Review 108: Ordinary Girls

Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a surprising book. A memoir of growing up in Peurto Rico and Miami Beach, in an extremely dysfunctional family. Díaz’s mother and maternal grandmother both have mental illness and drug addiction. Her father seems more concerned with chasing other women, or something. It is her father’s mother that saves Díaz, her abuela. The book is lyrical and written well, in many ways amazing.

How do you survive poverty? How do you survive drug addicted mother, parents that split up? How do you survive a childhood where the mother is the child’s worst danger? Where babies are found dead, brutalized and starved, left in bushes by an uncaring mother and her lesbian lover. How do you claim your sexuality when you’re attacked by a child even?

Díaz is a strong writer. The book is not linear, and perhaps if the book was told that way it would be overwhelming. It was for Díaz in living her life, and at the end we, as well as Díaz are amazed she did survive. Not only survive, but thrive.

An amazing book, not an easy read, it is intense. It is also very much worth reading.



Thanks to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.

Review 107: Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Finally read this classic. It's been on my to read list forever. I knew the general story, and it didn't end well, so that made me reluctant to pick it up. Finally I did. It's a powerful short novella. No wonder it is one of Steinbeck's more known work. Amazing writing!

Review 106: Why David Sometimes Wins

Why David Sometimes Wins: Leadership, Organization, and Strategy in the California Farm Worker Movement by Marshall Ganz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Somewhat dry at times. Good history of union organizing with the farm workers, mainly in the mid 60's. I had no idea at times the different unions were fighting against each other, particularly against the Teamsters.

The end of the book jumped forward quickly. Would have liked more there. The main difficulty with the book overall was the generalizations of what happened. There were moments of specifics, but more of that, more of a story, would have made for a better book. Felt more text book like than I was looking for. But I did get a history. Probably should have read this book in March when California celebrates Cesar Chavez day. I will think of this book during the next March holiday, now that I know more about how Chavez helped organize the farm workers.

Review 105: The Unexpected Spy

The Unexpected Spy: From the CIA to the FBI, My Secret Life Taking Down Some of the World's Most Notorious Terrorists by Tracy Walder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was another fascinating book into the world of the CIA by a woman (see Life Undercover: Coming of Age in the CIA). This book was a page turner, it was difficult to put down when I had other things I needed to do, like sleep.

Yet sometimes the stories were left incomplete. Walder is hunting for specific information or a certain person of interest, then that story line is dropped. Not always, as sometimes we know where it ends, but a few times we are left without knowing what happened. It seems simple enough to state, we got what we needed, or we weren’t successful. But instead we’re left in the dark. The redactions did not help. I understand the need for security, keeping details hidden, yet I felt the redactions left in the book made it more of a nuisance. Why not change the names further, or remove entirely? Walder provides a reason in the beginning on why it was left in, to maintain continuity, but it didn't work for me, seemed unnecessary to leave in black lines.

Despite these pitfalls, the book had an overall theme, about women in the intelligence community. Often women were not treated with respect, many times from other countries, but when Walder got into the FBI it was definitely from her own, although much of it stemmed from her being in the CIA. In any case, her experience helped her grow into a strong woman. Without giving away the book entirely, I will say the choices Walder made later in life were logical choices.

As I started earlier, this was a fascinating book. Despite redactions and generalizations, you do get an idea of what working in the CIA may be like, what hard work it is. And we see how much the agency does to keep people safe from terrorist plots anywhere in the world. It is real life intelligence work, and it’s a enthralling read.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance review copy of this book.

Review 104: Volume Control: Hearing in a Deafening World

Volume Control: Hearing in a Deafening World by David Owen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a fantastic book all about hearing. The author, David Owen did an excellent job with research and writing. While the book does not go into far depth, it does cover many aspects. We also get Owen's own personal experience with family member's hearing issues, and his own.

Nearly each chapter in reading I felt like saying, oh this is my favorite chapter. I did this several (many) times. It's hard to pick which section and information I found most fascinating or helpful.

The one thing that I felt was lacking in the book was having a section for more in-depth research or the references that Owen used, besides talking with other people. There are chapter by chapter notes, but a suggested reading list would been a great addition.

All in all a book well worth reading, and for anyone and everyone.

Review 103: Why We Can't Sleep: Women's New Midlife Crisis

Why We Can't Sleep: Women's New Midlife Crisis by Ada Calhoun
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In preparing to write this review I made some notes, three pages of notes. It got out of hand. The main take away in my note taking was how much I saw myself in the book, and how much I did not. Yes, I’m a woman of Generation X and do have trouble sleeping sometimes. This book is not about how to find solutions to that problem. Instead it gives us many reasons why mid-life women of GenX are having difficulties. There’s a lot of comparison to other generations: previous one, Boomers as parents, and the kids, as Millennials. We also have some comparisons on how male mid-life crises differ from women.

