RIP - Joan Didion

Such sad news to learn of Joan Didion's passing due to complications of Parkinson's disease at age 87.

I've only read one of Joan Didion's books. I would really like to read more of her books in the coming years.

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

What Reading Does To Your Brain with Merphy Napier

 

As an avid reader, you don't have to convince me there are positive benefits of reading and how it effects the brain for the better.

However, in case you aren't an avid reader or would like to share the positive benefits of reading on the brain, then the above YouTube video is for you!

Top Ten Tuesday - Books I Hope Santa Brings/Bookish Wishes

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Top Ten Tuesday was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Below are ten books I'd enjoy Santa bringing me for Christmas this year!

1. The Sentence by Louise Erdrich
2. Litani by Jess Lourey

3. The Corpse Queen by Heather M. Herrman

4. Last Chance Texaco: Chronicles of an American Troubadour by Rickie Lee Jones
5. The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
6. Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines by Jennifer J. Chow
7. Mimi Lee Cracks the Code by Jennifer J. Chow
8. In the Line of Fire by R. J. Noonan
9. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
10. Death at Greenway by Lori Rader-Day

Which books are you hoping for this year's holiday season?

Ah-Choo!: The Uncommon Life of Your Common Cold by Jennifer Ackerman

I read the hardback edition of Ah-Choo!: The Uncommon Life of Your Common Cold by Jennifer Ackerman. At first, I must admit that I was a bit leery about reading this nonfiction book as I'm a bit of a germaphobe. In fact, I thought I'd be too creeped out by some of the information provided by the author about the common cold that I almost didn't read this book at all.

However, I must admit that I found this book fascinating and intriguing. I couldn't put it down! I enjoyed the writing and how the book was organized, which made for the seamless understanding of how the cold virus works and the science/research to date about the common cold virus itself. There is also information provided within this Ah-Choo! on what works and doesn't work in helping to ease cold symptoms, plus recipes, and more.

Below is a three minute video I discovered on YouTube of the author, Jennifer Ackerman, discussing products that don't work to aid in healing a cold and things that do help.

Below is the publisher's summary for Ah-Choo!: The Uncommon Life of Your Common Cold by Jennifer Ackerman from Amazon:

Some colds are like mice, timid and annoying; others like dragons, accompanied by body aches and deep misery. In AH-CHOO!, Jennifer Ackerman explains what, exactly, a cold is, how it works, and whether it's really possible to "fight one off." Scientists call this the Golden Age of the Common Cold because Americans suffer up to a billion colds each year, resulting in 40 million days of missed work and school and 100 million doctor visits.

They've also learned over the past decade much more about what cold viruses are, what they do to the human body, and how symptoms can be addressed. In this ode to the odious cold, Ackerman sifts through the chatter about treatments-what works, what doesn't, and what can't hurt. She dispels myths, such as susceptibility to colds reflects a weakened immune system. And she tracks current research, including work at the University of Virginia at Charlottesville, a world-renowned center of cold research studies, where the search for a cure continues.

I am giving Ah-Choo!: The Uncommon Life of Your Common Cold by Jennifer Ackerman a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit

 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit and narrated by Luci Christian Bell.

Listening time for Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit is 2 hours, 47 minutes.

After hearing all the hype regarding Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit, I finally gave it a shot. I didn't enjoy this short read of essays as much as I thought I would. 

First off, I thought the entire book would be one long essay about men explaining things to the author, but it wasn't. There were several essays about different topics all pertaining to feminism in some way. The essay about 'Men Explaining Things to Me' was even different than expected, but still good. The rest of the essays gave food for thought, although a couple of them reiterated things I'd already learned in the past. This collection of essays was decent, just not as good as I'd hoped they'd be.

Below is the publisher's summary for Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit from Amazon:

In Men Explain Things to Me, Rebecca Solnit takes on the conversations between men who wrongly assume they know things and wrongly assume women don't. The ultimate problem, she shows in her comic, scathing essay, is female self-doubt and the silencing of women. Writer, historian, and activist Rebecca Solnit is the author of 14 books about civil society, popular power, uprisings, art, environment, place, pleasure, politics, hope, and memory, most recently The Faraway Nearby, a book on empathy and storytelling. She is a Harper's Magazine contributing editor.

I am giving Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit a rating of 2 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next time, happy reading!

Crime and Carpetbags (Wishes and Wellingtons, #2) by Julie Berry

In March 2019, I listened to and reviewed the unabridged audio version of Wishes & Wellingtons by Julie Berry and narrated by Jayne Entwistle. It had been my first experience with anything written by Julie Berry and I'd thoroughly enjoyed Wishes & Wellingtons. I looked forward to reading another novel written by Julie Berry in the future.

Purely by happenstance, I discovered that a sequel to Wishes & Wellingtons titled, Crime and Carpetbags (Wishes and Wellingtons, #2) by Julie Berry, had been published earlier this year. Since I enjoyed Wishes & Wellingtons so much, I looked forward to the continuation of this series.
I wasn't disappointed with my decision! Crime and Carpetbags (Wishes and Wellingtons, #2) by Julie Berry is wonderfully rendered and well narrated by Jayne Entwistle.

