The Bitch Moms Book Club April Ashland, Shay Galloway

This week we dive into Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow, a multigenerational novel of a southern black family trying to navigate and overcome the hurdles before them.

Topics of discussion include the cycle of abuse, the discouragement of arts among people of lower socio-economic backgrounds, systemic discrimination, how historical fiction authors weave in real history, and the media.

The kids books this week are Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan and The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson

This week we delve into Former First Lady Michelle Obama's autobiography Becoming, which details her life from her youth through her time as First Lady.

The kids' book feature this week is Sing a Song of Seasons, collated by Fiona Waters and illustrated by Fran Preston-Gannon.

Other topics this week include community, pregnancy loss, thirsting after a former president, marriage of opposites.

This week, we delve into Sadeqa Johnson's House of Eve, a historical novel about two young women navigating love, their position in the world, and the ache of motherhood.

The children's book feature this week is The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch and Martin Martchenko

Other topics of discussion include the lost history of the Black Elite in America, colorism, unwed mother homes, every brown person's first "reckoning," and the lack of advocacy for women in the medical field

This week's episode is a pretty heavy one, topic-wise. We review Salt Houses by Hala Alyan, a multigenerational story about a Palestinian family who face displacement after displacement in the wake of wars in the Middle East.

The kids book feature "These Olive Trees" by Aya Ganameh is also a Palestinian story.

Other topics mentioned in this episode include a brief historical context of Israel-Palestine relations, the "Not In My Backyard" mentality, Sunk-cost fallacy, the danger of getting caught up in a niche aspect of an issue, how we're not meant to know all the terrible news.



If you're interested in the brand of bike Shay and April got for their kids, you can check it out at: https://guardianbikes.com/



If you would like to donate to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund, please donate at: https://www.pcrf.net/

This week, we delve into Michelle Zauner's Crying in H Mart, a memoir about her experience as a Korean American and navigating her mother's illness.

Topics of discussion include the difference between autobiographies and memoirs, a long tangent on American food culture, food as cultural representation, food as a marker of love, the idea of just not existing, and not ever entertaining the thought of us--the mothers--being the ones to go first.

The kids books this week are Big by Vashti Harrison and White Water by Michael S. Bandy and Eric Stein.

This week, we welcome Sangu Mandanna, author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, a cozy novel about found families, set at an estate house in the UK.

Tangential topics include tokenization, tea, women's default to hiding their true selves, and Taylor Swift of course.



Kids book is Black is a Rainbow Color by Angela Joy and Ekua Holmes