Review: The Book Thieves: The Nazi Looting of Europe's Libraries and the Race to Return a Literary Inheritance

The Book Thieves: The Nazi Looting of Europe's Libraries and the Race to Return a Literary Inheritance by Anders Rydell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I (along with another Adult Services Librarian) chose this title for one of our book discussion groups. The book was extremely interesting but was too academic in reading for most of the group's tastes. They preferred more of a narrative throughout the work to better tell this story.

I very much enjoyed this book. It was tough to get through due to the subject matter. I learned more about the Holocaust than I knew before. This is a story that I don't believe most people are aware of and it should be heard more. Books keep the history of a culture, of a people, of people's lives and the Nazis systematically destroyed (or attempted to destroy) both the majority of the history and the integrity of the people themselves. There are a lot of parallels to modern times in this book which all lead down dark dark paths. It is important to know about this history to better prevent it from repeating itself. I hope we can stop those that attempt this foolery (for lack of a better word) again.

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Review of "The Gifted School" by Bruce Holsinger

The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I started reading this book a while ago and couldn’t get past the first chapter. I came back to it recently and once I got past the first chapter, I couldn’t stop reading! There are a lot of characters in this story so I got a little confused at times. I ended up making a list of characters to keep everyone and their relations straight while I continued throughout the book. Holsinger presents each chapter in a different character’s point of view. We hear the story from different angles, whether from a parent or a child, which adds an important element to the story. It would’ve been too 1 dimensional if we didn’t hear this story from the perspective of the children. Ultimately, this story makes the reader question the merits of a “gifted” school or truly even what constitutes as “gifted”. Similar to “Big Little Lies”, these parents tend to be self-involved and focused on how everyone else perceives their family rather than what’s best for their particular child. Holsinger creates a page-turner of a drama and I couldn’t wait to read what happened next. Recommended.

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Review of "Consent: A Memoir of Unwanted Attention" by Donna Freitas

Consent: A Memoir of Unwanted Attention by Donna Freitas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Rating: 3.5

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

TRIGGERS: sexual abuse, stalking, PTSD

“Consent” is a book about telling a woman’s truth. Donna Freitas suffered a form of sexual abuse in grad school and it destroyed her life as she knew it. She tells the reader exactly, step by step, how this person took a calculated measure to infect every inch of her world. She puts the reader into her skin and it made me feel gross just reading about the abuse. It’s exhausting to read on about how much she suffered because she makes you empathize with her so much, even if you haven’t suffered anything similar to it in your actual life. This is an important book to read to hear about consent in the viewpoint of a victim of abuse. Especially, abuse that occurred in the academic world and how universities (and the Catholic Church in this case) respond to reports of sexual abuse. It’s an upsetting story with an important message. Due to its content, this book could be triggering to those who are suffering from PTSD due to abuse in their past. I would recommend this book to those interested in reading on the topic of consent or sexual abuse scandals in university settings. There are plenty of books on this topic but this book provides the most important angle of all. The view of the person who suffers the most from the incident. It’s so important for her to be able to tell her story, so you should listen and know her story.

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Review of "This is How It Always Is" by Laurie Frankel

This is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Frankel introduces the reader to a young family of five children. When Rosie and Penn are expecting their fifth and youngest child, Rosie is wishing for a girl as she's only had boys prior. She planned on naming her child "Poppy" after her late sister. However, when the fifth child was born, it was a boy and they named him Claude. As Claude grows up, he asks to wear a dress to school and over time asks to be called Poppy. This is the story of how a very young child goes through the trials and errors of defining their gender identity.

I enjoyed the beginning part of the book but as it progressed I liked it less and less. It definitely has a preachy quality for trans-rights and gender queer identities rather than a personal or accurate portrayal of this type of experience. I do not know if Frankel herself has someone in her life that has gone through this type of transition but it does not come across that she has any personal knowledge of what it is like. It felt like it was a rose-colored look into how a young child would experience this self-education of their own identity. I did appreciate that this population is getting featured in literature as it is the first novel I have read with a gender-queer protagonist so props to Frankel for that. For me, the book should have cut out a good portion of the middle. It did feel like she added in a bunch of the same stuff so it got monotonous and tedious to listen to.

If you like stories about families with children who feel or are different than other children and you appreciate happy endings...this book is for you!