Crime and Carpetbags (Wishes and Wellingtons, #2) by Julie Berry is a book for children set in Victorian England and contains adventure and fantasy elements in its plot. I love the characters for Crime and Carpetbags (Wishes and Wellingtons, #2), especially the main character, Maeve Merrit, as she is a feisty, adventurous girl and an overall fun character.

The writing, plot, and storyline are once again well done by Julie Berry for Crime and Carpetbags (Wishes and Wellingtons, #2). I liked the continuation of the storyline from the first novel in the series and how Crime and Carpetbags (Wishes and Wellingtons, #2) takes readers to new places. 

I certainly enjoyed listening to Crime and Carpetbags (Wishes and Wellingtons, #2) by Julie Berry and I think young readers will too.

Below is a summary for Crime and Carpetbags (Wishes and Wellingtons, #2) by Julie Berry from Audible:

Now that Maeve Merrit has surrendered Mermeros, the djinni she found in a sardine can, she expects her life in London will be dull as dirt. Mermeros, however, has other plans. Maeve’s friend Tommy, a former orphan, has been adopted by Mermeros’s newest owner. When Tommy’s new father tries to use one of his wishes, he and Mermeros go missing - and without a guardian, Tommy will be forced back to the orphanage.

Maeve, Tommy, and their friend Alice embark on an adventure full of magic, danger, and flying carpetbags to rescue Tommy’s father and the djinni they’ve grown to love. But will they come to their rescue before Mermeros’ fabled wishes fall into the wrong hands?

I am giving Crime and Carpetbags (Wishes and Wellingtons, #2) by Julie Berry a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

bell hooks - Feminist author, critic and activist has died at age 69

Although I have not read anything written by bell hooks, I would like to read a couple of her books in the future. 

Even though, I am familiar with many of the book titles bell hooks has written, I knew very little of her personal life until reading a couple of online obituaries written about her. 

In an NPR article titled, Trailblazing feminist author, critic and activist bell hooks has died at 69, I learned the following:

In a 2000 interview with All Things Considered, hooks spoke about the life-changing power of love — that is, the act of loving and how love is far broader than romantic sentiment. "I'm talking about a love that is transformative, that challenges us in both our private and our civic lives," she said. "I'm so moved often when I think of the civil rights movement, because I see it as a great movement for social justice that was rooted in love and that politicized the notion of love, that said: Real love will change you."

She went on: "Everywhere I go, people want to feel more connected. They want to feel more connected to their neighbors. They want to feel more connected to the world. And when we learn that through love we can have that connection, we can see the stranger as ourselves. And I think that it would be absolutely fantastic to have that sense of 'Let's return to kind of a utopian focus on love, not unlike the sort of hippie focus on love.' Because I always say to people, you know, the '60s' focus on love had its stupid sentimental dimensions, but then it had these life-transforming dimensions. When I think of the love of justice that led three young people, two Jews and one African American Christian, to go to the South and fight for justice and give their lives — Goodman, Chaney and Schwerner — I think that's a quality of love that's awesome. ... I tell this to young people, you know, that we can love in a deep and profound way that transforms the political world in which we live in."

Click on the above link to read the entire article. 

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood

 

I've had the The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood in my 'to be read' pile for almost four years now. I am glad that I finally listened to the unabridged audio version of this novel, which was well narrated by Hillary Huber.

Listening time for The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood is 9 hours, 50 minutes.

The Knitting Circle is the first novel I've read by author Ann Hood. I am a knitter (on hiatus currently), so I was initially drawn to this novel for the sheer fact that this novel focused on knitting, a knitting circle, and the restorative way in which knitting works as therapy for those dealing with loss, depression, and more. It's true that knitting can provide a source of comfort as well as build camaraderie among those in a knitting circle. I've read quite a few articles on the benefits of knitting itself... But I digress. 

In The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood, we find the main character of Mary Baxter in a deep state of grief over the loss of her young daughter, Stella, to meningitis. Mary is barely functioning beyond the basics. Her grief over the loss of her daughter is palpable. Essentially the grief is effecting Mary's daily life and her relationship with her husband and others. 

It isn't until Mary's mother urges her to take up knitting near the start of the novel, that Mary finally relents and takes up knitting reluctantly. From there we learn more about Mary throughout the rest of the novel and also about the rest of the knitters in the knitting circle she joins. Each person we meet that is part of the knitting circle is currently or has dealt with loss, grief, or adversity in some way and is some how helped by the restorative nature of learning to knit and communing with others in knitting as a group. 

By the end of The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood, we see every one of the characters in a new light. Mary has changed for the better... And we also discover the reason behind why Mary's mom was so distant with her throughout most of Mary's life.

Below is the publisher's summary for The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood from Amazon:

After the loss of her only child, Mary Baxter finds herself unable to read or write, the activities that used to be her primary source of comfort. She reluctantly joins a knitting circle as a way to fill her lonely days―not knowing it will change her life. As they teach Mary new knitting techniques, the women in the circle also reveal their own secrets of loss, love, and hope. With time, Mary is finally able to tell her own story of grief, and in so doing finds the spark of life again.

I am giving The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood a rating of 5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post happy, reading!