efforts to reshape the nation, its government, and its society in their image. It is eye-opening and terrifying and enraging.

At this point, I don’t have more words than that. I’m still digesting what I read. But it left me with an even stronger conviction that the Christian right—Christian nationalists, Christian fascists—are the greatest danger this country faces in our lifetime.

But don’t take my word for it. Read Wild Faith. Lavin lays it all out very clearly.

Duncan

Today would have been Duncan’s 16th birthday. When I adopted him in 2016, I asked him to give me eight years. He gave me eight years and one month.

Duncan passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on May 26th. He collapsed and was gone in minutes. I was not prepared.

The very first picture I took of Duncan, on the night I brought him home

He had seen the vet a month before. She raved about what good shape he was in for his age (15 1/2). I expected to have a few years left with him, not a few weeks.

Duncan was not a dog that demanded a lot. He never demanded anything. All he wanted to was to sit in a soft place and have a clear view of me. He was gentle and quiet. An introvert to the core.

He was never interested in toys or play. Walks were tolerated, but he would have happily lived without them. He loved snow. He played in autumn leaves. He loved storms and would watch them through the window in fascination. He would never snuggle with me unless I was asleep.

The last picture I ever took of Duncan, on the day before he died

One of the things I loved most about him were his wonky ears. His ears were not symmetrical on his head, nor were they the same size and shape. They drove groomers nuts. As he got older, he had a tendency to keep one ear down and one ear up—even when he was sleeping.

Not that he could hear anything with that upright ear. Duncan was deaf for the last years of his life. Even when he could hear, he was not any kind of guard dog. The only time he ever barked was in his sleep. Awake, he just watched the world move around him.

He was the sweetest old man dog I ever had, and I miss him daily.

If you would like to do something in Duncan’s honor, please consider a donation to Young at Heart Senior Pet Adoptions or a rescue in your community.

The Best Book I Read This Month: The Undertow by Jeff Sharlet

The best book I read this month was not a feel-good read. In fact, I found it profoundly disturbing. The Undertow by Jeff Sharlet is a collection of essays about the MAGA movement. It was, to say the least, an eye-opening read.

Published in 2023, The Undertow blends a cross-country roadtrip with political commentary. As Sharlet travels across the United States, he stops to attend Trump rallies and meet Trump supporters. He records these interactions in a series of essays that touch on the legacy of Ashli Babbitt and the January 6th insurrection, the worship of Donald Trump by his MAGA followers, and the depth of those followers’ devotion.

As I mentioned in the first paragraph, I found it all extremely disturbing. My main takeaway is that MAGA is a cult and Trump is its leader. I believed that before, and this book reinforced my conclusion. Trump’s followers follow him blindly. He can do no wrong. They believe he possesses secret knowledge and that he communicates with them in code. They believe he is divinely inspired. They believe—if I may quote the Blues Brothers—they “are on a mission from God.” They are truly divorced from reality.

Most frightening of all is their delight in and thirst for violence. More than once, Sharlet feared for his own safety in their presence. These are people who all seem eager for a fight, who yearn for bloodshed, who feel justified in using violence against those who disagree with them. They worship their guns as much as they worship Trump.

The whole book left me feeling very unsettled and very worried about what will happen in November’s election. But now, at least, I have a better idea of what we’re up against.

The Best Book I Read This Month: The Adventures of Amina Al-Sarafi by Shannon Chakraborty

The best book I read this month was a pirate adventure reminiscent of the legend of Sinbad the Sailor. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty follows a Amina al-Sirafi as she and her crew sail the Indian Ocean trying to right a wrong. It’s a rollicking adventure, and I enjoyed every word.

At the start of the story, al-Sirafi has retired from the pirate life and is literally trying to keep a roof over her head. She lives in a remote area of Oman with her mother and her daughter. Despite her struggles, she is content with the life she has chosen. Then the mother of a former crew member comes to her in crisis: the crew member’s daughter has been kidnapped. Won’t al-Sirafi save her? The mother, who has vast wealth, promises to reward al-Sirafi with a life-changing amount of money if she succeeds. Al-Sirafi has no choice but to accept the challenge.

Amina al-Sirafi gets the band back together, as the saying goes, and they set off to rescue the damsel in distress. Along the way, they encounter abusive local authorities, demons, sea monsters, magic, and a damsel who is not quite as distressed as they were led to believe.

I loved Amina al-Sirafi as a main character and narrator. Her voice captivated me from the beginning, a perfect mix of snark and self-awareness. Her crew and their voyages are a testament to the vibrancy and diversity of the Indian Ocean region during Europe’s Middle Ages (when this story takes place).

I read that this book is part of a trilogy. The ending certainly left open the opportunity for sequels. I hope that it is the first in a series, because I can’t wait to read about al-Sirafi and crew’s next adventures.