Reading Is Resistance is pleased to introduce a limited series of curated music playlists to accompany some of our favorite books. Compiled by Noah Simpson (Portland, OR trumpeter and Reading Is Resistance volunteer) these playlists are generated from the historical moment, identities, and feelings evoked from the selected texts.
About Our Playlist Curator: Noah Simpson
Noah Simpson is a trumpet player and composer currently living in Portland OR. He’s performed and toured with renowned artists like George Benson, Bernard Purdie, and Rob Artis II, as well as finding success with his own bands. As a composer, Simpson is heavily inspired by the his homeland of Arizona and literature. Born to a mix raced family in rural Arizona, his access to literature was limited. Thanks to his mother however, he found a love for reading in the painstakingly curated literature she provided. Through this partnership with Reading is Resistance, Simpson hopes that he can help instill a love for reading through his curated playlists.
Our First Playlist: This Side of Home
Keeping things local, our first playlist accompanies Reneé Watson's This Side of Home, a YA fiction book that focuses identity, sisterhood, friendship, and the impact of gentrification on a North Portland community. Check out or buy a copy of Watson's book, and read while listening or listen to each playlist on its own. Let us know what you think. We hope you enjoy the resonance of these pairings.
