Book Nook Cafe discussion
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The Book Salon ~~ February 2018
PBS/ NY Times just announced their February book club selection.
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI--David GrannI will be reading it. Does anyone else want to join in ? If so, I will set up a group read thread for us.
Deb, I recall you already read and liked the book.
---Present at the Creation: My Life in the NFL and the Rise of America’s Game
by Upton Bell
What it is: the memoir of a man who grew up with professional football.
Why you might like it: Upton Bell's father was Bert Bell, the legendary NFL Commissioner who propelled football's popularity just after World War II. Bell himself was the youngest general manager ever hired, for the New England Patriots, before becoming a journalist.
Why you might like it: Football fans will devour Bell's insider view of significant events in the NFL's history.
----Gold Dust Woman: A Biography of Stevie Nicks
by Stephen Davis
What's inside: This unauthorized biography pulls from interviews with singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks as well as her friends, family, and others in the music industry. Ordered chronologically, it traces Nicks' upbringing, her path to Fleetwood Mac, and her creation of a solo career.
Try this next: the oral history Fleetwood Mac on Fleetwood Mac.
Reviewers say: "All you ever wanted to know about Fleetwood Mac's mesmerizing frontwoman" (People Magazine).
----Hank and Jim: The Fifty-Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart
by Scott Eyman
What it is: A sweeping, entertaining dual biography that explores the steady, close friendship between actors Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart, which lasted close to 50 years despite their considerable differences.
Further reading: For another long-time Hollywood friendship, try Daniel De Vise's Andy and Don (about Andy Griffith and Don Knotts). For more on Henry Fonda, go with Devin McKinney's The Man Who Saw a Ghost; for Jimmy Stewart, try Marc Eliot's eponymous biography.
----Fifty Years of 60 Minutes: The Inside Story of Television's Most Influential News Broadcast
by Jeff Fager
What it is: insider accounts of the making of 60 Minutes, published to coincide with the show's 50th anniversary -- making it the longest-running news show on television.
Don't miss: Executive producer Jeff Fager's portrayals not just of founder Don Hewitt and famed correspondent Mike Wallace, but the producers who worked so hard behind the scenes.
----The First Major: The Inside Story of the 2016 Ryder Cup
by John Feinstein
What it's about: The Ryder Cup is one of the few team-based championships in golf, a sport that usually focuses on individual players. In 2016, the American team won in a dramatic, hard-fought battle that ended an eight-year losing streak.
Why you might like it: Providing plenty of backstory -- both about the Cup and the players -- sportswriter John Feinstein once again provides an exciting, insightful account of the sport he loves.
----Vacationland: True Stories from Painful Beaches
by John Hodgman
What it is: offbeat and self-deprecating essays from a rueful middle-aged man with a well-developed funny bone. The ups and downs of summers in Massachusetts and Maine provide plenty of fodder.
Why you might like it: you love actor and writer John Hodgman, enjoy hearing about travel disasters, or don't always care for all the responsibilities of adulthood -- even if it's a pretty privileged one.
----The Mother of Black Hollywood: A Memoir
by Jenifer Lewis
What it is: an uplifting account of actress Jenifer Lewis' childhood, career trajectory, love affairs, and struggles with mental illness.
About the author: Currently appearing in the television show Black-ish, Lewis is known for portraying mothers (hence the title), and writes with both humor and honesty.
For fans of: Lewis herself, of course -- but also anyone who appreciates candid, frank stories of women who have overcome obstacles on their way to success.
---- Bunk: The Rise of Hoaxes, Humbug, Plagiarists, Phonies, Post-Facts, and Fake News
by Kevin Young
What it's about: Tracing the history of American hoaxes and humbugs from the days of P.T. Barnum to the frauds and flimflammery of today, Bunk is an illuminating exploration of the roles of stereotype, suspicion, and prejudice as factors that shape and support fraudulent activities.
Why you might like it: You want to understand Rachel Dolezal, James Frey, Lance Armstrong, and others with a flexible definition of the truth.
Book buzz: With "fake news" now a buzzword, this National Book Award long listed title seems to have been published at exactly the right time.
History and Current Events
----The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner
by Daniel Ellsberg
What it's about: Author Daniel Ellsberg (who leaked the Pentagon Papers) recounts his role in the RAND Corporation's 1960s study of the U.S. policy on nuclear strikes. Framed as a memoir, The Doomsday Machine explains how the nuclear policy developed, its flaws (which continue to the present), and the urgency of reducing the availability of nuclear weapons.
Why you'll want to read it: This sobering and thought-provoking book shines a spotlight on issues that have become more prominent since North Korea started demonstrating their missile capabilities.
-----It's All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree
by A.J. Jacobs
What it's about: A global adventure in family tree-climbing, Esquire contributing editor A.J. Jacobs' engaging study of genealogy and genetics provides often startling insight into tradition, clannishness, and individual identity.
