This book briefly summarizes Kamala Harris's life, from childhood up to becoming the Vice President of the United States.
It is a typical entry in theThis book briefly summarizes Kamala Harris's life, from childhood up to becoming the Vice President of the United States.
It is a typical entry in the Who is... (Who HQ Now) series and is written for older elementary school-age children. I do hope that there will be an updated edition with her accomplishments as VP...and beyond.
I really enjoyed listening to Andia Winslow narrate the audiobook edition....more
This is a poignant, often melancholy, tale about nostalgia and the memories contained within our possessions. Anyone who has had to clear out a familyThis is a poignant, often melancholy, tale about nostalgia and the memories contained within our possessions. Anyone who has had to clear out a family member's home, and who despaired of what to do with all the stuff can relate to the theme of this story.
The anecdotal tales of some of the items in the museum added to the charm of the emotional story. I really enjoyed listening to Witney White narrate the audiobook edition. ...more
This is a poignant tale of love and loss, of living and dying, of the joys and sorrows of life. The characters and relationships are complicated, someThis is a poignant tale of love and loss, of living and dying, of the joys and sorrows of life. The characters and relationships are complicated, sometimes even primal, and I laughed and cried. I really enjoyed listening to Jane Oppenheimer narrate the audiobook edition.
I had a very different experience with hospice, during my mom's terrible struggle with dementia. She remained at home, but we benefitted from hospice support and caregivers for the last year and a half of her life. Hospice is such a blessing. I don't know how we would have managed without them.
I've been a big fan of Catherine Newman's writing ever since I discovered her blog online when we were pregnant and then raising young children at the same time.
I will certainly look for more of her books at our local library.
interesting quotes:
"Why do we even do this? Love anybody. Our dumb animal hearts."
"The hospice fridge is filled with cream; ice cream, sour cream, heavy cream, cans and cans of whipped cream. There's definitely a now or never feeling about food around here, and it makes you wonder what you think you might be waiting for in your own life."...more
I don't know why, but I had to start this story over several times before I was able to give it enough time to listen all the way through. I would getI don't know why, but I had to start this story over several times before I was able to give it enough time to listen all the way through. I would get several chapters in, but then I'd take a break and have to refamiliarize myself and basically start from the beginning.
I think part of the issue is that this is book #6 in the series and I jumped straight to this book because I wanted to get a taste of this author's stories, but this was what was available online from our library. Having missed out on the drama, intrigue, and familial connections of the first five books, I am sometimes a bit lost remembering who's who
Still, I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook edition....more
This novel is a work of historical fiction that takes the readers across almost a century of lives
interesting quotes:
"That's the thing about leaving This novel is a work of historical fiction that takes the readers across almost a century of lives
interesting quotes:
"That's the thing about leaving home--you never really fit back in again." (ch. 23)
"The things that connect us are not things at all. We're connected by people--our children, our grandchildren. One day you too will have children, and they'll connect me to the future, even though I'll be gone." (ch. 49)
"She had been wrong to think burying her mother's memory would make the pain go away. She had been wrong to think she could avoid passing on the pain to the next generation, to think her children wouldn't sense she was hiding from them. Secrets only grew larger in the shadows." (Epilogue)...more
This book captures the essence of being a perimenopausal woman with adult children and frail parents. The angst of fleeting moments, past regrets, andThis book captures the essence of being a perimenopausal woman with adult children and frail parents. The angst of fleeting moments, past regrets, and the fear of loss is palpable and I could relate to her in many ways, given our similar age and life stage. It is not the first time I have felt this kindred closeness to her despite our many differences.
I have enjoyed Catherine Newman's writing ever since I discovered her blog online when we were pregnant and then raising young children at the same time. I tried to look back at some of her blog entries from Wondertime (and then maybe Family through Disney?), but even The Wayback Machine had a hard time finding them. I was finally successful at rereading some of them and got some flashbacks to that time in my life.
