Review: Discontent

Discontent by Beatriz Serrano
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: When the Day Comes

When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: Dreamland: Adventures in the Strange Science of Sleep

Dreamland: Adventures in the Strange Science of Sleep by David K. Randall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: Burn Down Master's House

Burn Down Master's House by Clay Cane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In the introduction the author states this book will make you uncomfortable and he definitely achieved that. We have four stories that could be four individual short stories. However, they build on each other. The main character in each story changes, but in the last they all come together more fully. The book takes place in the time of slavery in the South in United States with the main characters being enslaved, with a couple of exceptions.

The first story introduces us to Magnolia Row, the plantation, one of the cruelest in the area. After the events in this story the slaves scatter. The characters in all of the stories are all related in some way to Magnolia Row. In the last story the civil war has begun.

Each character finds a way to fight for their freedom, often in brutal way, paying retribution on their masters. But not always. In one story we have Charity Butler who is gains her freedom (for a time) by the laws in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This story in particular is based on true events.
Several other aspects of these stories are historically accurate. It does take some of the more brutal parts of history, but also shows how people persevered and reclaimed their lives. The book overall feels one sided, with very minimal white people being decent. The characters are not very nuanced. However, it does have one black man being just as cruel when becoming a slaveowner himself.

I listened to the audio which is narrated by the author, but did not really enjoy the narration style. It made a difficult book even more difficult to get through. The words were enunciated very deliberately and slowly, with a pause after every word. I had to speed up the narration more than I typically would to find a better reading pace, which helped. If there is any interest in reading this book my suggestion is to avoid the audiobook.


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Review: Burn Down Master's House

Burn Down Master's House by Clay Cane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: The Vigilante Life of Scott Mckenzie

The Vigilante Life of Scott Mckenzie by Shawn Inmon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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Review: The Autobiography of My Mother

The Autobiography of My Mother by Jamaica Kincaid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After taking a Caribbean literature class in college I bought this book, then did not read it. So after a couple of decades it was finally time. I went into the book somewhat blindly knowing nothing about the story.

Xuela Claudette Richardson was born without a mother as she died in childbirth. Her father, not knowing what to do with her gave her to his laundress as if she was dirty laundry. This woman did not love her. Her father ruled her life, to some extent, but was distant and one could hardly say he loved her. She was born of mixed race in Dominica. Her father sent her to school, actually more schooling than would be expected of a girl in that country. She did not make any close friends. Zuela instead would find what she needed from her own self. She could only rely in her own mind and body.

For much of the book it is somewhat sexual but the language used is not graphic nor what you may find in most typical books. It is the language that propels this book. It is poetic it is sensual.
Zuela’s world is a harsh one. That she claims herself and knows what she wants is amazing. She makes no apologies, lives fully in the world where she is born into, surprising self-accomplishment.

The book is all Zuela’s words of her mind and very little interaction with others as far as dialogue. Yet it works. This is to be read for language and writing style, not so much for the content. And that is what my rating reflects.


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Review: The Autobiography of My Mother

The Autobiography of My Mother by Jamaica Kincaid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: The Good Girl

The Good Girl by Mary Kubica
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Decided to try this audio book which I’ve had for a long while and got for free from audible, who knows why. It could be classified as a thriller, or a police procedural, maybe a mystery. There was a kidnapping. The book reveals the details it in real time and after the fact. This is not my favorite genre, but just having the book propels me to read it, get it off the TBR.

Mia is kidnapped from a bar, where she was to meet her boyfriend, who cancelled again to work late. The before time line is not perfectly linear, but mostly and describes what happened, mostly from Colin’s point of view, but we also get Mia’s mother, Eve and her view of before. One other voice is the police detective trying to solve the case.

The kidnapper, Colin or Own, was to hand her over to another guy who was running the show. The problem is the kidnapper didn't want to see this woman hurt or killed, which would happen if he had handed her over. So he takes her to a remote cabin in the woods to figure out what to do.

The other time line, after, is the current time line. This is when Mia is now back at home recovering. She has memory loss of what happened those months she was missing, she also only responds to a different name. Mia goes to therapy, the mother tries to take care of Mia and the detective is still trying to fully solve this case.

In the audiobook there were multiple narrators, one for each character. I don’t mind this type of narration, and sometimes prefer it. In the end the book was okay, and as seemingly typical there are a few twists that were not that surprising.



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Review: The Good Girl

The Good Girl by Mary Kubica
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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Review 702: The Mind At Night

The Mind At Night: The New Science Of How And Why We Dream by Andrea Rock
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



The subtitle perfectly explains what this book was about...the science of dreaming. It starts with the discovery of the rapid eye movements (REM) sleep correlating with the time during sleep of dreaming. Eugene Aserinsky wasn’t particularly interested in sleep research, but that was where he found himself in 1951 while working on his degree. His lab subject was his eight-year-old son. Other subjects were studied and with his mentor they published their findings that REM sleep correlated with dreaming in the journal Science in 1953. This was the beginning of dream research as a science, as opposed to the psychological aspect, such as Freud.

Freud and his dream theories are mentioned off an on, yet mostly in the way of not accepting that everything is sexual based. Often the book points out ways that proves this is not the case.
The book states the 60’s were the “golden era” of dream research, meaning in the United States, where federal funding started drying up in the 1980s. Then dream research was more of a side-benefit of sleep disorder research.

