Queer Icons and Their Cats by Alison Nastasi and P.J. Nastasi

 

Queer Icons and Their Cats by Alison Nastasi and P.J. Nastasi

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Publication date: 04 May 2021 

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The link above is an affiliate link. If you make a purchase through it, I will receive a small amount of the sale, at no cost to you. It helps me make a little money to support my book reviewing hobby. Thank you! 

Publisher's description:

These cat lovers are out and purr-oud!

Freddie Mercury, Sylvia Rivera, Alison Bechdel, Dusty Springfield. This book is a celebration of queer icons of the past and present and their furry feline friends. From images of lost legends such as Josephine Baker and James Baldwin, to snapshots of contemporary trailblazers like comedian Tig Notaro and fashion designer Jason Wu—these charming and eccentric photographs capture what it truly means to be a cat purr-son.

• PURR-FECT FOR CAT LOVERS: This book celebrates the love between human and cat. What better gift could you get the feline fancier in your life?

• AMEWSING ANECDOTES AND IMPAWTENT MOMENTS: Learn about the lives of the queer heroes who came before us and those who are still fighting for equality and inclusion. We're not kitten around—with watershed moments like the Stonewall riots and sweet stories of domestic bliss, this book will both entertain and inspire you.

• PHOTOS WITH CATITUDE: In these purr-ecious photographs, you'll get to see your heroes in unguarded moments expressing love for their pets. This collection of images will bring joy to any cat lover's heart.

My review:

I received a free copy of the ebook from Netgalley in exchange for my review. All opinions shared are 100% my own.

This is a really cool book! First of all... CATS! If you love cats, you will love the photographs. I also learned so much about people I already knew and learned about people I'd never heard of doing incredible work in the world. Though not a traditional coffee table book size, it definitely has the potential to be a beautiful book left out for frequent browsing by you and guests to your home or office. You'll also want to read it cover to cover (not something usually said about a book of photography). What an inspiring and fun idea for a book!

Recommended to LGBTQIA+ cat lovers and the people who shop for them and anyone interested in learning more about influential queer figures—and their pets!

Fun stuff:

The authors have also published Artists and their Cats and Writers and their Cats. 

About the author: Alison Nastasi is an arts and culture journalist, author, and artist living in Los Angeles. Her writing has appeared in Angelus News, Darling Magazine, Gizmodo, Fandango, Moviefone, MTV, Pitchfork, RogerEbert.com, and more. She was a longtime editor for the website Flavorwire. Alison is the author of the popular books Artists and Their Cats and Writers and Their Cats from Chronicle Books.

New World Witchery: A Trove of North American Folk Magic by Cory Thomas Hutcheson

 

New World Witchery: A Trove of North American Folk Magic by Cory Thomas Hutcheson

Publisher: Llewellyn Publications

Publication date: April 8th, 2021

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The link above is an affiliate link. If you make a purchase through it, I will receive a small amount of the sale, at no cost to you. It helps me make a little money to support my book reviewing hobby. Thank you! 

Publisher's description: 

Featuring nearly 500 samples of folklore, including stories, artifacts, rituals, and beliefs, New World Witchery is one of the most comprehensive collections of witchcraft and folk magic ever written. This treasure trove of witchery is designed to help you integrate folk traditions into your life and deepen your understanding of magic.

Folklore expert Cory Thomas Hutcheson guides you to the crossroads of folk magic, where you'll learn about different practices and try them for yourself. Explore chapters on magical heritage, divination, flying, familiars, magical protection, spirit communication, and more. This in-depth, accessible book also provides brief profiles of significant folk magicians, healers, and seers, so you can both meet the practitioners and experience their craft.

My review:

I received a free copy of the ebook from Netgalley in exchange for my review. All opinions shared are 100% my own.

The world of witchy books resides heavily in the pantheons and lore of the eastern half of this globe. I can’t recall another book I have seen that even made much mention of western folklore and folk magic. Of course, the author admits, this book misses the western mark a bit too, as it focuses on the stories and tales passed down on the North American continent so it isn’t even the entire “new world”.  At 480 pages, that’s okay! Someone should definitely take up the gauntlet and give South American folklore focus as well. 

I’ve always loved folk tales and stories and this book is a veritable treasure trove. It’s definitely a book worth having as a physical copy. I particularly liked the herbal healing stories. While there are some rituals and remedies to lace the past and present together, those aren’t really what the book is about. There is definitely fodder there for a second book to go into far greater detail on some of the information shared there. Dr. Hutcheson is a folklorist and an academic - an interesting combination - and I learned a lot. If I lived closer to Pennsylvania, I would love to take one of his college courses. In the meantime, I do enjoy listening to his podcast, New World Witchery, and recommend it. 

This book is jam-packed with stories and information and still doesn’t dive deeply into any one story due to just how rich and colorful the story of North American folklore is. (The book would be 1200 pages long if it did!) There are definitely places where I was left wanting more information. Thankfully, there are recommended reading sections for every chapter with some words on what to expect to find from each recommendation, not just a strict bibliography (though there is a sizable bibliography too). 

This book is not a quick read. There’s just too much to digest. It is as much a reference book as it is a storybook. While there are rituals and spells throughout that relate to the folklore shared, it’s not really a ritual or spell book so I don’t recommend getting it for that purpose. If you are interested in North American folklore and spirituality and the melting pot that helped shape it, then this book belongs on your bookshelf. 

Fun stuff:

New World Witchery podcast

About the author:

Cory Thomas Hutcheson is the cohost of the popular podcast New World Witchery. He has a doctorate in American Studies with specializations in folklore, religion, and ethnicity from Penn State. He is a contributor to the Oxford Handbook of American Folklore and Folklife Studies and American Myths, Legends, &Tall Tales, and he has written for popular occult publications, including Witches & Pagans. Visit him online at www.CoryThomasHutcheson.com