Is it for you? This peripatetic approach to individual family history and the history of human beings offers laugh-out-loud humor and intriguing information, whether you're interested in genealogy or hadn't given it a second thought.
------Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics
by Lawrence O'Donnell
What it's about: Host of The Last Word on MSNBC and advisor to U.S. Senate committees Lawrence O'Donnell became fascinated with politics at age 17 when he observed the 1968 general elections. Here he reviews the tumultuous political year and the race that captivated him.
Is it for you? Whether you remember 1968 yourself or know it from history, you'll enjoy the ringside seat O'Donnell offers in Playing with Fire.
Further reading: For general background on the 1960s, pick up Maurice Isserman and Michael Kazin's America Divided.
----- Revolution Song: A Story of American Freedom
by Russell Shorto
What it's about: Drawing on his subjects' diaries and correspondence as well as official records and other sources, historian Russell Shorto highlights the ideals of the American Revolutionary period by vividly portraying six individuals of the time.
Why it's significant: Revolution Song presents history through personal life stories, offering a closeup of both social life and political philosophy. He adds power to his narrative by connecting the individuals' concerns to vital issues of our time.
----- The Newcomers: Finding Refuge, Friendship, and Hope in an American Classroom
by Helen Thorpe
What it's about: Author Helen Thorpe spent a year immersed in the lives of recently arrived high-schoolers who could speak no English when they started school. She empathetically depicts 22 refugee teenagers and their English Language Acquisition teacher.
Important aspects: Thorpe portrays the students' traumatic passages to the U.S., the complexities of assimilating into American culture, and the teacher's ability to create community in his classroom.
Why it's significant: The Newcomers spotlights people directly concerned with the political hot topic of immigration.
*********** It Happened in January
---- Act of War: Lyndon Johnson, North Korea, and the Capture of the Spy Ship Pueblo
by Jack Cheevers
What it's about: In January 1968, at the height of the Cold War, North Korean gunboats surrounded an American spy ship in international waters, took the crew prisoner, and made off with a boatload of top-secret documents. The incident of the USS Pueblo became an embarrassment for President Lyndon Johnson's administration and a cause célèbre for conservative politicians.
Why you might like it: This is a well-researched and thrilling account. Espionage buffs, aficionados of Cold War history, and those concerned about current U.S.-North Korea relations shouldn't miss Act of War.
----- The Rush: America's Fevered Quest for Fortune, 1848-1853
by Edward Dolnick
What it's about: The California Gold Rush, which was kicked off by the discovery of gold in January 1848 at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California.
Who will want to read it: American history buffs, those interested in financial history, and readers who appreciate vivid details of an exciting time.
Nuggets: Savvy business owners made their fortunes by selling provisions and accommodations to those with Gold Rush Fever.
-----Flashpoints: The Emerging Crisis in Europe
by George Friedman
Background: The Treaty of Rome authorized the formation of the European Economic Community, effective January 1, 1958. This grew into today's European Union.
Why it's significant: Intelligence expert George Friedman discusses the global stresses that threaten European stability and key flashpoints within Europe. He traces centuries of Europe's social and intellectual history and examines the fragile structure of the EU.
Further reading: Take a look at Belgian Guy Verhofstadt's Europe's Last Chance, which argues for a strong federal European democracy.
----- Killers of the King: The Men Who Dared to Execute Charles I
by Charles Spencer
What it's about: What happens to the king-killers when the king's heir is restored to the throne? That's what historian Charles Spencer explores in Killers of the King, which recounts the execution of Britain's King Charles I on January 30, 1649. After he became King, Charles II showed no mercy on the 59 men who signed Charles I's death warrant.
Why you might like it: This detailed history illuminates the lives and political motives of the regicides, many of them now forgotten.
---- Helga's Diary: A Young Girl's Account of Life in a Concentration Camp
by Helga Weiss; translated by Neil Bermel
What it is: A personal record of the Holocaust by one of the few survivors of the Auschwitz concentration camp, which was destroyed in January 1945 just before Soviet troops arrived. Helga Weiss' diary depicts the frantic efforts of Nazi administrators to shuttle captive Jews to a functioning camp in the face of Allied advances.
What sets it apart: Begun when Weiss was eight years old, the diary depicts a child's-eye view of the Holocaust, from a Prague bomb shelter in 1938 to the end of World War II. It concludes with a 2011 interview with the author.
Hellbent
by Gregg HurwitzIn this third book in the series, Evan Smoak (Orphan X) is out to avenge the death of his mentor Jack Johns. The novel is chock full of danger, action, and bloodshed. Good story. 3.5 stars
My complete review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Here's my review of Orphan X, in case you're interested:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I ran across an ancient Dorothy Sayers paperback (the acidic pages so friable they were disintegrating as I went along):
Busman's Honeymoon. It made for a pleasant return to the distant past.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Alias Reader wrote: "---Present at the Creation: My Life in the NFL and the Rise of America’s Game
by Upton Bell
What it is: the memoir of a man who grew up with professional football.