The book ends with stating there are two main theories of why we dream. One is to work out our emotional states for emotional regulation. The other is dreaming is a way of enhancing memory so as to solidifying learning. More likely it is both.

Although at the time the book was published the research was new, I’ve had this book for a couple of decades so that is no longer the case. The first few chapters the writer wrote some corny lines, like attempts at humor or something. It was awkward reading. But by the end of the book the writing solidifies better, those attempts are gone and just reporting the facts has he found them, and the writing was smoother and worked better.

Review 701: Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Much has been said about this classic, and my thoughts won’t add anything. For starters, didn’t like it very much. Generally I do enjoy classics, but not this one. I found most of the characters disagreeable (not that I need to like characters to enjoy a story, but it does help). I did like Nelly Dean, the woman narrating the story, I liked how she comported herself. She is the frame, telling the story to Mr. Lockwood who is a newcomer. He is renting out Thrushcross Grange and wants to hear the story of his landlord and the people residing in Wuthering Heights. Being ill he needs something to occupy himself. Thus this story, told in incredible details so many years later, you must suspend disbelief.

Heathcliff is a horrible person, not a news flash. Not the only one either. Then there are the whiny characters. And this was back when marrying cousins was completely acceptable. So many cringey moments in this book, but the ending was completely satisfactory. Just took a lot to get there and glad I stuck with it.

Review 700: The Secrets of Catspraddle Village

The Secrets of Catspraddle Village by Callie Browning
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was so short I almost didn't add it in.

This was a very short book of 5 short stories. The setting is Barbados, where the author is from, but set in a small fictional village called Bajan. They are all light-hearted, bit of humor and somewhat quirky. I found it a nice short break from some of the longer reads I've been working on. The audio book is barely over an hour, so it didn't take long to get through the book. 

Review 699: The Christian Watt Papers

The Christian Watt Papers by Christian Watt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Christian Watt grew up and lived in Fraserburgh, located on the eastern side of Scotland, north of Aberdeen. She was born in the 1830s and lived a long life, although about half was in a mental asylum. It seemed like a home that looked carefully after their wards, and Christian was able to leave at times. It was there during her time living there it was suggested she write down her history, which is how the books pages came about.

Christian grew up very poor, the only girl in a large family of brothers, then many died in a boating accident. There were two left, but later those two also died. She had many losses in her life, too many. When she was a little older and married she ended up with having ten children and struggled to get by. At one point she says, if only one of my brothers had lived.

After her husband died in the sea as well was when Christian’s mental troubles started. Trying to manage all on her own became too much. The doctor suggested a rest in the asylum in Aberdeen. After a time she came back home but was shunned by many in the community, they would no longer buy fish from her. Christian said this was when she found out who her true friends were.

Christian had a great memory, remembering all the many people in her family and in the village, and this is all told in the book. It was at times a difficult read due to all these names of people, but to get a sense of what it was like during this time in that place, the book is excellent.

This is an edited autobiography, with the editor adding commentary and explanation to the text. Looking at the included family tree it appears that the editor is a Sir and related to Christian as well.

Review 698: A Swim in a Pond in the Rain

A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life by George Saunders
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This would be a great book if you are looking to improve your story writing skills. I’m not. I had hoped it would be useful as a reader, and it was that, but not as much as I hoped. The book is really geared towards fictional writers.

However, I did get to listen to seven, no, eight stories by classic Russian writers. The audiobook included a bonus story. For these stories and the bit extra, it was worth my time. My rating reflects what I expect how it would help writers.

Review 697: The Name of the Rose

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



If you make it through the first 100 pages, you’re good for the rest. The beginning was purposefully developed to “construct a reader suitable for what comes afterward”. The book was deep into church theology of the era of 1327, while the mystery of why dead monks were turning up took a back seat. Quite a lot going on the book, including a labyrinth library off limits to all but the librarian and assistant.

Have to admit I was disappointed with the ending. But not disappointed with reading the book – a glimpse into the life of monks in the middle ages.

Review 696: The Dark Frontier

The Dark Frontier: Unlocking the Secrets of the Deep Sea by Jeffrey Marlow
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This book is full of scientific discoveries and information about the deep ocean. It also is a bit of an autobiography for the author, but mostly not. Several different people and aspects are discussed throughout the book. This is very cursory and not much of a review...

The last portion gets a bit too much in the weeds about treaty negotiations to protect the ocean floor. Unfortunately, too often money influences when instead an ecosystem should be looked at, or science.

I made a mistake in listening to this book via audio. The narrator was not a good fit for the book.
Normally I don't let a narration influence how I feel about a book, but this one is long, and I became annoyed. I really should have switched to print. Perhaps one day I will return and read a print version, but I don't expect that will happen anytime soon (if at all).

Review 695: Automatic Noodle

Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



A short book with robots as the main characters. They wake up and the restaurant they work in is no longer in operation, so they start it back up themselves.

In this future a war just ended, California is no longer part of the United States and California has strict rules about robots and what they can do, such as not run a restaurant without a human owner.

There's a lot of stuff thrown in the book, but it's so short it's surface level, skimmed over, just mentioned. Some of it makes you wonder why the author even bothered. Did it improve the story, likely no. Anyway, I found the story okay overall.

Review 694: Mrs. Benedict Arnold

Mrs. Benedict Arnold by Emma Parry
My rating: 2.75 of 5 stars

Continuing my desire for American history reading this year this book looked interesting, although it is fictionalized history. What I came away with was – I should have stuck with non-fiction.

