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Please share with us what you read May 2019 !

Please provide:

~ A GoodReads link
~ A few sentences telling us how you felt about the book.
~ How would you rate the book

The Complete Guide to Fasting: Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day, and Extended Fasting----Jason Fung
Rating: 2/5
I was very disappointed in this book. I am doing intermittent fasting. I aim for minimum of 12 hours of daily fasting. My goal is 16 with an 8 hour eating window. I basically don't eat after dinner, watch my calories and the type of food I eat in my eating window. Generally low saturated fat, low sodium, lots of veggie, fruit,whole grains etc. I do eat meat but not much. Mostly chicken. I am not fanatically about it but it seems to be working.
I do keep track of it daily in my Bullet Journal The Bullet Journal Method: Track the Past, Order the Present, Design the Future
Even though I am of a normal weight I had plateaued for years. Since started IF I've finally broken through that. I find it surprisingly easy. Staying hydrated is key. (water, tea for me)
This book seems to push days long fast. That is not for me. The book also is filled with personal testimonials not science. That is disappointing.
What really turned me off was the recommendations for the food one should have in the eating window. Pork rinds? Really? I am not a fan of Keto high fat diets. I know a lot of people love it but I don't think they are good for long term health. I generously gave the book an extra star for the quality paper the book is printed on. Bottom line- Skip this one.


When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing----Daniel H. Pink
Rate 4/5
I found this a quick read interesting. Pink discusses how best to work with your circadian rhythms. It discusses the best time to do various things based on studies. For example, best time of day to have a colonoscopy, months to avoid being in hospital, best time of day to make decisions, plan your work day, napping, exercise and more. Bottom line- Recommend.

The Circadian Code: Lose weight, supercharge your energy and sleep well every night-----Satchin Panda
Rate 4/5
This book explains why it is imperative to get in in sync with your body’s circadian rhythm. I found it very informative. He also discusses why sleep is so important. I am working on getting my 7-8 hours daily. I chart that also in my Bullet Journal. The book discusses when to eat and exercise too. Lots of food for thought here. Bottom line- Recommend.

Interesting month, Alias.
I was talking with a friend about IF a couple of weeks ago. I seem to have a natural IF schedule in that I rarely eat anything after dinner (around 6:30) until late morning (around 10am). I'll drink water in the evening and coffee in the morning when I get up but I seldom/rarely eat or snack on anything.
The book seems to recommend odd foods. Not really a healthy diet.

Sleep is so important. That does sound like an interesting book.

Orca: How We Came to Know and Love the Ocean's Greatest Predator by Jason L. Colby (4/5 stars)
Very detailed look at whale captures and captivity in the Pacific Northwest, as well as our views on the Orcas over time. Well researched and written.

The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin (3/5 stars)
Story of a good, gentle man who takes in 2 young runaways and how this kind act changed his life. Very well written for a debut novel but some actions of the characters could seem out of place & unrealistic. This took me out of the story at times.

His Family by Ernest Poole (3/5 stars)
An elderly man contemplates immortality, both in this world and the next. As he contemplates the changing world, he sees his family on three very distinct paths as each daughter forges forward with different priorities. He sees pros and cons in each path.

MaddAddam by Margaret Atwood (5/5 stars)
I really enjoyed this entire trilogy. This is the most humorous of the set, possibly because the society is starting over, the "flood" has passed & life is getting back to a new normal. The survivors can live again.
I ended up really liking the Crakers.

Alias, you had a mixed reading month, it seems. It sounded as though you learned even from the unsatisfactory one, judging from earlier posts. Petra, how near to have a. Sort of natural IT schedule. Healthy.

The Amanda Coplin sounds good, Petra, and your comments on Atwood’s trilogy have been neat to read.

My May follows:

A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell, a true story of the one-legged US woman, Virginia Hill, who was vital in setting up the WWII resistance in France. It’s a fascinating story, full of tragedy and injustice.

I ended up reading the Kevin Kwan trilogy, Crazy Rich Asians, China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems about extremely wealthy Asians in today’s world. Oh, the riches! Fast to read fluff but, as Larry mentioned when he shared about these, Jane Austen would be proud...not to mention appalled!

It just so happened that simultaneously i was reading Jung Chang’s Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China. What a curious life. First, i must say she or bits about her were mentioned several times in the Kwan trilogy, which was near. Cixi was regent in China from around the 1860s through the turn of the century and end of her dynasty. Fascinating details and history.