Why you might like it: Upton..."
Hank and Jim: The Fifty-Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart by Scott Eyman
I bought this when I was at my favorite independent bookstore and am looking forward to reading it and am adding It's All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree by A.J. Jacobs to my reading list.
Alias, i did indeed like the Killers of the Flower Moon. I'll be interested in what you think of it. While a number of people i know have read it, they had a connection to the town of Pawhuska or the tribe, so were just pleased to see the story being told. I'll be glad to discuss it with you either alone (posting) or if a book group read is established.Bunk: The Rise of Hoaxes, Humbug, Plagiarists, Phonies, Post-Facts, and Fake News by Kevin Young sounds good but it's over 500 pages, meaning i'll have to go slowly. If i don't, i find myself confusing one con person with another, etc. There were a number of other neat titles shared but this is the one i'd be most likely to read.
Barbara, i'm glad you posted about the Orphan X series. I've had the original on my list since it came out. Knowing there are more leads me to think that this might be the time to begin. Thanks for sharing both links to your reviews.
Madrano wrote:"Barbara, i'm glad you posted about the Orphan X series. I've had the original on my list since it came out. Knowing there are more leads me to think that this might be the time to begin. Thanks for sharing both links to your reviews.
..."
You're welcome Madrano. :)
Alias Reader wrote: "PBS/ NY Times just announced their February book club selection.[book:Killers of the Flower Moon: The Os..."Their January selection finally just came in for me at the library!
Please share your thought on it, Julie. As I noted in the monthly roundup, magical realism is not my favorite type of story. Still, it's an interesting read. However, the novel did leave me with questions. Maybe you can answer them. You should check the wait for the Feb book. If it is long get on the wait list now.
Unfortunately my February reading schedule is already full.I will let you know what I think of Sing, Unburied, Sing though!
I'm not a fan of magic realism, either, Alias. Maybe if there were fewer of them, i'd be more interested? I'm trying to recall if i've ever liked one. Maybe it's too close to speculative fiction for my taste?
Last month i read two biographies about two different men. The first i read was The Stowaway: A Young Man’s Extraordinary Adventure to Antarctica and was written by Laurie Gwen Shapiro. I liked the story about Billy Gawronski, who earned his fame as a stowaway on Robert Byrd's first Antarctic expedition. The man left no writing about his adventures behind (he went on to be a Coast Guard captain during WWII, as well.) The second was The Saboteur: The Aristocrat Who Became France's Most Daring Anti-Nazi Commando by Paul Kix, which i also liked. This book was about Robert de La Rochefoucauld, who joined the Resistance during WWII. He, however, wrote a book about his life, so the author had some help.
Both were well researched, as they would have to be, right? The problem--and the reason i'm asking other book readers--is that much as i liked the first, i was bothered by one aspect of it. In capturing the era in which Gawronski earned his fame Shapiro description of those years was almost a check list of items sold via newspapers. Granted, much of the story unfolds in newspapers, as the stowaway was the media darling for his daring. But i never had the sense of walking down the streets with Billy, instead i had the sense that someone took a photo & was relating the ads she saw.
I felt as though i were walking the streets with Rochefoucauld but without the ads, mentions of brand names and such. I was more caught up in his story. What bothered me was that at the end i learned the author made some big presumptions about Rochefoucauld training and imprisonment, things not mentioned in his bio.
The Rochefoucauld bio was more emotionally satisfying, even though i learned more in the Gawronski book. I've read other biographies and historic nonfiction which seem to have a check-list of items from the era in which the topic covers. Every time i have the same feeling, as though the author is padding the text in hopes of recreating the era without telling readers much about the character itself.
Am i alone in feeling bothered by this? Does anyone else feel this way about the brand name stuff? (To be fair, these aren't "ads", just a list of what was available back then.) And what about the padding of a bio--does that bother anyone here?
I must say that i was trying to recall the names of other books i felt were like the Shapiro book because i know i read some. I couldn't find any, which means i get over this issue. Anyway, i thought i'd throw this out to other readers.
Padding and brand name listing are problems that I've encountered in fiction. Since I know that non-fiction is likely to be denser and more time consuming, I am very likely to return a non-fiction book to the library unread even if it's a slim volume with no room for padding. The memoir that I'm currently reading, An American Family: A Memoir of Hope and Sacrifice by Khizr Khan is compulsively readable and has no padding whatsoever.
Madrano wrote: Am i alone in feeling bothered by this? Does anyone else feel this way about the brand name stuff? (To be fair, these aren't "ads", just a list of what was available back then.) And what about the padding of a bio--does that bother anyone here? "Unless it is excessive, I can see how it serves a purpose. It helps to create the era. It helps place me in that time period.
