VIRTUAL Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2020 discussion
Mount Munch (36 books)
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Pamela Crushing the Munch
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Running List:----------- Rum Doodle ----------------
January:
1. The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
2. Why We Can't Sleep: Women's New Midlife Crisis by Ada Calhoun
3. Volume Control: Hearing in a Deafening World by David Owen
4. Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz (audio)
5. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (audio)
February:
6. Becoming by Michelle Obama (audio)
7. The First Cell: And the Human Costs of Pursuing Cancer to the Last by Azra Raza
8. Red Letter Days by Sarah-Jane Stratford
March:
9. Iphigenia Murphy by Sara Hosey
10. Upstream: Selected Essays by Mary Oliver
11. The Adventurer's Son by Roman Dial (audio)
April:
12. Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
----------- Mount Crumpit ------------
April:
13. The Quarry Wood by Nan Shepherd
May:
14. My Green Manifesto: Down the Charles River in Pursuit of a New Environmentalism by David Gessner
15. The Compton Cowboys: The New Generation of Cowboys in America's Urban Heartland by Walter Thompson-Hernandez (audio)
16. Sigh, Gone: A Misfit's Memoir of Great Books, Punk Rock, and the Fight to Fit In by Phuc Tran
17. Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner
18. The Milkman's Son: A Memoir of Family History, a DNA Mystery, and a Story of Paternal Love by Randy Lindsay
June:
19. My Struggle: Book Four by Karl Ove Knausgård
20. The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis
21. Roadside Americans: The Rise and Fall of Hitchhiking in a Changing Nation by Jack Reid
July:
22. Slam by Lewis Shiner
23. People of the Canyons: A Novel of North America's Forgotten Past by Kathleen O'Neal Gear & W. Michael Gear
August:
24. Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy
----------- Mount Munch --------------
August:
25. Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
26. Coffee by Dinah Lenney
27. Road Out of Winter by Alison Stine
28. With or Without You by Caroline Leavitt
September:
29. Stakes Is High: Life After the American Dream by Mychal Denzel Smith
30. The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult
31. Members Only Sameer Pandya (audio)
32. How to Fly: In Ten Thousand Easy Lessons by Barbara Kingsolver
October:
33. Cat Tale: The Wild, Weird Battle to Save the Florida Panther by Craig Pittman (audio)
34. The Cold Millions by Jess Walter
November:
35. We Keep the Dead Close: A Murder at Harvard and a Half Century of Silence by Becky Cooper
36. The Mirror Man by Jane Gilmartin
----------- White Plume ----------------
November:
37. Down Along with That Devil's Bones: A Reckoning with Monuments, Memory, and the Legacy of White Supremacy by Connor Towne O'Neill
38. Fat by Hanne Blank
39. The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline (audio)
40. Political Sign by Tobias Carroll
The first book I finished in the new year is on the virtual tbr with The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon.
3 stars, print book
I meant to finish the book for last year, but didn't quite have the time before leaving out of town for six days. Since it was a library book I didn't want to take with me, so it ended up as my first finished book of the year. The story is okay, not great, had a few interesting parts.
Book two completed Why We Can't Sleep: Women's New Midlife Crisis by Ada Calhoun.
4 stars, eBook
I started this book on Dec.19, got to little over a quarter the way though by the first of the year. Finally finished the other day, it took me nearly a month to read. Yet the book wasn't bad at all, just nothing cohesive to drive you to keep returning to it as soon as possible. It shed light on women that are now of a certain age, and of the X Generation. Yeah, that's me and I'm not sure how many outside this group of people this book would appeal to them, like men even. I'm not going through any crisis, midlife or otherwise, but found some good information in the book.
Book three done Volume Control: Hearing in a Deafening World by David Owen.
5 stars, print & audio
Excellent book! I started reading the print book but then got the audio version from the library and finished up the book quickly. An informative book all about hearing, and well organized. It's written as a general informative about the topic, not too deep in any area and explores some of the author's own experience with hearing issues.
Book 4 is Ordinary Girls by Jaquira 
5 stars, audio
This was a surprising book. It's non-fiction, autobiography of growing up in Peurto Rico and Miami Beach, by an extremely dysfunctional family. Her mother and maternal grandmother both have mental illness and drug addiction. Her father seems more concerned with chasing other women, or something, his mother is what saves Díaz. The book is lyrical and written well, in many ways amazing.
Book 5 is the classic Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.
5 stars, audio
This has been on my to read list since forever. Finally got to it, via audio. It was well done. Great novella. I have yet to read a bad Steinbeck. I'd like to read more of his works, even own at least one unread.
