Singers – Cannonball Read 17

Celebrating

Queer Heroes: Meet 53 LGBTQ Heroes From Past and Present! by Arabelle Sicardi

March 26, 2024 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Over 50 famous and maybe not as famous people of the GLBTQ+ community are in the pages of the book Queer Heroes: Meet 53 LGBTQ Heroes From Past and Present! While I did not count, I would guess at least half or more of the people mentioned are not mainstream (but known in certain circles) or might be the first time the reader (and most) have heard of/about them. Of course there were several more well known (Freddie Mercury, Ellen DeGeneres, David Bowie (who never […]

From a folk festival to Carnegie Hall and the Sistine Chapel

Cantora: Mercedes Sosa, the Voice of Latin America by Melissa Fernandez Nitsche

April 18, 2023 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

CBR15Passport country We know the story of a child of poverty making a name for themselves, but how many know the story of Mercedes Sosa? In the picture book by Melissa Fernandez Nitsche, Cantora: Mercedes Sosa, the Voice of Latin America we learn about a young girl who would sing, and that singing would take her far. In fact, so far, she would become a symbol of triumph for her people. And in fact, so strong was her voice, she would be threatened, and finally […]

She did a little singing

She Sang for India: How M. S. Subbulakshmi Uses Her Voice for Change by Suma Subramaniam

May 27, 2022 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Do you know who M. S. Subbulakshmi (Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi) was? She was a woman of India that broke gender barriers, had a powerful voice, and used it for justice and peace. Subbulakshmi was a young girl in India when girls had little options. A passion was signing, and she would sing whenever she could. And in She Sang for India: How M. S. Subbulakshmi Uses Her Voice for Change you see how she would use her singing to show her love of her homeland, […]

Lady Day Lived the Blues

Blues for Lady Day: The Story of Billie Holiday by Paola Parisi,

March 17, 2020 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

I know a few Billie Holiday songs. Not enough to say “X, Y and Z are hers” but if they are on the radio or such, I can say, “Sounds like her” and I am usually right. I recently learned a bit about her (well on song) and wanted to read more. When I saw that there was a graphic novel biography done by Paola Parisi, I thought I probably should find it. And yesterday, it was being placed in the “to be return to […]

Zirza on A Gothic Classic for a ReasonIt's one of those wish-you-could-read-it-again-for-the-first-time books. I loved it.
Emmalita on “It came to something when you found yourself hoping that the footsteps you heard were ghosts.”I loved the ending! I don’t think it’s been out long enough to talk about why though.
Dixie on Track Her Down by Melinda LeighI am just starting Track Her Down and I have read them all in order till now and thought I...
Roland of Gilead on How can you give us the gift of a crazy character named Rando Thoughtful and then just as suddenly take that gift away? We need to talk, Uncle Stevie.I came across this randomly years after it was written because I was searching "Random Thoughtful. But I have the...
Emmalita on “Only you, Em, would refer to heartbreak as a distraction. I think I would have a more sympathetic response if I asked to marry a bookcase.”Oh my goodness, Gallifrey was beautiful. I’m sure her mittens were gloriously murdery.

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