Hedy's Folly: The Life and Breakthrough Inventions of Hedy Lamarr, the Most Beautiful Woman in the World by Richard Rhodes was more a bio of the frequency alternating patent work Hollywood actress Lamarr created with US composer Michael Antheil. Author Rhodes explained the science very well. While the story of the two inventors was less full, it was a nice, book overall.

Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies by J.B. West, White House Usher from the end of the FDR administration to the first few months of the Nixon years. Full of interesting tidbits about the entertaining events, as well as the families he served. The perfect intro for my current book, just in for me, Becoming by Michelle Obama.

Petra wrote: "Sleep is so important. That does sound like an interesting book. .."

There is a bestselling book on sleep and its importance. It has over 500 Amazon reviews.

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams-----Matthew Walker

A New York Times bestseller and international sensation, this “stimulating and important book� (Financial Times) from the director of UC Berkeley’s Center for Human Sleep Science is a fascinating dive into the purpose and power of slumber. As the Guardian said, Walker explains “how a good night's shut-eye can make us cleverer, more attractive, slimmer, happier, healthier, and ward off cancer.�

With two appearances on CBS This Morning and Fresh Air's most popular interview of 2017, Matthew Walker has made abundantly clear that sleep is one of the most important but least understood aspects of our life. Until very recently, science had no answer to the question of why we sleep, or what good it served, or why we suffer such devastating health consequences when it is absent. Compared to the other basic drives in life—eating, drinking, and reproducing—the purpose of sleep remains more elusive.

Within the brain, sleep enriches a diversity of functions, including our ability to learn, memorize, and make logical decisions. It recalibrates our emotions, restocks our immune system, fine-tunes our metabolism, and regulates our appetite. Dreaming creates a virtual reality space in which the brain melds past and present knowledge, inspiring creativity.

In this “compelling and utterly convincing� (The Sunday Times) book, preeminent neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew Walker provides a revolutionary exploration of sleep, examining how it affects every aspect of our physical and mental well-being. Charting the most cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs, and marshalling his decades of research and clinical practice, Walker explains how we can harness sleep to improve learning, mood and energy levels, regulate hormones, prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes, slow the effects of aging, and increase longevity. He also provides actionable steps towards getting a better night’s sleep every night.

Clear-eyed, fascinating, and accessible, Why We Sleep is a crucial and illuminating book. Written with the precision of Atul Gawande, Andrew Solomon, and Sherwin Nuland, it is “recommended for night-table reading in the most pragmatic sense� (The New York Times Book Review).

Petra wrote: " Orca: How We Came to Know and Love the Ocean's Greatest Predator by Jason L. Colby (4/5 stars)
..."

Nice month, Petra.

madrano wrote:
Hedy's Folly: The Life and Breakthrough Inventions of Hedy Lamarr, the Most Beautiful Woman in the World by Richard Rhodes was more a bio of the frequency alternating patent work Hollywood actress Lamarr created with US composer Michael Antheil. .."

Wow ! I had no idea.

You had quite the eclectic month, deb.

LOL, i did indeed, Alias. And it was all pretty good as well.

The sleep book sounds interesting. In the 70s i read an article wherein the author reported that sleep was a habit and not really necessary as much as we think. I couldn’t quite buy that but could believe it is a way of ignoring problems. We are in Hannibal, Missouri, and our mattress is hard, so i experienced lots of tossing & turning as i slept. When i decided to get out of bed, i realized every time i turned over i had been naming all the U S states alphabetically! What was that about? Two hours of that!

madrano wrote: When i decided to get out of bed, i realized every time i turned over i had been naming all the U S states alphabetically! What was that about? Two hours of that!
."

lol

madrano wrote: In the 70s i read an article wherein the author reported that sleep was a habit and not really necessary as much as we think. I couldn’t quite buy that but could believe it is a way of ignoring problems.."

Studies have been done on shift workers and on people who don't get at least 7 hours of sleep or sleep longer then 9 hours. They die at an earlier age then people who have good sleep hygiene habits. Though the number of hours slightly changes in various studies the basic premise is the same.

I've been touring the whole month of May so I only managed to finish one book. I loved it! :)

The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt's New World by Andrea Wulf

Alias Reader wrote: "Nice month, Petra. ..."

Thank you.
I'm trying to focus on books I have at home. My bookshelves runneth over so it's time to make some space. May was a good month; all the books belonged to me.

Deb, you had an interesting month of reading. I didn't know that Hedy Lamarr was a scientist/inventor.

Alias, thanks for the sleep title. At work once, we had a guest speaker from a Sleep Lab at a seminar. I went in thinking "boring" but it was really interesting. He spoke of sleep, sleep disorders, the work done in the Sleep Lab. It was a wonderful seminar.

Samanta, your job is so interesting. Enjoy the touring.
Good reading month, too! That book sounds very interesting.

My May reads
Ruddy Gore byKerry Greenwood
Rating:3/5
This part of the Miss Fisher mystery series. The mysteries take place in 1920's Australia. The characters are interesting In this book I learned about a Gilbert & Sullivan play Ruddigore which I had never heard of.
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Rating: 4/5
I enjoyed reading about Michelle Obama's life before politics and her life in the White House
Aunt Dimity and the King's Ransom byNancy Atherton
Rating:3/5
This is a cozy series which I enjoy as an easy read when life gets hectic
Dyeing Up Loose Ends by Maggie Sefton
Rating:2/5
This was the latest in a knitting mystery series I read. However this is the last one I will be reading in this series. The first half of the book was a rehash of the mysteries that came before. The murder in this one seemed like an afterthought and the identity of the murderer was clearly signaled. Also the content, continuity and copy editing was horrendous.
Trajectory by Richard Russo
Rating:3/5
This was a book of four short stories by Richard Russo. I am not a fan of short stories but I love Russo's writing. I enjoyed the first three stories. As I knew would happen, I wanted them to go on. The last short story I found disjointed

Samanta wrote: "I've been touring the whole month of May so I only managed to finish one book. I loved it! :)

The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt's New World by [author:Andrea Wulf|522..."

I think I purchased that for my Kindle. If not, I know it was on my TBR list. I swear books that go on my Kindle fall into a black hole.

Anyway, I'm glad to hear you loved it as I hope to read it one day.

Meredith wrote: Becoming by Michelle Obama
Rating: 4/5
I enjoyed reading about Michelle Obama's life before politics and her life in the White House.."

I'm reading it now and enjoying it a lot.

Meredith wrote
Trajectory by Richard Russo
Rating:3/5
This was a book of four short stories by Richard Russo. I am not a fan of short stories but I love Russo's writing. I enjoyed the first three stories. As I knew would happen, I wanted them to go on. The last short story I found disjointed
----------
I love Russo, too. I haven't read this one yet. Sorry to see you didn't care for it. Do you think it would work better on audio ?
I ask because I listened to his Elsewhere
which he narrated and loved it. I thought he had a nice sexy voice. :)

Wow, Alias, that’s a testimonial for good sleeping habits if ever i heard one.

Samanta, i hope your work is pleasurable this year. As one who travels, i know tours can be a mixed bag.

Meredith, i’m presently read Obama’s book & liking it very much. How she manages to add just the right words to describe people and events so the reader “sees� them is impressive. Pity about the Sefton mystery, though.

Alias Reader wrote: "Samanta wrote: "I've been touring the whole month of May so I only managed to finish one book. I loved it! :)

The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt's New World by [author..."

Hahaha

madrano wrote: "Wow, Alias, that’s a testimonial for good sleeping habits if ever i heard one.

Samanta, i hope your work is pleasurable this year. As one who travels, i know tours can be a mixed bag.

Meredith, i..."

Oh, they were definitely a mixed bag.

May 2019 was a great month as I did a re-read on three books in a vampire series I love as every time the author releases a new book in the series I do re-reads of the books to keep things fresh. Plus I read some other four and five star books as well which I will list in here.

Going to list the three books I read in the series first to keep them all together and then I will list the rest of my reads for the month.

A Subtle Agency by Graeme Rodaughan - five stars.
My review:
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A Traitor's War by Graeme Rodaughan - five stars.
My review:
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The Dragon's Den by Graeme Rodaughan - five stars.
My review:
/review/show...

Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi - four stars.
My review:
/review/show...

Flight or Fright: 17 Turbulent Tales by Stephen King - four stars.
My review:
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Malice by John Gwynne - five stars.
My review:
/review/show...

Dark Albion by David Brian - four stars.
My review:
/review/show...

When rereading a book is as exciting as the first go ‘round, you’ve found yourself a keeper. What a romp with the Rodaughan!

My husband read the Buglioski book when it first came out & scared me with the few details he tried to tell me. When out teenaged daughter read it years later, he warned her, assuring her he was there if she needed to talk about it. What a real-life horror story.