A lot of non-fiction books came out of the most recent financial crisis — books explaining what happened and why, how things got so bad, biographies and analysis of the major players, and details of the aftermath. But it hasn’t spawned a lot of novels, so far. There are a few, but Paul Murray’s new novel, The Mark and the… Continue reading The Mark and the Void by Paul Murray
Category: book review
Thirteen Ways of Looking by Colum McCann
Thirteen Ways of Looking is a collection of four pieces of short fiction by the wonderful Irish author, Colum McCann. They don’t have interconnecting characters or plot lines, but they do share a theme: investigating events from different angles and determining if it’s ever possible to know the full story, or if we are forever trapped in… Continue reading Thirteen Ways of Looking by Colum McCann
The Martian by Andy Weir
When I was a kid, I alternated between wanting to be a teacher when I grew up, and wanting to be an astronaut. I was never very serious about the astronaut dream – it was just a fantasy. Deep down I knew the extreme unlikeness of realizing it, but it was so much fun to… Continue reading The Martian by Andy Weir
Dog Songs by Mary Oliver
I like to offer up a few of my favorite poems from poetry collections, rather than try to “review” them. I’ve just finished the wonderful Dog Songs, by Mary Oliver, and it’s a bit different from her other collections. She is so good at capturing the joy of quietly observing the natural world around us… Continue reading Dog Songs by Mary Oliver
Just Kids by Patti Smith
This month I re-read (via the audiobook) Just Kids by Patti Smith. It moved me profoundly when I first read it in 2011, and I wanted to revisit it before her follow up memoir, M Train, is published next month. I didn’t write a review back when I first read it, so I thought I’d share… Continue reading Just Kids by Patti Smith
Looking at Mindfulness by Christophe André
I received a digital galley of Looking at Mindfulness: 25 Ways to Live in the Moment Through Art by Christophe André a few days before it was released. Then I saw it in print while I was browsing McNally Jackson and I knew I had to own it. It’s a simply designed but incredibly beautiful book: it’s… Continue reading Looking at Mindfulness by Christophe André
Gumption by Nick Offerman
I have very mixed feelings about Gumption: Relighting the Torch of Freedom with America’s Gutsiest Troublemakers by Nick Offerman. I’ll start out by saying that I don’t think I would have gotten through it if I hadn’t been listening to the audiobook. His writing style is a little odd – he mixes humor and a very… Continue reading Gumption by Nick Offerman
The Beautiful Bureaucrat by Helen Phillips
The Beautiful Bureaucrat by Helen Phillips came in for me at the library last week. I would have preferred to read this one in October, when the weather is a little crisper and the atmosphere lends itself a bit better to weird and unsettling stories. But when I saw that 44 people were waiting for copies… Continue reading The Beautiful Bureaucrat by Helen Phillips
Fail Fail Again Fail Better by Pema Chödrön
I enjoy reading the occasional commencement speech, especially from authors I admire. I think my all time favorite is the one George Saunders gave at Syracuse in 2013, on kindness. I don’t usually seek out commencement addresses in print, but I made an exception for Pema Chödrön. She’s an American-born Buddhist nun, she’s incredible and wise, and her… Continue reading Fail Fail Again Fail Better by Pema Chödrön
Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg
The TLDR version of this post is: Run, do not walk, to your bookstore or library and get Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg. // At their core, all our reactions to tragedy are about regret. Regret for what happened, even if we didn’t cause it. Regret for an altered future we… Continue reading Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg
Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart
I picked up Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart on a whim at Book Expo, and I’m so glad I did. It’s a wonderful, fun, romp of a novel. Grab this one before a trip or vacation, or read it when you need a dose of adventure and/or girl power. A brief plot summary: Constance… Continue reading Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart
Phenomenal by Leigh Ann Henion
When I started mapping an agenda for my extended travel last year, I planned out a combination of city-based sightseeing and nature-based exploration. I’d spend time sightseeing in European, Australian, & Asian cities, and I’d also snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, see Uluru, and take an expedition to the Arctic circle. I expected that I’d enjoy both kinds… Continue reading Phenomenal by Leigh Ann Henion