Sometimes it helps define a character. For example, if a novel gives the designer brand name of clothes a character is wearing or the type of car they are driving.
Alias Reader wrote: "Madrano wrote: Am i alone in feeling bothered by this? Does anyone else feel this way about the brand name stuff? (To be fair, these aren't "ads", just a list of what was available back then.) And ..."It seems to me that brand names are a superficial shortcut for establishing characters. I would much rather have a window into the mind of a character by learning his thoughts than find out what brand of car he drives. I don't care for authors who buy into advertising stereotypes.
A just clause
by Lorna Barrett
Surprised by a visit from their father, a con man who has served jail time, mystery bookstore owner Tricia Miles and her sister, Angelica, investigate when he is implicated in a shocking murder that occurs against a backdrop of a high-profile book signing.
Girls made of snow and glass
by Melissa Bashardoust
A feminist fantasy reimagining of "Snow White" relates the past and present experiences of a magician's daughter-turned-heartless queen and her beautiful rival stepdaughter.
Immoveable feast : a Paris Christmas
by John Baxter
An expatriate Australian critic, biographer, and author of We'll Always Have Paris describes the Christmas holidays in the City of Lights as he takes on the challenge of cooking a Christmas banquet for his French wife's extended family in his adopted home of Paris.
The Selection
by Kiera Cass
Preferring a relationship with her secret boyfriend, Aspen, but unwittingly selected to compete for the hand of the gorgeous Prince Maxon against dozens of hopefuls, 17-year-old America Singer grudgingly participates and clearly voices her distaste for the kingdom's caste system until she unexpectedly develops feelings for the prince.
Time salvager
by Wesley Chu
On his final foraging mission as a chronman—a convicted criminal recruited for his unique psychological makeup to travel into Earth's past to recover resources and treasure without altering the timeline—James Griffin-Mars brings back a woman fated to an accidental death, turning them into fugitives.
Six years
by Harlan Coben
Harboring an enduring love for Natalie six years after her marriage to another man, Jake Sanders learns of his rival's death and attends the funeral only to discover that Natalie is not the woman she seemed to be, a situation that compels a determined search for answers.
From here to eternity : traveling the world to find the good death
by Caitlin Doughty
The best-selling author of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes aims to expand readers' sense of what it means to treat the dead with dignity.
Death at Wentwater Court
by Carola Dunn
During the post-war turbulence of 1920s England, the Honorable Daisy Dalrymple shocks her family by getting a job writing, a job that leads her to Wentwater Court, a manor house full of jealousy and murder.
Lie to me
by J. T Ellison
When his wife, Sutton, disappears while they are having marital problems, leaving behind a note saying not to look for her, Ethan Montclair becomes the target of vicious gossip as friends, family and the media speculate on what really happened to Sutton.
Endangered
by Tim Flach
Traveling around the world—to settings ranging from forest to savannah to the polar seas to the great coral reefs—Flach has constructed a powerful visual record of remarkable animals and ecosystems facing harsh challenges. Among them are primates coping with habitat loss, big cats in a losing battle with human settlements, elephants hunted for their ivory, and numerous bird species taken as pets. With eminent zoologist Jonathan Baillie providing insightful commentary..
Hunger : a memoir of (my) body
by Roxane Gay
The popular Tumblr blogger and best-selling author of Bad Feminist explores the devastating act of violence that triggered her personal challenges with food and body image, sharing advice for caring for oneself and eating in healthful and satisfying ways.
Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine
by Gail Honeyman
A socially awkward, routine-oriented loner teams up with a bumbling IT guy from her office to assist an elderly accident victim, forging a friendship that saves all three from lives of isolation and secret unhappiness.
Milk and honey
by Rupi Kaur
Presents poems that deal with the bitter aspects of love, loss, abuse, violence, and trauma, and celebrates the unstoppable power of grace, healing, and feminine strength
Promise not to tell
by Jayne Ann Krentz
Virginia owns a successful art gallery in Seattle now, but she has had to overcome many demons from her childhood in a cult. When one of her artists commits suicide, leaving her a mysterious message, she suspects the cult leader may have resurfaced.
The gentleman's guide to vice and virtue
by Mackenzi Lee
Two friends on a Grand Tour of 18th-century Europe stumble across a magical artifact that leads them from Paris to Venice in a dangerous manhunt shaped by pirates, highwaymen and their growing attraction to one another.
A pinch of poison
by Alyssa Maxwell
In post-World War I England, Lady Phoebe Renshaw and her lady’s maid, Eva Huntford, encounter an uncharitable killer at a charity luncheon sponsored by a posh school for girls.
Renegades
by Marissa Meyer
In a ruined world where humans with extraordinary abilities have become the world's champions of justice, a vengeance-seeking girl and a justice-seeking boy team up against a villain who has the power to destroy everything they have worked to protect.
