This Book Won't Burn by Samira Ahmed

[profiterole_reads]

This Book Won't Burn by Samira Ahmed was awesome! When Noor Khan's family moves to Bayberry, Illinois, she discovers that hundreds of books, mostly by queer and POC authors, have been banned from the school library. She starts to fight back.

This is a very timely book. It's sad to see that the increase in book bans in the US has been going on for long enough that a novel has been traditionally published about it. (In case some of you don't know, traditional publishing takes a lot more time than indie and self-publishing.)

The story shows how important activism is, but doesn't shy away from the possible retaliations of the fascist side. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't protest, but that you should do it while being aware of the dangers and taking all necessary precautions.

Noor is a Muslim Indian American. Her school friends are a Muslim Desi American and a lesbian (who finds a girlfriend among the other protestors). Her younger sister is probably aroace. A couple of minor characters are casually designated with they/them pronouns.

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I asked this question on Tumblr a couple of months ago, to no avail, and I'm thinking about it again, so I'm asking it here now. Do you guys have recs for novels (I'm not looking for non-fiction books) about activism? Preferably with some LGBT rep, but the activism can be on any topic, as our fights are intersectional.

So far, I've read [French] Tant qu'il le faudra by Cordélia, [French] Nos elles déployées by Jessie Magana, My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newson and the aforementioned This Book Won't Burn by Samira Ahmed.

Comments

[gloss]

Sarah Schulman's People in Trouble takes place in late-1980s New York and concerns, in large part, the work of ACT-UP, queer solidarity, and anti-Trump work. It's also what Larson ripped off for elements of the musical RENT.

[profiterole_reads]

Perfect! My activism to-read list includes adult books in French and YA books in English, but I didn't have any adult book in English, apart from the already-read My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newson. It actually has the same themes as People in Trouble. And a French book I haven't read yet is also about ACT UP.

It's on point, as ACT UP has done a lot of original and memorable actions. I remember the French branch putting a giant condom on the Obelisk on Place de la Concorde, in Paris, way back in 1993. I was 11.

[justphoenix]

Internment (also by Samira Ahmed) was pretty decent. A teenage Muslim girl and her parents get sent to an internment camp.

[profiterole_reads]

Yes, it sounds interesting. In the same style, there's also the new release Solis by Paola Mendoza & Abby Sher, which I think has sapphic rep.

[elisheva_m]

I know you don't have much time for series but if you can manage to find 10.5 hours, Not Me asks and explores questions about activism for which there aren't clear answers. Not just in terms of possible/likely retaliation but also effectiveness and ramifications of actions on others. It's very well done but not an easy watch, there is violence and a lot of tension. Representation you'd be interested in includes M-M romances. The director is a trans woman (and maybe a character with a similar name? I can't remember if it's said).
It's primarily about corruption in Thailand and there isn't a lot of time to explore intersectionality but it does incorporate disability, marriage equality, Pride, and challenges conventions around beauty.

[profiterole_reads]

I've heard great things about Not Me, but not the activism aspect yet. Well, maybe the marriage equality aspect, but this has also been tackled in several other BL drama I've seen. Thanks for your input! <3

[ragnarok_08]

That book sounds interesting and yes very timely!

[profiterole_reads]

<3

[verdande_mi]

Thank you for reccing this, I will look into it.

We seem to be going backwards on a lot of issues sadly.

[profiterole_reads]

I hope you'll like it too.

From a historical point of view, I think it's pretty common to get ups and downs, and we're definitely in a down stage. :/

[garonne]

Si tu aimes les polars, je viens de lire la série “Donald Strachey” par Richard Stevenson où le personnage principal (enquêteur privé) et les victimes, témoins, suspects, etc. se connaissent souvent à travers leur engagement militant. Principalement des hommes (et quelques femmes) cis gay des anneés 70, 80, 90 aux Etats-Unis. Le militantisme est en arrière-plan (dans le sens où ce sont des polars et c’est l’enquête qui constitue l'intrigue principale) mais quand même assez présent dans la plupart des livres de la série.

Les livres ont aussi été adaptés à la télé debut des années 2000 et c'est intéressant de voir les différences. Le militantisme des livres (organisation d’une grève nationale, défense judiciaire de la clientèle d’un bar gay victime d’harcèlement policier, la fin de vie dans le contexte du SIDA...) est remplacé par des sujets un peu plus soft, un peu moins systémiques (intervenir dans le cas isolé d’un enfant victime d’un père homophobe, aider les enfants en fugue pour diverses raisons non-spécifiées...)

[profiterole_reads]

Intéressant ! Je reconnais vaguement le nom, mais je ne connaissais pas l'aspect activiste. C'est bon à savoir.