A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

Title: A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

Author: Bill Bryson

Publisher: Broadway Books 2010

Genre: Nonfiction - Travel Memoir

Pages: 397

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf Project

Back in America after twenty years in Britain, Bill Bryson decided to reacquaint himself with his native country by walking the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine. The AT offers an astonishing landscape of silent forests and sparkling lakes—and to a writer with the comic genius of Bill Bryson, it also provides endless opportunities to witness the majestic silliness of his fellow human beings.

For a start there's the gloriously out-of-shape Stephen Katz, a buddy from Iowa along for the walk. Despite Katz's overwhelming desire to find cozy restaurants, he and Bryson eventually settle into their stride, and while on the trail they meet a bizarre assortment of hilarious characters. But A Walk in the Woods is more than just a laugh-out-loud hike. Bryson's acute eye is a wise witness to this beautiful but fragile trail, and as he tells its fascinating history, he makes a moving plea for the conservation of America's last great wilderness. An adventure, a comedy, and a celebration, A Walk in the Woods has become a modern classic of travel literature.

Our book club selection for May. We really wanted to get away from historical fiction specifically WWII historical fiction. This definitely delivered on that point. Instead of historical narrative, we get Bryson’s account of his attempt to walk the Appalachian Trail. At times I found Bryson and his various hiking companions to be insufferable but at least he can acknowledge that fact. I kept having flashbacks to reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed and how much I hated that book. I finally pinpointed that one of my issues with Strayed was her philosophy of life. Many times it cam across as “everyone should do this to live a fulfilled life.” I just didn’t get that from Bryson at all. He had more of an attitude of “I got this idea of walking the trail, I attempted it, I had some thoughts about my own life, but you do you.” In the end, I found that I really enjoyed this book and need to add some of his other books to my TBR list.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Vagina Bible by Jen Gunter

Title: The Vagina Bible: The Vulva and the Vagina - Separating the Myth from the Medicine

Author: Jen Gunter

Publisher: Citadel 2019

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 420

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library; Monthly Theme - March

So many important questions, so much convincing, confusing, contradictory misinformation! In this age of click bait, pseudoscience, and celebrity-endorsed products, it’s easy to be overwhelmed—whether it’s websites, advice from well-meaning friends, uneducated partners, and even healthcare providers. So how do you separate facts from fiction? OB-GYN Jen Gunter, an expert on women’s health—and the internet’s most popular go-to doc—comes to the rescue with a book that debunks the myths and educates and empowers women. From reproductive health to the impact of antibiotics and probiotics, and the latest trends, including vaginal steaming, vaginal marijuana products, and jade eggs, Gunter takes us on a factual, fun-filled journey.

Wow! How I wish I had this book when going through puberty as a teen. This textbook like guide covers all the information you need to understand your body. Gunter dispels so many myths while imparting great advice. While I knew a lot of the factual information (I have learned a lot since I was 14), reading some of those sections was a great refresher. I really enjoyed the sections dealing with dispelling myths including the dangers of Toxic Shock Syndrome and the use of cranberry juice to stave off UTIs. This would be a great book to read once and then keep as reference for your shelf.

Next up on the TBR pile:

How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran

Title: How to Be a Woman

Author: Caitlin Moran

Publisher: Harper 2012

Genre: Nonfiction - Essays

Pages: 323

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - Feminism; Monthly Theme - March

Caitlin Moran puts a new face on feminism, cutting to the heart of women’s issues today with her irreverent, transcendent, and hilarious How to Be a Woman. “Half memoir, half polemic, and entirely necessary,” (Elle UK), Moran’s debut was an instant runaway bestseller in England as well as an Amazon UK Top Ten book of the year; still riding high on bestseller lists months after publication, it is a bona fide cultural phenomenon. Now poised to take American womanhood by storm, here is a book that Vanity Fair calls “the U.K. version of Tina Fey’s Bossypants….You will laugh out loud, wince, and—in my case—feel proud to be the same gender as the author.”

Another collection of personal essays focusing on feminism. I think this collection was executed better than Bad Feminist. This focused more on Moran’s personal experiences and how they have shaped her worldview and her specific take on feminism. I definitely did laugh out loud many times throughout the essays. My favorite was definitely the story about what to name our private parts. But… then we get lots of casual bigotry and racism throughout the essays. And her complete dismissal of women’s history and those that came before us really got my goat. So while I think this was a better themed collection, I found it lacking in many areas.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

Title: Bad Feminist

Author: Roxane Gay

Publisher: Harper Perennial 2014

Genre: Nonfiction Essays

Pages: 336

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual; Monthly Theme - March

A collection of essays spanning politics, criticism, and feminism from one of the most-watched young cultural observers of her generation, Roxane Gay.