Mata Hari's last dance : a novel
by Michelle Moran
A tale inspired by exotic dancer, courtesan and suspected spy Mata Hari finds her sitting in a 1917 Paris jail cell, reflecting on the childhood abandonment, abusive marriage and rise in the dancing world that led to her arrest for treason.
The pattern artist
by Nancy Moser
When Annie Wood arrives in New York in 1911 she takes work as a sewing department clerk and discovers that she has a talent for fashion design, which leads her to a life of adventure, purpose, and love
Golden age and other stories
by Naomi Novik
A collection of Temeraire-themed short stories, including "Planting Season," "Dragons and Decorum," and "Golden Age."
The dark prophecy
by Rick Riordan
Leaving the safety of the demigod training ground, a disgraced Apollo embarks on a quest across North America to find a dangerous ancient-world Oracle while navigating the challenges of the evil Triumvirate
Year one
by Nora Roberts
A tale of suspense and survival is set in the wake of a cataclysmic pandemic that wipes out more than half the world's population, replacing science and technology with magic and compelling Lana, a practitioner of good witchcraft, to embark on a perilous journey west with her lover and other survivors.
Goodbye, things : the new Japanese minimalism
by Fumio Sasaki
A U.S. release of a bestseller from Japan explores how the author revitalized his enthusiasm for life and sense of well-being by embracing a minimalist existence, sharing tips on how to get rid of unneeded possessions and achieve a better appreciation for present-day circumstances.
The secrets you keep : a novel
by Kate White
A successful self-help author, recovering from a devastating car accident, finds her life spiraling dangerously out of control in the face of a caterer's murder and her husband's ominous secrets.
The hate u give
by Angie Thomas
After witnessing her friend's death at the hands of a police officer, Starr Carter's life is complicated when the police and a local drug lord try to intimidate her in an effort to learn what happened the night Kahlil died.
Just mercy : a story of justice and redemption
by Bryan Stevenson
The executive director of a social advocacy group that has helped relieve condemned prisoners explains why justice and mercy must go hand-in-hand through the story of Walter McMillian, a man condemned to death row for a murder he didn't commit.
The Great Alone
by Kristin Hannah
"Leni and her troubled family embark on a new way of life in Alaska's wilderness in 1974 -- hoping this is finally the solution for her troubled, POW father. In Alaska, Leni and her family are tested and when change comes to their small community her father's anger threatens to explode and divide the town. This is a beautifully written novel, descriptive and engaging with well-developed characters and a strong sense of place."
-- Alissa Williams, Morton Public Library, Morton, IL
An American Marriage
by Tayari Jones
"Celestial and Roy are newly married professionals leaning in to a bright future when Roy is convicted of a crime he did not commit. This is not a heroes vs. villains tale with a tidy resolution. It is a complicated, messy, moving, and thought-provoking story about love, family, and the wide-reaching effects of incarceration. Book clubs get ready!"
-- Jennifer Alexander, St. Louis County Library, St. Louis, MO
The French Girl
by Lexie Elliott
"Six friends from Oxford University spend an idyllic week in the French countryside that ends with a missing neighbor, the enigmatic Severine. Fast forward ten years and Severine turns up. Or rather her skeleton does in a well on the property. All six friends are suspects. Will the loyalties hold and who put Severine in the well? This is a fun, taut thriller."
-- Jennifer Dayton, Darien Library, Darien, CT
Force of Nature
by Jane Harper
"When Detective Falk learns that an informant went missing during a corporate team building exercise in the bush, he realizes that she tried to call him in the middle of the night. Harper once again creates a compelling, fast-paced, and atmospheric mystery set in a remote wilderness area of Australia. Perfect for fans of Nevada Barr and Paul Doiron. Highly recommended."
-- Vicki Nesting, St.Charles Parish Library, Destrehan, LA
Surprise Me: A Novel
by Sophie Kinsella
"Kinsella's newest heroine has met and married Mr. Right -- now how to spend the next 68 years? When Sylvie launches Project Surprise Me, she just might find that there's always more to learn about the ones you love. Told in Kinsella's trademark charming, relatable style."
-- Ariel Kurst, Great River Regional Library, St. Cloud, MN
Tarnished City
by Vic James
"Tarnished City, a contemporary fantasy with a healthy dose of world-building, is just as disturbing as its predecessor, Gilded Cage. I couldn't resist diving deeper into the dark world of Equals and Slaves. James has pushed the characters in new ways, which makes the story riveting, intense, dark, and completely entrancing. "
-- Monicah Fraterna, La Porte Public Library, La Porte, IN
As Bright As Heaven
by Susan Meissner
"Beautifully written, heartbreaking story of four women in Philadelphia in 1918 during the Spanish Flu. I loved this book, as I have other books by Meissner and would highly recommend to anyone who loves historical fiction."