For the most part, I did enjoy reading the book, as it brought up reasons why this generation did things as they have so far, with parenting, or choosing not to have kids. The delays in marriage and how our prospects, in general, were the first to be expected to be worse than the parents. Some topics seemed to have never been mentioned before (or at least in mainstream consciousness). Yet this book doesn’t cover everything for all women born in the years of roughly 1967-1980. One of the most glaring to me was this book is mostly about middle class women, especially those who graduated college. There are a few nods to people outside that area, but not much.

The last chapter was one that tried to sum up and find personal solutions. I think for the author, she did find ways to cope better and enjoy life more. Hopefully the book will help other women of this era, and maybe a few outside of the targeted demographic.


Thanks to Grove Press and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.

Review 102: The Angels' Share

The Angels' Share by James Markert
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

The McFee family is somehow still doing well, mom buying new dresses and never scraping by for food, despite the distillery being closed up, and everyone else is scrounging. How can that be? Well, someone hid away some cabbage (i.e. money) but that isn’t the focus of the book. What is, well the distillery is making a comeback, and the town of Twisted Tree is about to get back on it’s feet.

What also has improved the situation is this itinerant man who seemed to cure people, miracles they say. And now he’s buried there on the land. His close followers are now waiting three days to see him rise. Other people have come and prayed over his grave and good things happen, more miracles. Is Asher Keating actually Jesus?

The McFee family don’t know what to make of Keating, but budding reporter William writes an article about the man and finally has a story the paper accepted. Now more people are flocking to their land. Barley, father of the family isn’t too happy about that, establishes, but discovers that the youngest son’s shoes were worn around Keating’s neck in his final days and wants know what’s behind that. Father and son investigate into Keating, who he was, while also reopening the distillery and trying to get the mob off Barley's back.

I enjoyed the language and the feel of the story. Phrases like “now close your head” (meaning stop talking) and others aren’t something heard much anymore, if they ever did outside of Kentucky. The historical aspect of this book felt right. It takes place during the depression just after prohibition ends. People are seeking salvation anywhere they can find it.

Book rating: 3.5 stars

Review 101: Deep Creek

Deep Creek by Dana Hand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The main focus of this book is about a gruesome massacre of 30 Chinese miners along the Deep Creek. The main character is a man with many hats, who becomes the primary investigator to find out who could have done this. The book basically opens with him and his daughter fishing and what she catches is a dead body. This book is not for the weak.

There are many twists in the puzzle, interconnections and society, politics, and is this how the west was developed? Sadly, yes. The sentiment against the Chinese was beyond how even blacks were treated, although it may be a tie with how the Natives were treated. It is disgusting.

The saddest part about this book is how much it relied on true facts of what did happen. The torture, mutilation and killing of these Chinese men did in fact happen. The area has been now renamed as Chinese Massacre Creek.

You can read about the true accounts, as much as can be known, in an article that was published in 2006 by the Oregon Historical Quarterly, “‘A Most Daring Outrage’: Murders at Chinese Massacre Cove, 1887.” by Gregory Nokes. The book follows this well researched article quite closely, albeit with necessary changes for dramatization, that I suspect that Hand read this and said, this is my next book! Just a supposition on my part, although Hand did leave a note at the end of the book about the factual aspects.

Despite the dark aspects of the book, I did enjoy the style, the writing. It was masterfully written as fully immersed in the location and time frame.

Review 100: Cuz: The Life and Times of Michael A.

Cuz: The Life and Times of Michael A. by Danielle S. Allen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is a biography about the author's cousin Michael, and a little bit about herself Danielle as well, but the focus is on Michael. How did her smart cousin end up murdered shortly after being released from prison? The potential was there for his life to be so much more, so why did it go the way that it did?

What I liked about this book is this how it takes this life story and places it firmly into the broader story of society. Danielle Allen looks at the underlying causes that affect someone, in that point and time, in that particular place. I like this type of book, that brings in both, the personal and the whole of society. Most books don't do it as well as Allen's book does.

It is obvious from the beginning that Danielle Allen is highly educated, a professor and can write well. She was also the one who helped her cousin Michael get back on his feet once he was released from prison.

So what happened, why did it go so badly for him? We do find the answers in this book. It isn't glossed over one bit, despite the moments where one wouldn't want their family history shown. And it's not surprising that family history is not the only cause of Michael's life being too short and down the wrong path. The answers are not obvious, yet there can be understanding when given the full picture.



I received a free copy of this book at a library conference. I was not required to write a review, but felt like it and, of course, the above opinions are my own.

Review 99: Deep River

Deep River by Karl Marlantes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Book read: December 9-23, 2019

This was an epic of a book. A long tome covering only one generation of the Koski family, through decades (1890's-1930's) and with some years closely detailed. It is a linear book, without jumping around in time, which I do enjoy in a book.