In this book Peggy Shippen is a teenager wanting new dresses and looking forward to parties and gawking at the men. She is also smart and intelligent but that seems to take a back seat for a good portion of the book. I almost quit the book several times.

I soldiered on and when Peggy meets Benedict Arnold she is taken by him quickly and very soon they are married. The book becomes less fluffy at this point. Yet the modern language and actions started to really annoy me.

According to this book Peggy Arnold had to convince Benedict to become the traitor he become. Throughout the book Peggy laments the war, wanting it to end, and when their son is born her desire for it to end skyrockets. Thus she believed in these actions to end the war sooner than later, although for the British. Peggy didn’t seem to be much of a patriot anyway.

Thanks to Zando and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book. However, I listened to a published audiobook copy of the book.

Review 693: The Memory Hunters

The Memory Hunters by Mia Tsai
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars



I got hooked into this story and had a hard time putting the book down. I kept grabbing for it whenever I could, so despite its page length I read it fairly quickly. However, the last part of the book spoiled some of the story line for me.

The world building was very interesting, loved the concept of people being able to dive into the past and see things that happened before just by using some mushrooms. Our main character, Key, was particularly gifted and had perfect memory.

Kiana Strade, known as Key, came from a famous and rich family. Her grandmother was form head curator and founder of the Institute of Human Memory. Her mother was head resifix (like a priest) for the city of Asheburg and her father a ctiy councillor. Her mother hoped Key would follow her and not her mother. But Key wanted to work for the museum, do field work, and get away from all the demanding public in the city.

All hunters had guardians, and hers was Vale, a fierce stout woman that was quick to anger. Vale came from the south, where the storms were frequent and lived with losing ones home to the waters happened too often. She was poor, her family depended on her to send money home.

The story begins with Key finding something very interesting about the deep past, and perhaps the beginning of the rituals. The memory was also very strong and wouldn’t leave Key’s mind. This could happen to memory hunters, being haunted by a dive. Yet this find of Key’s seemed so important.

This is a start of a series, but I may just leave it there. In any case, I have to wait until the next book, and I'm not too big on series in general.

Review 692: Angelica

Angelica: For Love and Country in a Time of Revolution by Molly Beer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This year one of my reading goals was to include more history, particularly early American history. I also wouldn’t mind to read about the women involved, and this book fit that category nicely.

Angelica Schuyler Church should be a more well known figure from the revolutionary time particularly coming from a prominent family, except women were expected to be primarily caretakers of the family, mothers and daughters. At a time when the new country was writing a constitution, some women advocated for women to not be overlooked, to be included in having a voice, but that did not happen. Instead women continued to experience the tyranny of the husband and father.

At age 20 Angelica wanted to marry John Barker Church who went by John Carter, but could not get her parents approval. Her father, General Schuyler was busy with war efforts, Carter spent ten weeks with him and still could not gain the approval. Angelica made her own “democratic vote” and eloped. Her parents were embarrassed. Yet, they remained together and the couple ended up having eight children.

Most of the book is about the history of the time, and following the timeline of Angelica’s life until she died in 1814. In 1783 the Church’s went to France as John was the U.S. envoy to France. A few years later John bought property in England and served as a member of the British Parliament until 1796. Meanwhile Angelica went to New York in 1789 to witness the swearing in of the first United States President George Washington. In 1799 they returned to America permanently and founded a town in New York and called it Angelica.

Angelica’s brother-in-law was Alexander Hamilton and she was friends with Thomas Jefferson and other important figures at the time. Without getting much longer in this, the book often veers to the history and other people. There are details of life during these years, such as how the price of butter and other goods were affected by the war. The research done is incredible. The author was born in Angelica, New York and likely was her inspiration for book.

Review 691: Still Needs Work

Still Needs Work: A Novel by Ellen Barker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I tend towards books on work, fiction or not, but more towards fiction. This book falls in the fictional category. The book opens with Marianne attending a conference in San Francisco, when she gets a heads up her job, and her entire department is being eliminated. She finished up the conference with this new status and heads back home.

Marriane is living back in Kansas City, her old childhood home, which has now turned into not a great neighborhood. She had been working remotely after her house in California burned down, apparently not long after her husband died.

Now she is trying to find a new job and continue fixing up her house, and now being careful with money. Her neighbors and her dog are prominent in the book. As Marriane tries finding a new job she seems to work well with finding work or business ideas for those around her.

The book is told simply, and on a day to day basis. The book grew on me, despite how often it is brought up what a bad neighborhood, being East of Troost. And yet I still liked the character and the neighbors as portrayed.

After finishing the book I found out there are several books about this character, guess it’s a series, but not labeled as such. In any case this book works as a stand-alone.

Review 690: In Trees

In Trees: An Exploration by Robert Moor
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

This book is somewhat hard for me to categorize other than saying it is a non-fiction book about trees and the human life, well mostly. It’s somewhat philosophical, somewhat scientific, while also being partly autobiographic.

Each chapter, which can be lengthy, focus on different topic. The book doesn’t have a thesis or summation and the subtitle is perhaps very apt as it is an exploration of trees in a variety of ways.

It begins with the author and his personal experiences, first with climbing trees then with bonsai trees. One surprising chapter was genealogy based, looking at how family are like trees branching out, although it is more in-depth there than I’m summarizing here.