-- Cathy Branciforte, Ramsey Free Public Library, Ramsey, NJ
How to Stop Time
by Matt Haig
"Even though there is something extraordinary about Tom Hazard and his aging process the problems and insights he experiences as he goes through life, are universal. Love, memory, and time play tricks on us all as this novel illustrates so exquisitely. This is an engaging,sweeping love story with all the elements of a great historical/time travel novel. For fans of The Time Traveler's Wife and Life After Life."
-- Mary Coe, Fairfield Woods Branch Library, Fairfield, CT
Summer Hours at the Robbers Library
by Sue Halpern
"Kit is a librarian who closes herself off from emotions and people until she meets Sunny, assigned to the library for community service. Add in a group of regulars in the library and the result is an absorbing story of developing friendships and the unveiling of secrets. Kit's story unfolds as we meet many quirky characters in this story of love, loss, and hope."
-- Ellen Firer, Merrick Library, Merrick, NY
Educated: A Memoir
by Tara Westover
"In her memoir, Westover recounts her childhood growing up in a strict Mormon family, ruled by an erratic father, and living off the grid in Idaho. Westover compellingly sketches her years growing up, her relationships with siblings, encounters in the town nearby, and the events that eventually drove her to leave and pursue formal education. For fans of Jeannette Walls' The Glass Castle."
-- Andrea Gough, Seattle Public Library, Seattle, WA
Finished and really enjoyed I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes With Death
My review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/2269753812
I finished
Sometimes Amazing Things Happen: Heartbreak and Hope on the Bellevue Hospital Psychiatric Prison Ward by Dr. Elizabeth Ford. A memoir by a doctor treating critically mentally ill inmates. I absolutely loved it and highly recommend for those interested in mental illness and/or incarceration. 5/5 stars! My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
That sounds interesting, Chrissy.Since you enjoyed that you may enjoy a similar book that I read.
Weekends at Bellevue: Nine Years on the Night Shift at the Psych E.R.---Julie Holland
A Story Lately Told: Coming of Age in Ireland, London, and New York
by Anjelica HustonIn this first volume of her autobiography, the Academy Award winning actress talks about her early life in Ireland, England, and New York. With celebrity parents, Huston met everybody in the entertainment business. 3 stars
My complete review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A Torch Against the Night
by Sabaa TahirThis is the second novel in a four book series that started with An Ember in the Ashes. This series is an engaging Fantasy series that describes a ruling empire's struggles to maintain control while many different parties struggle to take over. The two point of view characters from the previous novel are joined by a third. Elias and Laia are trying to reach Kauf prison to free Laia's brother while Helene, Elias's former friend is tasked with hunting them down. The encounter many of the characters from the previous novel along the way. This story includes humans with special powers as well as many fantastical creatures, including the Nightbringer who is trying to get revenge for humans imprisoning him and his kind, the jinn. Be forewarned, even though this is a young adult novel, there is plenty of violence, including the killing of innocents. This novel is incredibly suspenseful and has many shocking twists along the way.
Thanks so much Alias! I added to my TBR.
Alias Reader wrote: "PBS/ NY Times just announced their February book club selection.[book:Killers of the Flower Moon: The Os..."I just ordered it. Thanks for creating a thread here. I found the facebook page too much to deal with. By the way it is available in paperback. I'll be starting it in a few days.
Chrissy wrote: "Thanks so much Alias! I added to my TBR."You're welcome.
Bobbie wrote: I just ordered it. Thanks for creating a thread here. I found the facebook page too much to deal with. By the way it is available in paperback. I'll be starting it in a few days.Maybe it's a typo. Amazon has the paperback coming out in April.
If you want to discuss it, I'll set up a Buddy Thread for us. I should be able to start it in a week. I need to finish up Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House
February Buddy READ !
We will be reading
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David GrannAll are welcome to join in the discussion which can be found in the Buddy Read Folder.
Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee VanceBillionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk wants humans to live on Mars, and he's willing to spend lots of money to make it happen. This biography focuses on Musk's many successful business ventures including Zip2, Paypal, SpaceX, Tesla, and Solar City. The book also touches on Musk's personal life, which is equally fascinating. Good book about a brilliant guy. 4.5 stars
My complete review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Shomeret wrote: "It seems to me that brand names are a superficial shortcut for establishing characters. I would much rather have a window into the mind of a character by learning his thoughts than find out what brand of car he drives.l..."This sums up where i was heading in my rant, Shomeret. I never had the sense that the kid Billy had any interest in most of the brand names used. It just seemed like padding to define the era, rather than add to the story. As Alias notes, it can help define the era but in the books where i've noticed it, there was such an excess that i couldn't avoid noticing.
I've heard good things about the Khizr Khan book on television but you, Shomeret, are the first person i've known to read it. Good to know it is a worthwhile book. Thanks.
What a variety in fiction you've shared, Alias. Of course i was drawn to the poetry book, Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur. Thanks to those from the group who shared their reviews here. There are some fascinating books mentioned. Alias, i'm glad you mentioned the Holland book because i was thinking the one Chrissy reviewed was the same one you'd read. Good topic.
