The Lady and Her Monsters by Roseanne Montillo

Title: The Lady and Her Monsters

Author: Roseanne Montillo

Publisher: William Morrow 2013

Genre: History; Literature

Pages: 336

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books - W51

The Lady and Her Monsters by Roseanne Motillo brings to life the fascinating times, startling science, and real-life horrors behind Mary Shelley’s gothic masterpiece, Frankenstein.

Montillo recounts how—at the intersection of the Romantic Age and the Industrial Revolution—Shelley’s Victor Frankenstein was inspired by actual scientists of the period: curious and daring iconoclasts who were obsessed with the inner workings of the human body and how it might be reanimated after death.

With true-life tales of grave robbers, ghoulish experiments, and the ultimate in macabre research—human reanimation—The Lady and Her Monsters is a brilliant exploration of the creation of Frankenstein, Mary Shelley’s horror classic.

A fascinating look at the creation of the classic Frankenstein. Montillo goes beyond the basic story of Mary Shelley crafting the tale during a dark and stormy night house party. Instead, we get an in depth look at the influences from history and contemporaries. We get a peek inside Shelley's life with Percy Shelley, her sister Jane, and a variety of interesting characters. I was taken with the depth of research from Montillo in bringing the time period and circumstances to light. My only complaint is that at times the book read slowly. I would have liked a bit more brevity in a few parts, but overall I was sucked into Mary Shelley's world!

13 by Nathan Lachenmeyer

Title: 13: The Story of the World's Most Notorious Superstition

Author: Nathan Lachenmeyer

Publisher: Plume 2004

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 212

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books - W50

While I usually love books that dive into folklore and culture, this one fell so flat for me. I think ultimately my issue was that the topic didn't really seem that well-researched. The book read more like a high schooler's paper about the superstition than something I would spend money on in a store. Thankfully I picked this up at a used sale for $1. So I guess no big loss.

Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris

Title: Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls

Author: David Sedaris

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company 2013

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 275

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Recommended by a family member; 52 Books - W48

A guy walks into a bar car and...

From here the story could take many turns. When this guy is David Sedaris, the possibilities are endless, but the result is always the same: he will both delight you with twists of humor and intelligence and leave you deeply moved.

Sedaris remembers his father's dinnertime attire (shirtsleeves and underpants), his first colonoscopy (remarkably pleasant), and the time he considered buying the skeleton of a murdered Pygmy.

Hmmm... So I really enjoyed Sedaris's other books, but this one fell a bit flat for me. The essays felt a bit tired of overdone. I couldn't really connect with his stories. I was very distracted while reading this one. I couldn't seem to focus.

Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink

Title: Five Days at Memorial

Author: Sheri Fink

Publisher: Crown Publishers 2013

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 558

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books - W47

In the tradition of the best investigative journalism, physician and reporter Sheri Fink reconstructs 5 days at Memorial Medical Center and draws the reader into the lives of those who struggled mightily to survive and maintain life amid chaos. After Katrina struck and the floodwaters rose, the power failed, and the heat climbed, exhausted caregivers chose to designate certain patients last for rescue. Months later, several of those caregivers faced criminal allegations that they deliberately injected numerous patients with drugs to hasten their deaths.

Five Days at Memorial, the culmination of six years of reporting, unspools the mystery of what happened in those days, bringing the reader into a hospital fighting for its life and into a conversation about the most terrifying form of health care rationing.

Been meaning to pick this one up for months and I finally got around to it. What an amazingly thought-provoking book. Definitely a 5 star read. Fink's research into reconstructing what actually happened at Memorial during and after Hurricane Katrina is detailed and thorough. We journey with the employees and patients through the harrowing experience of a breakdown in communication and survival. It took me two weeks to get through, not because he's a bad book, but because there is so much information to process. Very fascinating. I warn potential readers that the topic is very heavy. This is not a good beach read.