There was a chapter on the Korowai people who live in tree houses, and are mostly living as their people have done for thousands of years. The author does visit. There is a chapter on chimpanzees, who make nests in trees and of course Moor has to sleep the night in one. From there we move into tree-sitters and saving old growth. Moor volunteers a few stints then becomes quite involved in becoming an activist to save some old big trees in Canada.

I felt like the trees were more the launching pad for Moor’s discussions than be centrally focused. I didn’t mind some of the explorations, but a few of them I wasn’t too excited about.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.

Review 689: Five

Five by Ilona Bannister
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



A different sort of thriller type book. Takes place in the underground tube of London and the reader is told one of these five main characters are going to die with the next train coming into the station in five minutes.

The five characters are a mother with her uncontrollable child, and a man approaching her, who appears to be shady. Later we find out they do know each other very well. The other two characters are an older lady who ends up having a heart attack and a young man who helps her. There are several other characters in the train station, several others that help out of the catastrophe not just of the woman on the ground, as several people end up on the tracks.

Most of the book is the backstory of each of the five main characters, while in-between is the current moment at the tube station where there is quite a lot of action going on. The book poses morality question for the reader, which of these characters do you want to die? All have flaws that may have the reader rooting for one character to not make it.

With the way it was presented and the author breaking the fourth wall too often, I wasn't much of a fan of the style. It was a quick read.

Review 688: The Madness Pill

The Madness Pill: One Doctor's Quest to Understand Schizophrenia by Justin Garson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Solomon Snyder, or Sol, was on a quest to find a cure of schizophrenia. In order to do that he thought he needed a drug to mimic what the illness does. So he searched in psychedelics for a while, but it wasn't quite right. When speed came about and psychosis from too much speed, well, this drug was closer.

I liked the succinct way the history of psychiatry was explained. Basically two types of approach to mental health, the environmental factors which talk therapy helps; and the biological approach, which is solved with medication. The later helped move the field into a more acceptable scientific field. This book covers many of the medications that were developed.

The book was divided into the two parts: psychedelics then speed, providing a short history and some of the people that were involved in the development. The book did not solely focus on one doctor, Sol, as there was a cadre of people working in this field, but it did keep coming back to Sol’s work. The organizational method of the book made sense, but it also meant that the timeline wasn’t completely linear.

The tail end of the book became a whirlwind of different drugs all with similar sounding names. It was hard to keep that all straight, but otherwise this was a fascinating and informative book.


Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.

Review 687: Love Can't Feed You

Love Can't Feed You by Cherry Lou Sy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The book opens with Queenie immigrating from the Philippines to New York City with her father and younger brother. They reunite with her mother after 5 years of being apart. Mom has changed and her father has difficulty accepting how she is now. She is more independent.

It's a turbulent family life. Which culminates in the father leaving the small apartment and never returning. Now Mom takes up with a young doctor from the hospital she works at. Meanwhile, Queenie turns 18 and wants to go to college, but her mom makes her work first, earning the money she went into debt to bring them over.

Their live moves quickly along, and many different topics are brought up in the book, and this is where the book flounders. It started off strong, but meandered and went into too many directions and fell flat in the end.

Review 686: Dark Renaissance

Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare's Greatest Rival by Stephen Greenblatt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This book is set in the late16th century, a biography of Christopher Marlowe, although the title nor subtitle mentions that. It appears that he was a collaborator with Shakespeare not a rival, or at least that's not how it was presented in this book.

However, the biography of Marlowe, or at least what is known of him, and the details of his plays was fascinating. There is much more detail about Shakespeare’s life than Marlowe’s, but there are remnants that can be pieced together.

Marlowe was a bit of a genius, son of a cobbler in Canterbury he managed to get a scholarship to Cambridge. He stayed on after the initial degree, working on a Master’s for a couple more years of school. During this time he apparently started working as a spy for the government, spent time in France and generally was away from school more than was allowed. He was not to graduate, except a letter appeared from the Queen’s Privy Council that said, give him the degree.

Instead of becoming the anticipated clergyman, as the scholarship he won had expected, Marlowe went to London and wrote more plays (something he had started as a student). Perhaps he was also still working as a spy for the government. This time period was quite dangerous, the Queen with Walsingham’s spy network attempted to root out all Catholics or plots to overthrow her.

The plays Marlowe wrote were subversive, and the writing was in a new style, which helped to transform art of which Shakespeare benefited. Several of Marlowe’s plays were discussed in detail, which I did appreciate as I have no familiarity with them.

Marlowe was killed at age 29 under mysterious circumstances. Those details are described along with what may have happened. As with many other parts of the book many words such as perhaps, or maybe are used.

Review 685: The Last Kingdom

The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Last year on a whim at a used books store, during a sale I bought several books in this series by Bernard Cornwell. The ancient setting somehow looked appealing. Getting this deep into an author and series unknown to me is not something I typically do. But why not, it helps support a local independent bookstore.

After completing this first book, I am fine with continuing the series, even though I generally don’t read series (although exceptions abound).

Set in the late 9th century Uhtred son of Uhtred is captured by the Danes while trying to avenge the death of his older brother, and his father. Uhtred was still a boy, and Ragnor was amused by this boy’s attempt to attack him. So Ragnor adopted Uhtred.

This first book covers Uhhred’s early life, until being a married man with a young boy of his own. Uhtred became one of those men whose loyalty lies with both the Saxons of Britain and the invading forces of the Danes. He is steeped in the customs of both cultures and religions, as well as languages. It makes for a very interesting story line.