And listening to this book brought back some nostalgia from those sleep-deprived days of reading her blogs, feeling like I got to know her and her family so well, having spent my entire childhood in Massachusetts and having spent 4 years in Amherst while attending the University of Massachusetts.
I recognized her voice and the personalities of her children in the characters, though fictional in this story, parts of her own experience seep through. Just this small connection brought me back to a time when I would relish breathing in the oh-so-delicious scent of our girls, freshly bathed, as we lay in bed together reading stories at bedtime; soaking in the sunshine as I entertained them at the beach, always reapplying sunscreen, trying fruitlessly to stop my little one from eating sand, and being paranoid about them drowning in the ocean despite them having personal flotation devices and me beings always within reach; feeling overwhelmed with all that I was doing with my career and daily domestic life, and yet I wouldn't have changed a thing.
And now here we are, two decades later, embarking on this new journey...not together, but at the same time, and again, I feel the pull of this kindred spirit. I am grateful to again feel that there is someone out there who 'gets me,' even though it is highly unlikely that we will ever meet.
Thank you, Catherine, for being able to put into words what life is like as women who are part of the 'sandwich generation,' as we ping pong back and forth from our roles as spouses and lovers, mothers, and daughters, and at the same time experiencing the change of life with the hormonal and physical changes that no one prepared us for.
I really enjoyed listening to Nan McNamara narrate the audiobook edition of this book....more
This is a funny collection of 1-star reviews of locations around the world, collected by the author and accompanied by his fun illustrations. It's a fThis is a funny collection of 1-star reviews of locations around the world, collected by the author and accompanied by his fun illustrations. It's a fun, fast read....more
This little book contains two winning entries from a short story contest by the American Girl magazine. The stories are short, and will likely inspireThis little book contains two winning entries from a short story contest by the American Girl magazine. The stories are short, and will likely inspire other young aspiring writers.
The stories were previously published in the magazine and are accompanied by the illustrations printed in the magazine along with them.
I found this book around the house while I was trying to go through all of my mountain of books in preparation to downsize for a move and I read it before donating it....more
This is a wonderful autobiography from a beloved actor. I grew up watching Mr. Winkler play Fonzie on the television show . I really enjoyedThis is a wonderful autobiography from a beloved actor. I grew up watching Mr. Winkler play Fonzie on the television show . I really enjoyed listening to him narrate his own story and I appreciate his candor and sincerity. He regales the reader with his life story and his successes, and also shares his private thoughts, his insecurities, his failures, and the lessons he learned along the way. It's a fascinating look into a celebrity's life and reinforces his reputation as a nice guy.
interesting quotes (page numbers from edition with ISBN13 ):
"Never finish a negative sentence. When you finish a negative sentence, it grows immediately into a paragraph. And then, into a thesis...into so many words that grab your ankles and hold you in place. When a negative thought comes into your mind, you literally say out loud, 'I have no time for you now.' Yes, people will look at you strangely, but you just have to keep saying it until it lodges in your mind. Release the negative thought before you put a period on the end of it. If you put a period on the end of it, you're in a morass. On the other hand, if you don't finish the negative thought, you can get it out of your brain by replacing it with a positive. What kind of positive? What I always say in my talks, for me, it's a moist chocolate bundle cake with soft chocolate chips, no frosting. With this new positive in your mind, you're suddenly changing the way you feel, physically. Your head and your shoulders rise out of their slump and fly back and in this new, upright posture, you continue walking to your goal." (p. )
"If you will it, it is not a dream." [attributed to [author:Theodor Herzl|95671] about the creation of Israel] (p. )
This book is based on a true story and tells of a young girl's attempts to find her place in a new country.
Her desire to belong, make new friends, anThis book is based on a true story and tells of a young girl's attempts to find her place in a new country.
Her desire to belong, make new friends, and be a part of her new country's Christmas customs and celebrations will resonate with young children who feel out of place.
Many reviewers criticize the unfavorable comparison between the Christmas and Chanukah celebrations, but I view it as more of a struggle to belong in a new place.
The illustrations are nicely detailed and realistic.
