Friday, August 21, 2020

GLOW Book Club To the Time Machine!

GLOW Book Club To the Time Machine! I binged Netflixs new show GLOW because its pretty impossible not to. I was drawn in by the 80s setting and stayed for the charactersmostly down on their luck or looking for their place in this world (L.A.) ladies. While I know I watched at least some of the original episodes of Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling as a kid (You dont need to be a wrestling fan at all or know the original show to love Netflixs GLOW.) I dont really have much of a memory of it. My friend, on the other hand, remembers it playing before Rhonda Shears Up All NightIf you remember that show you just read the Up all squeaked-up. I have no clue if this is an accurate memory on her part or how we sometimes blend childhood memories together as adults, but I do know she was super excited in her remembering watching Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling with her cousins and we spent a lot of time gushing over the new show. Netflixs GLOW isnt a remake, but rather a fictional imagining inspired by Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling and its awesome and everything I didnt know I wanted. It also left me with a deep desire to hang with these ladies, so Im packing up a DeLorean that I saw on eBay with books and traveling to the 80s to give these ladies some reads and to hang out and try out some wrestling moves, of course. Mild spoilers ahead, maybe? GLOW book club: Sheila the She-wolf: Oh Sheila, my little wolf, Im so happy youve found a place in this world where the true inside-you can shine. And for those times the other ladies want to hug you or talk too much to you and not give you the space a lone wolf needs, heres the audiobook The Devourers by Indra Das. Whats this iPhone loaded with audiobooks, you ask? Well talk about that later right now all you need to know is this intense, original, and brutal story about a professor and the half-werewolf he meets is everything you want to read right now. I look forward to your thoughts, Wolf. Oh, and when youre done with that you have to read Emil Ferris My Favorite Thing is Monsters. Seriously, the girl identifies with monsters and I think youd totally understand each other. Tamme ´ Dawson: Dawson, you look good in the ring! Like maybe youve done this before? *wink-wink. Clearly youre athletic and know how to put on a good show, so Im handing you a new (in 2017) comic series SLAM!  (because not only are you awesome in the wrestling ring, but I know youd be awesome at roller derby, too). Yes, I am trying to tell you that Id pay money to both watch you wrestle and slam some ladies while on skates! Debbie Egan: We dont know each other, so rather than totally invading your personal space and hugging you Im going to hand you the audiobook Heartburn by Nora Ephron, narrated by Meryl Streep. You can talk to Wolf over there about the whole whats an iPhone? thing, but the important thing is I think Ephrons novel, which is what she wrote in response to catching her husband cheating on her while pregnant, will be like having a friend that can totally commiserate with you. Plus, its Nora Ephron, so even if its dealing with sad, frustrating, anger-inducing life moments, itll still be funny. Cherry Bang: Trying to make it as an actress is hard! I know because Ive read a lot of actor memoirs and they generally struggle a lot, for many years, before finding success. I think Taraji P. Henson has a lot of valuable life stories in her Around the Way Girl audiobookI know you dont know who she is, but Im from the future and I promise shes a big deal and had to work her ass off to get to where shes at. Just be warned youre going to want to immediately be her best friend as soon as youre done with her memoir. Ruth Wilder: You wouldnt happen to be related to a Joan, would you? Shes a romance novelist, had a rough trip through Colombia recently? You may want to ask your parents Anyhoo, while you keep trying to figure out your life and your gigantic misstep, I have 32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter for you. Its a novel about a girl who runs away (in the 80s!) and grows up having to pave her own way while learning a bunch of valuable lessons. Her name is Davidia Jones and I think youd really enjoy getting to know her plus she ends up being great at giving advice. Arthie Premkumar: Between studying, having to help out your roommate with her hardcore crush, and being given a character to portray that fans the Islamophobia flames, you look like you need a break! So I brought you Sandhya Menons When Dimple Met Rishi because it is a totally delightful novel about a young Indian woman and man beginning their career paths while possibly finding love. Maybe DimpleĆ¢€™s tenacityor the Bollywood dancingwill inspire you to demand a better character and more time in the ring. Carmen Wade: Youre so awesome and already come with the passion for wrestling many of the other women dont get, but its a shame that your family doesnt get it. Well they get the wrestling passionbig timethey just dont get the part about letting you follow your dreams. Id like to share with you one of my all-time favorite comic series where the girls/women are awesome and they save themselves, usually while butting heads with family members: Princeless by Jeremy Whitley. Sam Sylvia: I have no idea who thought youd be the best person for this job, but here we are apparently, so sit down and watch your head cause Im going to throw some books at you and youre not getting up until youve read them all and fully absorbed the information. Ready? Here comes:  You Cant Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain by Phoebe Robinson; Trainwreck: The Women We Love to Hate, Mock, and Fear and Why by Sady Doyle; Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West; You Dont Have to Like Me: Essays on Growing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding Feminism by Alida Nugent; Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World by Kelly Jensen. You can ignore all the things about technology and shows, etc., that you may not understand yet, just focus on the actual messages. Think Im going to hang out here in the 80s for a bit to learn some wrestling moves and keep book clubbing with the GLOW ladies. I can already feel my hair tripling in size. Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save

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