Review 684: Before I Go to Sleep

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Memory is always an interesting topic to me since it is ever changing and often two people will remember the same event differently to some extent. But what if you can’t remember much at all. This book is about someone who loses most of her memory entirely. Who are you if you don’t remember what happened yesterday, or last year, or the last twenty years?

Christine has that problem. She wakes up and is confused, shocked by where she is and who is sleeping next to her. Her husband has to tell her his name, they are married, and the other basics of her life.

Now Christine is keeping a journal, writing down what she learns. She doesn’t remember so her doctor calls her early every morning and tells her where to find her journal. For now, the doctor treating her and the journal are secrets from her husband. As Christine is slowly realizing, he lies to her. Something isn’t right.

The book moves fairly quickly, and I was propelled along with it, wanting to know what is going on. I figured some of it out much earlier than the book let on, so the last portion was a bit drawn out for me. Overall, it was a decent read.

Review 683: A Man Most Driven

A Man Most Driven: Captain John Smith, Pocahontas and the Founding of America by Peter Firstbrook
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I thoroughly enjoyed this biography of Captain John Smith. He led an amazing life, particularly for one who began life as a farmer’s son. His family had some means, as they had a servant and help with the farm, and Smith was sent to school, when poorer families needed the help at home. Early on Smith was interested in having “brave adventurers”.

The experiences of John Smith, particularly with establishing Jamestown in 1606 came from his writings. Smith wrote his own biography and several different accounts of what happened in Jamestown during his life. To go over all of the mishaps and many ways Smith narrowly avoided death would take too long.

Early on in his life he sought his adventurers by joining to fight against the Spanish in 1597, then a few years later trying to become a crusader fighting against the Turks. Not being Catholic only slightly dampened those “adventures” as he was involved in plenty of fighting. Enough to where the Prince of Transylvania awarded him a coat of arms and a small pension and rank of Captain. After being captured and enslaved, killing his master and escaping, Smith decided his adventures on the continent was enough.

Yet back in England he was not content to manage the farm, so he used his contacts in London to join the Virginia Company of London, or London Company and went to the new world in 1607. A good portion of the book is about this time, as it is very significant. Yet this is already getting long.

One of the aspects that I appreciated with this book is the author goes to lengths to determine if what Smith had reportedly done actually happened. Smith perhaps embellished and a braggart about his accomplishments and experiences.

This was a well written book. I started reading the print book, then realized I had bought an audiobook as well, and listened to a good portion of the book as well, as the narrator did an excellent job. However, there was material in the print copy you cannot get in audio with a few maps and images throughout.

Many things can be said about Captain John Smith, and one for certain is without him, Jamestown settlement would not have survived. He was crucial for the success of the first English settlement in the New World.

This will be one of my top reads for the year. 

Review 682: Upward Bound

Upward Bound by Woody Brown
My rating: 3.75 of 5 stars



This is a fictionalized autobiography, but with many viewpoints. The author and main narrator is autistic and has trouble communicating, only his mother understands him by using a letter board. Seeing a clip of Brown and his mother using the board and communicating, it appears that she interprets heavily, so maybe there are actually two authors for this book.

Despite that, the book on it’s own is heart-felt. It shows how people with disabilities can connect even when they have a hard time verbalizing words. One of the characters is so heart-breaking as he tries to communicate with blinking but no one seems to notice.

The book has the point-of-view with several of the people who go to Upward Bound, a day-care facility for adults with disabilities. The book also includes several of the people who work there, and one who does not. This one is a worker at Target, where the Upward Bound group visits every Friday morning.

There isn't a plot, but there is a trajectory of sorts, and through the different voices one can understand what this place is like. And the book while emotional, is not all heavy, there is some bits of humor as well.

I listened to an audiobook of this and it has a different narrator for each character. Most do not repeat, except for the fictionalized author, he appears for a few chapters.

Later edit: The author is most likely the named author's mother. If interested look up facilitated communication.

Review 681: Dreams and Hypotheticals

Dreams and Hypotheticals by K.E. Wilkinson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was interested in this book due to something in the description that mentioned “precognitive dreams” (due to some interest in dreams). And yes, this book is about that, and a bit more.

It’s 1990 and the first year in college for Emma in Tallahassee as a music major, playing trumpet. She is a brazen young woman and the book starts with her asking a hypothetical question that people think is surprising and makes her ask others and so it expands way beyond what she would have done on her own. The question is: “This is a hypothetical question not an offer, would you sleep with me?” Turns out Emma is still a virgin, but she used this question to learn something about the people she asks.

Each chapter begins with a quote then a short snippet from her journal. Early on we find out that she’s had a few dreams that end up becoming true, and one that has repeated she expects will also come true frightens her a little. When she meets Robert she feels this is the one from that dream. She feels something with him that confuses her.

As the book goes on it discusses her college life, but goes deeper and deeper into this strange relationship with Robert. It becomes a push and pull with those two. Odd things seem to happen and involve another friend, Owen.

The book is overly long, it could be cut in half and been the same book. It goes over the same type of scenario time and again and it becomes a bit tedious. The ending of the book does nothing to save it either.

Perhaps my rating is a bit generous, but it’s really not bad for a self-published book.

