BOOK REVIEW | TEACHING MY MOTHER HOW TO GIVE BIRTH BY WARSAN SHIRE

Title: Teaching My Mother How To Give Birth
Author: Warsan Shire
Published: 2011
Language: English
Pages: 37
Rating: 4/5

'Teaching My Mother How To Give Birth' is a poetry collection by Kenyan-born Warsan Shire.

I am really interested in reading more poetry and this was high on my list of poetry I wanted to read. This did not disappoint at all. The poetry was powerful, gripping and beautiful. Some of the poetry I liked more than others, but most I loved.

One of my favorite parts was:

"You are her mother.

Why did you not warn her,

hold her like a rotting boat

and tell her that men will not love her

if she is covered in continents,

if her teeth are small colonies,

if her stomach is an island

if her thighs are borders?

What man wants to lie down

and watch the world burn

in his bedroom?

Your daughter ’s face is a small riot,

her hands are a civil war,

a refugee camp behind each ear,

a body littered with ugly things.

But God,

doesn’t she wear

the world well?"

MID-YEAR READING CHALLENGES 2016

When I started picking up reading at the end of last year again, I wasn't as serious and addicted to it as now. I had only one goal; to read 50 books (which I had done before so I knew it wasn't that much of a challenge). Now that we are halfway through 2016 I want to set my self some specific reading challenges for the rest of 2016, starting today.

CLASSICS
I want to read 5 more classics this year. I feel like I am really lacking on my knowledge of classics and I really want to read and appreciate them.

HISTORICAL FICTION
I also want to read 5 historical fictions. I want to find out more about this genre because I really think that this could be a favourite genre of my. I never experienced a lot with genres beside contemporary and light-fantasy but I think that this has real potential to be one of my favourite genres.

DUTCH FICTION
I want to read 2 Dutch books. I only choose two books because for one, Dutch books are twice or triple the price of the English books I read, and second, I only can think of two that I really want to read. For 2017 I might take this challenge to a higher level and set an higher goal, but for now, two books it is.

TRANSLATED FICTION
I want to read 7 translated fictions. I want to get to know a wider variation of authors, stories, settings etcetera.

POETRY
I want to read 5 books of poetry. I used to write my own poetry, but I almost never ever have read poetry. Actually, I only read two books of poetry. Five books of poetry might be a bit to high but I see how far I can come.


Do you have any mid-year reading challenges?