A few months ago, I set out on an internet deep dive to find a shortlist of the best Formula 1 books, and this one repeatedly showed up at the top of A few months ago, I set out on an internet deep dive to find a shortlist of the best Formula 1 books, and this one repeatedly showed up at the top of people's rankings of best books written by a driver. Boy, were they right because this book was beyond incredible. F1 World Champion Jenson Button takes us on a journey through the ins and outs of Formula 1, both on and off the track, through the lens of his career. The narrative is witty and conversational and an absolute blast to read, and I learned so much about the cars, aerodynamics, the race weekend, how to drive the car, winning, losing, developing relationships throughout the sport, buying yachts and motorhomes, and much more. Bonus points for his stories in karting, off-roading, endurance racing, and Super GT. This guy straight up loves to drive, no matter what kind of racing it is, and his narratives from F1 and beyond brought a new appreciation for how different each series is and how physically and mentally demanding racing can be. As a second-year fan of F1 who never got to see Jenson drive, this book was a great account of his career and an excellent crash course in all things Formula 1, and I want to buy a copy for every racing fan I know. How To Be An F1 Driver is a phenomenal read and one I will be thinking about for a long time!...more
If you are a Formula 1 fan, you are likely well aware of Haas team principal Guenther Steiner and his personality that made him a celebrity as a resulIf you are a Formula 1 fan, you are likely well aware of Haas team principal Guenther Steiner and his personality that made him a celebrity as a result of Netflix's Drive to Survive TV series. Reading this book was like an absolute roller coaster full of insane stories from his career in motorsport, mostly centering around the 2022 Formula 1 season. Steiner takes us on a deep dive into what it is like to run the Haas team over the course of a year, covering everything from preseason testing to driver and sponsor changes, the highs and lows of a season and even a race weekend, experiences with traveling and interacting with fans, the business decisions involved with running the newest and smallest team on the grid, the process of creating an F1 team in the first place, and his relationships with individuals from all over the F1 community. I watched the first four episodes of Season 5 of Drive to Survive before reading this book, which gave me a bit of early-season context behind Haas dropping one of its drivers and its premier sponsor before the season even started, as well as some of the highs and lows the team faced in the first half of the season, but Guenther's book provided a behind-the-scenes chronology of how everything went down in even further detail that caught me up to speed on some of the absolutely insane things I missed during the 2022 season. Some of the stories told in this book are completely absurd and had me laughing or in absolute shock, and although I was not yet an F1 fan during the season covered in the book, I almost feel like I witnessed it due to the vivid race-by-race breakdown provided over the course of nearly 300 pages of writing. This book had me laughing by the end of the first page, and I appreciated all the insights into Steiner's rally days (which involved some absolutely insane stories), his time in NASCAR, and his earlier stint in Formula 1, all of which provided context into some of the decisions he made and how he runs his team. As a new F1 fan who just finished my first full season watching the sport in 2024, this book was deeply insightful, entertaining, and humorous, and I would recommend it to any fan of F1 and of motorsport as a whole. Steiner's personality shines right through this book, and listening to an audiobook version of this would absolutely make for peak entertainment. I'm definitely looking forward to finishing the remainder of Drive to Survive Season 5 to watch the rest of this season play out!...more
This book is literally the holy grail of sex ed that I never really had growing up, and it was truly life changing. It taught a very thorough understaThis book is literally the holy grail of sex ed that I never really had growing up, and it was truly life changing. It taught a very thorough understanding of the body, the mind, emotions, trauma, joy, and so much more. Not only does this book go into sexuality, but it also taught me how to understand my emotions and relationships with others in everyday life. This book taught me things that I didn't think I would ever understand unless I tried something like therapy or some other method that would require unpacking so many levels of feelings and emotions, and yet my understanding of so many things surrounding human bodies and sexuality have changed as a result of this book. EVERYONE needs to read this to help unpack some of the stigma and debunk the messages were were taught (or not taught) growing up. I would give this book 100 stars if I could....more
I picked up this collection of Hermann Hesse poems to help with my immersion in German and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The book had the original GeI picked up this collection of Hermann Hesse poems to help with my immersion in German and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The book had the original German text and the English translation side-by-side, which made it easy to cross check what I was reading, and I enjoyed my ability to pick up new words as I went through this collection. The theme of homesickness throughout the book allowed for some similar ideas to pop up from poem to poem, and I enjoyed the way that Hesse wrote and thought. Denken an den Freund bei Nacht, Auch die Blumen, Berge in der Nacht, and Ravenna (1) were some of my favorites....more