Book 6 is Becoming by Michelle Obama.
5 stars, audio
An excellent memoir, and the perfect way to read this book is the audio version where Michelle Obama narrates it. She does a great job, which not all author's can pull off. I'd say it enhances the book as well. I've been meaning to read this book since it came out, glad I finally got it done.
Books 7 is The First Cell: And the Human Costs of Pursuing Cancer to the Last by Azra Raza.
5 stars, print book
This wasn't an easy read, and somewhat technical with medical terms which made it a slower read. When I finally had some solid time with the book I made it through. An excellent book though, very important in trying to get attention to what cancer research should be working on instead of continuing down the same path.
Book 8 is Red Letter Days by Sarah-Jane Stratford.
4.5 stars, eBook
A historical novel, that had a lot of facts and real life in the book, unfortunately. This was the time of the red scare and blacklisting writers, and this book focuses on tv screenwriters, and women in the workplace. A well done book, almost made it a five-star read, but not quite.
Book 9 is Iphigenia Murphy by Sara Hosey.
4 stars, ebook
This is a fictional book about a teen dealing with a severely dysfunctional family, with a lot of abuse at her to where her best option is to go live in a tent in a public park. Decent writing, and the story is hopeful in that the teen Iphigenia finds ways to improve her life for herself.
Book 10 is Upstream: Selected Essays by Mary Oliver.
4 stars, print book
Mary Oliver is a poet and these essays of hers are poetic. I enjoyed the third section the most, where she discusses Emerson, Poe, Whitman and Wordsworth. The last essay was to her town and felt less polished in writing style than the rest of the book. Overall the book had a nature theme.
Book 11 finished earlier this week The Adventurer's Son by Roman Dial.
4 stars, audio Book
About a father who raised his son to be adventurous, in an extreme way, like himself. The son goes on an extended solo trip through South America, then goes missing in Costa Rica after saying he was going into the jungle without a guide against the local rules. The second half of the book is about trying to figure out what happened.
Book 12 finished yesterday with Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker.
4 stars, eBook
With this book, there is two aspects, one being a family of twelve children, where half develop mental illness, schizophrenia. The other aspect of the book is the history of how the medical field has approached this illness, with treatments and research in combating the illness. Well written for the most part.
First book up Mount Crumpit with book 13 The Quarry Wood by Nan Shepherd.
3 stars, print book
A nearly 100 year old book! A Scottish one at that. I took a 3 week break while reading it, wasn't sure I'd finish, but picked it back up and got into the book. The Scottish brogue was a bit difficult reading the dialogue, but the rest was fine. The plot was okay, not that new really, I was looking for atmosphere more than plot and got a wee bit of that.
Book 14 is My Green Manifesto: Down the Charles River in Pursuit of a New Environmentalism by David Gessner.
4 stars, print book
Somehow I forgot my little blurb after finishing this book. It was a decent read. I keep meaning to write a review, maybe that's why I forgot to mention here. I've had to adjust my entries too. Anyway, the book was about finding a way to environmentalism that doesn't make people feel guilty or depressed. I enjoyed it more than another book I read by the same author just before this one.
Book 15 is The Compton Cowboys: The New Generation of Cowboys in America's Urban Heartland by Walter Thompson-Hernandez. 
4 stars, audio book
The writing was decent, except for the foul language by the people being profiled. It gives it authenticity but sometimes grating to the ears. The subject was one that definitely needs a spotlight, but the organization of the book left me wanting. I did like the focus on some people, so we get to know the specific individuals, these unknown cowboys in an urban setting.
Book 16 is Sigh, Gone: A Misfit's Memoir of Great Books, Punk Rock, and the Fight to Fit In by Phuc Tran.
3.5 stars, eBook
This book took me a month to read, when in reality it could be a week by page length. The problem wasn't the content, it was interesting, it's just it felt more like a bunch of essays, each chapter was self contained. I guess it was more me than the book. I did like it, and found the writing decent.
Book 17 is Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner.
3 stars, eBook
There's several major problems with this book, one is that the first half has a different writing quality than the second half. The book had a major shift, and then it went off the rails. Well, maybe it also saved itself, since I was getting bored with the before before the shift and it did get somewhat more interesting. Guess it's a good summer read.
Half-way point with book 18 The Milkman's Son: A Memoir of Family History, a DNA Mystery, and a Story of Paternal Love by Randy Lindsay.