In these funny and insightful essays, Roxane Gay takes us through the journey of her evolution as a woman (Sweet Valley High) of color (The Help) while also taking readers on a ride through culture of the last few years (Girls, Django in Chains) and commenting on the state of feminism today (abortion, Chris Brown). The portrait that emerges is not only one of an incredibly insightful woman continually growing to understand herself and our society, but also one of our culture.

I loved every essay that Gay focused on her own experiences and thoughts. Learning her personal take on various aspects of life was eye-opening. I love feminist texts that embrace intersectional feminism. Gay excels as laying out the all the different aspects of life and how feminism affects them. I really fell into those essays. Unfortunately, she also included very academic essay focused on pop culture. Those took me right back to college and not in a good way. I was thoroughly bored with those. And of course, they were very dated 6 years later. I would have loved to delete those essays and just keep the personal ones.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Cork Dork by Bianca Bosker

Title: Cork Dork: A Wine-Fueled Adventure Among the Obsessive Sommeliers, Big Bottle Hunters, and Rogue Scientists Who Taught Me to Live for Taste

Author: Bianca Bosker

Publisher: Penguin Books 2017

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

Professional journalist and amateur drinker Bianca Bosker didn’t know much about wine—until she discovered an alternate universe where taste reigns supreme, a world of elite sommeliers who dedicate their lives to the pursuit of flavor. Astounded by their fervor and seemingly superhuman sensory powers, she set out to uncover what drove their obsession, and whether she, too, could become a “cork dork.”

With boundless curiosity, humor, and a healthy dose of skepticism, Bosker takes the reader inside underground tasting groups, exclusive New York City restaurants, California mass-market wine factories, and even a neuroscientist’s fMRI machine as she attempts to answer the most nagging question of all: what’s the big deal about wine? What she learns will change the way you drink wine—and, perhaps, the way you live—forever.

Our book club selection for February. It was entertaining. Sorta like Kitchen Confidential for the wine industry. Bosker mentions the documentary Somm multiple times and it did feel like I was reading a book version of that in some chapters. I liked the chapters that dove into Bosker’s own journey more than reading about random wine people. I enjoyed my time spent reading the pages, but wouldn’t say that it was amazing.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? by Caitlin Doughty

Title: Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? : Big Questions fromTiny Mortals About Death

Author: Caitlin Doughty

Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company 2019

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 240

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

In Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?, Doughty blends her mortician’s knowledge of the body and the intriguing history behind common misconceptions about corpses to offer factual, hilarious, and candid answers to thirty-five distinctive questions posed by her youngest fans. In her inimitable voice, Doughty details lore and science of what happens to, and inside, our bodies after we die. Why do corpses groan? What causes bodies to turn colors during decomposition? And why do hair and nails appear longer after death? Readers will learn the best soil for mummifying your body, whether you can preserve your best friend’s skull as a keepsake, and what happens when you die on a plane.

Beautifully illustrated by Dianné Ruz, Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? shows us that death is science and art, and only by asking questions can we begin to embrace it.

Another book by Caitlin Doughty! I loved Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and have watched many of her videos and interviews. This book was a collection of questions and answers related to death. Some of the topics were repeats from information presented in her previous book. Some were repeats from interviews she has done. But they were all enjoyable to read and remind myself that Viking funerals are Hollywood creations and illegal and that we routinely wrap bodies in saran wrap to prevent leakage during funerals. Good little collection for an afternoon’s reading.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Drive-Thru Dreams by Adam Chandler

Title: Drive-Thru Dreams: A Journey Through the Heart of America’s Fast-Food Kingdom

Author: Adam Chandler

Publisher: Flatiron Books 2019

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 274

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

Most any honest person can own up to harboring at least one fast-food guilty pleasure. In Drive-Thru Dreams, Adam Chandler explores the inseparable link between fast food and American life for the past century. The dark underbelly of the industry’s largest players has long been scrutinized and gutted, characterized as impersonal, greedy, corporate, and worse. But, in unexpected ways, fast food is also deeply personal and emblematic of a larger than life image of America.