How to Talk About Video Games by Ian Bogost

Title: How to Talk About Video Games

Author: Ian Bogost

Publisher: University of Minnesota 2015

Genre: Pop Culture - Media

Pages: 197

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books - W38; Perpetual (NonAd)

Videogames! Aren’t they the medium of the twenty-first century? The new cinema? The apotheosis of art and entertainment, the realization of Wagnerian gesamtkunstwerk? The final victory of interaction over passivity? No, probably not. Games are part art and part appliance, part tableau and part toaster. In How to Talk about Videogames, leading critic Ian Bogost explores this paradox more thoroughly than any other author to date.

Our book club selection for October. I got a jump on the book due to the baby coming in less than a week. And I'm thoroughly disappointed in this book. Bogost personality is so very insufferable. I couldn't stand his "gamergate" type approach to video games. I read most of this book, but I admit to skimming some chapters. I just grew so bored with his writing, assumptions, and tone. Pass.

Founding Myths by Ray Raphael

Title: Founding Myths: Stories That Hide Our Patriotic Past

Author: Ray Raphael

Publisher: The New Press 2004

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 432

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books - W37

First published ten years ago, award-winning historian Ray Raphael’s Founding Myths has since established itself as a landmark of historical myth-busting. With Raphael’s trademark wit and flair,Founding Myths exposed the errors and inventions in America’s most cherished tales, from Paul Revere’s famous ride to Patrick Henry’s “Liberty or Death” speech. For the thousands who have been captivated by Raphael’s eye-opening accounts, history has never been the same.

I'm giving this book 3 stars, but that rating really only applies to me. I think this is a well written look at many of the myths we learn about U.S. History. Unfortunately for me, I already knew the truth of the matter. Curse of being a history major in college. This book was just too broad for me. I need to pick books that go much deeper in a particular subject or time period instead of a general overview.

Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates by Brian Kilmeade

Title: Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War that Changed American History

Author: Brian Kilmeade

Publisher: Sentinel 2015

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 238

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction; 52 Books - W34

This is the little-known story of how a newly indepen­dent nation was challenged by four Muslim powers and what happened when America’s third president decided to stand up to intimidation.

When Thomas Jefferson became president in 1801, America faced a crisis. The new nation was deeply in debt and needed its economy to grow quickly, but its merchant ships were under attack. Pirates from North Africa’s Barbary coast routinely captured American sailors and held them as slaves, demanding ransom and tribute payments far beyond what the new coun­try could afford.

Definitely a good follow-up to George Washington's Secret Six. I have a passing knowledge of the Barbary War, but even I can classify it as the forgotten war. I learned so much about the intricacies, people involved, and battles of the war. Stories like that of the USS Philadelphia sparked a memory for me, but it was nice to get the full story in these pages. A good random pick-up from the library shelves.

Bunker Hill by Nathaniel Philbrick

Title: Bunker Hill: A City, A Siege, A Revolution

Author: Nathaniel Philbrick

Publisher: Viking 2013

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 398

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction; 52 Books - W33; Perpetual (NonAd)

Boston in 1775 is an island city occupied by British troops after a series of incendiary incidents by patriots who range from sober citizens to thuggish vigilantes. After the Boston Tea Party, British and American soldiers and Massachusetts residentshave warily maneuvered around each other until April 19, when violence finally erupts at Lexington and Concord.  In June, however, with the city cut off from supplies by a British blockade and Patriot militia poised in siege, skirmishes give way to outright war in the Battle of Bunker Hill. It would be the bloodiest battle of the Revolution to come, and the point of no return for the rebellious colonists.

Been meaning to pick this one up for awhile now. And I enjoyed every page of this volume. Such a great exploration of the events leading up to the Declaration of Independence focusing on the Boston area. I loved following each of the players through the few years detailed. Philbrick scores again with a great narrative history. Even with my background knowledge of the Revolution, I still learned a lot about the details of the time period. Fascinating!

