PageTurners: Loving, Losing and Learning in Literature

Loving, losing, growing and regressing are all part of what it means to be alive, but this week’s releases not only explore those themes, they embrace them. For me, it’s hard to imagine the type of bravery and strength it takes to put these words on a page, but authors, and these authors in particular, do it with such grace. We gather information and influence from the experiences described in nonfiction, but when we look closely—and I mean really look close, those same messages and influence can be just as powerful in fiction.

Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie explores a world in which the color of a young girl’s skin is bleached daily; where she is hidden away and left with only her thoughts, yet finds strength and allyship in fighting, questioning and resisting. Paul Mendez’s release, Rainbow Milk, explores sexuality and revelation in London through the connection two men have and find together.

Dear Senthuran goes into Akwaeke Emezi’s relationship with their gender identity and how spirituality and spiritual guidance can be found in even the darkest corners. And circling back to London, Gina Yashere is talking about her experiences as the “reincarnation” of her grandmother, building a successful career in engineering and running from skinheads through the dingiest alleys of London.

Suffice to say, there’s no end in sight for powerful messages coming through powerful words, but this week…this week is something else.