My childhood self would have given this book five stars every time I read it...which was at least three or four times in middle school. As a horn playMy childhood self would have given this book five stars every time I read it...which was at least three or four times in middle school. As a horn player myself, I loved to see someone along a similar life path to me represented in a book, and while Elsie and I were quite different, I loved this story and related to her in many ways. I loved watching her experience marching band despite not wanting to be involved in an ensemble where she had to play a new instrument or step outside of the orchestral realm. I enjoyed the experiences and emotions that the band went through, individually and collectively, throughout the season. And I loved the themes of friendship and growth that bloomed in this coming-of-age story. When I read this as a middle schooler, I had no experience in marching band but knew the joy that playing in a concert group could bring. Now, after playing in concert groups for over 10 years and experiencing two years of college marching band, I can appreciate this middle grade book in a new way and think back to some of my memories as a band kid, both as a concert player and as the new kid in a college marching band as one of very few players with no experience on mellophone or marching drill. I appreciate what marching band gave me in terms of section bonding and forming lifelong relationships with my band mates, and some of those memories came flooding back while reading this book. It may be a middle grade book intended for a much younger audience than a master's student long done with marching band, but I enjoyed it just as much as I did as I did as a teenager - just with a new perspective and some incredible memories. I love this book so much and am glad that I was able to enjoy it again after all these years....more
(4.5 stars) I loved Fourth Wing, and the sequel certainly did not disappoint! I could not put the book down for the last 50 pages, and the last two ch(4.5 stars) I loved Fourth Wing, and the sequel certainly did not disappoint! I could not put the book down for the last 50 pages, and the last two chapters had my jaw on the floor! I liked how Iron Flame explained so much more about the world that we had yet to understand from the first book, and I found myself trying to solve the mysteries throughout the book as they came along, sometimes with success and sometimes being blindsided by the story's twists and turns. I struggled a bit in the middle of the book with some of the pacing, but it really picked up towards the end and left me hungry for more! I cannot wait to read Onyx Storm and see what happens next!...more
I knew I was going to love this book from the time I first read the back cover. An enemies to lovers romance between the First Son of the United StateI knew I was going to love this book from the time I first read the back cover. An enemies to lovers romance between the First Son of the United States and the Prince of England? Count me in! I caved and watched the movie with my roommate way back in September and instantly fell in love, going out to buy the book immediately afterwards. It took me awhile to finally get around to reading it, but once I finally had time to sit down and read this book, I tore through 95 percent of it in a three-day span. This book was everything I hoped it would be and more. It had me laughing, aching, and kept me up half the night two days in a row because I was so invested. The themes of finding your identity and learning to balance emotions were strong in this one, and I truly loved watching this story unravel page by page. This was a true page turner that took me down an emotional roller coaster, and Alex and Henry's story will stick with me for a long time. One of my favorite books ever!...more
This book was assigned for a German culture class that I took in undergrad, and I ended up deciding to finish it on my own following the class becauseThis book was assigned for a German culture class that I took in undergrad, and I ended up deciding to finish it on my own following the class because it was so well written, and informative. This book covered the history of Germany and its past territory starting from the Roman Empire through the reunification of Germany, I learned a ton from this book, and as an American, I now have a much better understanding of how present-day Germany came to be based on centuries of history. I am glad that I decided to finish this book, and it was a great starting point for me to branch out and learn more about German history. I highly recommend this one, and I’m excited to build upon it and learn more about modern Germany after where this book stopped. It was well worth the read....more
This book gave me whiplash in the best possible way! There were so many twists and turns from the very beginning, and I spent the entire book trying tThis book gave me whiplash in the best possible way! There were so many twists and turns from the very beginning, and I spent the entire book trying to figure out who was trustworthy and what was going to happen next. The dragons are fantastic, and the book turned in so many directions I was not expecting. There’s a reason this series has a chokehold on so many people, and I already know I am going to tear through Iron Flame!...more
Let me start off by saying this: Oh. My. Gosh. I read The Woman in Cabin 10 a few years ago and still remember some of the uneasy feelings it gave me Let me start off by saying this: Oh. My. Gosh. I read The Woman in Cabin 10 a few years ago and still remember some of the uneasy feelings it gave me as a read, but this book took that to another level. I was questioning everyone and everything along with the main character, and I felt such deep emotions of unease and confusion as I tried to solve the mystery as I was reading. I don't think I have ever read a book that stirred up so many different emotions from start to finish, and I am not in the least bit surprised by how much I liked this book. The creepiness of the tech and surveillance was relatable as someone who tends to be afraid of the dark side of technology, and I found myself telling the main character to get the heck out of there pretty much from the start. The plot twist in the last hundred pages was truly shocking, and I love how Ruth Ware brought the whole book together in the end. The last couple pages definitely left me asking questions, and I did not expect the book to end the way it did. This is one of the best books I have read this year - or even ever - and definitely one of the most thrilling! An automatic 5-star read!...more