With wit and nuance, Chandler reveals the complexities of this industry through heartfelt anecdotes and fascinating trivia as well as interviews with fans, executives, and workers. He traces the industry from its roots in Wichita, where White Castle became the first fast food chain in 1921 and successfully branded the hamburger as the official all-American meal, to a teenager's 2017 plea for a year’s supply of Wendy’s chicken nuggets, which united the internet to generate the most viral tweet of all time.

Random new books shelf from the library pick and I was pleasantly surprised. Every chapter details the rise of one of the well-known fast food places. We get a bit of interesting history as well as a commentary on our current world. I much preferred the history bits, but understand why the rest was included. I cam out of the book with a ton of new random facts. A pretty enjoyable book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Lady from the Black Lagoon by Mallory O'Meara

Title: The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick

Author: Mallory O’Meara

Publisher: Hanover Square Press 2019

Genre: Nonfiction - Biography

Pages: 368

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Monthly Theme - January

As a teenager, Mallory O’Meara was thrilled to discover that one of her favorite movies, Creature from the Black Lagoon, featured a monster designed by a woman, Milicent Patrick. But for someone who should have been hailed as a pioneer in the genre, there was little information available. For, as O’Meara soon discovered, Patrick’s contribution had been claimed by a jealous male colleague, her career had been cut short and she soon after had disappeared from film history. No one even knew if she was still alive.

As a young woman working in the horror film industry, O’Meara set out to right the wrong, and in the process discovered the full, fascinating story of an ambitious, artistic woman ahead of her time. Patrick’s contribution to special effects proved to be just the latest chapter in a remarkable, unconventional life, from her youth growing up in the shadow of Hearst Castle, to her career as one of Disney’s first female animators. And at last, O’Meara discovered what really had happened to Patrick after The Creature’s success, and where she went.

A true-life detective story and a celebration of a forgotten feminist trailblazer, Mallory O’Meara’s The Lady from the Black Lagoon establishes Patrick in her rightful place in film history while calling out a Hollywood culture where little has changed since.

Why have I sat on this book for almost a year? I have no idea. I was so excited about this one coming out that I even preordered it and then it sat on my Kindle for almost a year before I picked it up (this is why I really need to prioritize books I own). Anyway… I really enjoyed this biography of Milicent Patrick crossed with Mallory O’Meara’s own sexist experiences in the film industry. We flip back and forth from Patrick’s life to O’Meara’s anecdotes and experiences while working as a film producer and author. My favorite parts were strictly about Milicent Patrick and her very interesting varied career. I loved diving into a fascinating woman at a very strange time in Hollywood. I was less impressed with the feminist asides. Mostly it was a rehashing of a lot of information I already knew. Those passages didn’t open my eyes to anything really, but I think they were necessary for the overall story O’Meara was attempting to tell. Overall this was a very interesting biography. I might just want to own it in physical form (the paperback version is releasing in March).

Next up on the TBR pile:

Invisible Women by Caroline Criado-Perez

Title: Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men

Author: Caroline Criado Perez

Publisher: Harry N. Abrams 2019

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 272

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

Data is fundamental to the modern world. From economic development, to healthcare, to education and public policy, we rely on numbers to allocate resources and make crucial decisions. But because so much data fails to take into account gender, because it treats men as the default and women as atypical, bias and discrimination are baked into our systems. And women pay tremendous costs for this bias, in time, money, and often with their lives.
Celebrated feminist advocate Caroline Criado Perez investigates the shocking root cause of gender inequality and research in Invisible Women​, diving into women’s lives at home, the workplace, the public square, the doctor’s office, and more. Built on hundreds of studies in the US, the UK, and around the world, and written with energy, wit, and sparkling intelligence, this is a groundbreaking, unforgettable exposé that will change the way you look at the world.

This book was infuriating… In that this book highlighted all the ways that women are disadvantaged, put in danger, ignored, and put in the “other” category. I hated reading this because I my anger just kept rising. But it was a good book to really put statistics and facts behind all those feelings I had about how women are second class citizens. It really highlighted many areas of concern backed up with studies (or lack thereof). I was really interested in the chapter about toilets. Who knew that the lack of toilets could impact women so negatively? I think I did underneath, but this really laid out all the problems. A fascinating read. My only issues came with the lack of ways to move forward. The book got me really angry, but did little to help me channel that anger to something productive.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Wolfpack by Abby Wambach

Title: Wolfpack: How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power, and Change the Game

Author: Abby Wambach

Publisher: Celadon Books 2019

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 112

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

Based on her inspiring, viral 2018 commencement speech to Barnard College’s graduates in New York City, New York Times bestselling author, two-time Olympic gold medalist and FIFA World Cup champion Abby Wambach delivers her empowering rally cry for women to unleash their individual power, unite with their pack, and emerge victorious together.