What Jefferson Read, Ike Watched, and Obama Tweeted by Tevi Troy

Title: What Jefferson Read, Ike Watched, and Obama Tweeted: 200 Years of Popular Culture in the White House

Author: Tevi Troy

Publisher: Regnery 2013

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 332

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction; Nonfiction Adventure (perpetual)

America is a country built by thinkers on a foundation of ideas. Alongside classic works of philosophy and ethics, however, our presidents have been influenced by the books, movies, TV shows, viral videos, and social media sensations of their day. In What Jefferson Read, Ike Watched, and Obama Tweeted: 200 Years of Popular Culture in the White House presidential scholar and former White House aide Tevi Troy combines research with witty observation to tell the story of how our presidents have been shaped by popular culture.

An interesting collection of tidbits about pop culture and presidents. I learned a decent amount of trivia. Well, the volume is well-written, I knew a fair amount of the information presented. I especially enjoyed the chapters focusing on the presidents of the mid 20th century. Very interesting discussions on how Nixon and Reagan used pop culture.

An Innocent, A Broad by Ann Leary

Title: An Innocent, A Broad

Author: Ann Leary

Publisher: William Morrow 2004

Genre: Nonfiction - Memoir

Pages: 244

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction; Popsugar - Autobiography; Perpetual (NonAd)

When Ann Leary and her husband, then unknown actor-comedian Denis Leary, flew to London in the early nineties for a brief getaway during Ann's second trimester of pregnancy, neither anticipated the adventure that was in store for them. The morning after their arrival, Ann's water broke as they strolled through London's streets. A week later their son, Jack, was born weighing only two pounds, six ounces, and it would be five long months before mother and son could return to the States.

In the meantime, Ann became an unwitting yet grateful hostage to Britain's National Health Service -- a stranger in a strange land plunged abruptly into a world of breast pumps and midwives, blood oxygen levels, mad cow disease, and poll tax riots. Desperately worried about the health of her baby, Ann struggled to adapt to motherhood and make sense of a very different culture. At once an intimate family memoir, a lively travelogue, and a touching love story, An Innocent, a Broad is utterly engaging and unforgettable.

Our book club selection for August and I'm just not that impressed. This memoir of early motherhood in a different country until hard circumstances just didn't pull my heartstrings that much. The focus on the neonatal unit wasn't that interesting. The focus on life in a foreign city was more interesting, but was too infrequent for me to really be excited. Overall I read this, but I'm afraid it's just not for me.

George Washington's Secret Six by Brian Kilmeade

Title: George Washington's Secret Six: The Spy Ring That Save the American Revolution

Author: Brian Kilmeade

Publisher:Sentinel 2013

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 236

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure (perpetual); Nonfiction; Book to Movie

When George Washington beat a hasty retreat from New York City in August 1776, many thought the American Revolution might soon be over. Instead, Washington rallied—thanks in large part to a little-known, top-secret group called the Culper Spy Ring. He realized that he couldn’t defeat the British with military might, so he recruited a sophisticated and deeply secretive intelligence network to infiltrate New York.

Drawing on extensive research, Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger have offered fascinating portraits of these spies: a reserved Quaker merchant, a tavern keeper, a brash young longshoreman, a curmudgeonly Long Island bachelor, a coffeehouse owner, and a mysterious woman. Long unrecognized, the secret six are finally receiving their due among the pantheon of American heroes.

I'll admit that I picked this up because of my love of watching Turn: Washington's Spies. For all my background in U.S. History, I had never really learned much about the Culper Ring other than it existed. I wanted to see if the tv show was at all factual. While there are certain liberties taken to amp up the dramatic flair and a few characters combined or changed slightly, the show is true to the spirit of the ring. Many historical characters do appear (Tallmadge, Simcoe, Rivington, Brewster, Woodhull, and Townsend). I enjoyed this quick introduction to the Culper Ring and spies during the American Revolution. I knocked off a star because of just how short this volume is. I would have liked more in depth information, maybe more about the actual methods they employed or more detailed accounts of how their ring fit into the larger picture. Very good, but not amazing.