Review 680: Unbearable

Unbearable: Five Women and the Perils of Pregnancy in America by Irin Carmon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book looks at being pregnant in the United States post revoking Roe v. Wade, where abortion is now nearly impossible in many states. Unfortunately, some state laws are going even further, which give more consideration to unborn, even when the woman's life is endanger.

The focus in this book is not about women being forced to carry to term babies they did not want. Instead it is about how these changing laws give preference to the babies in gestation over the mother’s health.

The book follows five women throughout multiple pregnancies and how the laws and being pregnant has effected each of them. Unfortunately, there is also a huge divide of care based on color of skin, and wealth (of course).

The book is shocking and appalling, to say the least. For these women profiled, and women in similar locations and situations, their life is endangered every time they get pregnant.

The book is too heavily centered on Alabama and New York City. It may have done better to expand to a couple other areas in the country.

Review 679: The Escapes of David George

The Escapes of David George: An Odyssey of Slavery, Freedom, and the American Revolution by Gregory E. O'Malley
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars



David George was born into slavery and named Davy. He had his own mind about how he wanted to live his live and his master was not a kind one. In 1762 aged 19 he ran away, going south from the Virginia plantation. Davy managed to escape for a time.

David, as he now wanted to be called, was helped by white people several times during his initial escape. John Green, became a sort of friend, where David lived and worked for two years. It was not in Green’s best interest to harbor a fugitive slave but he did so, and when word came the slave catchers were after David, he ran again.

This time he was captured by the Creek Peoples and was a slave once again, but of an entirely different sort. While still trying to escape his original owner, the Chappells were hot on his heels during his time with the Creeks. David somehow managed be involved with the Nachez people, King Jack in particular. It appears that Jack had brokered a deal where David was purchased by John Miller, or George Gaulphin from the Chappells. David now lived in a trading post managed by John Miller, living here for about three years.

Now around 25 David told Mr. Gaulfin and he wanted to live with him in Silver Bluff. So David ended up choosing his master, not a typical situation by a slave.

Here in Silver Bluff David settled down, had a wife and soon children. During his time here David had a profound reaction to a comment about religion and he sought this out. Over a short period of time David started to become a preacher and chose the last name for himself of George.
When the American Revolution began David George sided with the British as a way to escape slavery. Joining their forces he found that he wasn’t escaping racism and so after the war he and his family moved to Nova Scotia.

In Canada David was emancipated and became a minister with a community. Although they were technically free racism and prejudice still abound. The blacks were blamed for whatever when wrong and at point a riot of the white peoples against the blacks broke out that that destroyed many black homes. Realizing they would never be completely free the community emigrated to Sierra Leone.

David George’s life while not entirely his own, was still formed by his own decisions time and again while trying to escape a situation that he did not like.

This is a fascinating story. The book was somewhat dry at times, although the facts themselves are quite compelling. Several times there is a repetition of what was already explained, even a summing up of what came before, which detracted from my overall rating. The book takes on the wider lens of history at that time, and seemed like the book was trying to be a primer of what slavery looked like in the mid-1700’s. For those unfamiliar with the history and situation the extra material will enhance the material.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book. However, I listened to a published audiobook copy of the book. This is not the ideal way to read this book, the narrator does not favors to the material.

Review 678: The Elements of Marie Curie

The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science by Dava Sobel
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Having read another biography of Marie Curie a few years back I had hoped for more than just that, and this book does provide more. There is some of the science that Marie Curie was involved in. The book also highlighted some of the women that came to Curie's laboratory and worked there, and what they worked on. I listened to the audiobook from the library, however had the print nearby as it contained many photos.

Review 677: The Blackbirds of St. Giles

The Blackbirds of St. Giles by Lila Cain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I was taken by this cover and barely read what the book would be about. The book takes place mostly in London in the late 1700s just after the revolutionary war.

Daniel and his sister Pearl are the only ones from his family who escaped enslavement year prior. Daniel made a name for himself serving the British in the revolutionary war. Upon arriving in London all that was promised him was taken away.

Now destitute he finds himself in the worst part of London in St. Giles ruled by a despot the "King of the Rockery" who you must obey. An interesting historical fiction.

Review 676: Nickel and Dime

Nickel and Dime by Gary Soto
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This somewhat short book contains three related stories. They take place in Oakland, California in the 1990s.

The first story: We Ain't Asking Much the main character is Roberto Silva, happy to have been let go at Walnut Bank as a security guard. His job was replaced by a security camera. Soon enough though, Roberto finds himself out of money and homeless, trying to sell something in order to eat.

The second story called Literary Life has Silver Mendez as the main character. A poet past his prime and happy to have this reading a small college in central California. Once home he finds his stuff on the lawn and kicked out of his apartment. Mendez at least has a car for shelter and ends up befriending Roberto who’s been homeless for two years now.

In the last story called The Untimely Passing of the Clock Radio we return to Walnut Bank as the other security guard, Gustavo Hernandez, is about to retire. Despite working for the bank for years he doesn’t have much savings. Roberto appears in this story as well, five years after his parting with the bank, and now asking Gus for help.

These are not joyful stories, looking at Hispanic men as they become homeless, or very poor despite loyally working for a company for years. What I didn’t like his how the three men are portrayed as simple, not very intelligent. And yet, there is a wee bit of humor laced into these stories as well.