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Review of "Hamilton: The Revolution" by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. It was difficult to keep listening to the book straight through since it's basically lined up like the show and you'll want to listen to the songs after you read about it. So I was constantly switching between listening to the audiobook and the cast album. I very much enjoyed learning of the background story of the musical and the long process of putting it on stage. I didn't realize how collaborative Lin was with his cast members in composing the music. The last section of the book is read by Lin himself and he's reading his footnotes for the libretto to the musical. It was a little confusing to follow without looking at the book itself but all the little tidbits were fascinating. I do own the print book as well and it's a gorgeous book to gift to lovers of musical theatre. The pictures are fantastic! Highly recommend.

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Review of "Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist" by Eli Saslow

Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist by Eli Saslow
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Scott Brick. Brick does a wonderful job of emoting the thoughts of each and every character. You could feel the differences between Don Black's thoughts and Allison's.

This work of nonfiction by Saslow tells the story of Derek Black, the son of Don Black, former KKK Grand Wizard and Chloe Black, who was previously married to David Duke. Derek was ultimately White Nationalist royalty and he was treated as such. However, after attending a liberal arts school and actively socializing with people of different cultures and ethnicities, Derek begins to see things a little differently. This book is an example of the best way to handle someone whose beliefs are seen as dangerous or morally wrong. Instead of hating and avoiding Derek at all cost, his friends at New College of Florida welcomed him into their homes and conducted civil debate. His girlfriend at the time would send him reputable articles and scholarly studies to disprove his false statistics and stories. Eventually, he saw the light. They never gave up on him, despite the rest of the campus shunning him. I think this story is such an important one to hear. This is the answer for fusing this divide in our country. We should stop hating those on the other side of the aisle. Let's conduct a dialogue and try to emulate what young Derek Black did and actually listen to others. I highly highly recommend this book for everyone to read. An important story for our generation and it's so timely.

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Review of "The Nickel Boys" by Colson Whitehead

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was a fan of Colson Whitehead's last book The Underground Railroad. It was a very difficult read but a very good story. This book echoes that sentiment. It wasn't an easy read due to the subject matter but it was a very good story. Whitehead does an amazing job of developing the main character, Elwood Curtis. For some, they could probably remember the events that took place during the time frame of the book. Elwood's story begins in 1962 and he obsessively listens to a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. record over and over. He admires the civil rights movement leaders and mentions several key events in history. Whitehead does a great job of introducing Jim Crow era experiences to those like myself who could never imagine experiences as such. In my opinion, the best historical fiction is drawn from true stories and this was no exception. In Whitehead's previous novel, he introduces the story of a slave in the south and in this novel, he introduces a segregated reform school and the horrors that ensued within. I would recommend this book to those who were drawn to the writing of Whitehead either in "Underground Railroad" or prior. Fans of historical fiction should definitely read this and honestly, I think most Americans should read this because it is a story that isn't told often at all. Powerful and sticks with you long after finishing this short novel.

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Review of "An American Marriage" by Tayari Jones

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was chosen for a book discussion group held in my library. This book wouldn't have been something that I would've gravitated to on my own. My co-worker suggested we add it to the list of 2019 titles and upon reading the description of the novel, I was intrigued. I was drawn in from the beginning of the book to Jones's style of writing. This novel was written in the first person from the point of views of three characters; Roy, a husband who after one year of marriage is falsely accused and convicted to 12 years of prison for committing a rape of another woman; Celestial, Roy's wife of one year when he is sentenced to prison and has to grapple with what to do next; and Andre, Celestial's childhood friend and Roy's college roommate who steps into Roy's place in his absence. The novel revolves around this love triangle and how this prison sentence affects each of their lives. The overarching theme of this book is definitely the treatment of black men in law and order in America. This topic is so timely with other books and documentaries such as "The 13th" released within the past few years. We, as the reader, are left to decide what course of action was "right" for these characters. After being exonerated and released from prison 5 years into his sentence, Roy returns to his wife expecting to continue on in his marriage, despite her silence in communication the past 2 years. I think that Jones could've been clearer in Roy and Celestial's marriage prior to the arrest. Also, the trial itself wasn't covered enough in my opinion. Overall, I thought that this book was a glimpse into the impact that racial profiling can have on a young couple and their families.

