Cracked Spines - New Year, New Book?!

Anna Louise Neiger
January 18, 2022
Cracked Spines: A monthly column about what we're reading and loving here at Good & Gold.

As we enter our third (?!?!?!) year of pandemic-ish life amid unpredictable weather patterns and lots of societal unrest, the book nerds at Good & Gold are retreating to the world of words to soothe our souls and calm our minds (and maybe even scream inside our hearts a little bit). Check out our round-up of reads we’re most excited to crack open as we kick off 2022!

WHEN WOMEN INVENTED TELEVISION by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong

We’re all mourning the loss of Betty White over here, so this chronicle of a forgotten (or perhaps, rewritten) chapter in the history of television is at the top of our list. With “fervent, inspired prose” and photos, we’re pretty sure we won’t be able to put this one down! 


PORTRAIT OF A THIEF by Grace D. Li

We may have a few months to wait for this Ocean’s Eleven meets The Farewell tale, but you better believe we’ve already pre-ordered! PORTRAIT OF A THIEF not only promises all our favorite heist antics but also dives into the colonization of art in the western world and examines Chinese American identity. We can’t wait to crack this spine THE SECOND it arrives on our doorstep.  


THE MISADVENTURES OF AWKWARD BLACK GIRL by Issa Rae

Insecure may have come to an end, but we’re keeping the hilarious, nuanced, and deeply REAL energy of Issa Rae’s hit show alive with her 2015 bestseller (named for her web series, which we’re also revisiting—check it out if you haven’t already!)


SEA MONSTERS by Chloe Aridjis

Surreal, captivating, haunting… these are all words that reel us right in for more. Plus, you won’t catch us passing up a book “set to a pulsing soundtrack of Joy Division, Nick Cave, and Siouxsie and the Banshees”. Award-winning and bound to be entrancing, not to mention that cover design… :heart eyes emoji:


BURN IT DOWN: Women Writing About Anger edited by Lily Dancyger

We’re angry. Are you angry? I’m angry. A collection of works from a diverse group of writers, BURN IT DOWN promises to be ferocious, and definitely beats screaming into the void.

CREATIVE ACTS FOR CURIOUS PEOPLE: How to Think, Create, and Lead in Unconventional Ways by Sarah Stein Greenberg

Practical, thoughtful exercises from Standford’s d.school designed to spark creativity, help solve problems, foster connection, and make our lives better. Curated by d.school’s Executive Director Sarah Stein Greenberg (who also happens to be Anna Louise’s former camp counselor from many moons ago), the exercises, stories, and activities from some of the world’s most inventive minds are designed to help you bring fresh approaches to any challenge, and to “turn your curiosity into ideas, and your ideas into action”. A great tool with which to dive into the new year—and the new you?

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