Review 140: The Milkman's Son

The Milkman's Son: A Memoir of Family History, a DNA Mystery, and a Story of Paternal Love by Randy Lindsay
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


The writing style in the book was conversational, informal, like you were sitting down with the author and he was telling you his story. This is Randy Lindsay’s story of how he found out, late in life, that the man who raised him wasn’t his biological dad. With more people taking DNA tests alongside genealogy research, more situations like this are being discovered. Families are more complex than we thought. In the past unmarried women were socially frowned upon so strongly that secrets about parentage of their children was more important than the truth. That seems to be the case here, as Lindsay’s mother refused to talk about how his dad wasn’t his biological dad.

While reading the book it comes up often that Lindsay was teased by his younger siblings as being the “Milkman’s son” since he didn’t resemble any of them. Lindsay’s way of expressing emotions and dealing with life was also different. When he discovered by DNA that he was only a half-sibling it started to make sense. Much of the book is about discovering who this other family is and their connection.

I found the writing style enjoyable, and it kept me reading, but some details included in the book were odd choices. There was a huge focus on food, which is okay I guess, since food and family often go together. There were odd financial decisions, as well as Lindsay’s wife, as a very minor character in the book. Having his wife so sidelined seemed odd to me. Parts of the book seemed amateurish, but other areas were engaging.

I found the premise behind the book to be one of those surprising things about life, how more connected to each other we are than we actually know. For the author and the emotional journey, this probably was a difficult book to write. In the end, I’m glad to have read the book and happy he shared his story with us as readers.


Book rating: 3.5 stars, rounded up

Thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for an uncorrected advanced electronic review copy of this book.

Review 139: Big Summer

Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Yeah, I’d call this a beach read. We have a young twenty-something that makes some money as an influencer on Instagram and makes the rest of her money by part-time babysitting two kids after school. Daphne’s deal is she is plus sized, and she influences on fashion and gear for her body type. It’s still difficult for Daphne, and her past with the comments kids made still roam through her head all the time.

The plot of the book evolved around a friend, Drue, who is nearly the opposite of Daphne. Drue is rich, beautiful, thin and one of those types who actually treats friends awful, which is why it’s been six years since their friendship had ended. But Drue is back and asked Daphne to be in her wedding, after apologies, and promises of being different now. Well, the wedding will help Daphne’s social media accounts, and perfect timing with the new line of clothing Daphne is now showcasing.

Anyway, there are good aspects to the book, but the plot got a bit boring for myself, honestly. And all the minute details about what people are wearing and other information was excessive. I realize the main character would likely pay attention to these details, but sometimes a glossing over would be nice.

Then the book shifts, dramatically, in part 2. And here the writing seemed to suffer. The characters seemed to act differently than what they were drawn out to be like. There was a weird path that Daphne took, that wasn’t explained very well why she was doing this. But yet this did make the book somewhat more interesting.

I’m sure there will be many fans of this book. The author has a long list of books already to her name. Just don’t expect too much, enjoy the temporary diversion.


Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Review 138: Sigh, Gone: A Misfit's Memoir of Great Books, Punk Rock, and the Fight to Fit In

Sigh, Gone: A Misfit's Memoir of Great Books, Punk Rock, and the Fight to Fit In by Phuc Tran
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book took me much longer to read than it should. I kept putting it aside. Was it the book or me? I tend to think it was the book. While it was written well, there didn’t seem to be a strong thread pulling the story forward that made me want to keep going. Once a chapter finished, it could have been the end of the story, for each chapter.

The frame of the chapters was a great choice, starts out with a classic literature book, then relates how that fit into his life at that time. For example: The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is compared to his teenage transformation, he cannot control and his body does something different and his family treats him differently, much like Gregor Samsa when he turned into a bug with his family reaction.

I particularly enjoyed one of the later chapters “The Autobiography of Malcom X” and Tran’s look at racism. For me that was his most powerful chapter. I wanted to call it essay, since that is what this felt like, a group of essays, that also happen to follow Tran as he ages, starting young when the family left Vietnam to when he graduates high school. Oddly enough, I wanted more post-high school, how was college for him, how did he change?

The book is very readable and relatable.
Overall rating 3.5 stars, and rounded up.


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

Review 137: The Compton Cowboys

The Compton Cowboys: The New Generation of Cowboys in America's Urban Heartland by Walter Thompson-Hernandez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

We need diverse books. We need more books like this. I grew up near Compton, in Long Beach and knew what a rough area that was; never knew about cowboys and farms, and black cowboys no less.