3.5 stars, eBook
A story about a may at aged 57 discovering that the dad who raised him all his life isn't his biological dad. Lindsay then meets his other family and the bio-dad. With more DNA with genealogy searching this may become more and more common. It was an easy, conversational style read, yet some details were a bit odd. Well worth reading.
Book 19 done yesterday My Struggle: Book Four by Karl Ove Knausgård.
4 stars, print book
Actually hovering between 3 and 4 stars. I read the first three in the series of six books somewhat close together, now it's been three years. I found myself getting bored with his story while reading this one. It was way too consumed by him trying to get laid, it felt like he just wanted to use someone, anyone. Perhaps if I was male this book would appeal to me more. And yet, there are parts, with his inner life and other aspects that is appealing. Then there's just amazement for the details of his life, of course much is fictionalized. I'll likely read the next one, but may be a while, hopefully not another three years.
Book 20 done The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis.
5 stars, eBook
I really enjoyed this book. This book is told between two alternating time lines, around 1913 and 1993, and both take place around the New York Public Library. In the older time line a family lives in an apartment in the library! It was made for the superintendent and his family. The book is a bit of many things, with a mystery around rare books being stolen.
Belated in posting my last June read, book 21 was Roadside Americans: The Rise and Fall of Hitchhiking in a Changing Nation by Jack Reid.
3.5 stars, eBook
This book provides an insight to economic conditions and sentiments towards self-reliance, leisure, community versus individualism, within the context of hitchhiking. A decent book on the rise and decline of hitchhiking.
Catching up with July reads, book 22 Slam by Lewis Shiner.
2.5 stars, print book
Rounded down to 2 stars. So much of this book I could have done without reading. It felt like male fantasy at points, older guy with girl half his age. There is some philosophy about how to live, and society, and a couple other ideas that actually saves the book. Yet it comes so late in the book that it’s a slog to get there.
Book 23 People of the Canyons: A Novel of North America's Forgotten Past by Kathleen O'Neal Gear & W. Michael Gear.
4 stars, eBook
This is book #26 in the series, just published. I've read many, maybe half of the books. I enjoy the husband/wife team that are professional archaeologists that attempt to write as accurately for the people who lived in ages and ages ago. This particular book wasn't quite a five star, but many are for me. Love the cover!
Book 24 Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy.
4 stars, eBook
Last stop on Mount Crumpit. There is a bit of a mystery in this book, and it’s about our central character’s life, Franny Stone. What happened in her past? She is obsessed with birds and since nearly all are now gone, she has taken it upon herself to follow the Arctic Terns migration from the north to Antarctic. The book is dark and bleak, with nearly the entirety of animals gone from this world. But despite that I enjoyed it, wanted to find out Franny's past. I think the language, the words drew me in.
Book 25 Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam.
3 stars, AudioBook
This was a quick audiobook. This book had some interesting moments but overall I wasn’t a fan of the book. It is certainly an AirBnB rental that doesn’t go well. It could be stuff of nightmares, well not that bad. The ending fell flat for me as well. I think my not being a fan of the genre hurt my rating, so it's me not entirely the book. The narration was good.
Book 26 Coffee by Dinah Lenney.
3 stars, eBook
Another quick yet not spectacular book. It had more about the author's family than the subject of coffee. Sure there was a lot about the drink, but not as focused as I expected the book to be. It's part of a series: Object Lessons, I have several of the books, but this is the first I've read. Not sure if that is typical, the wandering off topic.
Book 27 Road Out of Winter by Alison Stine.
3 stars, eBook
It started out okay for me, but after a while it seemed like the writing weakened. A very solid atmosphere, bleak and so very cold. But overall the book was mediocre for me.
Book 28 With or Without You by Caroline Leavitt.
4 stars, eBook
I really enjoyed this relationship book. Maybe it was just a bit better than the string I've read recently, or maybe it was the story. In any case I did like this book, the character development and the bit of what someone may think while in a coma.
Book 29 Stakes Is High: Life After the American Dream by Mychal Denzel Smith.
5 stars, eBook
This is a short book of just a few long essays that have a powerful punch. The book is sharp, intelligent, and well reasoned, as a statement about the most powerful issues the American people are grappling with today, and in the past. Smith covers race, policing, prisons, power men hold over women, the current presidency, and much more. I enjoyed it, learned a few things, and helped see another perspective, which isn't that what reading is about? (at least in part)
Book 30 The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult.
