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1. The Painted Girls, by Cathy Marie Buchanan. This novel is loosely based on real people and real events. It centers on the older two of the three van Goethem sisters, the headstrong and rash Antoinette, and the more conservative and reserved Marie. Both of the sisters were involved with the Paris Opera as dancers. Antoinette's sharp tongue gets her kicked out, so Marie is reluctantly dragged to a tryout, where it soon becomes apparent that she not only has natural talent as a ballerina, she also develops a drive to succeed. Antoinette, meanwhile, finds another job at a theater in an ensemble role and becomes romantically involved with Emile, a young man with a dark streak (to put it mildly). Together, they manage to earn enough to keep the wolf from the door and put food on the table- barely. But Buchanan's story painfully illustrates that drive and talent aren't always enough to get ahead, and Marie is especially pressured to compromise her principals in a world dominated by wealthy and powerful men.

All in all I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it. I did have two issues. One is fairly minor, but there were times when there was a flashback in the middle of a chapter, and it was difficult to tell it was a flashback. It was rather disconcerting.

The other is a little more serious; to get into this, I have to give away a bit of a spoiler; I hate doing this, and I'll try to keep it as bare bones as I can.....



SPOILER ALERT

Emile and another young man, Knobloch were accused of murder. Antoinette has evidence that could cast doubt on the case (fairly weak, but moving on...). She begs Marie to turn it over to the judge, in hopes of freeing Emile at the least. Now, this much I can follow, but Antoinette feels her evidence would not only clear her lover, but Knobloch as well. That, I don't follow. If anything, the evidence in question would further condemn him the way I see it (it would further cement his reputation as a liar, for starters). It's a fairly minor point, ultimately, but the logic just didn't make sense to me.



End of the spoiler.



2. Throw Like a Woman, by Susan Petrone. Any movie director looking for an idea for a great, believable story about a woman breaking through to major league baseball, the writing has already been done. Just pick up a copy of this book and adapt it.

I'm serious, this book feels so cinematic it would adapt well to the big screen. Get to it, Hollywood.

The book centers on an unlikely major league hero, Brenda Haversham, a divorced mom and former graphic designer forced to hold down a lesser paying job. She's having problems making ends meet. Through a chance competition at a Cleveland Indian's game involving throwing a fastball, Brenda is shown to have a very fast throw. Fast enough to attract the attention of baseball scouts. Never mind she's never even played high school softball before.

The story strikes me as pretty realistic. It's not all rose petals and easy street; Brenda faces a good deal of harassment on and off the field, and the difficulty of being separated from her two sons makes her wonder at times if this is really her calling. The ending is hopeful and upbeat, without feeling forced.

3. Out of Line: The Art of Jules Ffeifer, by Martha Fay. A must-read for Ffeifer fans, or any fan of the comic or illustration art form. Fay delves into Ffeifer's varied and storied career, from his roots as a child to his last years. The amount of work he accomplished is incredible. What was really neat to see were the preliminary sketches for several of his illustrations and cartoons- sketches that often get tossed. Ffeiffer himself was an interesting person; at times full of confidence but more often haunted by insecurities that plagued him even after he became an unqualified success. This attractive coffee-table style book focuses primarily on his lengthy career, which ranged from doing panel cartoons based on his favorite superhero comics, to more political commentary, to children's illustrations. In addition, Ffeiffer also was a noted playwright and writer, with his acerbic and pointed commentary reflected in his art, whether it be through drawing or letters.

4. Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand. I was given a young adult adaptation of Hillenbrand's full novel by a good friend when I was undergoing in-house physical therapy more than a year ago; finally got around to reading it. It's a biography of Louie Zamperini; to say his life was eventful would be an understatement. This would be a fantastic book for reluctant readers or those who might have had a troubled past. Zamperini was hardly the model youth; indeed, he was a delinquent. I find it tragic that if he were a youth today, I doubt he'd get the same opportunities that presented themselves then. That, to me, is a big takeaway. He was a petty thief who liked to stir up trouble and wasn't afraid to use his fists, much to his family's dismay. Finally, his older brother Pete was able to get through to him by encouraging Zamperini's love of running. Fast forward a few years, and Louie is competing in the 1936 Olympics, finishing eighth in the 5,000 meter race.