I pulled this book on the recommendation from the Omaha Public Library. It’s a slim volume full of great advice. I really liked Wambach’s positive outlook on life filled with strength. It only took me a few minutes to read, but it was a lovely experience.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Old-Fashioned by Robert Simonson

Title: The Old-Fashioned: The Story of the World’s First Classic Cocktail

Author: Robert Simonson

Publisher: Ten Speed Press 2014

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 176

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

No single cocktail is as iconic, as beloved, or as discussed and fought-over as the Old-Fashioned. Its formula is simple: just whiskey, bitters, sugar, and ice. But how you combine those ingredients—in what proportion, using which brands, and with what kind of garnish—is the subject of much impassioned debate.

The Old-Fashioned is the spirited, delightfully unexpected story of this renowned and essential drink: its birth as the ur-cocktail in the nineteenth century, darker days in the throes of Prohibition, re-ascension in the 1950s and 1960s (as portrayed and re-popularized by Don Draper on Mad Men), and renaissance as the star of the contemporary craft cocktail movement.

Random pick from the library shelves last week. I love a good Old Fashioned and I love history, so this book was perfect for a lovely afternoon of reading. I really enjoyed learning the history of the drink. The variations throughout history were fascinating. Loved this slim volume.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Crisis in the Red Zone by Richard Preston

Title: Crisis in the Red Zone

Author: Richard Preston

Publisher: Random House 2019

Genre: Nonfiction - Disease

Pages: 375

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

This time, Ebola started with a two-year-old child who likely had contact with a wild creature and whose entire family quickly fell ill and died. The ensuing global drama activated health professionals in North America, Europe, and Africa in a desperate race against time to contain the viral wildfire. By the end—as the virus mutated into its deadliest form, and spread farther and faster than ever before—30,000 people would be infected, and the dead would be spread across eight countries on three continents.

In this taut and suspenseful medical drama, Richard Preston deeply chronicles the outbreak, in which we saw for the first time the specter of Ebola jumping continents, crossing the Atlantic, and infecting people in America. Rich in characters and conflict—physical, emotional, and ethical—Crisis in the Red Zone is an immersion in one of the great public health calamities of our time.

Preston writes of doctors and nurses in the field putting their own lives on the line, of government bureaucrats and NGO administrators moving, often fitfully, to try to contain the outbreak, and of pharmaceutical companies racing to develop drugs to combat the virus. He also explores the charged ethical dilemma over who should and did receive the rare doses of an experimental treatment when they became available at the peak of the disaster.

After reading The Hot Zone awhile back, I knew that I needed to read this follow-up. Right away I was drawn into both the story of the 1976 outbreak and the the 2014 outbreak. I learned so much more about ebola and how we currently fight it. I was on pins and needles on every page just waiting to find out what happened and especially what happened to those identified. Preston skillfully weaves personal stories with science knowledge. Never was I confused about the science. I was right along with the ride on every page. This book is not for the weak heart. The descriptions are suitable gruesome and horrifying. This is ebola we are depicting. This was such a good read. Now I need to go back and read some of his other books, especially The Demon in the Freezer.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Rabid by Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy

Title: Rabid: A Cultural History of the World’s Most Diabolical Virus

Author: Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy

Publisher: Penguin Books 2013

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 288

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Bingo - Medical Condition

The most fatal virus known to science, rabies-a disease that spreads avidly from animals to humans-kills nearly one hundred percent of its victims once the infection takes root in the brain. In this critically acclaimed exploration, journalist Bill Wasik and veterinarian Monica Murphy chart four thousand years of the history, science, and cultural mythology of rabies. From Greek myths to zombie flicks, from the laboratory heroics of Louis Pasteur to the contemporary search for a lifesaving treatment, Rabid is a fresh and often wildly entertaining look at one of humankind's oldest and most fearsome foes.

I feel very conflicted about this book. I love the premise and the a majority of the pages. I loved learning more about the history of rabies and connections to a shared history. I loved diving into some specific examples throughout history. And yet, I felt like the book took too many long tangents. I don’t think I needed to hear Louis Pasteur’s entire life story leading up to the rabies vaccine. And yet, that’s what we got. As the book went on, I got more and more disappointed in the tangents.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Songbook by Nick Hornby

Title: Songbook

Author: Nick Hornby

Publisher: Riverhead Books 2003

Genre: Essays

Pages: 240

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - Rory Gilmore; Popsugar - Seen on TV

Songs, songwriters, and why and how they get under our skin…

Songbook is Nick Hornby’s labor of love. A shrewd, funny, and completely unique collection of musings on pop music, why it’s good, what makes us listen and love it, and the ways in which it attaches itself to our lives—all with the beat of a perfectly mastered mix tape. 