Thunderstruck by Erik Larson

Title: Thunderstruck

Author: Erik Larson

Publisher: Crown 2006

Genre: Nonfiction - History

Pages: 463

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (NonAd); Nonfiction; 52 Books - W30

Set in Edwardian London and on the stormy coasts of Cornwall, Cape Cod, and Nova Scotia, Thunderstruck evokes the dynamism of those years when great shipping companies competed to build the biggest, fastest ocean liners; scientific advances dazzled the public with visions of a world transformed; and the rich outdid one another with ostentatious displays of wealth. Against this background, Marconi races against incredible odds and relentless skepticism to perfect his invention: the wireless, a prime catalyst for the emergence of the world we know today. Meanwhile, Crippen, “the kindest of men,” nearly commits the perfect murder.

Oh man. Another awesome Erik Larson book that I can't believe took me this long to read. And it's on a subject that I knew little to nothing about. Amazing! It took me a bit to really get into this volume, but once I did, I was hooked. Larson has an amazing way of making the reader care about the characters and keep us on the edge of our seat throughout. My favorite parts of this volume were the politics of Marconi's business dealings. So very very interesting and complicated! The ending was a bit abrupt for a Larson book, but I was still satisfied by the story and conclusion.

Valiant Ambition by Nathaniel Philbrick

Title: Valiant Ambition

Author: Nathaniel Philbrick

Publisher: Viking 2016

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 427

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (NonAd); Nonfiction; Popsugar - Blue Cover

In September 1776, the vulnerable Continental Army under an unsure George Washington (who had never commanded a large force in battle) evacuates New York after a devastating defeat by the British Army. Three weeks later, near the Canadian border, one of his favorite generals, Benedict Arnold, miraculously succeeds in postponing the British naval advance down Lake Champlain that might have ended the war. Four years later, as the book ends, Washington has vanquished his demons and Arnold has fled to the enemy after a foiled attempt to surrender the American fortress at West Point to the British. After four years of war, America is forced to realize that the real threat to its liberties might not come from without but from within.

Apparently I am in the middle of a huge American Revolution kick. J and I are obsessed with watching Turn on AMC and listening to the Hamilton soundtrack. Nevermind that I've always been a fan of history, I've found myself craving history books lately. I few weeks back I finished Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea and realized that he had just released a new book centered on the American Revolution. Thankfully I spied it at the library last week and immediately snatched it up. So good! In general I know how this story played out, but I was constantly fascinated by the details. It was the little things along with excerpts from letters that sucked me into the story. I was riveted from page one. Philbrick definitely has a way with narrative history. Never once did I get lost or confused by the information. I went along on the journey highlighting what would ultimately be two opposing forces: Washington and Arnold. I think I liked this one better than Philbrick's Mayflower. Fascinating story! Now I want to run off and get the book that Turn the television series is based on. Guess I need some more American Revolution in my life.

In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick

Title: In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex

Author: Nathaniel Philbrick

Publisher: Viking 2000

Genre: Nonfiction – History

Pages: 301

Rating: 5/5 stars Movie: 3/5

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction; Popsugar - National Book Award Winner; Book to Movie

In 1820, the whaleship Essex was rammed and sunk by an angry sperm whale, leaving the desperate crew to drift for more than ninety days in three tiny boats. Nathaniel Philbrick uses little-known documents and vivid details about the Nantucket whaling tradition to reveal the chilling facts of this infamous maritime disaster.

