I finished listening to Carvell Wallace’s memoir Another Word for Love. Wallace reads the audiobook, and in my opinion, is the best way to enjoy this book. No matter the subject matter, his voice is soothing, only helped by his poetic writing style. Wallace is a Black, queer author. This book blends hid childhood and his adulthood beautifully, in a way that I wish I could. Although our lives were very different, there are also some things that are similar in the way he melds pop culture into his writing as well. I am younger than Wallace, but not by all that much, so I feel like I can related to many of those things while also get a different perspective.
A note that I made when I was half-way through listening, in my journal: “Carvell Wallace talks a lot about how we’re living while we’re dying.” Now having finished listening to this book last night, on the anniversary of my dad’s death, and sobbing about the different words for love, and the way love can be expressed in various ways, as well as the different ways of dying (literally and figuratively), I have to say this is my favorite read thus far for 2026. It’s only the middle of February, I know, but this was the book that I needed to read right now. There were things that I needed to hear while try to work through my guilt that somehow I did not do enough to prevent my dad’s death.
I would not have found out about this book at all if not for a book club I am in. It is virtual, and I do not feel like I always fit in. I don’t always read the more scholarly books, like some of the others in the group do. For a Librarian, I do not always do a good job expressing verbally why I like certain books, either. I find it extremely difficult, and often do better writing my feelings out. (Perhaps I should prepare beforehand?) I had not jumped on a zoom with this group in several months over the last year. Either I was busy, or I felt too anxious to do so. I was awful last year after the month of April keeping track of the books I read. Again!
However, on February 1st, I had a feeling I should get on, anxiety of not. So I joined about five minutes late, and they welcomed me on. I shared the seven books I had finished in the month of January, and I talked a little bit about a couple of them. (I will try to get a list on here soon. I am also on Storygraph as ljbj.) I think I was meant to be on this meeting to learn about this book (and there is another from the group that I am about to start.) It was the perfect book for this time.
Leisl Jaberg 