Review 675: The Last Season

The Last Season by Eric Blehm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



This book details the account of what happened when an experienced backcountry ranger went missing in July 1996. Randy Morgenson was a seasonal ranger for the Sequioa and Kings National Park in the Sierra Nevada mountains for 28 years. He grew up in Yosemite Valley and was one of the most capable people in wilderness. Yet he went missing on a routine patrol of his assigned around from the Bench Lake Ranger Station.

The book chapters alternate between the biography of Randy with the detail and action of the search and rescue effort for him.

A search and rescue operation started several days after later and they searched for two weeks and did not find one trace of Randy. There were several theories of what may have happened. Was it an accident, did he get attacked, or did he commit suicide? There was even the theory that Randy left the mountains entirely and disappeared. Those who were very close to Randy discounted this was a possibility, but all scenarios were considered.

Randy was in turmoil that season. He brought had divorce papers with him to his ranger station. In recent years had had an affair with another backcountry ranger. Randy and Gail had been married for over twenty years. But the months long absence had put a definite strain on their relationship. Randy was someone who could not live without the mountains and wilderness. Yet he started to question if his season employment was something that he should continue.

The detail in the book is extensive, his biography, the search and rescue, and the terrain of the mountains. It is clear in the beginning that Randy does not survive, so the main question remained if he committed suicide or had an accident of some sort. While I enjoyed the book, the one caveat is how the author put in this mysticism of the mountains, which was a bit heavy handed in the final portion of the book.

Review 674: Poverty, by America

Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


An excellent well written book. Perhaps I will return to say more, but for now, just go read this book.

Review 673: More Than Enough

More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen
My rating: 3.25 of 5 stars

Had a hard time connecting with this story in the beginning and considered not continuing, but pushed on and by the end was happy I stuck with it.

The novel is told from a first-person point of view and is almost a stream of consciousness type writing. There are all these people in Polly’s life at first it was hard to keep it all straight who and what was going on, as there are multiple threads.

One main theme is the infertility issues Polly and her perfect husband Mark are going through. A second is the DNA test she recently took that showed a close relative, a niece, but it couldn’t be. Her gay brother didn’t have any children. She obsesses with this while meeting with her book club and friends, visits to her father in a care facility for his dementia. Her mother just couldn’t take care of him any longer, which didn’t help Polly with her somewhat chilly relationship with mom. This is not all that’s going on either.

The book is about life and things that are thrown your way. For the most part it is not a happy story, but there are happy parts and it isn’t written in a depressing way at all, instead very upbeat.


Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book. However, I listened to a published audiobook copy of the book.

Review 672: Black-Owned

Black-Owned: The Revolutionary Life of the Black Bookstore by Char Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



A history of black-owned bookstores, starting with the very beginning in the 1830s with David Ruggles and his pushcart selling books at a time when many blacks were enslaved and forbidden to read. Then the turbulent 60's and 70's, and through the decades to today. There are only a few people and stores profiled. The book could not be comprehensive for all stores that existed at one time

In the late 60s there weren’t many black-owned stores, and the FBI kept tabs on those that did exist. Unfortunately, they were also targeted. Drum and Spear was one such store and worker Ralph Featherstone was killed in a car bomb likely planted by the FBI. Another store, Liberation, had been sent a package of dynamite that killed a bookstore employee and injured the owner Una Mulzac.

Later, in the aughts Karibu Bookstore was profiled as the chain of stores didn’t last long. Among other problems, it also was up against what all bookstores have a problem with, the big box stores and the online giant amazon.

More recently black-owned bookstores had a surge of sales for a while when the Black Lives Matter protests and movement was started. That surge has since eased off back to the usual level of bookselling and activity.

Listed in the back of the book are over 50 black-owned bookstores by state and around 40 online stores that were once brick and mortar stores. This type of list can only be a snapshot in time. Likely more stable is the list of 10 books black booksellers want everyone to read.

Review 671: Pale Fire

Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



The format of the book is unusual, not your typical novel. All of it is fiction, where the form is a critical analysis book of a long poem. The long 99 line poem is called Pale Fire, by fictional American author John Shade. The bulk of the book is the commentary by Charles Kinbote, author of the foreword and editor of the poem. The commentary dissects the poem by lines, or sometimes just a word.

Kinbote was the neighbor, and “close friend” of the author in the last months of his life. Shade had just finished the poem when he died. Kinbote expected the poem to be about his country Zembla, where the king was overthrown, but escaped while being held captive.

The details of all this comes out in the commentary, which is not what the poem is about, but Kinbote misinterprets it, or adds all of his own details. It ends up being quite entertaining.

I even read the index entirely since there was humor found in those referenced notes. Nabokov writes so incredibly well. I love all the unique words he uses in his writing, makes for delightful reading.

Review 670: Buckeye

Buckeye by Patrick Ryan
My rating: 3.75 of 5 stars

A moving fictional account of several people, two families really, over several decades. It starts with Margaret, a baby abandoned at an orphanage and ends with her child Thomas Salt.

The book’s title comes from the nickname of the child - Thomas Aquinas Salt, so perhaps the book is more about him than anyone else, but the book starts with his parents and stays there nearly for the entirety.

A good portion of the book takes place during WWII, but the war is not front and center. We remain mostly stateside, in the small town of Bonhomie, Ohio.

Another long section is later, during the Vietnam war era. Some years are glossed over, described in quick sentences, but with such a long time frame all can't be detailed out. The book is well written, engaging and very moving.