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Review of "Childfree by Choice: The Movement Redefining Family and Creating a New Age of Independence" by Amy Blackstone

Childfree by Choice: The Movement Redefining Family and Creating a New Age of Independence by Amy Blackstone
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I decided to read this book because I thought it would be a testament to Blackstone's decision to not have children. However, this book is definitely more of a description of the movement of being "Childfree by Choice", as the title suggests. Blackstone covers topics including maternal instinct, happiness and aging and compares parents versus nonparents. As a sociologist herself, she quotes and references tons of different studies over the years that show that choosing not to parent won't ruin one's life. She also conducted her own series of interviews of childfree singles and couples for this book. I felt like Blackstone was being quite defensive of her position throughout the book, but it's understandable why it came across that way. As she explains, we live in a pronatalist world that leaves those who choose not to reproduce to defend their decision to others. The overall point that Blackstone is trying to get across is that people should have the freedom to make decisions for their own futures and that those that end up "childless", either by choice or not, should not be forever questioned whether they live an unhappy, regretful, bitter life. I look forward to reading some of the memoirs that she references to find those testaments I was seeking. I would definitely suggest this book to those who do not understand the choice that is being childfree. This book is not geared toward those who are unable to conceive biologically but reading the findings of studies comparing parents and nonparents in their late life could make this population comforted that their life isn't over.

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Review of "A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire Book 1" by George R. R. Martin

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I listened to this audiobook as preparation for a Game of Thrones Trivia Night that I'm hosting this upcoming July. Having watched the entire series prior to reading this book, I felt like I was able to get all the foreshadowing and symbolism that George R. R. Martin intended. I was rewatching season 1 while starting this book and I very much enjoyed how closely the TV series stayed to the books, to a degree. Obviously, the book allows the reader to hear the inner thoughts and motivations of the characters so I enjoyed learning more about my favorite characters from the series. I am not a high fantasy fan myself, so I do not plan on reading the rest of the book series, nor would I have picked up this book had it not been for the TV series.

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Review of "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous" by Ocean Vuong

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was extremely different than any other book I've read before. First, the book is labeled as a novel, but it reads very much like a memoir. It felt autobiographical and too honest to be fictional. Ocean Vuong wrote this book in a stream of consciousness style while left very little for plot. The narrator is writing to his mother and talks about different fragments of memories, time, events, etc. The timeline is all over the place and hard to follow if you're trying to understand the family's timeline. The main character who is affectionately referred to as "Little Dog" is Vietnamese and moved to the US as a young child. He recalls stories that his mother and his grandmother have told him of their time back in Vietnam. Topics regarding the Vietnam War are discussed as well as becoming a writer, life of immigrants, mental illness, human sexuality, cancer and the Opioid Epidemic. As the protagonist/narrator is of the millennial generation, many things he discusses are relatable to people in that generation, but from the skewed viewpoint of an immigrant queer boy. The use of language and syntax in this novel is far different than what I'm used to reading and honestly, it was very hard for me to follow. It was beautiful to read and if I could probably dissect this book and try to understand every meaning Vuong put into his sentences. The novel read like poetry in its use of sentences, punctuation, paragraph structure and metaphors. I'm not a huge fan of poetry so that's probably why this book didn't connect with me as much as I had hoped. I am glad that I read it however, as ingesting different types of art in book form is always good. I like diversifying my choices of reading. I don't know many people personally who I would recommend this book to, but I feel that fans of certain poets could enjoy this book.

This review is also posted on Netgalley and my personal blog.

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Review of "A Little Life" by Hanya Yanagihara

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was given to me as a birthday gift from a very good friend. She had highly suggested I read it and thus bought it for me as a present. I love her very much and I appreciate her book choices but her and I read this book very differently. First, I would never buy this for someone as a gift. There are far too many triggers in this book...(child abuse, sex trafficking, self-harm, suicide) and I would never want to assume that someone wouldn't be triggered by them. Second, this book was extremely depressing and very hard to get through due to the subject material. My friend loved the author's style of writing and I agree but I don't think it was beautiful enough to distract me from the subject matter. I think this book is very interesting, in that, Yanagihara titles the 814-pg. novel "A Little Life" (slightly oxymoronic in my opinion), and that she focuses the story on someone whose life could be seen as insignificant but the author expounds on the idea that Jude's life was far from insignificant. Starting the novel, I felt it a task to feel connected to the characters, but less than a quarter of the way through the book, I was hooked into the storyline. I wanted and later needed to know what happened to this people, especially the "protagonist" Jude. Many times I did want to quit reading, when the subject matter made me cringe, bawl, or gag, but since my friend recommended it, I trucked on. I was glad that I finished the book as it gleams some form of conclusion and this book was very different from others I have read. I can't say that I'd recommend it to anyone, but it is a challenging read and probably important/interesting to students of literature.


