Five Things to Tell You Vol. 39
memoirs, aging skin, Labor Day and more!
Well, hello there! So happy to see you today! It’s Labor Day weekend and if you don’t have to work, that means it’s time to THANK A UNION MEMBER!!
My husband and I will be walking in our community Labor Day parade on Monday with our respective unions yet again this year ~ now that I am serving as a building rep and he is a union steward, we’re an even MORE devoted double-union family than ever!
Today we are heading to visit the oldest in Madison to see her new living situation and do a bit of exploring / shopping, and I have designated Sunday as grocery shopping, baking, and napping day ☺
And now, it’s time to settle in with your favorite snack and dive in to what I have prepared for you today …
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The books I’m bringing to you this week, I consumed in tandem ~ one via print and the other via audio. I have been a longtime consumer of Jen Hatmaker’s work, and when her podcast episodes featuring her partner, Tyler Merritt popped up in my feed (part 1 and part 2), I immediately listened and then dug into their newest books. It was the perfect way to experience these memoirs: in context and relationship with one another.
Awake by Jen Hatmaker is by far her most raw, and as she states, least prescriptive, book yet. It’s a series of vignettes, flashbacks, and statements about the explosion of her marriage in 2020, as well as fiery proclamations denouncing patriarchy, especially in the Christian church, racism, and homophobia. AMEN, JEN. Available September 23.
This Changes Everything by Tyler Merritt takes readers on an equally raw and heated journey, but this one into Merritt’s traumatic experience with cancer and the history of brutality toward Black men. There were so many parts of this book that were excruciating to listen to, but so were the realities being described ~ they deserve our witness. This 100% book needs to be consumed on audio if you can get access to that format.
When I first saw the review for this next book, I immediately knew I had to get my hands on it. A graphic novel about appreciating fun and rest and A DEDICATED DAY OF NO WORK? Sign me up! And also, it’s perfect to share on Labor Day weekend.
I ended up having to order myself a copy of The Lost Sunday by Ileana Surducan since my library system didn’t have it, and it so was well worth it. I’m passing it on to my girls to read, and then will add it to my school library collection. I very much appreciated the mix of fairy tales, gorgeous art, and the messages about a day of rest and the necessity of work-life balance, all in a picture-book length graphic novel format.
I went to the dermatologist last week for THE FIRST TIME IN MY ENTIRE LIFE (this tends to massively surprise people?) and good news - nothing cancerous or concerning! However, I do have more and more darker spots that come with former sun exposure and age, and the doctor seemed highly surprised and concerned that I didn’t want to immediately schedule an appointment to laser them off.
I asked if they were indications of early cancer. No. Would they be more likely to turn into cancer? No. Were they harmful to my health and well-being in any way possible? No.
Against her aesthetic objections, I chose to leave them be. An act of resistance, if you will.
Now that the temps have cooled down and I’m done traveling for a bit, it’s baking season! I already mentioned some of the recipes that my mom inspired me to try, and last weekend I had the oldest dig into NYT Cooking and find me something new to make.
I love having homemade treats for work snacks if at all possible ~ never eating another packaged granola bar for the rest of my life is my dream, although I know definitely not realistic!
The recipe she picked for me was Blueberry, Almond and Lemon Cake*, which I actually think was also in my mom’s freezer during one visit in the past! This was a really easy loaf cake (although I think I undercooked it by a titch - will go about 5 min longer next time), and I was able to slice and freeze half of it for future deliciousness.
*NYT Cooking gift link
And finally, it’s time to highlight September book releases I am excited about! There are some AMAZING releases this month and I am not sure how I am ever going to get through all of them anytime soon? The perpetual problem of the enthusiastic reader!
You can just tap on the image above or click through here to see all of the titles over on Bookshop. When you get there, remember to page through at the bottom, as there are two pages of titles this month.
Remember, this is not a list of ALL the books releasing in September 2025, just a list of the books I personally am excited about, that I spent hours and hours curating over the last six months .
Want some new releases that are already on shelves? Take a look at my past months’ release lists!
That’s all for this week ~ thanks for reading! Please feel free to reply to this email or use the link below to leave a comment to chime in about any of these things, or to share one of your own things ♡
Thanks for stopping by!