I listened to the audiobook which was narrated quite well, with emotion and emphasis that adds a little extra to the story

Review 669: Inventing a Nation

Inventing a Nation: Washington, Adams, Jefferson by Gore Vidal
My rating: 2.75 of 5 stars

This year, the 250th anniversary of my county’s beginning, I want to read a few history books, particularly of the beginning era, starting with what I already have on my bookshelves. I know the basics, but the specifics have been left far behind in my school years. And despite where the country is right now (and how much I want to leave it right now), knowing history can’t be a bad idea.

But starting here may have been a bad choice. Gore Vidal did not write this book in a cohesive manner. The book was meandering and very much not linear, which caused much confusion for me. Since I’m only vaguely aware of the history this book discusses I didn’t gain very much, just bits and pieces here and there. One more familiar with the topic may get more out of it than me. Generally it describes the beginning of the nation and some contributions by three major figures of George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. There are many asides and off-topic discussions though.

One can tell this was written shortly after the September 11th tragedy, as Vidal refers to the aftermath a few times. It is that lens of where the country was this book was written.

Book rating: 2.75 stars

Review 668: Snack

Snack by Eurie Dahn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Who doesn’t love snacks? This book explores the topic, but by no means exhaustive as there can be much said about snacks. The snack food category has become an explosion in recent years. Dahn provides some of the early history, such as the legend of the first potato chip in 1853, although it really isn’t the first.

Confusion around history of snacks continues with the first chapter discussing Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. There is some discrepancy on who invented this flavorful snack. Invented by Richard Montañez who rose in the Frito-Lay plant from janitor to manager? Or was it a bunch of scientists in a lab looking for a new flavor?

The second chapter was about snacks for children, which went a bit long, while the third chapter is an extremely short, labeled “Fruits and Vegetables” and Dahn says she will not discuss even though there are foods here that qualify as snacks. I loved that.

“Guilty Pleasures” discusses the ramifications of diet culture and who can be seen as eating snacks in public. And the last chapter is “Chocolate and Dried Squid” which discuss more of Dahn’s favorite snacks. Her ethnic snacks come up frequently in the book.

The blend of Dahn’s own history and experience of snacks growing up, to what she gives to her kids, was well meshed in with the history and culture aspect of snacks. The book was slightly fun, which is how snacks are often, or at least portrayed. And it left me wanting more.


Thanks to Bloomsbury Academic and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.

Review 667: Doctors Cry Too!

Doctors Cry Too!: Essays from the Heart of a Physician by Frank H. Boehm
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

The author co-writes a column for his local newspaper in Nashville, Tennessee related to being a doctor. This book is a compilation of some of the essays that appeared there that he wrote. Each essay is fairly short, only takes a couple of minutes of reading. The grouping of the essays is into four sections, with the last the longest part of the book, titled “A Personal Point of View”, however, all of the essays could fall into that category.

The book is somewhat dated, since the essays were written mostly in the late 1990s. Medical advancements and understanding the human body have improved since then, making some of the advice not accurate any longer. But for the most part what he says, such as living life the fullest, is always good advice.

Many of the essays are personal, discussing his family and friends, as well as his own life. The book was okay, very heartfelt from the author, but not too sure how much I truly got out of the book. If it was a longer book not sure I would have read it entirely.

Review 666: An Extraordinary Union

An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'm not a romance fan...if you are, this book may work for you. 

Review 665: Lady Macbeth

Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A retelling of Shakespeare’s play Macbeth told from the wife. This was a vastly different version, the characters are reinvented. The book was quite dark, yet the language for the most part did evoke an older time.

Roscilla/Roscille/Lady Macbeth is a hagseed, born with a witch curse, who makes men mad when they stare into her eyes. Thus her father placed a veil over her so as to protect men. Roscille is a teenager married off from her uncaring father to a brutish, overly large Scotsman – Thane of Glammis. He keeps three witches down below in the ocean water beneath the castle, they tell him the prophecies.

There are similarities to the original play, but the core, so much was not. Places are even spelled differently. It makes one wonder why not write anew and not be tied to, compared to the play. I think the book would have been stronger that way. Although, still, the main character was not drawn consistently.

I’m on the fence how to rate this, comparing to the original as a retelling I would rate it low. On its own a bit better, so I’m placing it in the middle with 3 stars.

Review 664: The Overhaul

The Overhaul by Kathleen Jamie
My rating: 4.25 of 5 stars

Quite enjoyed most of these poems. They are descriptive, mainly of nature. A few were in what I took to be Gaelic, were the most difficult to follow. Not sure I fully understood those ones. I read this fairly quickly, as it's a short book, but likely better if read slowly to savor the imagery.

Review 663: Evergreen

Evergreen: The Trees That Shaped America by Trent Preszler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I like reading books about trees. This one took the evergreen trees as a jumping point. This was a social history, looking at what trees are used for with a focus on the use of wood and Christmas trees. The holiday tree became a recurring theme, even looking at the various fake trees history, and what a Christmas tree can symbolize.

Wood is a very important resource. This was not a complete assessment of everything evergreens are used for, but did discuss a variety of areas. Which trees that were found to be better during the war, which trees are better the balloon frame type house that became popular.

Preszler meanders away from the topic, going into more social and cultural history at times, such as lumberjack camps and how that plays into gay history. After veering away from the trees, he would refocus back, particularly onto the Christmas tree.

Had hoped for more about the trees history, not just focused on its usage, but it was a decent book overall.


Thanks to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book. However, I listened to a published audiobook copy of the book.