Barbara both bio/auto you mention sound good. Musk has only come to my attention in last year.
Dru, enjoy the series. It sounds good but long with all sorts of aspects to compel you to continue reading.
Dem, the title made me curious. Intriguing.
Madrano wrote: "What a variety in fiction you've shared, Alias. Of course i was drawn to the poetry book, Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur. ."It's been on the NY Times Best Seller list. You don't see that often with a poetry book !
The Only Child
by Andrew PyperIn this horror-mystery, Dr. Lily Dominick - a psychiatrist for the criminally insane - is assigned a patient who thinks he's immortal and inspired the characters: 'Frankenstein', 'Mr. Hyde', and 'Dracula.' Lily is led on a dangerous trip across Europe to learn the truth about her patient and herself. Good story. 3.5 stars
My complete review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I saw this was on sale for Amazon Kindle $3 and thought it sounded interesting and might be of interest to others here. The Sleepwalkers
By Christopher Clark
“A masterpiece” (The New York Times): With a focus on the days and weeks leading up to World War I, this riveting New York Times bestseller discusses the causes of war. Guaranteed to delight history buffs."
One of The New York Times Book Review’s 10 Best Books of the Year
Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize (History)
The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914 is historian Christopher Clark’s riveting account of the explosive beginnings of World War I.
Drawing on new scholarship, Clark offers a fresh look at World War I, focusing not on the battles and atrocities of the war itself, but on the complex events and relationships that led a group of well-meaning leaders into brutal conflict.
Clark traces the paths to war in a minute-by-minute, action-packed narrative that cuts between the key decision centers in Vienna, Berlin, St. Petersburg, Paris, London, and Belgrade, and examines the decades of history that informed the events of 1914 and details the mutual misunderstandings and unintended signals that drove the crisis forward in a few short weeks.
Meticulously researched and masterfully written, Christopher Clark’s The Sleepwalkers is a dramatic and authoritative chronicle of Europe’s descent into a war that tore the world apart.
The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914---Christopher Clark
Barbara, the literary aspect of that book tickles my interest but i'm truly not a fan of chillers at all. It's something to think about reading, at least.Alias, i haven't heard of this book but is sounds valuable for someone like me whose understanding of pre-WWI is shaky, at best. I've added it to my DL, despite it's 600 page length.
Interesting new books i've read about this week. This is my effort to contribute to the flow of new-book listings, from The New Yorker magazine.The Growth Delusion: Wealth, Poverty, and the Well-being of Nations, explores alternative models of the GNP, including the Gross National Happiness idea from Bhutan and the U.N.'s Human Development Index. Quote from book, "Only in economics is endless expansion seen as a virtue. In biology it is called cancer." In the book author David Pilling suggests other metrics (levels of inequality, carbon emissions, life satisfaction) could enhance our view of where we are & where we're headed.
The Only Girl in the World: A Memoir is a memoir by Maude Julien describing her 1960s childhood trapped in her family's grand house on the outskirts of a small French town. Her father hoped to produce a superhuman, so forced her into a grueling schedule with no rest or play. Additionally, she was made to test her will power by holding on to an electric fence for 10 minutes without displaying emotion. She's now a therapist for people who have been psychologically manipulated.
Black Tudors: The Untold Story seeks to overturn the common assumption that there were no black communities in the UK before post-WWII immigration of Caribbeans. Miranda Kaufmann presents stories of individuals and their place in history, as well as speculates about cultural aspects.
Cræft: An Inquiry Into the Origins and True Meaning of Traditional Crafts by Alexander Langlands explores traditional crafts and wonders if it was wise to abandon these skills, which were honed over millennia. The author thinks not and offers a how-to manual for a number of crafts. He also issues a challenge to the idea that "industrialized production, with its reliance on cheap fossil fuels, is necessarily the way of the future." Finally, he makes a case for the psychological benefits of working with one's hands.
Theory of Shadows is for those who like chess and historic mysteries. Author Paolo Maurensig relates the true story of a Russian chess champ who was found dead in a hotel room in March, 1946 in this novel.
The Safe House: A Novel, a novel based on the family history of author Christophe Boltanski. A matriarch who is paralyzed by polio and her Jewish doctor husband (who his from Nazis for 20 months in a hiding room) are the center of the story. "Moving through the house, room by room, chapter by chapter, the book takes us progressively deeper into a family mythology that is grim and, at times, almost surreal."
The World Goes On by László Krasznahorkai is the Hungarian author of these "essays", in which an unnamed narrator engages in frantic meditations and recounts baffling tales. The book includes fake lectures, an invented liturgy and comments on his own previous novel, The Melancholy of Resistance. Curious, eh?
Peculiar Ground is a novel charting the life and slow death of an ancient English estate, Wychwood. Author Lucy Hughes-Hallett describes and estate which was a sort of island of extravagance protected by high walls. One character observes, "Gardens and prison camps, they have a lot in common." Hmmm.