5 stars, eBook
Enjoyed this book, despite the topic of death being so front and center. Dawn Edelstein faces her husband’s possible infidelity while also facing up to her own passionate past, along with a profession she left behind in Egyptology. When her plane crashes, escaping her own death as one of the few survivors Dawn’s life is changed. Even though Dawn is a death doula, being that close to her own mortality, made her examine past choices, as anyone might. The best book by Picoult that I've read (so far).
Book 31 Members Only Sameer Pandya.
3 stars, audio book
Raj Bhatt created his own disaster at his tennis club, but the next day at his work, was surprised at the student outcry. Students are more vocal these days when they are confronted with ideas that aren't the same as their own. The book is leaning towards discussing cancel culture, but didn't quite get there, but definitely got into race. Raj is not a perfect man by any means, and doesn't handle the worst week ever in the best way. In the end I felt that Raj was not honest to anyone, even himself, and that left me with not enjoying the book enough for a five star. It's okay, but not great.
Book 32 How to Fly: In Ten Thousand Easy Lessons by Barbara Kingsolver.
5 stars, eBook
This was a book of poetry by Kingsolver. I've read several of her novels and this was my first poetry by her (does she have others?). Anyway I enjoyed the book, very readable poems, and for the most part understandable. Many were mini-stories.
Book 33 Cat Tale: The Wild, Weird Battle to Save the Florida Panther by Craig Pittman.
4.5 stars, audio book
Interesting story, and well written book, about the Florida Panthers. They were saved from the brink of extinction and unhealthy with the lack of genetic diversity. Brought in the cougar helped these animals thrive. The book covers many aspects, as one might expect, with saving habitat and development, as well as biologists and their studies. Many surprises! Enjoyed this one.
Book 34 The Cold Millions by Jess Walter.
5 stars, eBook
A well written historical fiction set in the early part of the 20th Century, given a glimpse in one part of the free speech movement in the Pacific Northwest, with the IWW being the main proponents along with an attempt to improve workers wages and working conditions. We get an interesting cast of characters and some of their stories. I really enjoyed this book.
Book 35 is We Keep the Dead Close: A Murder at Harvard and a Half Century of Silence by Becky Cooper.
5 stars, eBook
An intricate dive into the life of Jane Britton, murdered the night before her exams at Harvard. Jane was working towards a Ph.D. in archeology. The book was well written and informative, even about academia. Recommend for anyone interested in true crime.
Book 36 The Mirror Man by Jane Gilmartin.
3 stars, eBook
Sometime in the possible future a PR guy gets cloned by his company that released a unique drug called Meld. They are intertwined, although different aspects, and it's a bit of a crazy book. The writing was okay but not exceptional.
And with this book I've reached my goal! Certainly will keep reading unowned books this year, but not enough for the next mountain. Just staying here.
Book 37 is Down Along with That Devil's Bones: A Reckoning with Monuments, Memory, and the Legacy of White Supremacy by Connor Towne O'Neill.
5 stars, audio book
Took me too long to listen to this timely book. The focus is on Nathan Bedford Forrest and his impact in the south. Many still praise him as a white supremist civil war hero, also claim to fame is first grand wizard of the klan. Ugh! Yet his name has seeped into the south with monuments, and places named for him from parks to streets and more. The focus in on the history and present day, reckoning with all of this, and the attempt at removal.
Book 38 is Fat by Hanne Blank.
4 stars, eBook
The book started to cover all aspects of fat, with looking at the scientific and physical properties. Then it moved into the author's own experiences and what she knows from a previous book. It was overall a good, short read. Part of the Object Lessons series from Bloomsbury, that has intrigued me.
Book 39 is The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline.
5 stars, audio book
This is full of tragedy, some expected and some unexpected. There is much about unjust punishment. It is a scathingly look at colonialism and British superiority, along with class and disregard for human life if anyone steps beyond the bounds of their station or duties. It is well written, engaging, captivating, and I found a quick read/listen. Narration was excellent too.
Book 40 is Political Sign by Tobias Carroll.
4 stars, eBook
This is another book from the Object Lessons series from Bloomsbury. I like their size and the focus. After the elections I felt I could get into this topic, although it really isn't political at all. A lot more focus on the topic than the author, but there's a bit of him in there as well. I enjoyed it.
At this rate, maybe I should have moved up to the next mountain, I'm still climbing!
Edit: Decided to move to the next mountain: Pamela Plunges ahead to White Plume
VIRTUAL Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2020
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Political Sign (other topics)Political Sign (other topics)
The Exiles (other topics)
Fat (other topics)
The Exiles (other topics)
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Happy reading to all!