 Icelandic cafe decor. These are color coordinated books that look cool, but the books have been cut away about 3 inches from the spine so that they can be displayed. The bookshelves don't need to be full sized this way, but the books are unreadable.
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 The Beautiful North. Luis Alberto Urrea. 2009. The Beautiful North: Another not-at-all-subtle commentary on immigration, the story is quite delightful in many ways. The character development and story line are well done. The down side was that it felt like it was trying too hard to cover every politically hot topic relating to immigration.  Men We Reaped. Jesmyn Ward. 2013. Men We Reaped: Touching & timely, this book about the lives & deaths of men close to the author is a good enough read, if a bit obvious. I like my social commentary with a little more subtlety & nuance (perhaps more in line with The River Why), but I suppose it’s a rare memoir that allows for that. Recommend.
 The River Why. David James Duncan. 1983. I deviated from the list to read the books my kids were required to read as summer reading for their English classes next year.
The River Why: A terribly slow & boring start with extensive narration about fishing, which I care nothing about. But more than half way through the book, it shifts dramatically & becomes quite an insightful & interesting read. I can’t recommend it because it took so long to get going, but if you can get into the fishing, then it’s a different story.  Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself. Joe Dispanza. 2007. Breaking the Habit of Being You. This self-helpy book had some interesting ideas, but probably could have been an essay instead of a book. Plus, I’m really resistant to the guilt placed on folks who cannot just will themselves into a better life. Sometimes cancer kills you or anxiety overwhelms you. It’s not fair to act like you can just change your reality with meditation & manifest a different life for yourself. Not recommended.
Recommended by Jennifer: Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispanza. PS How in the hell do you find time to read a book a week? I am on fastest readers I know but by God, I don't have that kind of time! Me: Multitasking with audio books.  Miss Spitfire. Sarah Miller. 2007. Miss Spitfire was a great read for all ages about Annie Sullivan, Helen Keller’s teacher. Much different than other books on the topic, this was very raw and nuanced. Highly recommend this easy read.
 Spaiens. Yuval Noah Harari. 2011. Sapiens (Bruce) : These microhistory books are typically not my thing, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The British narrator was quite charming, but the book itself captivated me, mostly the discussions of Neanderthal evolution & extinction. Recommend.
*** Added by Indralaya friend, Bruce. |
AuthorI'll read anything a friend recommends & I love telling people what I think about it. Every year, I read 50 books recommended by 50 different friends. Welcome to My 50 Bookish Friends Blog. SearchCategories
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