After reading two of his books, I have to say that Philbrick is my second favorite history author. He doesn't quite beat Eric Larson's wonderful storytelling, but he sure produces some great books. How I have never heard of the whaleship Essex is just crazy! It may have something to do with the fact that I hated Moby Dick and the Essex's story is the inspiration for that book. Thankfully, the real history is a fascinating look at whaling, early 19th century life, and survival. I couldn't put this book down and finished in 2 days. Definitely a must-read. I really should look up Philbrick's other books...

Movie:

Of course Hollywood always has to sensationalize the story. I was not very excited about this movie. It felt like the movie took the real story and crossed it with Moby Dick. The whale continues to pursue the crew even after the ship sinks. Definitely not part of the original story. Plus they made some changes as to the personalities and decisions made by Chase and Pollard. Overall, a disappointing movie.

Fantastic Planets, Forbidden Zones, and Lost Continents by Douglas Brode

Title: Fantastic Planets, Forbidden Zones, and Lost Continents: The 100 Greatest Science Fiction Films

Author: Douglas Brode

Publisher: University of Texas Press 2015

Genre: Nonfiction - Movies

Pages: 411

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (NonAd); Nonfiction; 52 Books - W24

Whether you judge by box office receipts, industry awards, or critical accolades, science fiction films are the most popular movies now being produced and distributed around the world. Nor is this phenomenon new. Sci-fi filmmakers and audiences have been exploring fantastic planets, forbidden zones, and lost continents ever since George Méliès’ 1902 film A Trip to the Moon. In this highly entertaining and knowledgeable book, film historian and pop culture expert Douglas Brode picks the one hundred greatest sci-fi films of all time.

Picked this up from the new books shelf at the library. While J and I debated some of the choices on the Top 100 list, it was a very entertaining read. In reality, we've got into a few debates owing to our fairly extensive scifi movie experience. I loved all the tidbits about how the movie got made, influences, and trivia. Very enjoyable read for the past few days. Plus we've made a list of those movies we've somehow not seen before.

The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart

Title: The Drunken Botanist

Author: Amy Stewart

Publisher: Algonquin Books 2013

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 400

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (NonAd); Nonfiction; 52 Books - W23

Sake began with a grain of rice. Scotch emerged from barley, tequila from agave, rum from sugarcane, bourbon from corn. Thirsty yet?  In The Drunken Botanist, Amy Stewart explores the dizzying array of herbs, flowers, trees, fruits, and fungi that humans have, through ingenuity, inspiration, and sheer desperation, contrived to transform into alcohol over the centuries.

Of all the extraordinary and obscure plants that have been fermented and distilled, a few are dangerous, some are downright bizarre, and one is as ancient as dinosaurs--but each represents a unique cultural contribution to our global drinking traditions and our history.

This fascinating concoction of biology, chemistry, history, etymology, and mixology--with more than fifty drink recipes and growing tips for gardeners--will make you the most popular guest at any cocktail party.

I grabbed this book off an endcap at the library. I bring it home and J tells me, "oh, I've heard that's really good." It's not often J hears about a book and I don't. Overall, I really enjoyed this deep dive into alcohol and botany. I learned some interesting tidbits. Reading this makes me wish I wasn't pregnant so I could indulge in a few of her featured recipes. Oh well... just a few more months before I can again.

Who the Devil in Deviled Eggs? by Ann Treistman

Title: Who Put the Devil in Deviled Eggs?

Author: Ann Treistman

Publisher: Skyhorse 2011

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 173

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction;

Who pitted the first cherries and nestled them into pie crust? Was a meatloaf sandwich the result of a late-night refrigerator run? And does anyone really crave green bean casserole, complete with fried onions on top? In this time of hyper-awareness of locality—when every roast chicken needs a pedigree of a free-range home and antibiotic-free past—it’s time to celebrate the very basics of American cooking. The joy of Velveeta and pleasures of Jell-O. In this fun collection, author Ann Treistman takes readers on a journey through a 1950s kitchen, sometimes with surprising results. For example, deviled eggs were first prepared in Ancient Rome, in a slightly different form and without the familiar moniker. The practice of removing the yolks from hard-boiled eggs, mixing it with spices and refilling the shells was fairly common by the 1600s. Why the devil? Well, it’s hot in hell, and by the 18th century, it was all the rage to devil any food with a good dose of spice. Adding mustard or a signature sprinkle of hot paprika turned these eggs into devils.

