Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

She didn’t end the book talking about butt stuff, and that’s important.

You Can't Touch My Hair by Phoebe Robinson

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I decided randomly a couple of months ago that I was only going to read books by or about badass ladies in January 2020 (the only time I could possibly hold to a theme month is the beginning of the year; it gets too messy later on). It feels auspicious to start out the year this way, and this book was a great start to that. Comedian and podcaster Phoebe Robinson is smart and funny and she has great things to say. This book is […]

They can’t all be gems, some of them are just costume jewelry

Everything's Trash, But It's Okay by Phoebe Robinson

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This would not typically be my type of book.  I do not speak in hashtag, nor do I use a lot of slang or cute phrases.  It’s not that I’m against it, it’s just not how I communicate.  This book, and Robinson’s previous effort, are filled to brim with them, and “unnec abbrevs” (unnecessary abbreviations).  Robinson is able to poke fun at herself about her style and her humor, owning that some of the way she is writing is ridiculous.  From anyone else, I’d have […]

This makes me want to write essays

Everything's Trash But It's Okay by Phoebe Robinson

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A friend of mine has been recommending the podcast 2 Dope Queens for forEVER and now I really wish I had taken her up on it sooner, because this book made me happy to read. It also makes me really want to read her first book, You Can’t Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have To Explain and it honestly makes me want to start writing my own life/world essays. Because that’s what this book is, life as Phoebe Robinson sees and experiences it. Just […]

I LOL’d (CBR10 BINGO)

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CBR 10 BINGO Square: Underrepresented (Also, that’s my first BINGO! I’ve read 15 books for BINGO but managed to space them out across all the rows.) Best for: People who like personal essays and also Ms. Robinson’s style of humor (e.g., loads of hashtags) In a nutshell: In the follow-up to her first collection of essays, Ms. Robinson shares more of the serious aspects of her personal life (including her financial challenges, her experience with interracial relationships, and the failures of feminism) while also telling […]

“Look, I know I’ve been joking around a lot, but it’s only to keep from being sad.”

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I’ve been volunteering at my local library, and shelving books has taken me into unfamiliar territory: the nonfiction section! (dun dun duuuuuuun!) Since I’ve been attempting to read stuff by non-white non-men lately anyway, when I found this on my cart to return to the shelves, I decided to keep it for myself. I’m glad I did – Phoebe is a delight. The book is organized into general essay sections, but she rambles a bit, which makes it all much more conversational and easy to […]

It Sucks She Has To Explain This, But She Does It So Well

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I was lucky enough to learn about Phoebe Robinson when a friend recommended I listen to 2 Dope Queens, the comedy podcast she hosts with Jessica Williams (of The Daily Show fame). She is a stand-up comedian and writer, and You Can’t Touch My Hair is her first book. It’s a collection of essays that take on topics as varied as black hair, guilty pleasures, and advice for her niece. I write in my books, and I found myself underlining a lot in this one. I […]



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