The first part of the book covers the family while they lived in Finland, already the eldest child, Ilmari, off in America establishing himself and writing letters home. Aino, the middle child, becomes political, radicalized and determined to change her country to independent (from Russia) and Socialist. When she must move to America her goals do not change much. The youngest, Matti leaves Finland before Aino, though she follows not too long later, after being tortured and her boyfriend killed by the Russian who rule Finland.

When the Koski’s siblings leave Finland separately, all are young teenagers. With Ilmari settled, they other two make their way to him. Despite having a farm and blacksmith shop already running, he can’t afford to feed his reunited siblings, so they too must find work. They all end up deeply into the logging industry.

It is astounding at the young age how much these three do, along with their friends, with working in the logging industry in the Pacific Northwest. Askel Langstrom, Matti’s friend also joins the Koski’s after fleeing Finland. He dreams of returning to fishing, while also being a logger. Aino won’t give up her politics, tries to unionize the loggers, and organizes strikes once joined with the International Workers of the World with the goal of One Big Union. As the years roll by they find spouses and love, soon children are born. And there are some that die.

The detail in the book is quite remarkable. The writing is plain and straightforward and there lies the one major downfall of the book. The writing style was a bit flat and sometimes the descriptions were way off from what one may expect. Such as when Aino is an older woman, maybe in her 40s now, and still keeping up with the latest fashion and acting like a school girl, it seemed unlikely given how he never cared what people thought given her politics and personality. And it is with the women that was the weakest depiction, despite one being a main character and viewpoint.

Regardless of the faults I did enjoy this book, and give it a high rating. Perhaps others may be bothered more severely than I with its faults, and given the length of the book be more skeptical.

I read that Marlantes is working on another book, which is continuing the same family, focusing on one adult son of one of the Koski brothers. It may be a while before that book is available given the length of this writer’s books, but I will be willing to continue read the Koski saga.


I will close with quote from Aino, found on page 453: " 'Everyone is equal' is..a myth. It's economic Calvinism. If you're one of the elect, the right parents, the right schools, the right connections, you get into capitalist heaven. The rest are damned at birth."


Final note: I was excited about this book. I did get an advanced review copy from NetGalley. Then at the ALA Annual convention I was so happy when the author was there signing books, so I got that which was still an advance review copy. Well, I meant to read the book right away, but the length was daunting. I was tempted to listen to the audiobook from the library, but again, length. The library where I work bought a hard copy of the book. I checked it out and ended up reading that copy, a hardback book. (wanted to keep my signed copy pristine) It was way too heavy to carry, so I read it at night before sleep until I had a stretch of time during the holidays at home, when I blew through the rest of the book, about two-thirds, in just a few days.

2019 Year in Review: Summation and Statistics - facts and details

So this Year in Review post will be about the numbers.

While the discussion about the books, my favorite and such is still being considered I a separate post about the data, and a few other things about my books and reading. This post will probably most interest myself and not other readers, but who knows.

Books read: 117 

including 6 partial read books.

What is not included in my totals are short stories and other short pieces that were free on Audible. I decided that those free (under 3 hours) short pieces were not going to count. Some people may count those as it is reading, but I’m good with my decision.

Goodreads does an overall Year in Books type of overall review as well. It contains mainly images of the books I read, but a few facts listed as well. The link to that visualization is here.

The goodreads year in books claims I read 37,517 pages across 111 books. The shortest being 80 pages with Walking by Henry David Thoreau and the longest being Les Misérables. 

Some of those pages were audiobooks. I typically pick the paperback or hardback copy of the book for books I listen to, so my page count will be accurate for the books I read, and yes listening to a book counts as reading.

I acquired 91 new books, most of which were free as advance reading copies or freebies available through Amazon or Audible. I did buy some books, particularly audiobooks at audible, but also other print and a few eBooks.

My owned and to read had an overall gain of 35 books, as I did try focusing on books I owned to read, and I did read 15 books that I got during the year.

One part of my reading that increased was books from NetGalley. Consistent readers of pg13Reader Reviews may have noticed that many of the reviews were tagged with a disclaimer of thanks to publishers and NetGalley for an advance copy of the book. My reading with NetGalley began in 2017 but it was slow going for the first two years. To quickly sum that up I got 21 books in 2017, 38 books in 2018 and 66 books in 2019. So there was more than both years combined for last year. I do plan on scaling back for 2020 with NetGalley. I do have some books still to read, as some of those 2019 books were to publish in the early months of 2020. I have a few that I missed the publication date and will work through those as well.

2019 Year in Review

Well, almost.

My reviews have slowed down. December became a month where my writing diminished. Felt like the words were stuck and my thoughts were mud. Not sure if I’m out of the mire just yet. 

There was a plan to do a year in review of the 2019 reading. I may still do that, but it may take me all month. I will revise this missive if it ends up happening. Until then, I’m going to go back to the books I read and try to write some review for those and get them on the page.