Madrano wrote: Alias, i haven't heard of this book but is sounds valuable for someone like me whose understanding of pre-WWI is shaky, at best. I've added it to my DL, despite it's 600 page length. ."I checked the paperback feature on Amazon where you can look inside and it seems it is 550 or so. That is not too bad. I am going to check and see if my library has a copy because I want to see the print size. If it isn't tiny and faint I will buy myself a copy. This way I can make notes etc. I seem to retain more and also get a better understanding when I do that.
Madrano wrote: "Interesting new books i've read about this week. This is my effort to contribute to the flow of new-book listings, from The New Yorker magazine.The Only Girl in the World: A Memoir is a memoir by Maude Julien describing her 1960s childhood trapped in her family's grand house on the outskirts of a small French town. Her father hoped to produce a superhuman, so forced her into a grueling schedule with no rest or play. Additionally, she was made to test her will power by holding on to an electric fence for 10 minutes without displaying emotion. She's now a therapist for people who have been psychologically manipulated.
Thanks for sharing, Deb !
If I am recalling correctly, I read about this in Opening Skinner's Box: Great Psychological Experiments of the Twentieth Century by Lauren Slater. I really enjoyed her book.
I'm putting
The Only Girl in the World: in my TBR notebook.
Madrano wrote: The Growth Delusion: Wealth, Poverty, and the Well-being of Nations, explores alternative models of the GNP, including the Gross National Happiness idea from Bhutan and the U.N.'s Human Development Index. Quote from book, "Only in economics is endless expansion seen as a virtue. In biology it is called cancer." In the book author David Pilling suggests other metrics (levels of inequality, carbon emissions, life satisfaction) could enhance our view of where we are & where we're headed. ..."Totally agree. However, I don't see the U.S. changing. Perhaps when we reach the tipping point with global warming we will be forced to.
I am going to put the book on my TBR list. Thanks !
Madrano wrote: "Interesting new books i've read about this week. The Only Girl in the World: A Memoir is a memoir by Maude Julien describing her 1960s childhood trapped in her family's grand house on the outskirts of a small French town. Her father hoped to produce a superhuman, so forced her into a grueling schedule with no rest or play. Additionally, she was made to test her will power by holding on to an electric fence for 10 minutes without displaying emotion. She's now a therapist for people who have been psychologically manipulated...."
This is shocking. How do people get away with this stuff?
The Kraken Project
by Douglas PrestonAn Artificial Intelligence called Dorothy - that was supposed to participate in a research project on Titan - escapes into cyberspace and threatens the human race.
This sets off a race as the good guys and bad guys try to capture Dorothy. Rather thin plot. 2 stars
My complete review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Barbara wrote: "This is shocking. How do people get away with this stuff? ..."In this case, he got away with it because he basically bred his subject himself. What the mother thought would be interesting to know.
Alias, i'm with you on font size. This is particularly true of older books for which i cannot find digital copies. However, recently i read These Schools Belong to You and Me: Why We Can't Afford to Abandon Our Public Schools and the font was so small i had to take frequent breaks. I couldn't find a library on-line copy, either.
Barbara, the idea behind the Preston book is intriguing, it's a shame it was poorly realized. An AI character was the main "character" in a short series of mysteries by Donna Andrews, featuring Turing Hopper. There were only 4 books in the series and it was interesting but also limiting.
Took another look at an old Tony Hillerman
Listening Woman . A bit different than his usual formula.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Interesting review, Craig. I like that you included the Churchill link. Thanks for it all. Did you think that Hillerman succeeded in this variation on his usual formula? Do you know if he repeated it again in later books? I'm intrigued when authors keep experimenting with their successes.
Bobbie wrote: "Alias Reader wrote: "PBS/ NY Times just announced their February book club selection.[book:Killers of th..."I'm wrong about it being available in paperback. Sorry about that.
Madrano wrote: "Barbara wrote: "This is shocking. How do people get away with this stuff? ..."In this case, he got away with it because he basically bred his subject himself. What the mother thought would be int..."
I have resorted to buying a large page size magnifier. Some things are just too hard.
Barbara wrote: "Madrano wrote: "Interesting new books i've read about this week. The Only Girl in the World: A Memoir is a memoir by Maude Julien describing her 1960s childhood trapped in her family's grand house..."
I put this on my list because it sounds so interesting yet horrifying at the same time.
Book Nook Cafe
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The Education of a WASP (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Faye Kellerman (other topics)Tara Westover (other topics)
Michael Wolff (other topics)
Lois Mark Stalvey (other topics)
Leonard J. Swidler (other topics)
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This the thread for general book discussions for February .
Tell us what you just read, are currently reading or plan to read. Tell us about your favorite author. Have you read some book news? Share it with the group. Anything related to books and reading, we want to hear all about it !
:)