Jordi's Reading Nook

I went from seeing red to seeing rainbows, all thanks to this. So, yeah, I'm calling it a success. George Takei can truly highlight the hypocrisy that was the Japanese internment camps.  Overview After the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The United States gathered its citizens who had Japanese heritage and put them in internment camps. While not as horrific as Nazi internment camps, it was still a crime against United States citizens. George Takei, known for his role in the original Star Trek series, was among these citizens. He spent years of his childhood in these camps. George Takei chronicles the experiences he and his family endured during and as a result of the internment camps. The graphic novel provides a deeply personal look at the hardships, discrimination, and injustices faced by Takei and his family. As well as the resilience and strength of the Japanese American community. Positives The art provided by Harmony Becker exemplifies the fear, confusion, and hope experienced by th...

"Unveil your rage, my sister, unveil the night." from Veil Not by Ala Khaki    Woman Life Freedom: Poems for the Iranian Revolution curated by Banco Ban and Cy Strom is a collection of poems by women regarding the Iranian revolution. It's not your typical poetry book. It is raw and unapologetic and will evoke powerful emotions. Overview Trigger Warning: Sex crimes, violence, multiple types of abuse, war The editors divided the book into five sections: Beginnings, Defiance, Struggle, Witness, Futures. Beginnings: Introduces the origins and start of the revolution.  Defiance: Poems that embody the spirit of resistance and rebellion. Struggle: Describes the hardships and challenges faced. Witness: Bear witness to the events and experiences.  Futures: Envisions a better future with justice, equality, and freedom. My thoughts These poems are honest and brave. I refuse to even try to be critical. I normally do not read poetry, but knowing the subject matter, I wanted to r...

"Your words could be the ones that resonate with someone and change their mind" (Nielsen, 2025). This is why it's important to choose your words and delivery carefully. Speaking on Climate by Rune Kier Nielsen is a compelling and practical guide for anyone passionate about using the power of words to drive meaningful climate actions Nielsen is a Danish social anthropologist and United Nations environmental expert. I knew as soon as he talked about ethos, pathos, and logos in the introduction that he knew what he was talking about, and he doesn't disappoint! Overview Speaking on Climate combines theory and practice to provide the reader with the tools needed to craft impactful speeches that inspire and motivate others to act in support of climate justice. It covers topics like persuasion, the role of emotion, framing your world view, and storytelling. Positives The great thing about Speaking on Climate is it's not doom and gloom. Nielsen even provides case studi...

Discover how climate change is not just an environmental crisis, but a pressing threat to global human health, as unveiled in  Enviromedics: The Impact of Climate Change on Human Health .  Enviromedics: The Impact of Climate Change on Human Health , by Day Lemery, MD and Paul Auerbach, MD is an essential read for anyone researching or concerned about climate change. This book continues to be a cornerstone in my climate change research; I still reference it frequently. Overview The authors are doctors whose positions have given them a front seat view of our evolving health. after noticing significant increases in certain health conditions, they began to research the cause. Once it was discovered that these conditions were being worsened by the effects of climate change. Through detailed case studies, personal anecdotes, and scientific analysis, Enviromedics explores how rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and other climate-related changes are already affecting global ...

I quit reading after about the sixth book, but about four months later, I constantly wondered how it ended, so I went back to find out. Conquered World Series, by Elin Wyn is an 18-book science fiction romance series. Each book features a new alien warrior and human woman, except one that features the first couple again. Technically, each can be read standalone. Overview There is a battle going on in space. Things go very wrong, and a portal opens, three ships are pulled through the portal and crash land into an unknown world. Vrehx: Vrehx's ship literally crashes into Geneva's world. He brings new monsters into an already dangerous world. They need to work together to handle both. Axtin: They couldn't be more different. Leena is a strong, serious scientist Axtin is a warrior who loves the thrill of battle. How can they be expected to work together? Tu'ver: Mariella doesn't have time for romance. No, really, she's going to die young. So she might as well avoid a...

The arrival of colonists brought devastation to indigenous populations through manipulation and overwhelming force. It's ironic that on the day we commemorate that event, Columbus Day, humanity is abruptly thrown into an intergalactic war for which we are woefully unprepared. Overview Expeditionary Force's first book, Columbus Day  by Craig Alanson starts off with Earth joining up with the Kristang to get the Ruhan off of the planet. We follow Joe Bishop as he reports to his new station. He doesn't get much time to get comfortable before things start getting fishy. After a battle we are introduced to "Skippy the Magnificent" an Al program. He is able to start making sense of what's going on. Along with the similarities with colonialism and imperialism we also see how two cultures intermixing can lead to a variety of issues. Mostly prejudice and loss of culture on either side.  Positives There is a lot of use of humor and sarcasm. But it is used well. Both Joe...