Hey there,
Thanks for stopping by. It might go without saying, but here at ad astra, we love to read. Lyricism, plotlines, and the poetic and stylistic devices that authors employ influence not only our attachment to characters on the page, but also our understanding of their stories.
Through literature, we’ve learned about the kind of individuals we strive to be. We believe that stories can help us all learn and unlearn, educate and grow. Books can challenge us to see something in a new way and teach us how to better support one another. They give us tools to go out into the world and help create change.
An Introduction
Let’s have a conversation about books & intersectional feminism
To some, it may seem like the world is starting to make room for women. But is it making room for all women, especially those with different backgrounds and identities? And is it making room for those beyond the gender binary? ad astra is a place to explore these questions and more through books by and about women, non-binary, queer, and femme folks.
We are Olivia and Fiona, two friends who share a love for words and what they can do. We’ve fallen in love with Toni Morrison and her reverberating poetry; with Joan Didion and her way of capturing life; with Terese Marie Mailhot and her stark depictions; with Akwaeke Emezi and their ability to interweave grace and pain; and so many others. Simply put, books have changed our lives.
On our “conversations” page, you’ll find explorations of books through an intersectional feminist lens. Rather than reviews, these are meant to inspire communication. Each conversation begins with a quick summary of the title and then merges into thoughts and questions. For example, does the book account for intersectionality? What should we be taking away as we close the final page? What writing techniques further the author’s focus? They are mindful that racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. might be the weather, as opposed to the purpose, as Lauren Michele Jackson poignantly points out in her Vulture article “What Is an Anti-Racist Reading List For?”
We encourage you to respond with your own understanding of and questions about the title, helping us to create a conversation among the community. Or start your own conversations by submitting to adastrastories@gmail.com.
About the Name
Per aspera ad astra | Through hardships to the stars
When Olivia was little, her grandfather gave her the best gift: a custom stamp engraved with the words “From the Library of Olivia.” From that point on, every book Olivia ever read (that wasn’t library property) was stamped. When she graduated from high school, her grandfather already having passed on, Olivia’s father presented her with another special gift: a letter from that same grandfather, signed “per aspera ad astra,” or “through hardships to the stars.”
Olivia fell in love with the phrase and knew that when she started a publishing house rooted in intersectional feminism its name would be ad astra. The phrase fully captured her belief that critical stories can advance equity.
Flash forward five years to 2019 and ad astra, the start of what Olivia and Fiona hope one day might turn into a publishing house, was born.
About Us
Olivia (she/her)
Olivia manages ad astra’s conversations, website copy, newsletter, and social media. Currently working at Libro.fm, Olivia has always loved reading and talking about her latest reads.
As a child, her parents would take away her books, upset by how much time she spent with her nose in their pages.
Olivia lives in San Francisco, her hometown and one of her favorite places in the world. When she’s not under a tree flipping through her latest read, you can find her hiking, drinking matcha lattes, or editing her friends’ stories. She also loves long walks through parks and plant-filled neighborhoods. She graduated as an English major with a creative writing focus from Scripps College in 2018.
Fiona (she/her)
Fiona is passionate about storytelling and illustration. She worked at the Mill Valley Public Library for years, shelving books and running the Children’s Room on Sundays, and is currently a Project Manager at Thesis Agency.
You can usually find her thrifting, painting, illustrating, walking around, or reading in Portland, Oregon.
To see more of her design work, visit fionabransgrove.com