A slim, yet very enjoyable volume. Some of the entries I already knew about like the chapter on pizza and the one about apple pie. But there were many that contained new-to-me information. J had me read him the one about the reuben as we lived in Omaha where one of the theories puts its inception. A nice afternoon read on this lazy Saturday.

The Joy of Books by Eric Burns

Title: The Joy of Books

Author: Eric Burns

Publisher: Prometheus Books 1995

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 207

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (NonAd); Nonfiction; 52 Books - W21

Burns's compelling yet accessible history of the reading experience rejoices in the diverse motivations and methods in the developing relationship between readers and writers even as he voices concern at the powerful forces of ignorance and censorship that seek to keep them apart.

Ugh! So this was my pick for book club this month and now I'm so disappointed in myself. It's been on my perpetual reading list for years because I've seen it referenced so many times on other literary sites and blogs. And yet, I've found it extremely heavy-handed and boring. The first section about the history of books and reading was fairly interested. I knew 90% of the information included, but enjoyed reading it anyway. And then the focus shifted to a diatribe about how kids these days don't read and our society is going to shit. Burns wrote this book in 1995. Those kids he was speaking of are me. I was 13 in 1995 and exactly in the demographic he was lamenting. I and most of my friends read all the time. We did back in 1995 and we still do. The entire second half of the book angered me. Somehow I made it through to the end, but ugh! I am not impressed.

Failure is Impossible by Lynn Sherr

Title: Failure is Impossible: Susan B Anthony in her Own Words

Author: Lynn Sherr

Publisher: Times Books 1995

Genre: Nonfiction -- History; Biography

Pages: 384

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (NonAd; Feminism); Nonfiction; 52 Books - W16

Juxtaposed with contemporary reports and biographical essays, the words of this legendary suffragist reveal Susan B. Anthony as a loyal, caring friend, and an eloquent, humorous crusader. "More than a collection of well-arranged quotations, the work informs, inspires, and gives historical perspective."

Full disclosure: I am a huge history nerd. I also have a B.A. in Women's Studies and Susan B. Anthony has always been one of my favorite historical figures. That being said, I really wanted to love this book. I was fascinated by the idea of using mostly primary sources to get an insight in Anthony's life. Unfortunately, the volume fell flat. I couldn't get beyond the unusual format both in terms of the primary sources being the focus and the chapters divided by topic rather than time period. I just couldn't really get into this one at all. Definitely not the book for me...

Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr

Title: Four Seasons in Rome: On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World

Author: Anthony Doerr

Publisher: Scribner 2007

Genre: Travel memoir

Pages: 210

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (NonAd); Nonfiction

Exquisitely observed, Four Seasons in Rome describes Doerr's varied adventures in one of the most enchanting cities in the world. He reads Pliny, Dante, and Keats -- the chroniclers of Rome who came before him—and visits the piazzas, temples, and ancient cisterns they describe. He attends the vigil of a dying Pope John Paul II and takes his twins to the Pantheon in December to wait for snow to fall through the oculus. He and his family are embraced by the butchers, grocers, and bakers of the neighborhood, whose clamor of stories and idiosyncratic child-rearing advice is as compelling as the city itself.

I listen to a podcast called What Should I Read Next? This was a recommended read a few weeks back. I loved Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See so I was intrigued about his travel memoir based on part of the time that he wrote the novel. This slim volume is a love letter to Rome punctuated by musings of parenthood and insomnia. I loved getting to know Doerr and his family. I especially loved his descriptions of the fountains of Rome. Overall, I really enjoyed this memoir. It made me want to travel to Rome immediately.