BookNook - September

Here are the books I'll be reading this autumn. I like to have a mix of fiction and non-fiction on the go, although I have to say that the fiction usually wins out- I'm all about epic adventures and badass women. 

Having said that, as you've no doubt picked up by now, I have strong political views and I like to read a cross-section of literature in politics, current affairs, law, sociology etc. 

1. American Islamophobia by Professor Khaled Beydoun. 

Professor Beydoun is a legal scholar based in the US. As a Muslim by background, a lot of his work, if not almost all of it, focuses on the intersection between religion, race and the American legal system. His writing is accessible, easily understood and well presented. If you are interested in any of these areas and aren't quite sure where to start, I'd recommend this book for an overview.

2. War on Peace by Ronan Farrow

Yes, this is that Ronan Farrow - the son of Mia Farrow and Woody Allen. He's probably better known for being a child prodigy and now an investigative journalist. With a stint in the State Department behind him, Farrow wrote this book charting the decline of American diplomacy in international relations, and the increasing use of militaristic intervention in modern times. An interesting look at the history of the US abroad. 

3. Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Renni Eddo-Lodge

This book is actually my first foray into properly reading about the lived experience of black people in the UK. Of course I'm aware of my own experiences as a Muslim female living in the UK but the challenges and issues faced by our black community are unique in their own way. For me, this book is about gaining a far deeper understanding of what it means to be black in a society that is predominantly white and not particularly happy to have you here, which it tells you everyday through the structure it enables to keep you in your place.