"I'm sorry if I've given you the impression that it's my mouth that's rough. I try to be rough all over."-from Smilla's Sense of Snow

Cavedweller by Dorothy Allison
1999
Weight: 13.6 oz
Method of Disposal: Giving to Gail



I took a couple days off work after Phoenix’s death, and today was my first day back. I did not work a full day, and I was away from the shelter. Tomorrow, I officially start my routine all over again. I wish I could go cavedwelling.

Dorothy Allison is an amazing author and woman, and this book does not disappoint. The majority of the book takes place in Cayro, Georgia. Several strong-willed, southern women, struggle to recreate and shape their lives in a way that allows them to continue existing. The people of Cayro do not appear to be forthcoming with empathy or affection, but there is a deep bond among the people of the city.

The main characters are a woman named Delia Byrd, and her daughter named Cissy. Cissy develops a love for climbing down into the dark, damp, earth through caves. There is no darkness deeper. This is how she finds comfort from the world. That sounds lovely, doesn’t it? This was a great book, and I am sad to see it go. I am anxious to talk to Gail about it though.

I am off to the world of the dreaming. I hope I can find peace--even just a fraction of what Cissy finds in those caves.

"I Want to Be the Girl Your Parents Will Use as a Bad Example of a Lady."

The Other Side of Paradise by Staceyann Chin
2009
Weight: 8 oz
Method of Disposal: Putting aside to give to my mom when she gets back from Taiwan



The first and the last time I saw Staceyann Chin perform her spoken-word was while I was attending Agnes Scott College. I went down to The Hub with my then-girlfriend to see Doria Roberts, and Staceyann was opening for her. She made the night and hung the moon. She was amazing. It was my first year of college, and I have never forgotten her. I have tried to go to other spoken-word shows in hopes that I would find someone that I enjoyed to the same degree but with no luck. I was very excited when I heard she was coming out with a memoir sometime in 2009.

I was not disappointed. She writes about growing up in Jamaica, moving from place to place. Person to person. Her strength twists throughout the book into a tight and even tighter story of courage, struggle, and passion. Beautiful. Really. I cannot say enough positive about it. I remember when I finished reading the last page. I fell back onto my bed and let it all sink in. Soon, I thought about my mom in Taiwan and immediately wanted to ship it to her. I still haven’t. So this one is for her. This one will stand in your mind with Dorothy Allison. I miss you!