I picked this one up to fulfill a few reading challenge slots. I have enjoyed many of Nick Hornby’s books, but this wasn’t a great one. I found many of the essays to be tedious and a little too esoteric. I think this is a case of mediocre white guy rearing it’s head. Not one I would recommend.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Bad Blood by John Carreyrou

Title: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

Author: John Carreyrou

Publisher: Knopf 2018

Genre: Nonfiction - Business

Pages: 339

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

In 2014, Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes was widely seen as the female Steve Jobs: a brilliant Stanford dropout whose startup “unicorn” promised to revolutionize the medical industry with a machine that would make blood testing significantly faster and easier. Backed by investors such as Larry Ellison and Tim Draper, Theranos sold shares in a fundraising round that valued the company at more than $9 billion, putting Holmes’s worth at an estimated $4.7 billion. There was just one problem: The technology didn’t work.

A riveting story of the biggest corporate fraud since Enron, a tale of ambition and hubris set amid the bold promises of Silicon Valley.

Been on my list for awhile now. Once I dove in, I was completely hooked by the story. The twists and turns, the extraordinary hubris of some people, and the ultimate downfall of a company really struck me. It was a bit strange to be reading a story that featured so many places I have actually been to. Definitely weird. But then, my knowledge of the area wasn’t enough to really clue me into the entire story. Carreyrou’s reporting dives deep into the various employees and intricacies of business decisions. Now I feel like I should dig up the podcast to listen to after reading the book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Hot Zone by Richard Preston

Title: The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus

Author: Richard Preston

Publisher: Anchor 1994

Genre: Nonfiction - Science

Pages: 323

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Keyword - August; Nonfiction - Pre2000

A highly infectious, deadly virus from the central African rain forest suddenly appears in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. There is no cure. In a few days 90 percent of its victims are dead. A secret military SWAT team of soldiers and scientists is mobilized to stop the outbreak of this exotic "hot" virus. The Hot Zone tells this dramatic story, giving a hair-raising account of the appearance of rare and lethal viruses and their "crashes" into the human race. Shocking, frightening, and impossible to ignore, The Hot Zone proves that truth really is scarier than fiction.

How have I never actually read this one? I love reading about infectious diseases. I am fascinated by ebola. But this book has sat on my TBR list for decades… I finally got around to it and loved every page of it. The story of Ebola’s almost outbreak in Virginia is terrifying even more because it’s all true. The book is written in a fictional narrative style throughout most of the chapters, but we really get a sense of time and place with all parties involved. I really enjoyed the chapters that set up our knowledge of ebola at the end of the 1980s. At times, I think the writing got a little too detailed with things like what the participants wore or ate, but overall I was on the hook the entire time.

Next up on the TBR pile:

I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara

Title: I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer

Author: Michelle McNamara

Publisher: Harper 2018

Genre: Nonfiction - True Crime

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Published Posthumously; Nonfiction Bingo - Goodreads Winner

A masterful true crime account of the Golden State Killer - the elusive serial rapist turned murderer who terrorized California for over a decade - from Michelle McNamara, the gifted journalist who died tragically while investigating the case. 

"You'll be silent forever, and I'll be gone in the dark."

For more than 10 years, a mysterious and violent predator committed 50 sexual assaults in Northern California before moving south, where he perpetrated 10 sadistic murders. Then he disappeared, eluding capture by multiple police forces and some of the best detectives in the area. 

Three decades later Michelle McNamara, a true-crime journalist who created the popular website TrueCrimeDiary.com, was determined to find the violent psychopath she called "the Golden State Killer". Michelle pored over police reports, interviewed victims, and embedded herself in the Online communities that were as obsessed with the case as she was. 

At the time of the crimes, the Golden State Killer was between the ages of 18 and 30, Caucasian, and athletic - capable of vaulting tall fences. He always wore a mask. After choosing a victim - he favored suburban couples - he often entered their home when no one was there, studying family pictures, mastering the layout. He attacked while they slept, using a flashlight to awaken and blind them. Though they could not recognize him, his victims recalled his voice: a guttural whisper through clenched teeth, abrupt and threatening. 