I found this book on the Tumblebooks website ()...more
I have been a reluctant social media user. I don't have accounts on most of them, and the ones I do have I try to limit my usage because I know they aI have been a reluctant social media user. I don't have accounts on most of them, and the ones I do have I try to limit my usage because I know they are huge time sucks and not necessarily healthy for my mental health.
So listening to this book really peeled back layers of the beginnings of viral web activity and the origins of some of these sites. It's fascinating how the different perspectives of the innovators of these media companies drove how the sites operate.
I really enjoyed listening to Ian Putnam narrate the audiobook edition....more
I really enjoyed this candid view into what it was like to grow up with a famous mom whose fame derived from stand-up comedy and a sitcom loosely baseI really enjoyed this candid view into what it was like to grow up with a famous mom whose fame derived from stand-up comedy and a sitcom loosely based on your own life.
While I find most of the drivel her mom spews out in the ladt few years to be either very hateful or conspiracy theory-laden nonsense, I was still fascinated by her first-hand account of her rags-to-riches life and the chaotic disruption it brought to her family.
Just affirms my thoughts that it may be okay to be rich, but I would not ever want to be famous. ...more
This is an engaging tale of friendship, creativity, gaming, along with love and loss. It's main characters are about the same age as me, so I could reThis is an engaging tale of friendship, creativity, gaming, along with love and loss. It's main characters are about the same age as me, so I could relate to the cultural references.
"What is a game? It's tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. It's the possibility of infinite rebirth, infinite redemption. The idea that, if you keep playing, you could win. No loss is permanent because nothing is permanent, ever."
"'And what is love, in the end?' Alabaster said. 'Except the irrational desire to put evolutionary competitiveness aside in order to ease someone else's journey through life?'" ...more
interesting quotes (page numbers from edition with ISBN13):
" child rearing and nursing ." (p. )
"This article is nothing more than prefrontal lobe B.S. interesting quotes (page numbers from edition with ISBN13):
" child rearing and nursing ." (p. )
"This article is nothing more than prefrontal lobe B.S. There is no way an infant's brain patterns are permanently psychologically damaged at such a young age. There is no way that your prefrontal cortex will permanently adopt patterns that will translate into adulthood. No way. If that would be the case, then the last three generations to rule this earth - Boomers, Preboomers, Generation X - would all have been emotionally unstable and plagued with psychological issues.
Well, then, I thought to myself, I rest my case." (p. )
"The rise of loneliness..." (p. )
"...The harsher the parenting people were exposed to as young children, the more prone they become to support authoritarian or aggressive policies..." (p. )...more
Entertaining memoir about becoming a parent by a popular comedian. I find it difficult to agree or relate to many of her experirnces and her perspectiEntertaining memoir about becoming a parent by a popular comedian. I find it difficult to agree or relate to many of her experirnces and her perspectives, but it was humorous....more
This book offers a fascinating perspective on opportunities and challenges we face in the 21st century. I was very impressed with Yuval Noah Harari's This book offers a fascinating perspective on opportunities and challenges we face in the 21st century. I was very impressed with Yuval Noah Harari's previous books, Homo Deus: A History of Tomorrow and Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, so I expected good things from this book as well.
The narrative covers many touchy topics ranging from politics to religion to climate change to social justice to the role of technology in our lives. He does not shy away from providing his opinion in a highly convincing manner, and while I agree with most of what he has to say, I'm sure the book may anger many.
Overall, I really enjoyed listening to Derek Perkins narrate the audiobook edition and I look forward to Mr. Harari's next book.
interesting quote (page number from hardcover edition with ISBN13 978-0525512172):
"Many pedagogical experts argue that schools should be switching to teaching 'the four Cs' -- critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity." (p. 266)...more
This is a humorous book about fictional dinosaurs with a pop culture satiric flair. The descriptions of each dinosaur are short and the black-and-whitThis is a humorous book about fictional dinosaurs with a pop culture satiric flair. The descriptions of each dinosaur are short and the black-and-white illustrations are hilarious, although I doubt that most children will get the humor as much as adults do....more
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