This book was deeply moving and took me on an emotional roller coaster from start to finish. Following the journey of Jolene Zarkades, an army helicopThis book was deeply moving and took me on an emotional roller coaster from start to finish. Following the journey of Jolene Zarkades, an army helicopter pilot deployed to Iraq, showed the strength of military personnel as well as how the horrors of war can impact people on the front lines and at home. As someone who was a young child at the height of the Iraq War, I never truly understood how that war impacted the soldiers involved, but Kristin Hannah did a great job of opening that curtain and showing the war from multiple perspectives. The character development in this book, from Jolene to her husband Michael and their children, was incredible, and I found myself rooting for every character while also feeling anger, sadness, and fear as they did. This was a great introduction to Kristin Hannah’s work and a compelling story I won’t forget....more
This book was clever, witty, and hilarious! It had me laughing out loud from the beginning, which no book has ever made me do, and I loved how well itThis book was clever, witty, and hilarious! It had me laughing out loud from the beginning, which no book has ever made me do, and I loved how well it referenced back to historical locations and events from a modern perspective. When Hitler wakes up in 2011 Germany, he is utterly confused and acting as if it is still 1945. Watching him try to navigate the modern world was quite funny, and I was intrigued to see what he was going to do and how he would react to a modern Germany that was far different than the one he would have envisioned. Vermes wrote many fantastic one-liners throughout this book, and some of the situations that Hitler was put in had me cracking up. It did take me longer than I anticipated to read this book due to my busy schedule, so I did have some issues with picking it back up and remembering some of the characters and the plot line. As a result, I got to the end and felt a bit confused about how the story wrapped up. I also struggled with some of the long tangents in the middle of the book and probably would have done better with a bit faster pace. However, after reading some summaries, I was able to understand some of the later scenes in the book and tie together the irony of how the book ended. This book was both funny and brought out some enlightening themes about how people can be oblivious to what is right in front of them. (Edit, Dec. 15, 2023: After reading some more reviews of this book, I also am coming to appreciate the darker side of the book more. This is the part that I overlooked a lot while reading, as I found the plot confusing due to starting and stopping too many times. Looking at the portrayal of Hitler in this book both shows some funny moments in the fictional aspect of the world he is in while also showing him as the madman he was and causing the reader to think twice about how easily Nazism and other extremist movements can come about.) I would love to read this book again in the future to fully appreciate it, but I thought it was brilliant overall and an enjoyable read....more
This is an excellent book on what it means to get a college education. Matthew Sanders explains how we should strive to not just be students, but learThis is an excellent book on what it means to get a college education. Matthew Sanders explains how we should strive to not just be students, but learners. This book opened my eyes to many things I do well as a current college student and other things I could do better. Great for incoming freshmen, upperclassmen, and anyone who loves learning....more
I tore through this book in less than 24 hours and absolutely loved it. When I picked up this classic, all I knew was that it was anti-war and centereI tore through this book in less than 24 hours and absolutely loved it. When I picked up this classic, all I knew was that it was anti-war and centered on the destruction of Dresden, which piqued my interest immediately. What I didn't know was that Kurt Vonnegut would use science fiction and time travel to drive his point home. This book is semi-autobiographical and draws off of his experiences as a real-life prisoner of war in Dresden during World War II, which was interesting to consider while reading this book. While the characters were not real, they were based on people he knew, and that made it all the more interesting to consider what happened in the book and the toll that war took on these characters. The Tralfamadorian philosophy in this book was interesting to consider and clashed with a lot of the ways I was thinking about the story, and considering that way of thinking can provide a numbing viewpoint to the concept of war, especially a large destruction like the one that occurred in Dresden near the end of the war. This book was challenging and got me thinking about the philosophy of war, free will, and death all at once. I now understand why this is such a popular novel and a classic that will live on for so long. I loved the writing style and both the humor and darkness behind the book. I appreciate Vonnegut writing this novel over two decades after his real experiences as a POW, and I was surprised to see the portrayal of PTSD symptoms in the post-war sections as well. It is difficult to discuss the book, as it occurred in a non-linear fashion and constantly tore me all across Billy Pilgrim's life, but as you travel throughout the decades, the main themes start to come out and portray the big picture that Vonnegut is portraying. This is one of my favorite classics that I have read, and it makes me want to consider dipping into science fiction more frequently. I was pleasantly surprised by my love for the book, and not for the reasons why I initially decided to read it....more
