Albany Public Library discussion

Welcome to Week 5! It's hard to believe we are halfway through this year's summer reading challenge.

This week's list is a selection of biographies and memoirs that we hope you enjoy.

Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets & Advice for Living Your Best Life by Ali Wong
Open Book by Jessica Simpson
Uncanny Valley by Anna Wiener
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Resistance: A Songwriter's Story of Hope, Change, and Courage by Tori Amos
I'm Your Huckleberry by Val Kilmer
More Than Love: An Intimate Portrait of My Mother, Natalie Wood by Natasha Gregson Wagner
More Myself: A Journey by Conor Knighton
Hollywood Park by Mikel Jollett
Stray: A Memoir by Stephanie Danler
All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson
The Rural Diaries: Love, Livestock, and Big Life Lessons Down on Mischief Farm by Hilarie Burton
Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Stephanie Land
The Year of the Monkey by Patti Smith
Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots by Deborah Feldman
Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins
An Age of License by Lucy Knisley

You can find this titles on Overdrive and Hoopla

I finished Haunt of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin and Evicted by Matthew Desmond

I just finished Northanger Abbey - more in tune with last week's theme, though!

I finished So You Want to Talk About Race last night and today I read Attica Locke's latest book, Heaven, My Home. In honor of this week's theme I'm going to read The Beauty in Breaking.

Jaybee wrote: "I finished So You Want to Talk About Race last night and today I read Attica Locke's latest book, Heaven, My Home. In honor of this week's theme I'm going to read The Beauty in Breaking."

I have logged all the books post up to this point. Off to a great start!

I just finished “the one: a novel” by John Marrs. Such a page turner!!

Just finished Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid.

This week I finished Interview with the Vixen and Burn Our Bodies Down. Thanks to the memoir list here, I'm considering a reread of In the Dream House: A Memoir--maybe my favorite read from last year.

I’ve continued to stick with the Dear America series and just finished both A Light in the Storm, and Dreams in the Golden Country.

I have add your books!

Just finished The Obelisk Gate and I'm going to start Illuminations: A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen right now :) I've been meaning to read In the Dream House: A Memoir so maybe I'll pick that up next

I can't remember if I mentioned before that I finished The Water Dancer during week 1 or 2..... I went through the threads but couldn't find it!

Abi wrote: "Just finished The Obelisk Gate and I'm going to start Illuminations: A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen right now :) I've been meaning to read [book:In the Dream House:..."

@Abi No worries. I added both books!

Diana wrote: "This week I finished Interview with the Vixen and Burn Our Bodies Down. Thanks to the memoir list here, I'm considering a reread of [book:In the Dream House: A Memoi..."

That book (Burn our Bodies Down)! What a completely twisted and awesome story!

I finished Network Effect, a great addition to the Murderbot storyline!

Alicia, it really was! I loved Wilder Girls, but Burn Our Bodies Down upped the ante even further :D

@Kathleen I added your book. I agree with you about Network Effect. I can't wait for the next book to come out!

Finished The Big Thirst: The Marvels, Mysteries & Madness Shaping the New Era of Water. What a great book! Informative and entertaining. Sobering about how pretty much the entire world has ignored water issues over the past century, but uplifting in that there are achievable solutions.

This week I finished Feels like home and Home in Carolina by Sheryl Woods I also read The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger

@ Susan and @ Mayra I have added your books!

Finished two more books this week! A Simple Plan by Scott Smith and A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow

Completed Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, & Advice for Living Your Best Life today. Audiobook read by the author (afterward written and read by her husband, Justin Hakuta).

Finished Tana French’s The Witch Elm this morning.

Hi, I finally finished How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. It was a very powerful book that even fits this week's category. I also finished three Kiwi authors' books. New Zealand continues to fascinate me. Matched on Maui by Kris Pearson, The Language of Wolf by Sofia Grey, and Trust Your Heart by Tracey Alvarez were all moving and fun reads. I have really enjoyed the first and third authors a lot, and read many of their works. They have excellent editing as it often the case from New Zealand and Australia.

I finished Blackthorn Manor Haunting and Rage of Aquarius this week.

Oh i also finished Seeds of Hope, another Dear America book!

Jen wrote: "Finished Tana French’s The Witch Elm this morning."

What did you think, Jen? I liked it (read it through almost in one sitting), but in some ways it also felt kind of like Tana French Does Tana French.

I finished Recursion by Blake Crouch. I felt it really engaged me with the discussion of memory being all of life. The time travel aspect was well done.
Great Suggestion from Kate.

Jen wrote: "Finished Tana French’s The Witch Elm this morning."
I just started Kendi's book this weekend. I hate to say that I have found other books on this topic to be underwhelming, merely repeating stuff I already know, but so far he seems to bring a more personal side to it, so I am enjoying it more than I thought I would.

I have added all the books above!

@Sarah, I also read and love Recursion. Have you read his other book, Dark Matter? A definitely top ten favorite of mine.

I finished “White Fragility” last night. Might not come close to this category but that’s where I am at. Tough reading, tough topic. Glad I read it and glad I purchased 10 copies for my library.

@Jody, I have entered your book!

July 6 at 1:01 pm I added some books to my read list on Week 5. I have not seen that Kate has added them to my read list or any other persons since 7-24-20. Just wanted to check on this. I will post to the current week as well,

Paul wrote: "July 6 at 1:01 pm I added some books to my read list on Week 5. I have not seen that Kate has added them to my read list or any other persons since 7-24-20. Just wanted to check on this. I will pos..."

@ Paul. You are all set

Finished Know My Name, written by Brock Turner's victim. What a powerful book. I had heard good things. Thanks for the push to get me to read it.

Added your book!

For week 5 I read Clay’s Ark (Book 3 in the Patternist series) by Octavia Butler. I’m not sure where I stand on this one. Unlike the first two, which were a unique dose of fantasy, historical fiction and psychological drama, this third one played more like a taught thriller, with a truly harrowing ending unlike anything I’ve read in some time. It also had little to do with the first two, but supposedly will tie into the fourth and final book. I’d definitely recommend it, but would suggest some of Butler’s other books first, which are more accessible.

@ Rich I have added your book!