 The writing was decent, except for the foul language by the people being profiled. It gives the book authenticity but sometimes was grating. This is a subject that definitely needs a spotlight, but the organization, frame of the book left me wanting.

The book felt like the plot was thin, where was this going? The overall theme seemed to be the owner, Keiara, wanting to sell the farm and retire, and the new owners may not succeed with their vision. Yet there was many diversions from this story. There are several in-depth focus on specific people. We get to know the individuals, these unknown cowboys in an urban setting. And we see their lives entirely, the good and the bad.

Highly recommend to read the author’s note at the end. It places the book more firmly, adds more to the overall story.

Thanks to William Morrow/HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley for an advance review copy of this book. Although, I had this advanced review eBook copy, I listened to the audio from my public library instead. I heard these voices, and feel it is an excellent way to read this book. The only caveat is that I missed on the photographs that are associated with the published book.

Review 136: Untethered

Untethered by Julie Lawson Timmer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was a slow build up. Around the half-way point it really started to take off, but even some of the characterization of the main character, Char, was hard to get a grasp on until closer to the end. There was a lot of “talking” between characters, like a full page from one character until the other spoke, not sure I’ve seen that before. Anyway, these long passages sometimes didn’t feel natural, and they hid the true feelings for some characters.

Not sure I liked the way the book came to a close, well the last chapter was fine, just what came shortly before. No spoilers here, so it’s slightly difficult to describe. I’m sure many will be okay with it, I just wanted more.

This is a decent book, not overwhelming or anything. There was a new look, for me, at how step-parents and step-families may behave. That alone was worth the read.


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 135: Tear Me Apart

Tear Me Apart by J.T. Ellison
My rating: 2 of 5 stars


When picking up this book I didn't expect much, but got even less than that. It was good for a quick read, but it was very predictable. Some of the relationships didn't seem all that real to me, it was off. The book was also much longer than it needed to be, some of the details were just not needed and so many pages could have been taken out. The end of the book talked about how this book took a long time to write, was rewritten many times, and I'm sure this version is a much improved one, but it needed more work.

I probably should have ditched this book, not finished, but decided to stick it out to the end. You never know with this genre if there's some weird twist at the end, or something that makes it all worth it. Not really here. There's an attempt at a twist, but wasn't surprising and wasn't all that much anyway.


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 134: My Green Manifesto

My Green Manifesto: Down the Charles River in Pursuit of a New Environmentalism by David Gessner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


One month after finished reading this book and finally have some notes:

There were three parts to this book: a river trip on an urban river, that ends up in the Boston Harbor, a coming to his own philosophy about environmentalism, how it should be approached, and the literature criticism of an environmental book.

The primary way the book moves forward is the river trip. Gessner and Dan Driscoll (a friend from the Frisbee days), paddle down the Charles River that ends in the Boston Harbor. Driscoll has made it his life work to improve the river. It started in the 1990s, new in the department and they said look at this river. Driscoll then says, hey, let’s green the river. Put in green pathways, connected, plant native plants, improve it. Soon he became known as “the River man.” It has been a long road but he has been persistent and constant for nearly twenty years. And now it is a good success for most of the river, of course more can be done. During their trip they do pass through very urban areas. Places where they have to haul the canoe a short distance the nature in urban become incongruous. When at the end of the day, you can hop over to a pub, have dinner and a few drinks, it is spectacular.

There is also a conversation about a book Gessner reads while taking this trip, Break Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility by Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger. He argues with the authors on their viewpoints of environmentalism. This book helps Gessner to define his own approach and what may be something more people would be open towards, such as finding a spot in the natural world and fall in love with it

Bonus: Gessner's ideas:

• Have a small love affair with something in the world.
• Get in a fight. (to improve what you love)
• Launch a larger project of self and world.

Read two Gessner books at the same time. This book read: (April 29-May 07)
Other book: All The Wild That Remains: Edward Abbey, Wallace Stegner, and the American West

• 3.5 stars (April 22-May 04)

Review 133: All The Wild That Remains

All The Wild That Remains: Edward Abbey, Wallace Stegner, and the American West by David Gessner
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Part travel autobiography, part biography. The autobiography portion is in search of information and anecdotes about Wallace Stegner or Ed Abbey. I suspect that people who have read most of the books by Stegner and Abbey would get more out of this one than I did. What kept coming up in my mind was, I’ve only read one book by Stegner and it isn’t the most read, nor his most ambitious (Big Rock Candy Mountain). Recently I tried a book by Abbey, and was so disappointed by it, could not get beyond the overt racism and sexism. So this book did have some hurdles for me.