AN INSTANT FIVE STARS!! This was one of the best books I've read in a long time and truly had me captivated from start to finish. When Monique Grant iAN INSTANT FIVE STARS!! This was one of the best books I've read in a long time and truly had me captivated from start to finish. When Monique Grant is handpicked by film star Evelyn Hugo to write a piece for a magazine, she has no idea why she would be wanted for a piece like this or why this celebrity that she doesn't know would pick her rather than a more seasoned writer. Then she finds out that Evelyn wants her to write her biography. Evelyn was famously married to seven different husbands, and it is a common question for people to wonder which one she loved the most. This book uncovers the answer to that question while revealing a different Evelyn than anyone had ever known. This book dove head-on into the themes of identity, love, truth, and authenticity, and hearing about how Evelyn grew and changed through each of her marriages was enlightening while showing her complexity as a person. The constant revelations throughout her life as an actress helped build her character well, and the plot twist at the end was one of the most shocking that I have ever read in a book. I found myself falling in love with some of the characters while despising others, and I found this book to deeply affect me emotionally, especially toward the end. This was wonderfully written and an incredible introduction to Taylor Jenkins Reid. I will be raving about this book for a long time!...more
This book came into my life at the perfect time when I didn't know just how much I needed it. Matt Haig wrote this book beautifully, creating a compelThis book came into my life at the perfect time when I didn't know just how much I needed it. Matt Haig wrote this book beautifully, creating a compelling story full of philosophy, emotion, and color while teaching me lessons about myself and others. Nora Seed is unhappy in her life, so unhappy that she wants to leave her life behind. But in the Midnight Library, she has the chance to undo any regrets from her past and try to find her "perfect life." Through numerous trials and existences, Nora begins to understand pieces of herself and develop a different view of her life. I see myself as Nora sometimes. I see myself as someone who tends to question the decisions I've made and regret things I have or have not done in my life, but, as Mrs. Elm says to Nora in the Midnight Library, "Sometimes the only way to learn is to live."
This book teaches lesson after lesson through philosophy, empathy, and emotion. It has both dark and light themes attached, and it makes you feel for Nora and the characters while making you question the way you are living your own life. I have not read a book that made me think this much in a long time, and I think I will take many lessons from this book and use them as reminders to live life with no regrets, lead a life full of compassion, and to use my perspective to consider all the possibilities that life brings. The Midnight Library is a book that I hope to come back to over and over again, and I believe it could be life changing for people in all walks of life. This is an automatic five stars as one of the best books I have ever read!...more
I knew simply from reading Anthony Doerr's most popular novel, All the Light We Cannot See, that I would likely enjoy every piece of writing of his thI knew simply from reading Anthony Doerr's most popular novel, All the Light We Cannot See, that I would likely enjoy every piece of writing of his that exists on this planet, and I was certainly not disappointed by Cloud Cuckoo Land. The novel throws the reader into a five-POV story that transcends centuries and continents, all centered around the themes of longing and self-discovery that are illustrated through Antonius Diogenes' Cloud Cuckoo Land.
This novel was fantastic, drawing on incredible symbolism to illustrate the human experience while weaving five stories together in one. Doerr's writing style draws you in and provides depth while causing you to pause to reflect on how your own experiences and beliefs mimic those of the characters. I developed great empathy for many of the characters while also recognizing the struggles they each went through in their own times. Seeing multiple people's experiences throughout their lifetimes, some of which overlapped, also provided multiple sides to the same story, which showed that everything has a flip side and there can good and bad in everything.
This book completely lived up to the hype and now rests alongside All the Light We Cannot See as another one of my favorite novels. I look forward to exploring the remainder of Anthony Doerr's writings because he is a truly phenomenal storyteller....more
This was an excellent, in-depth overview of asexuality, it’s myths, advice for asexual and non-asexual people, and resources on the orientation. The bThis was an excellent, in-depth overview of asexuality, it’s myths, advice for asexual and non-asexual people, and resources on the orientation. The book cleared up a lot of my questions on asexuality and helped me understand some topics that I hadn’t thought of before. This is a perfect read for anyone questioning their sexuality or anyone who just wants to learn more about an orientation that isn’t widely talked about. Decker’s explanations were very informative and helped me understand myself and others around me by describing sexuality in great detail. Definitely deserves five stars....more
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