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Review of "The Music Shop" by Rachel Joyce

The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I devoured this book! I had chosen this book for my book discussion group that meets at the bar before having read the book but the description sounded very interesting. I, myself, am a huge vinyl lover. I started my vinyl collection around 2014 and I've amassed over 100 titles so far. I also studied music in school so I was already familiar with a lot of music mentioned in the book. I was hooked from the start! Yes, the music spoke to me but Joyce's characters were developed right from the beginning of the book. I felt connected to each character, similarly to how I felt reading A Man Called Ove and other Fredrik Backman books. This book is hilarious, causing me to laugh out loud several times. I also felt a wide spectrum of emotions in other sections of the book, happy and sad tears being among them. I've already recommended this book to several of my friends who I know love vinyl and music, or are fans of "Ove" and that world. If you love quirky characters and a fun story about the power of music, please do yourself a favor and read this book!! The chapters are nice and short and I promise you won't want to set it down. I would definitely add this book to my list of recent favorites (and I'm very particular about which books I put in this category).

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Review of “The War for Kindness: Building Empathy in a Fractured World” by Jamil Zaki

First, thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.

I had recently finished reading Sally Kohn’s book “The Opposite of Hate” so I couldn’t help but noticed  the similarities between the two works. Jamil Zaki is a psychologist and the tone of this book echoes that fact strongly. While Kohn’s book was many times conversational in tone, Zaki’s book took on an academic tone from the start. He references many empirical studies on empathy (which can lead to kindness) throughout the book. While Kohn focused on combating hate within others and ourselves, Zaki focused on empathy and how we can influence it within ourselves and others and how it influences our behaviors. Zaki’s department studies empathy a lot so it’s not shocking that the book revolves around this topic. As the book progressed, Zaki divulged more personal experiences into the narrative and I felt that added a more pleasant reading experience when I can connect with the author. My favorite part of this work was in the Appendices. He went through every claim that he made in each chapter, including the introduction and epilogue, and rated the claim on the evidentiary proof or validity of the claim. Most or all of books in the social sciences have a list of references or footnotes containing where information cited is found. Zaki has this as well, but rarely do I read a book that provides this type of breakdown of his claims. I wish all books did this to be honest. I went in expecting this book to be uplifting and hopeful for the future of our society and it was in a way, but it is clear that it requires us to put more effort into making our future better. I would recommend this book to fans of Kohn’s book “The Opposite of Hate” and other books on the topic of kindness, empathy, combating hate, changing the combative discourse of the media and society as a whole and self-improvement books. 

This review is also posted on my Goodreads page.

Review of "The Rules Do Not Apply" by Ariel Levy

The Rules Do Not Apply by Ariel Levy
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I suppose I didn't have enough background information about the author, Ariel Levy, before reading this memoir because I didn't feel that it was relatable enough for me to get enough out of reading it. In this memoir, Levy divulges the details of the dissolution of her marriage and the horrible circumstances that led to her losing her son before he was even named. This book could've been horribly depressing and honestly at times, it was awfully close to being so. Levy spends a lot of time discussing how she copes with these "negative" events in her life. She goes into how she moves forward after what was essentially divorce, perhaps more accurately "conscious uncoupling" as Gwnyth Paltrow might say. My favorite quote from this memoir though was from an interview Levy conducted with Maureen Dowd: “I asked [Dowd] if she'd ever wanted children. She told me, "Everybody doesn't get everything." It sounded depressing to me at the time, a statement of defeat. Now admitting it seems like the obvious and essential work of growing up. Everybody doesn't get everything: as natural and unavoidable as mortality.” I would recommend this memoir to someone who has/had a partner with alcoholism or someone suffering the loss of a child. While the whole memoir may not apply to these people, they will get something out of reading it.

