Go read Brian Broome

The following were books I finished reading during the month of June.

• Punch Me Up to the Gods: A Memoir by Brian Broome)
• Vicarious by Rhett C. Bruno
• Sixty Poems by Charles Simic
• Homo Deus: A History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari
• The Long Walk by Richard Bachman

This was a heavy month for reading, since Homo Deus itself was no joke. One of the best nonfiction books I've read since I chewed my way through all of Carl Sagan's books back in high school. Some incredibly thought-provoking material here, particularly with regards to the advent of humanism and its implications for how our society is evolving. I may need to go back and reread this one, as I experienced it as an audiobook, and to be frank I fear I missed out on some important details. At the very least it would be worth it to read these words again.

Charles Simic is my new go-to poet. I learned about him from the reading list of a poet I follow on Twitter, and his visual style really appeals to me. Fortunately a number of his collections are available through the library, so I foresee some binging in my future.

And then there is Brian Broome. This Pittsburgh writer and poet is someone I've followed on social media for a bit, and it was through his funny yet consequential take on the events of his life that I became curious about what he would put into a memoir. It is easily one of the most worthwhile books I've read in recent years. This is a thoughtful and evocative walk through a life perspective wholly different from my own, and I benefitted greatly from reading his words. I cannot recommend this book enough.