I wouldn’t say that I exactly enjoyed this book. In my mind, it is very similar to Columbine. This is a book that I felt compelled to read, found the subject matter interesting, but derived no joy from the reading itself. However, I think this book is a very well-done example of a modern true crime. McNamara certainly had a way of constructing a narrative that put the reader right there with the terrified public and some of the victims. Even with the obfuscation of names, we connect deeply to the various victims of the Golden State Killer. We get frustrated right along with the various detectives, police, and forensics workers. I was amazing at how concisely McNamara connects all the dots. It is just sad that she did not live long enough to see the police catch the guy who instilled terror into the communities of California.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Booknotes edited by Brian Lamb

Title: Booknotes: Stories from American History

Editor: Brian Lamb

Publisher: Penguin Books 2002

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 556

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf

American history is shaped by great and small events, and in recent years a generation of writers has brought these events to life. They have shared these stories with the viewers of the long-running C-SPAN author-interview program Booknotes, and here some of the best have been collected for readers to savor. In this volume, more than eighty contemporary writers and historians examine seminal moments from American history, celebrated and uncelebrated alike.

Obviously the subject matter of this collection is right up my alley. And it’s been sitting on my shelf for years now. I finally dove in and picked it as my #slowbutsteady read for August. I actually finished it by the end fo the month picking away at the essays one section at a time. I very much enjoyed the stories told in each essay. I even learned a bit about American history. My only complaint is that these are transcripts of a television show. Sometimes, the writing style left much to be desired.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell

Title: A Woman of No Importance

Author: Sonia Purnell

Publisher: Viking 2019

Genre: Nonfiction - History

Pages: 368

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love

In 1942, the Gestapo sent out an urgent transmission: "She is the most dangerous of all Allied spies. We must find and destroy her." 

The target in their sights was Virginia Hall, a Baltimore socialite who talked her way into Special Operations Executive, the spy organization dubbed Winston Churchill's "Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." She became the first Allied woman deployed behind enemy lines and--despite her prosthetic leg--helped to light the flame of the French Resistance, revolutionizing secret warfare as we know it. 

Virginia established vast spy networks throughout France, called weapons and explosives down from the skies, and became a linchpin for the Resistance. Even as her face covered wanted posters and a bounty was placed on her head, Virginia refused order after order to evacuate. She finally escaped through a death-defying hike over the Pyrenees into Spain, her cover blown. But she plunged back in, adamant that she had more lives to save, and led a victorious guerilla campaign, liberating swathes of France from the Nazis after D-Day.

Another incredible story of a fascinating woman during WWII. I immediately fell for Virginia and her search for purpose in life. She’s such a fascinating character. The story dragged a bit during the early section, but once Virginia moved into position in France, the pacing moved forward. There were definitely parts of the story that were hard to read. But, overall, I learned so much about the variety of resistance activities within France during the occupation.

Next up on the TBR pile:

I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott

Title: I Miss You When I Blink

Author: Mary Laura Philpott

Publisher: Atria Books 2019

Genre: Memoir

Pages: 276

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Nonfiction Bingo - Self-help Title

Mary Laura Philpott thought she’d cracked the code: Always be right, and you’ll always be happy. 

But once she’d completed her life’s to-do list (job, spouse, house, babies—check!), she found that instead of feeling content and successful, she felt anxious. Lost. Stuck in a daily grind of overflowing calendars, grueling small talk, and sprawling traffic. She’d done everything “right,” but she felt all wrong. What’s the worse failure, she wondered: smiling and staying the course, or blowing it all up and running away? And are those the only options?

In this memoir-in-essays full of spot-on observations about home, work, and creative life, Philpott takes on the conflicting pressures of modern adulthood with wit and heart. She offers up her own stories to show that identity crises don’t happen just once or only at midlife; reassures us that small, recurring personal re-inventions are both normal and necessary; and advises that if you’re going to faint, you should get low to the ground first. Most of all, Philpott shows that when you stop feeling satisfied with your life, you don’t have to burn it all down and set off on a transcontinental hike (unless you want to, of course). You can call upon your many selves to figure out who you are, who you’re not, and where you belong. Who among us isn’t trying to do that?

A real mixed bag here. I just didn’t connect to Philpott or her life even though we share a lot of similarities in our lives. Most of the essays came off as “let me tell you how to live” instead of a more personal sharing of struggles. I felt like the author came across as very condescending at many points throughout. I just really couldn’t connect with Philpott and wanted her to stop telling me what to do. Just really didn’t connect at all to this one.

Next up on the TBR pile: