Book Reviews

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love Kazauo Ishiguro’s writing. I first read The Remains of the Day, and I fell in love with his unique storytelling ability that allows readers to really puzzle out what is happening with characters. To read Ishiguro’s work requires engagement, and it provides an exercise in empathy. With that being said, Klara and the Sun did not land for me. The essential question of the book centers around what it means to be human and to be capable of love, a question which I think about often. But Ishiguro’s treatment of that question in this book felt incomplete. I could never really get a handle on the characters and what really made them the way that they are, a problem that I have never had with Ishiguro’s work before. The story moved at a nice pace, and the details of the plot revealed themselves well, but I never really felt able to connect with the characters which made the book itself ultimately fall flat for me.

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked this book up because it kept showing up in podcasts, book reviews, and book stores, and I love a good memoir. I wasn’t sure I would enjoy this book because I’m not a huge music fan (I know, but at least I’m honest about it) and I have never heard any of Zauner’s work. I’m so glad I ultimately pushed past that concern because I ended up really loving this book because of its profound and honest story of love, loss, and reconciliation. Zauner tells such an authentic narrative in this book; she doesn’t offer judgements of herself, her mother, her father, or any of the other people in her life. Instead, she presents the events and allows readers to draw their own conclusions, which takes such a tremendous amount of courage. Her story resounded with me on multiple levels, and I am incredibly grateful that she chose to share it with the world.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I know I am late to the party on this book, but to be fair, I was five when it was published. Creative nonfiction is one of my favorite genres, and I stumbled upon this book by Googling top works within that genre. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil certainly earned its place on that list. Berendt invites readers to experience the city of Savannah and the people who inhabit it by painting such vivid and clear pictures of his characters and their surroundings. He weaves the threads of their stories together in a truly masterful fashion, and I found myself particularly compelled by the trials of Jim Williams. I had to remind myself often that the people on whom Williams focused is narrative were real, not figments of his imagination. The edition I listened to included a brief interview with Berendt in which he explained some of the creative liberties he took with the story, which I found particularly interesting and instructive.

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This one was a journey, and much of it went way over my head. By the second half of the book, my brain was on overload. However, the concepts in it were super interesting, and I think that knowing them will help me to make better decisions or at least be better aware of why I make the decisions that I do.

Hang the Moon by Jeannette Walls

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really wanted to love this book. I loved Walls’s first book, The Glass Castle, so I hoped that I would love her first work of fiction too. But this book was just a bit too all over the place for me. The body count was so high. The number of half siblings and illegitimate children and ill fated romances were just too much to follow. I appreciate what she was trying to do and the story she was trying to tell, but the execution just didn’t land for me.

Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This books clearly and concisely lays out the problem of poverty in America, and it offers actionable, practical solutions to the problem. Desmond moves through his argument with knowledgeable precision, while offering empathetic and compassionate perspectives of the issues that he addresses. This book would benefit anyone who hopes for a better world for all people and who wants a path forward to eliminate the scourge of poverty in our country. I’m not an economist or an expert in any of the areas that Desmond addresses, but I grew up in poverty, I teach students currently in poverty, and I believe that America can do better for our most vulnerable populations.

One of Ours by Willa Cather

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is easily in my top five favorite of all time. Actually, it’s in my top two favorite. Cather’s prose so beautifully conveys the setting, the characters, and the sentiments found within this book. I often tell people whom I ask to read it that nothing really happens in the book which is part of its beauty. The story follows Claude Wheeler as he seeks to find himself by sorting through all of the things that do not give him satisfaction, finally landing in the middle of WWI where he finds purpose amongst the men in his company. For anyone who has ever felt lonely, misunderstood, and discontent; who longs for meaning and beauty and purpose in life, this book is for you. Go with Claude on his journey to find peace and purpose in this stunning example of the best aspects of American literature.

Pax by Sara Pennypacker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this book with my oldest son who was 8 at the time we started reading it. I chose the book because I wanted something that he and I could read together (I am trying to encourage him to read more), and I love foxes, so the cover art got me immediately. This book provided much more than just a nightly reading ritual with my son and a fun diversion. In fact, the book became very heavy in most places and dealt with difficult concepts like war, loss, PTSD, and tribalism. Pax instigated multiple conversations between with my young son that I am not sure I would have been able to have otherwise. For example, I can’t think of many contexts in which I can talk to my eight year old about war, although I would like to do so. Overall, Pax may have been a bit too mature for my son, but I am grateful that he and I had the experience of reading it together. Additionally, the story of Peter and his love for his fox Pax is really sweet, and the ending rings true for anyone who has loved deeply.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My best friend recommended this book to me after her husband recommended it to her. I picked it up reluctantly because any time someone I love recommends a book to me (“You HAVE to read this. You’ll LOVE it!), I get nervous. What if I don’t love it? How will I navigate that situation? I am so glad that I overcame that concern and read A Man Called Ove. This book is such a heartfelt journey with such a lovable, but real and authentic, main character. The story pulled all of my heartstrings, but it never felt overly sentimental or cheesy. Instead, this book explored universal human characteristics- love, loneliness, bitterness, disappointment- in a way that resounded deeply with me. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I wept uncontrollably at the end and immediately called my friend, sobbing “Why didn’t you prepare me?!” She immediately began to cry with me and told me that nothing would have prepared me; I just had to read it. And, per usual, she was right. I am so very glad that I did.

Maame by Jessica George

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book immediately drew me in with its authentic main character, Maddie. I loved the way that Jessica George depicts Maddie’s anxiety, thought processes, and her way of Googling things that she finds overwhelming or unmanageable. It felt incredibly relatable to me, and I believe it will for many Millennials and Gen zs. The book was slow in parts; the book was focused on Maddie’s growth as a character, which I love, but sometimes I had trouble understanding how parts of the plot functioned in a significant way. I’m not sure if those parts were intentional to simulate Maddie’s experiences or not, but it pulled me out of the story at times. The family and relationship dynamics depicted both things I can only imagine experiencing and things that felt incredibly familiar to me. I felt transported into Maddie’s life, but I was also invited to reflect on my own life and experiences. And for that, I ended up really loving this book, and I’m grateful that I found it.

Queen of Thieves by Beezy Marsh

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was a quick, easy read with an interesting, but predictable plot line. The characters behaved exactly as I expected, and the plot progressed pretty much the same way. The narrative foreshadowed the twists with a heavy hand, so the reveals were a bit lackluster. The greatest disappointment was the reused lines and descriptions. The two characters who narrated repeated the exact same descriptions and phrases multiple times. At first I thought it might have been deliberate to show their similarities in a character-building kind of way, but by the fourth time, I decided it was just poor editing.
Overall, this book provided a pleasant diversion for a few hours, but nothing about it will stick with me for any length of time.

From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home by Tembi Locke

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I heard of this book on a podcast, and I was immediately drawn to the story- one of love, loss, and belonging. Those are the stories that seem to speak to me the most deeply. I bought the book immediately, but for some reason I couldn’t quite bring myself to begin reading it. I lost my grandmother about a year ago, and my heart is still raw, so I think that the thought of reading a book about a deep personal loss was daunting to me, even as it called to me.
Once I began the book, it was a much slower read than I had anticipated. The pace of the book moves much like the life Locke describes in Sicily; it is in no hurry to make itself known or understood. The book is also unassuming and avoids showmanship and contrived “aha” moments that sometimes happen in memoirs. I found this fact both difficult and refreshing, at different times. This really is simply the story of Locke’s love and loss and belonging, and I admire it for its simplicity. It is beautifully written, and it conveys the beauty of Sicily well. My only criticism is that sometimes the descriptions are belabored and draw on too long with little pay off. The ending of the book moved me deeply- the time she spent with Nonna reminded me a lot of time I spent with my grandmother, and the feelings of loss she described touched the places in my heart that still ache from my own loss. I’m grateful that Locke shared her story because it gave me comfort and allowed me to visit a beautiful place filled with beautiful people.

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Celeste Ng understands people and the human condition in a way that I think few writers ever do, and she conveyed that understanding beautifully in Our Missing Hearts. This story that follows a young boy, his father, and eventually his mother through a tumultuous time in the not-too-distant future of our world. Readers accompany the main character on his journey of growth and development, learning about aspects of humanity that no one wishes for their children to ever have to experience. The boys’ parents show the complexity of parenting and the difficulty of balancing one’s values with one’s desire for safety and happiness for one’s child. I found myself breathless as I finished this story, and it has stayed with me ever since. It made me think about the impact of our words, how powerless we are to control what happens to them once they leave us, and how profoundly important it is to live the values that we hold dear.

The Dance of Anger: A Woman’s Guide to Changing the Patterns of Intimate Relationships by Harriet Lerner

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Harriet Lerner does an excellent job helping the reader identify anger as a signal of underlying problems or conditions. She also provides practical, helpful discussions of how to change our thinking and our actions to break out of the cycle of anger and address the underlying issues. While the discussions of the various patients became tedious at times, I found them to be useful and instructive. Toward the end of the book, she also helped readers imagine how those stories contained principles that could apply in different situations.
I particularly appreciated her emphasis on the futility of blaming and the empowering feelings that come from accepting responsibility for our own feelings and how we will manage them.
Overall, I feel this book is extremely helpful, thoughtful, and accessible.

The Water Keeper by Charles Martin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is an action-packed thriller, which is a genre that I do not typically read, so this one was definitely a new experience for me. The best way I can describe it is that it seemed liked this book involved all of the events, characters, and twists of an entire season of NCIS. Some of the characters and relationships seemed a little thin to me, but the action and the message of the story resounded clearly. I believe I definitely would have liked it more if I were more into the genre itself. Overall, it was a good, intense read with some heartfelt moments.

Let’s Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir by Jenny Lawson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have been meaning to read this book for over a year because my best friend recommended it. Oddly enough, I almost didn’t make it past the first chapter, and kept reading only because I trust my friend more than I trust myself sometimes. Per usual, she was right, and I’m glad I kept reading.
The beginning of the book establishes Lawson’s writing style, which diverges in 15 different directions at a time, making it difficult to follow and sometimes down right unenjoyable. When her stories diverge or digress in a natural way, it lands beautifully and is genuinely funny. Those chapters in this book made me laugh so hard I cried, and some of them stunned me (in a good way) with their realness. And then as I tried to collect myself emotionally, I couldn’t help but laugh because of Lawson’s irreverent and hilarious delivery. I would give those a solid 5/5. Unfortunately, many times it seems as if she’s trying too hard to make me laugh, and in those chapters, the book falls short.
Overall, the good outweighed the bad, and I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I read it in just two days, and I shared several of her anecdotes with my husband because they made me laugh aloud while I was reading. She manages to deliver a solid message through very funny, almost certainly embellished anecdotes. I would recommend it to anyone who doesn’t take themselves or others too seriously and could use a good laugh.

Breathing Underwater: Spirituality and the 12 Steps by Richard Rohr

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I almost didn’t read this book because of its basis on the 12 steps. I assumed it wouldn’t apply to me because I’ve never been an alcoholic. However, I heard Father Richard discuss this book on a podcast, and he mentioned that this book is for everyone, not just recovering addicts because in truth, we’re all addicted to something in some way, shape, or form. I thought that was a tall order, but, as he usually does, Father Richard delivered.
Rohr does a nice job walking through the premise set up by the twelve steps and discussing them through a spiritual lens. I was encouraged each step of the way.

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam M. Grant

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Not much to say about this one beyond I found it really helpful. The process of “rethinking” as described in the first chapter is essentially a game changer. Try to find out why we might be wrong rather than why we must be right.
I also appreciated that the book considered things from the angle of individual rethinking, rethinking within groups, and engaging with others about the rethinking process. I found the information and premise so helpful, I chose to share the first chapter with my students.

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of this book is what a wacky, wacky ride. I can say that I definitely enjoyed this book. It has a host of delightful one-liners, recurring bits, and hilariously absurd characters. I laughed out loud several times while reading, and as I neared the end, I found myself very invested in how all of the plot points would wrap up (and they all did very nicely). My main complaints with the book come from the fact that at times the characters were absolutely insufferable. Maybe I’m just sensitive, but at times in the story, I found it hard to stomach the vitriol spewing from the mouths of most of the characters (but most especially the main character). There is a fine line between humor and horror, and this novel lives on that line, dipping onto both sides in equal measure.
Overall, I am glad that I took my friend’s recommendation and read this book. I will not soon forget Ms. Trixie, Levy pants, or Ignatious J. Riley and his petulant valve.

The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I found this book, it checked so many boxes for me: celebration of language- check, feminist sentiments- check, Victorian setting- check. As such, I expected to devour this novel. But much to my surprise, I worked through this novel rather slowly because its density required time and energy to consume. Sometimes the scenes and characters and sentiments were so lovely that I took my time savoring each description and conversation. And sometimes I found myself trudging through tedious parts of the plot and limited characterizations. In that way, this book was very much a journey- complete with all the excitement, disappointment, boredom, and awe that come with any adventure worth having. If I have a specific complaint, it is that many of the most important events in the novel were glossed over by quick narration rather than explored through description. Major events in the main character’s life, particularly important conversations, were alluded to but often not shown. However, the few meaningful conversations that readers did get to experience, particularly in the second half of the novel, were lovely and profound.
Overall, I am glad that I found this book, and I am glad that I stuck with it through some tedious nights of reading because it did take me to some wonderful places.

The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy by Anand Giridharadas

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed listening to the audio version of this book. The author provides some interesting and helpful insights from a lot of really cool people. I liked how the book built on concepts from previous chapters; I never felt like Giridharadas was beating a dead horse because each chapter brought a new, if nuanced, insight to the overall conversation. However, this book is geared toward a very specific audience, and while the message of the book is about bringing people around to a different point of view, I do not feel like this book could be used to do that in and of itself. It is very much a tool to teach those on the left and in the progressive camp to be more persuasive about their issues. While clearly that was the author’s intention, I found myself wishing there was more material in the book that I could share with others regardless of their political bents. Overall, I felt challenged while reading this book, and by the end I feel more educated and equipped to have meaningful conversations around difficult topics.

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I found this book to be incredibly profound and helpful. Gilbert’s honesty and authenticity made her words ring true, and her willingness to share her experiences throughout her creative journey made me feel seen and known in the best kind of way.
As I read the book, I found myself among the pages, within Gilbert’s stories and discussions. And because I found myself there, I feel confident in my ability to follow Gilbert’s direction towards my own Big Magic. I can’t recommend this book enough for anyone who longs to create but struggles with self-criticism and fear. This book will not eliminate those things, nor does it seek to. But it will help you to recognize and manage these inevitable, and even helpful, aspects of the creative process.

Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

While I was not hopeful at first, this turned out to be a really fun, uplifting read. When I first started reading, I thought this book was going to be nauseatingly predictable- the basic romantic storyline, bringing nothing new to the table. And on some levels, the plot line was predictable: the love triangle (or trapezoid as the book puts it) revealed itself early on, and I never doubted that everyone would end up with the “right” person. What pleasantly surprised me, however, was the depth of the main character and the honesty and realness in her burgeoning relationship. The joke (that was not a joke) in the book was that they were going to do the “queer” thing and talk about their feelings- which was so refreshing to see modeled in a relationship. While the characters definitely jumped to conclusions and made bad calls (but who doesn’t, honestly?), they talked things out, were open and honest with each other, and their relationship grew as a result.
I also loved the realness of the main character regarding her anxiety and depression. She didn’t feel like an amalgamation of all of the anxiety stereotypes in the world. Instead, she felt authentic, which I really appreciated. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised, so much so that I read this book in basically one sitting.

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The two main stories that are told in this book are both interesting ones. The details, difficulties, and triumphs of the Chicago World’s Fair provide insight into a bygone era thats influence lingers today. Additionally, the heart wrenching details of Holmes’s victims and his method of seducing, controlling, and mustering them create a compelling, albeit troubling, story. However, the link between the two stories seemed contrived and thin. Sure, Holmes was able to accomplish what he did because of the presence of the fair in Chicago, but that doesn’t seem like enough of a link to detail the two at this length in a book together. Instead, one provides more of a footnote for the other. In the notes at the end, the author claims the link between the two stories is the lengths to which men will go to achieve and maintain power- a fair similarity between the two stories. But the narration and organization of the book fail to make the connection clear to the reader while the stories are unfolding.
Other than that, the stories are well written, well researched, and very compelling. I just felt like I was being jerked between two completely different stories rather than being taken through an intricate weave of events in a specific time and place in history.