Some diverse weekend reading

Feeling better through new stories and great writing

Hello.

I’ve had an emotional rollercoaster of a week, and in all honesty I am not ready to talk about any of it yet - not the good or the bad or the in between. And, noticeably, I haven’t been alone. Everyone I speak to seems to be having a weird time. Maybe it’s the brooding weather we’ve been having, I don’t know. What I do know is that we’re all feeling a bit fried.

So, as it’s Friday, I’ve got something different for you: a reading list of things I find interesting when it comes to diversity and inclusion, for you to peruse over a coffee (or G&T) this weekend.

When I’m stressed or in my head, good writing is one of the few things that quieten the mosquito-like whine of my thoughts. It really helps if that writing also teaches me something new, too. The newsletters recommended here are all really informative and produced by fantastic wordsmiths, so here’s hoping they help you feel better too.

I have recommended my Substack pal Sharon’s brilliant Anti-Racism Newsletter several times before - but seriously, you should sign up. Like right now. I am learning so much from these powerfully-written, globe-spanning posts, and I love that Sharon not only breaks down what exactly is going wrong but also gives us ways to start doing something about it. This is activism with a purpose.

Talking of Substack mates, my ex-colleague Natasha has also made the leap from BBC staffer to newsletter writer and she is killing it. Chronic illness, pain and fatigue are all key parts of the disability experience that don’t get a lot of airtime, and Natasha’s newsletter unpacks so many of the things we would perhaps rather ignore. I like that the newsletter gives such a good insight into what it’s like to be chronically ill but also provides takeaways that apply to everyone - disabled, chronically ill, or not. Check it out.

Incidentally, I have been learning a lot about the world of disability writing from my Instagram friend Hannah. Give her a follow for recommendations and reviews, across all genres but with a particular focus on literary fiction and memoir. She also has a Substack about books and disability, my two fave things.

Away from disability, I enjoy Jessica Valenti’s newsletter about feminism and raising her daughter in this whacky time to be a girl. The newsletter is called All In Her Head and is designed to quieten that nagging concern you have that you’re imaging all of this crap, because you are not. It’s honest and angry but also has a real community feel to it, like you’re chatting to a colleague over lunch.

There’s a lot of stuff in Roxane Gay’s newsletter that, to be honest, I just ignore. But her Emerging Writer Series is a stunning collection that is well worth sifting through the other stuff to find. Every week or so she publishes an essay from a relatively unknown writer, often someone from a marginalised background, and they are unfailingly brilliant - lyrical and introverted and world-building all at the same time. Find them here.

I’d love to know what you’ve been reading - especially any diverse authors you’d recommend. Sing their praises in the comments please!

See you next week,
Lucy

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Giveaway time!

There are just a hand full of discounted subscriptions left for The View From Down Here!

At just £4 a month for the full weekly newsletter - a whopping 20% off - you don’t want to miss them. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

And to sweeten the deal even further, I’m holding a giveaway!

Nab one of the discounted subscriptions and be in with a chance of winning a free book.

Yep, free books.

Two lucky winners will receive either a copy of Alice Wong’s anthology, Disability Visibility, or Rebekah Taussig’s stunning memoir, Sitting Pretty.

What are you waiting for?