That in and of itself is a compelling story, but that's only the start. Later, Lt. Zamperini enlisted in the Air Corps as a bombardier. In May 1943, he and his crew were sent on a search mission to find a missing aircraft. They were assigned a plane with a reputation of being unstable (after reading this, I'm figuring there were quite a few planes that should have never seen the sky; Zamperini and his crew had several close calls due to mechanical issues in previous missions with similar planes. But I digress). While on the search, the plane malfunctioned and crashed into the ocean, killing eight of the 11 crew on board. One of the airmen, Francis MacNamara, died after more than a month at sea floating on a raft; Zamperini and the pilot, Russell Allen Phillips managed to land on the Marshall Islands after 47 days, and were captured by the Japanese Navy. From there, the two men were taken to a series of prisoner of war camps. Among other trials, Zamperini managed to catch the attention and ire of the infamous Mutsuhiro Watanabe, a sadistic guard at two of the camps. The chapters dealing with Zamperini's imprisonment were the hardest to read, what those men went through was horrific.

Another ironic twist: Zamparini's skills as a thief, honed as a youngster, not only save his life, but the lives of others on several occasions, throughout his time in the prison camps.

Zamparini was eventually freed, but his adjustment back to civilian life was difficult. He suffered what we now call PTSD and was haunted by nightmares for years after returning to the United States, particularly about Watanabe. The final chapters go into his fall into alcoholism and his eventual recovery.

I may have to check out the full novel now, but this book felt complete. It also includes an interview transcript between the author and Zamparini at the end.

5. What Do You See When You Look at Me, by Angela Ray Rodgers,with Grace Anna. I just got this book yesterday, and read it as soon as it was out of its packaging. OK, disclaimer: this isn't going to be an unbiased review. I know the family, have met them, and their daughter has the same form of dwarfism I have (albeit more severe). That said, yes, I loved this book. I think it would be a great addition to a school library. I can see parents reading this to their three-year-olds and younger elementary school students, and older students reading this independently. It's a positive look at a child with different needs, but it emphasizes the similarities Grace Anna has with her other peers. The book does not shy away from the realities: there is one page which shows Grace Anna waiting for tests in a hospital bed- a part of her life. But all in all, this is an upbeat and positive story, that highlights abilities and talents rather than problems.

Did not finish (been a while since I've had one of these)

The Most Powerful Woman in the Room is You, by Lydia Fenet. I won this book through a drawing. I knew there might be problems from the first chapter, and ultimately, I just could not finish this one. In many ways that's a shame. Fenet is actually an engaging story teller. I really liked her personal stories about how she conducted, and later changed, how she conducted auctions at Christie's. There were times she made me laugh out loud.

The problem is this is supposed to be an advice book, and a lot of the advice is questionable to put it mildly. I'll give two examples: the moment I realized I may not finish the book, and the moment I closed the book and thought "yep, I'm done here!"

In the first chapter, Fenet describes how she managed to get an internship and Christie's. She got the contact information of the person in charge in interns, applied, and then called... and called.... and called... until she managed to wheedle her way into a sort of modified internship. Now, one, she admits that this was before caller id, so this would not work today. I'd also point out that in this day and age, your calls would not only be ignored (best case scenario), you would likely be served with a cease and desist order, be declared persona non grata on the property, and blacklisted from the industry you were hoping to get into. Even more egregious, a friend of hers was the one who set her up with the contact. Fenet's hyper-aggressive behavior could have easily put her friend's job in jeopardy. That is a no-no. Period. If you get an inside connection into a company, you treat it like gold and remember at all times that your behavior is going to reflect back on your friend. I've head of companies that no longer take inside recommendations because of problems they've had in the past.

The final straw was an anecdote (two anecdotes, actually), which she tried to portray as Queen Bee syndrome, and where she was pleading for women to stop tearing each other down and support each other. Now, I know Queen Bee syndrome exists, I've seen it. I've been a victim of it (thankfully not recently). I have no issue with the message of supporting and empowering other women (or anyone, for that matter). But one story she shared was about a conversation she overheard about someone who had just started her own business, and one woman was complaining about how she always seemed to be selling something. The other story was one Fenet got from someone else about her, about how someone snidely said that Fenet was good at selling herself.

Again, I know Queen Bee syndrome is an issue, but in both cases, the women being talked about need to do some soul searching. There is a razor fine line between being assertive and being obnoxious. People don't like being pitched to, unless they are seeking that product, and even then, there are limits. Constant bombardments of "hey, look what I have on sale now!!" are off-putting, and I suspect these women need to dial back- waaaay back- on their sales pitching, especially when their "audience" is assembled for purposes other than purchasing or donating.

Also did not finish (sort of):
Persuasion, by Jane Austen. I found this book while cleaning my house for the sale, and suspect it was left behind by a roommate. I started reading it a couple weeks or so ago. I did like the notes and historical context offered at the beginning by Linda Bree- I had not known a lot of this information. Now, ordinarily, I find I enjoy a book more with that sort of context, but I found even just reading a few chapters a real chore. I just disliked the characters, especially Sir Walter, who was a caricature, an entitled twit with no redeeming qualities evident.

Well, I went to add this book to my currently reading list on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, and to my shock discovered I'd actually read this one before three years ago (!!!) Wrote a review and everything. I do not recall ever reading this, but my review sort of matched up with the plot, so... I guess I did. My previous review was, essentially, "meh, it's ...OK." It's strange because usually if I reread a book (with only a few exceptions), I like a book more after a re-read. But really, I think I'd give this one star now. Ugh, it's so slow, so meandering, and I've already mentioned the vapid characters.

Needless to say, I'm relieved that I have read this before so I can move on to other, better books, because no, I'm NOT finishing this re-read. Ugh.

Currently reading: Fire & Blood, by George R.R. Martin, and Grant, by Ron Chernow.

6. Fire and Blood, by George R.R. Martin. Fans of the Game of Thrones novels and who love delving into history and backstories MUST read this. It reads like histories put together by maesters, and follows the history of the infamous Targaryen family, starting with Aegon I and his conquest of the Seven Kingdoms, about 300 years before the events in Game of Thrones. The segment on the Dance of the Dragons was especially enjoyable, for it was written from the point of view of a maester who is primarily using three sources, and sometimes those sources conflict. It felt like a real history. It reminded me of the Silmarillion, except this is easier to follow and more cohesive. There's supposed to be a second volume, which I hope comes out soon. Would also love to see something like this for the other houses, like the Starks and the Lannisters. Also, I can't give a review without mentioning the incredible illustrations by Doug Wheatley. His charcoal art of the characters and various scenes are amazing.

Currently reading: Grant, by Ron Chernow, A Woman of No Importance, by Sonia Purnell, and Careless People, by Sarah Churchwell.

7. A Woman of No Importance, by Sonia Purnell. Wow. Purnell's biography centers on Virginia Hall, a woman born to not inconsiderable privilege, who would go on to pretty much organizing and galvanizing the French Resistance during the second World War. If Hall's mother would have had her way, Virginia would have married a wealthy gentleman and settled in a stately abode, raising children and entertaining the upper crust. Hall had different ambitions. After touring Europe during her college years, she especially fell in love with France. When France was invaded, she managed to persuade the American government into working covertly over there, in the guide of a newspaper reporter, to help coordinate a resistance against the Nazi party. What she actually accomplished is just incredible, and went above and beyond her initial mandate, and she did it under incredibly adverse circumstances. Not only was she a woman born at a time where women were usually on the sidelines of the war effort, she used a prosthetic leg (which she nicknamed Cuthbert, and this led to a few funny stories) due to a shooting accident. Despite the prejudice against her, and having to deal with more than a few incompetent chauvinists, she pretty much is responsible for making the French Resistance a force to be reckoned with. One of her greatest achievements was a jailbreak on the line of the one depicted in "The Great Escape." It's a tragedy she isn't better known (although, as reticent as she was in real life, she probably wouldn't mind that). Virginia Hall deserves to be at least as famous as Charles de Gualle. I've heard a movie is supposed to be coming out about her (although with the pandemic, who knows?) It would be nice to see this brave and determined woman get the recognition she deserves.

8. A Midsummer Night's Dream, by William Shakespeare. This is, in truth, a reread, for when I played one of Titania's squad in a virtual staged reading, but I'm counting it. I pick up on more and more with each reading and each viewing. Still, this is an example I give when I point out that plays are meant to be seen, and any high school teacher teaching a play � especially something like Shakespeare � should not only arrange for a quality version to watch (preferably live), but the viewing should come BEFORE the reading. I actually read this on my own in high school. I've always liked Shakespeare and read several of his works on my own. But I remember with this one, I read it because I had heard how wonderful it was, and how popular it is. When I finished though, I was underwhelmed. Why was this so popular? I thought. Also the whole scene with the play within I play just came off as insipid on the printed page. Years later, I saw the fairly recent movie version with Kevin Kline, Stanley Tucci, Calista Lockheart and Michelle Pfeiffer, among many big names. Oh my gosh, Midsummer went from meh to marvelous. And that mechanicals production towards the end? My favorite scene by far. I laughed until I cried. I've seen it staged at least twice since, and Midsummer is now my favorite Shakespeare play.

For those not familiar with this charming fantasy, there are three stories that come together. One involves two young men and two young women in a love triangle that gets turned into a Gordion knot after a puck accidentally mistakes the identity of his targets. The second story involves a spat between the king and queen of the fairy realm over a changeling boy. The third involves a group of laborers, who have more zeal than skill in theatrics, who are trying to put together a show for the newly married duke. One of the laborers, Bottom, becomes the unwitting punchline in a practical joke on Titania, the fairy queen. Because it's a comedy, everyone ends up happy.

9. Our Town, by Thornton Wilder. A re-read for me, in preparation for a virtual staged reading. I read this in high school; we started by reading the script, then saw a video of a staged version of it. This is one of a few examples I have of where, if a high school teacher is teaching a play, a quality production of the play needs to not only be seen, but seen FIRST before reading it. I really didn't understand why this work was considered so important or so wonderful just by reading it, indeed, I was bored by the reading. The video staging, while not the greatest production, did help. The part I remembered most was Act III, in the graveyard- that really made an impact. It was so different, and so emotional. I've since seen it on stage a couple times as an adult, including a wonderful production at a summer theater ages ago and a very good high school production a couple of years ago, and as an adult I appreciate it a good deal more.

This play, usually done in minimalist style, is essentially a slice of life story set in a small town at the turn of the century. There's no big mystery, no real action, it just focuses on two perfectly normal families, with attention on the two teens � George and Emily � who eventually fall in love. The first act focuses on birth and new beginnings, the second on love and marriage, and the third act on death. The story is told through the Stage Manager, who serves as a guide both for the audience and the people on stage.

10. Stop Kiss, by Diana Son. I read this one for my book club, who are fellow theater enthusiasts. I'm surprised this one hasn't been done around here (as far as I know). The short, one-act play centers on Callie, a traffic reporter and longtime resident of New York City, and Sara, a newcomer to the city who has just accepted a job as a teacher at a Bronx school. Callie and Sara meet through another friend when Sara needs a place to keep her cat. Their friendship grows as time goes on. The play alternates between scenes from the present day, and flashback scenes that bring the audience full circle. Present day is after Sara is brutally attacked when she and Callie are walking through a park; Sara is now in the hospital, and Callie, who also was injured faces hard questions about why the attack happened (there's more than a little victim blaming). The flashback scenes show the growing relationship between Callie and Sara, and what led to the attack. The play is well-written; the pacing is good, with nice character development and a bit of mystery.

11. Barracoon, by Zora Neale Hurston. Hurston, a novelist, traveled to Alabama on to meet Cudjo Lewis (or, as he preferred, Kossola), who, in 1927 was a survivor from the Clotilda, the last known slaver ship known to make the trip in 1859 from the Americas to coastal Africa and back, with an illegal cargo of human chattel. He was 86 at the time of the interviews, and a good portion of the book includes not only his life growing up in Dahomey, and the traditions he grew up with, but his capture and the sad circumstances that made it possible. His accounts touch briefly on his time as a slave, but then concentrate more on his life after the Civil War. He was one of the founders of African Town (now Plataea, Alabama), which was started by those slaves who had been brought over from Africa. Kossola describes especially the prejudice he saw not just from the white residents but the black Americans who never saw Africa. Hurston also includes historical background in her work, to serve as a frame for Kossola's memories, but the book is primarily his account. Hurston remarks on the accuracy of the majority of his recollections. It's a short, insightful read. It takes a little time to get into the rhythm of Kossola's dialogue (Hurston tried to recapture his way of speaking) but once you do that, it's an engaging story.

12. Grant, by Ron Chernow. This took me much of the past several months, it's more than 900 pages of reading material, but it was worth every moment. Now I want to get my hands on Chernow's biography on Washington. "Grant" is a real eye-opener in terms of understanding our history. I'm having a hard time trying to think of a more unfairly maligned individual than Ulysses S. Grant, after reading this.

Chernow uses a huge amount of reference materials, from letters and telegrams to other books, to paint a comprehensive portrait of this famous Civil War general and president. While the book is long, it is always engaging and colorful. Those interested in a thorough account of Grant, the Civil War and the aftermath should take the time to read this.

It is certainly thought provoking, and even infuriating, to realize just how badly sugar-coated this time period and some of the key players are. But it's also telling on society on how Grant has been so ridiculed, particularly for his alcoholism, which is almost a punch line at times. Was Grant perfect? No, no one is. But is biggest problem was not the bottle, it was that he was honest to a fault and expected everyone else would be as well. This led to more than a few scandals among his cabinet, most particularly the Whiskey Ring, because he just trusted the wrong people despite early warnings, and trusted until he had no choice but to believe the evidence before him.

About his trouble with alcohol. Yes, he was an alcoholic but by the time the war ended he was known for his temperance. It was mostly an issue during his academy days and well before the Civil War. But here's the thing: he wasn't an alcoholic in the commonly understood sense. He wasn't someone to tried to drink others under the table. He wasn't a one tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor type. He was a one tequila...and floor. He had no tolerance for it. I suspect that is why he is ridiculed for being an alcoholic, while other historic figures have generally gotten a free pass, including other Civil War generals. Including one general who died because of too much drink. Even now, it's "unmanly" not to be able to hold one's booze. Sad commentary on the country and it's sometimes puerile mentality on some issues.

13. White Fragility, by Robin Diangelo. This has become popular and is on all sorts of best seller lists due to the racial tensions of late. I recommend reading it...with reservations. I think there are other books, most notably Taking on Diversity by Rupert Nacoste and Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria by Barbara Daniel Tatum are far better at getting into issues about diversity, starting discussions and building bridges.

There are some good points brought up in this book. One that really stuck with me is that we often refer to Jackie Robinson as the one who broke the color barrier, and that women won the right to vote 100 years ago. But think of the phrasing this way: Robinson was the first black player the white management allowed to play, and white men allowed white women to vote 100 years ago. A bit depressing but it shows the pernicious and subliminal issues with white privilege.

I get it- it's going to be tough to open dialogues on white privilege because it's seen as an attack on people who consider themselves good, non-racists, and Diangelo goes into why this can be a problem. That we all have our prejudices and we often don't realize it and won't until we talk about these issues.

However, this book has some serious issues. One, she relates a lot of stories on how and why people would get offended during her workshops, some of them storming-out-the-door mad. But she doesn't weigh in on any "ah-hah!" moments, and that's troubling. It's good to point out the problems, but there is a serious lack of solutions, and given the examples she gives with how things went sour, I have to wonder how effective a teacher she truly is. The whole chapter, White Women's Tears was really off-putting. I get the points overall, but it came across as needlessly abrasive and, again, no solutions, no success moments. The bulk of this chapter was about a workshop she ran, which took place shortly after a police shooting of an unarmed black man. A black woman told her beforehand if there were any tears from white women she'd leave, and went into why. OK, I can understand this, I can understand, to a degree, why she'd be upset (although I'd argue this could have been a good topic- why would she have assumed the worst from a group that was coming together for support? Does that mean that she, too, had her own issues with prejudice that could have been deconstructed?) But Diangelo just asked for no tears- without the explanation until much later (which was too little, too late, in my opinion). I know had I been in that particular class, with what she said and the way she said it, I would have been puzzled at best and even insulted.

Another issue. There is one point where Diangelo is talking about desegregating schools, and how it was white families who did all the objecting. That you didn't hear black families (or really, POC families) objecting to desegregation efforts, leading to the conclusion that they were fully, 100 percent in support of desegregation. That's one heck of a leap of logic. While POC families may not have publicly objected to desegregation, I'm sure there were a lot of neighborhood, dinnertable and watercolor talks from parents and other adults wondering if desegregation efforts were putting targets on the backs of their children. Read Guest of Honor by Deborah Davis, about the famous dinner between Booker T. Washington and President Theodore Roosevelt. Friends and family of both men warned against the meeting and dinner, with black families afraid of Washington rocking the boat and provoking the white citizens.

So do I recommend this? Again, with reservations and the recommendation to read Nacoste's and Tatum's superior and more optimistic books first. White Fragility fleshes out some of the deeper issues of trying to tackle race issues, but should be seen as a Disassembling White Privilege 2.0 book, with some inoculation and understanding beforehand so readers don't dismiss her message because they are turned off by her pessimistic tone.

14. Flu, by Gina Kolata. I can't recommend this book enough; it should be required reading for high school and/or college students- and it can fit into science and history. I admit I thought I'd be getting more of a history about the events of 1918, but what this book provides is better. Instead of a history on just the disease itself and its impact on that time, the book goes into the study of that virus and similar flu viruses (particularly swine and bird), and the scientists behind their study. One of the strongest suits of this book is taking difficult science procedures and terms and explaining them in such a way that you can understand it with little difficulty. Kolata's book also is engaging; I finished it in about a week. Another good takeaway is presenting the various theories on what made the virus so dangerous (something that is still not entirely well understood, but there are many ideas), showing the strong points and weaknesses, like a good scientist would. It shows how at times scientists tried different tacks, but ultimately would fail. Or, they wouldn't find success or a breakthrough for several years � or even decades. There are many things we don't know even now, and might not ever know for certain. Readers will get a glimpse of the scientific process, what to do, how to weigh evidence and, in at least one tale, what not to do. She also includes information on the Swine Flu and efforts in trying to inoculate the entire populace, which turned into a public relations nightmare. It's an interesting tale with a lot of different angles. It also highlights the dangers of correlation and causation, and how sometimes, there's just no easy answers. It's hard to read this section and conclude that, despite the difficulties, that, if you were a scientist facing a possible viral threat but could make a vaccine in advance to stave off massive deaths, that you wouldn't at least contemplate a vaccination attempt in advance of the hypothetical outbreak. Those who like science, history, or even a mystery (Kolata makes frequent mention that these scientists are trying to pin down a murderer and figure out why it was so lethal), will enjoy this book.

Currently reading: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, by Hunter S. Thompson.

15. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, by Hunter S. Thompson. Well. What can I say? This was interesting, like watching a train wreck in slow motion is interesting. Basically, this is Thompson's somewhat fictionalized account of his "covering" two events in Las Vegas, a big race and a convention for narcotics officers (I say "covering" because he spends maybe 10 minutes cumulatively covering the events and the remaining time at the bar, getting high or avoiding getting caught). It's tough to figure out what may have been fictionalized; honestly, I wonder if Thompson even knew, given how trippy this gets. The latter convention with the officers is amusing because Thompson and his "attorney" are high out of their minds through most of this, so the thought of them covering an event crawling with police and detectives is pretty funny. There were a couple other scenes where I laughed out loud- one moment early on involving a hapless hitchhiker, the other when he and his attorney are giving this over the top story to a clueless schmuck about how bad the drug issue is getting in parts of the country, and the schmuck is buying it hook, line and sinker. But for the most part, my overriding thoughts were "why would someone do this to himself?" and "what on earth did I just read?" While I don't regret reading this, I don't see myself re-reading this, or trying Thompson's other works. This was plenty.

Currently reading: Stamped from the Beginning, by Ibram X. Kendi

16. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris. My book club was looking for a more lighthearted read after the past several books, so we settled on Sedaris. I've read Me Talk Pretty One Day, which I just loved. This book was a little more serious, especially with the first few stories. Sure, there were numerous tales he relates where I cracked up laughing, but there were a couple others I actually got misty-eyed. Not quite expecting the serious stories given the first book I read and the fact that Sedaris is known as a comedian, but I still enjoyed this overall. I did have qualms about the story he related about touring the Anne Frank house; I understand comedians are expected to push the envelope and test boundaries but there are just some things you don't ever make light of. There is a story later on that, had it been included before this one, could have lessened the cringe level some. I did like the stories about him trying to co-exist with one of his sisters, and I loved the story about his brother's first baby- both hilarious and incredibly sweet. I cracked up over the alphabet toy.

17. Politics is for Power, by Eitan Hersh. Anyone interested in how to best make an impact � not just in politics � needs to read this. Really, this should be required reading in high school, and again in college. Hersh, in a little more than 200 pages, goes into why we are so fractured and why people are so distant from the political process. What I love is he does go into what can be done, what has been successful. But he doesn't sugar coat the sheer effort and length of time it will take to right a national ship that has all but turned turtle, to borrow a nautical term. Indeed, this can be a depressing read at times because the effort to get people actually engaged, and not just armchair quarterback, is tremendous and time consuming- because true democracy is a messy, time-consuming process, and most people just want to be left alone, or want the microwave meal solution: quick, cheap, palatable, and easy to eat (but ultimately a horrible diet that will catch up with you). So, making any meaningful change will take a lot of years and a lot of effort. That's a daunting thought.

Currently reading: Stamped From the Beginning, by Ibram X. Kendi, and Careless People, by Sarah Churchwell.

20. Careless People, by Sarah Churchwell. Any fans of F. Scott Fitzgerald, of The Great Gatsby, or the Jazz Age in general should read this. For those wishing to delve deeper into that glittering age, this is an excellent place to start. Churchwell takes readers from when Fitzgerald starts thinking about the novel to the tragic death of his wife Zelda. The book is interspersed with relevant sections of The Great Gatsby, and highlights the events and people that inspired the action and characters in the book. My one nit is the emphasis on the jacket cover of the Hall-Mills murders as being a big inspiration for the book. That double murder, which remains unsolved to this day, may have indirectly influenced one or two aspects of the novel, but it's a stretch to say there are any strong ties between the two. While I'm not a big fan of Gatsby, I can appreciate it a little more now; I wish I would have read this first before reading the novel a second time a couple years ago. Churchwell draws from a plethora of letters and notes to bring the narrative to life.
Currently reading: Stamped from the Beginning, by Ibram X. Kendi

(OK, I now notice my numbers are off- will have to check this later...)

