Things You Save In a Fire by Katherine Center

 

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

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.

Hell-Bent by Benjamin Lorr

 

Super-interesting look at Birkram yoga.

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."

CRISP People by Henry T. Greely

 

This was an interesting perspective with a focus on law and ethics.

Blue: In Search of Nature's Rarest Color by Kai Kupferschmidt

 

 Super interesting details.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Sum of Small Things by Elizabeth Currid-Halkett

 

 Very interesting reflections on class distinctions in the US.