Despite that I enjoyed the book for the most part. I learned about both author’s lives and felt like perhaps I could get beyond some of Abbey’s crassness and read some of his other non-fiction books. The book I was appalled by he wrote furiously as he was dying, which makes me more upset. I would hope people would find peace and love in the end, not more antagonism toward other human beings.

Gessner compares and contracts these two which are somewhat complete opposites, except for their love of preserving the wild. Abbey was a sexist, could hardly stay married (had 5 wives), was a horrible father to most of his children. Then there’s Stegner who was married and loyal for decades, wonderful father. Stegner is quiet and works with legislature to get things preserved, while Abbey is loud and obnoxious and sets the foundation for Earth First! and property destruction in an attempt to stop the real destruction of wilderness.

I enjoyed Gessner’s own journey, meeting up with some people associated with the two authors, and discussing a little of the west and environmentalism. Perhaps the book overall would have worked for me better if I had read more of the Abbey and Stegner.

Read two Gessner books during same time. This book read: (April 22-May 04)
Other book: My Green Manifesto

• 4 stars (April 29-May 07) 

Review 132: They Called Us Enemy

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Everyone will learn something from reading this book, even if you already think you know something about the Japanese internment camps during World War II.

The book was crafted well, the graphics display the words and help portray the story. A few aspects I’d like to point out. One is that not all were accepting of the Japanese being forced into camps. For instance, one man would deliver books to the camps, and was told by the soldiers many times to stop, but he would return the next month with another shipment of books.

I also learned that the US Government attempted to right the wrong. First, to upgrade their hero medal to the Japanese Americans who served in the army, to the Congressional Medal, the highest honor. Also there were reparations to the Japanese Americans who were interred. Everyone still living got a check for $10,000. It went to about half of the people interned, the rest had already passed away, since it was years later. Yes, these attempts to correct didn’t happen right away, but it did occur. It helps to have the government acknowledge the wrong and apologize.

One other aspect I liked with Takei’s autobiography, was how he brought in participatory democracy. That his father, despite what this country did to him, still believed in the fundamentals this country was built upon. People forget that our democracy requires people to participate, if nothing more than at least to vote.

Review 131: Reincarnation Blues

Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A soul named Milo, has been reborn nearly 10,000 times. Once your soul gets to that many lives it will be annihilated forever, ceased to exist. The goal for a soul is to reach perfection. Once you reach perfection your soul goes to join the oversoul. Milo also has this problem of loving Death, who is also named Suzie. Suzie has decided she no longer wants to be Death. Over the long 8,000 plus years, of Milo being reborn, they grow to be lovers while Milo hangs out in the afterlife, between being dead and being born down below again.

The book highlights some of the lives Milo lived, going forward and back in time, although generally when reborn you do go forward in time, although not always. Just the story didn’t always stay linear in that way.

Something in this tale clicked for me. There is the overall relationship, trying to find a way to have their love, and the universe finds it out of balance. They are rebels, both of them. Plus Milo doesn’t seem to know what exactly he is doing wrong so he cannot reach perfection. Suzie and Milo have a plan, when he finally does reach perfection he will refuse to join the oversoul so they can stay together. In his last five or six lives, he finally does really try hard to get to that perfection.

It is a goofy book, for sure. And it goes to the far future, so there’s weird sci-fi kind of things, but not much.

The more I think about this book, the less I appreciate it. Yes, I did find enjoyment within the pages, but there were some areas that bothered me, and it looks like they are being highlighted when I think of the book. There are some extremes here, where it did not need to go. Why did we have this seemingly okay guy go out and shoot at people on a highway? This is just one example, others are even worse. So there’s that aspect. Major discomfort with aspects in the book, and I think it was there on purpose. It bothers me. Another part that bothers me is why does Milo live all these lives and we mostly get the character as a straight male. Once, very briefly we get a female life, but she dies young. We are told in passing his soul was a female many times, but we don’t see that in the book.

I downgraded my initial rating of stars. And now feel somewhat chagrined I did enjoy the book more than I expected, and particularly now with hindsight. Its now short-lived enjoyment. I think the tone reminded me of a couple of authors I like when I was younger. It's been years since I read those books, and now wonder if some flaws there would stand out. Although, those books were written in an earlier time.


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.