19 (I think...). Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens. This was the November pick for my book club. All in all, I did like it. The story kept me engaged. It has a bit of everything- a bit of romance, a bit of history, a bit of science, a bit of psychology, and a lot of mystery. The biggest strength I think is in the whodunit- the story keeps you guessing until the last two pages. There are two different timelines that connect at the end, with much of the tale centering on Kya, nicknamed The Marsh Girl by the local town residents. The second part of the story, the present time in 1969 and 1970, involves the local sheriff trying to solve the mystery of the death of a popular former football player. Kya is a great character, believable given all she has gone through. She makes her mistakes and is flawed, but her actions and decisions are understandable.

All in all the story holds together pretty well and is a good debut book for the author. It's not perfect, it needed a better editor, but my complaints are more polishing issues. A pet peeve of mine is having much of a chapter being told from the point of view of one character, but then switching back and forth between other characters point of view. This is sloppy; there are better ways to handle what other characters around the main POV character of the chapter are thinking without getting directly into their heads. Also, I wasn't happy with how the sheriff was handled- a pretty decent guy who was doing the best he could and working methodically, but is written off as incompetent at the end. I thought that a bit dismissive and unfair, given his measured actions and careful demeanor.

Currently reading Stamped from the Beginning, by Ibram X. Kendi

20. Fairview, by Jackie Sibblies Drury. Fairview won a Pulitzer Prize in 2019. In trying to read this, I'm reminded of the importance of seeing a play, and how plays were really meant to be seen, not read. It's hard for me to evaluate this because after just reading it, I was left with a "meh" feeling. I may very well appreciate this more actually seeing it take place on the stage. An example I always share is A Midsummer Night's Dream. I read this in high school on my own, it was not assigned. I was curious about it because people always spoke so highly about it. But after I had finished reading it, I was underwhelmed, especially by the Mechanicals scene at the end. But then I saw the Kevin Kline movie and was just wowed. And the Mechanicals scene, which I had absolutely detested trying to just read? It was the best part. I've since also seen Midsummer live on at least three occasions and now this is my favorite Shakespeare play.

At any rate, the play starts as a fairly routine situation-style comedy, with a family preparing for a birthday dinner for the family matriarch. Then, the second scene introduces an audience(?) whose members have a running commentary on race. The third scene sort of melds the two, in a continuation of the first two acts. The third act was probably the strongest, in terms of comedy and in the overall message.

Fairview does have some interesting ideas but, again, I'm thinking it probably comes across better live and in-person, rather than just on the page. I will reserve final judgement if and when I actually get the chance to see this.

21. Cost of Living, by MarLynn Majok. The winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 2018, and I can see why just reading it. This was an incredibly moving work, and plays with perceptions and assumptions. This is a four-character play, with two storylines that (sort of) come together at the end. Two of the characters have significant and obvious disabilities, but all have incredible struggles, in their past, in their lives and in trying to communicate and connect. Two characters, recently separated, find themselves reconnecting after one has an accident that leaves her a quadriplegic. The other two characters involve a college student facing turmoil taking on the job of caring for a man with cerebral palsy. I admit, I did wonder how a couple of the scenes would be staged because of some difficulties I could see coming up, but since this show has been staged I don't think I'm going out on a limb to assume the challenges were met.

Currently reading: Stamped from the Beginning, by Ibram X. Kendi, and Educated, by Tara Westover.