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Review of "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Owens's debut novel is another stunning epic story of a young girl, similar to The Great Alone, adapting to a wilderness without much assistance from others. In this case, the story begins in 1969, when two young boys find the dead body of Barkley Cove's favorite previous quarterback, Chase Andrews. We are then introduced to young Kya Clark, 6 years old in 1952, who lives in the swamp-like marshland near Barkley Cove, NC. Soon, she is abandoned by her family to live on her own in a shack away from town. A town where the people look at her like she's dirty and unworthy. Kya, who only attended one day of school, has to learn how to survive on her own despite the prejudices of the town and her lack of education. Delia Owens co-wrote two memoirs prior to this novel of her times of survival in the African wilderness with her husband. Her experience with isolation from civilization and surviving on the wilderness alone is echoed in the text of this book. She beautifully encapsulates the landscape of the marsh, putting the reader in the mindset of Kya throughout. This is a coming-of-age story of survival, love, overcoming obstacles and prejudices. Kya is an extremely likable protagonist and you'll be drawn into her story spanning from 1952 into the 21st century. Owens alternates chapters between before and after the death of Chase Andrews and the reader is left trying to solve the case before the detectives. A gripping story you will not want to put down. Fans of The Great Alone and Educated will be interested in the story of strong willed Kya. Highly recommended.

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Review: The Opposite of Hate: A Field Guide to Repairing Our Humanity

The Opposite of Hate: A Field Guide to Repairing Our Humanity by Sally Kohn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

AUDIOBOOK FORMAT:

I thought that this book was so fascinating! This topic is so relevant in the current climate. As a progressive liberal myself I find it hard to maintain my cool around Trump supporters too. Kohn lays out some very essential and clear steps to better handle these scenarios and lends real life examples to prove it can be done. Her research is extensive and impressive. A lot of her stories that she relays are very hard to hear but in the end the book is uplifting and motivating. Sally Kohn does an amazing job reading her book for the audiobook. She brings out the humor and nuance of her conversational (at times) style of writing. Sometimes, she got a little academic, quoting research studies and the like. Other times, she reads it very conversationally so that it feels like you and her are sitting down with a coffee for an in-depth coffee talk with a friend. I really liked this book and I think it's a very important topic that should be addressed today.

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Review of "For the Love of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word" by Graham Tarrant

For the Love of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word by Graham Tarrant
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I found a hard time getting into this book. It's not laid out in the narrative form, but rather in segments of different factoids. Tarrant lists a ton of very interesting facts about authors that I had not been aware of prior. At times, I felt that the way the information was stated was confusing and redundant. A lot of statements like, "arguably the best novel of 'insert time period/country' of all time" or "well-known" which I feel are quite subjective statements. It was laid out like a textbook but I questioned the authoritativeness of the author. Not meant as an insult, this book would be a great "bathroom book". It can easily be picked up and put down whenever. I could see this book being a great gift for a literary lover who is super hard to buy for or a graduation gift for an English major.

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Review of "I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer" by Michelle McNamara

I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I love my true crime documentaries. I can sit and watch doc and doc on Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, Jim Jones, etc., and not get scared to death. I love horror films and nothing is scarier than true horror. However, finally listening to Michelle McNamara's piece on the Golden State Killer, I've realized that I'm not interested in true crime in the written word. Or perhaps, this book in particular didn't spark my interest. I think that if I saw this content in a visual context (luckily HBO is working on a docu-series on the GSK), I might be more interested. What McNamara has done with this work is lay out years and years of intense research in the hunt to identify the man who raped and murdered too many people in the late seventies-early eighties. I respect her diligence in reaching out to a multitude of research points. In her full credit, this book was published after her passing, so she is not responsible for the final layout of the book itself. I felt overwhelmed with the data and I couldn't follow the narrative. This audiobook version included an appendix featuring an article published after McNamara's passing and after the first printing of her book. Overall, I see where the appeal could be with this book, but just did not appeal to me.

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Review of "The Greenprint: Plant-Based Diet, Best Body, Better World" by Marco Borges

The Greenprint: Plant-Based Diet, Best Body, Better World by Marco Borges
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Borges created this truly beautifully designed book that explains in details the benefits of changing to a plant-based diet. Like Borges, I also transitioned to a completely plant-based diet rather than suddenly making the change. I became a pescatarian (vegetarian + fish) in 2002, then I gave up gluten and dairy in 2016 (due to illness...leading to a celiac diagnosis), and finally giving up fish and eggs to be full "vegan" in 2017. Borges presents 22 "rules" to begin living a healthier livestyle, including transitioning to a full plant-based diet. He goes through all the health and other medical benefits associated with eating plant-based while also debunking myths commonly brought up against a vegan lifestyle. Borges also includes a ton of yummy and easy recipes in the back of the book for those wanting to try out plant-based meals without knowing where to start. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the either the health benefits, environmental benefits or animal welfare benefits of a plant-based diet. I also recommend this book to current vegetarians or flex-itarians who might want to try going completely plant-based.

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