Brown People Reading

Cleopatra has been turned into a symbol, a scandal, a punchline, and a warning story for centuries, so we wanted a version that finally lets her feel human. We talk about Cleopatra by Sarah L. Arifi and why it hits so hard when an Egyptian woman in the 2000s reimagines Cleopatra’s inner life, her voice, and her motives. 
Ya'll, the set up was nice, but part II is where it gets JUICY! We need to know: are you Team Caesar or Team Antonius?
The perspective shift where we move through the story and then hear Cleopatra narrate from a later point in time, weighing what “allegedly” happened versus what she claims is true adds humor, bite, and tenderness, and it also keeps the book from flattening anyone into a villain. 

If you love historical fiction, feminist retellings, book club conversations, and honest friendship talk with plenty of TV recs sprinkled in, hit play. Subscribe, share this with your favorite reader, and leave a review so more people can find the show.
Music by - Asher Ahmahd
Edited by - Donnie Moore  @dddonniemooreee
Author - @saaraelarifi
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Motivation crashes, and the self-care keeping us sane — bikes, fresh air, and restorative yoga from the couch. This month Nadia brings Marigold Mind Laundry by Jungeun Yun, a Korean novel asking whether you'd erase a painful memory and what you'd lose with it. Asher brings The Slightest Green by Sahar Mustafah — a raw Palestinian-American story about land, family, and survival. We're talking belonging, joy, and protecting your peace. Subscribe, share, and tell us — what would you never wash away?
Music by - Asher Ahmahd
Edited by - Donnie Moore  @dddonniemooreee

Reach out
brownpeoplereading@gmail.com

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Instagram - @brownpeoplereading

Hey Yall! Mercury was skating backwards again but we got it together!
“Respect my boundaries” can be a healthy sentence or a warning sign that we’re building a wall and calling it growth. We dig into The Balancing Act by Nedra Glover Tawwab and unpack what she’s really pointing to: healthy dependency, real connection, and the kind of boundaries that protect you without isolating you. Along the way, we share what’s been going on in our own lives, from rebuilding routines to the very real anxiety that can show up around money and control.

Subscribe, share the episode with a friend who’s doing everything alone, and leave a review if our book talks help you. What’s your default when life gets hard: anxious, avoidant, disorganized, or secure?

Hey Y'all! This Episode we dive deep into a Korean bestseller where a mountainside bookstore quietly reshapes how people see their lives. Between healing scenes and hard truths, we share moments that changed us, from Guyana to Greece, and why small pivots last.

• settling into new routines and letting go of urgency
• what transformation means when it’s not dramatic
• why the bookstore’s quiet hospitality works
• seven linked stories that re-order priorities
• quotes that challenge perfection and timing
• friendships rekindled and community built with care
• author’s note on midlife pivots and creative risk
• places that healed us and why place matters
• quick TV recs and our next book selection

Music by - Asher Ahmahd
Edited by - Donnie Moore  @dddonniemooreee

Reach out
brownpeoplereading@gmail.com

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Instagram - @brownpeoplereading

We reflect on a year of unlearning stress, finding a steadier pace, and returning to the book that sparked our show. Reframing failure as feedback, feeding the right wolf, and practicing real gratitude reshape how we work, rest, and respond.

• letting go of rigid timelines and listening to the body
• reframing failure into feedback for bolder action
• regulating the nervous system after hustle culture
• choosing responses over reactions with the two wolves
• gratitude as practice, not buzzword, without toxic positivity
• blending science and mindfulness to calm the monkey mind
• favorite reads of 2024 across mindset, YA, and essays
• binge-worthy TV and thriller recommendations
• next month’s pick: Soyangri Book Kitchen by Kim G. High

Author - @jayshetty
Music by - Asher Ahmahd
Edited by - Donnie Moore  @dddonniemooreee

Reach out
brownpeoplereading@gmail.com

Follow us
Instagram - @brownpeoplereading