Saturday, July 31, 2021

The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore

 

I suspected this would be good because Radium Girls was so good, but this completely knocked my socks off. The story is amazing, and it is told well. Highly recommended.


Review copy provided by publisher.

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Monday, July 26, 2021

Forget the Alamo by Bryan Burrough, Chris Tomlinson, and Jason Stanford

 

This was outstanding -- it's one of those books everyone living in Texas, not to mention everyone who wants to understand why/how history is constructed and contested, should read. Plus, it was funny.

Sunday, July 25, 2021

All That She Carried by Tiya Miles

 

An amazing story about an amazing artifact.

This Is Your Mind on Plants by Michael Pollan

 

Super interesting -- well worth the time.

Falling by T. J. Newman

 

Great suspense if not great literature -- kind of felt like reading a movie.

Friday, July 23, 2021

Imposter Syndrome by Kathy Wang

 

Super-interesting; an engaging story with good social commentary.

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

 

No, it's not great literature, but I still really enjoyed this.

Robert E. Lee and Me by Ty Seidule

 

So, so good. This is one of those books that you wish you could convince everyone to read.

Wednesday, July 21, 2021

Things You Save In a Fire by Katherine Center

 

This was cheesy, predictable, very cliched . . . and yet I kind of liked it.

Monday, July 19, 2021

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

 

This was OK-ish, but definitely does not live up to the hype.

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

 

I usually hate magical realism, but this book was completely charming.

Sunday, July 18, 2021

Hell-Bent by Benjamin Lorr

 

Super-interesting look at Birkram yoga.

Thursday, July 15, 2021

What Fresh Hell Is This? by Heather Corinna

 

This is one of the funniest books I have ever read, with very helpful information.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

 

This was right on the edge between "syrupy and cliched" and "sweet and clever."

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Monday, July 12, 2021

Loot: Britain and the Benin Bronzes by Barnaby Phillips

 

This is really more of a history of the relationship of Benin and Britain, and it was so, so interesting.

Between Freedom and Equality by Barbara Boyle Torrey and Clara Myrick Green

 

This was amazing. A fascinating mix of family history and big-picture history.

Delicious: The Evolution of Flavor and How It Made Us Human by Rob Dunn and Monica Sanchez

Kind of vacillated between dull and fascinating.



Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago by Eric Klinenberg

 

Fascinating in so many ways.

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

 

So while reading this, I found it a bit frustrating because it was confusing, but the payoff was excellent. Highly recommended.

Sunday, July 11, 2021

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green

 

Not quite as good as the first one, but still fun.

The Secret Lives of Introverts by Jenn Granneman

 

This was lame. You should read Susan Cain's book instead.

Saturday, July 10, 2021

Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children's Literature As an Adult by Bruce Handy

 

This was so funny and and so interesting, not to mention a trip down memory lane.

Friday, July 09, 2021

The Nine of Us by Jean Kennedy Smith

 

So, clearly hagiography, but still kind of interesting.

Progress by Johan Norberg

 

While I agree that in general things are getting better in most ways, I thought the author played fast and loose with some of the specifics here.

The Happiest Kids in the World by Rina Mae Acosta and Michele Hutchison

 

 This was super-interesting -- always fascinating to see what is "normal" in other cultural contexts.

Tuesday, July 06, 2021

Forhed in War by R. David Lankes

 

 Some interesting background, but a lot of this went beyond war . . . maybe a different title would have helped set expectations.

Sunday, July 04, 2021

Before the Storm by Rick Perlstein

 

I usually love Perlstein, but this was kind of boring.

Smarter Than You Think by Clive Thompson

 

Interesting, but also already seems a bit dated.

Saturday, July 03, 2021

The Ever-Changing Past by James M. Banner

 

Super interesting -- a really important book with great stories.

Thursday, July 01, 2021

Land by Simon Winchester

This was a very intriguing book -- sort of stream of consciousness, but some interesting stories.








Mom Genes by Abigail Tucker

 

Fascinating content in a hilarious book. Highly recommended.

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

 

This is a super-fun, light, predictable beach read.

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