Woman Sharing Anti-Racism Reading List Hasn't Finished A Book Since 2009

Despite enthusiastically sharing anti-racism reading lists on social media for the past few weeks, it was revealed that Michelle Jones has not read a book in its entirety in the past decade.

“I really want to support the cause, and this seems like a good place to start,” she remarked as she carefully stacked a pile of uncreased books on her vintage end table. “I mean, pretty much everyone can read!”

Her optimistic comment and generally naive worldview failed to take into account the fact that simply reading about racism doesn’t do shit to solve it at a structural level, as well as the fact that simply being able to read doesn’t mean that someone does. 

When examining her reading habits, Jones was shocked and embarrassed to discover that the most recent piece of literature that she’d personally consumed start to finish was Breaking Dawn.

However, this realization failed to stop Jones from purchasing upwards of 20 new books on social justice, which are currently arranged by spine color on the bookcase behind her desk to ensure maximum visibility during video calls.

"Oh, that?" she rehearsed in her bathroom mirror in case a co-worker notices one of her books on a Zoom Call. "Yeah, that's my Ta-Nehisi Coates sitting next to my Bell Hooks. What did I think of them? Umm, oh no, I think you're breaking up. Maybe bad WiFi..." 

Undaunted by her previous lack of reading throughout the 2010s, Jones seemed inspired by her newly expanded to-be-read list.

“I just feel like these reading lists are symbolic of the overall struggle for equality: started, but never finished,” she explained, before admitting she hadn’t started either.