Source: from publisher for review

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Narrative Nonfiction Review: Maybe Esther

February 17, 2023 Uncategorized 2 ★★★½

Narrative Nonfiction Review: Maybe EstherTitle: Maybe Esther: A Family Story
Author: Katja Petrowskaja
Source: from publisher for review
Links: Bookshop (affiliate link) |Goodreads
Rating:three-half-stars

Summary: The sentence-level writing in this book was beautiful and I enjoyed the unique look at WWII history, but parts were too surreal or too poetic for me to follow.

Ruminating. Obsessive. Anxious. These are the words that come to mind if I try to capture Maybe Esther in just one word. There are obvious subject matter words I could reach for – Holocaust, family, WWII. These feel generic to me though. The unique part of this book is the style and tone in which it’s told. It made me feel as though I had joined the author in a claustrophobic room, pacing around her memories of her ancestors and the horrors inflicted on them during WWII. Read more »

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Nonfiction About Biotech Drama in Review

January 10, 2023 Uncategorized 2 ★★★★★

Nonfiction About Biotech Drama in ReviewTitle: For Blood and Money: Billionaires, Biotech, and the Quest for a Blockbuster Drug
Author: Nathan Vardi
Source: from publisher for review
Links: Bookshop (affiliate link) |Goodreads
Rating:five-stars

Summary: A fascinating insider look at cancer drug development, full of cool science and people drama!

There are few topics I enjoy reading about more than drama at a biotech company. Bad Blood, about the Theranos blood testing fraud, is still one of my all-time favorite reads. So, when I was offered a chance to review this story of a startup developing a cancer drug, I couldn’t say no. First this small company developed an incredible cancer treatment. Then, researchers who were crucial to the company’s success, but who were let go before receiving much compensation, went on to found another company and create another successful drug.

Read more »

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Historic True Crime in Review: The Red Widow

January 4, 2023 Uncategorized 4 ★★★★

Historic True Crime in Review: The Red WidowTitle: The Red Widow: The Scandal that Shook Paris and the Woman Behind it All
Author: Sarah Horowitz
Source: from publisher for review
Links: Bookshop (affiliate link) |Goodreads
Rating:four-stars

Summary: This delivered the drama I expected plus thoughtful analysis that made this a book I’ll keep thinking about.

In Belle Époque Paris, Marguerite Steinheil ambitiously strives for acceptance into high society, despite the limited finances of her artist husband. She manages a careful balancing act, sleeping with elite men while maintaining a sophisticated reputation in order to become part of the elite. Her strategy falls apart when she becomes a murder suspect after surviving a home invasion in which both her mother and husband were killed. Her escapades quickly become public gossip as she is put on trial. Read more »

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One Last Opioid Crisis Book in Review: Raising Lazarus

December 28, 2022 Uncategorized 0 ★★★★

One Last Opioid Crisis Book in Review: Raising LazarusTitle: Raising Lazarus
Author: Beth Macy
Source: from publisher for review
Links: Bookshop (affiliate link) |Goodreads
Rating:four-stars

Summary: A well-written, hopeful but realistic look at people trying to make a difference.

Really, this is the last book on the opioid crisis, I promise! This recent book from Beth Macy, about people working to solve the opioid crisis, is actually the book that prompted me to finally get to all the related books on my to-read list. Read more »

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Memoir Review: A Man of the World

December 26, 2022 Uncategorized 0 ★★★½

Memoir Review: A Man of the WorldTitle: A Man of the World: My Life at National Geographic
Author: Gilbert Grosvenor
Source: from publisher for review
Links: Bookshop (affiliate link) |Goodreads
Rating:three-half-stars

Summary: The occasionally self-aggrandizing tone of this memoir is offset by a charming enthusiasm and a fascinating life story.

Gilbert Grosvenor is the fifth member of his family to have been editor of National Geographic and president of the associated society. He led a fascinating life, with tons of travel and encounters with world leaders. He also shares some interesting internal politics and stories about how National Geographic evolved over time. Read more »

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Books on Books Review: The Writer’s LIbrary

December 5, 2022 Uncategorized 2 ★★★★

Books on Books Review: The Writer’s LIbraryTitle: The Writer's Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives
Author: Nancy Pearl, Jeff Schwager, Susan Orlean, T. Coraghessan Boyle
Source: from publisher for review
Links: Bookshop (affiliate link) |Goodreads
Rating:four-stars

Summary: This was a really enjoyable collection of interviews with thoughtful readers.

I recently had a conversation with a friend about what a good genre books on books is, which reminded me that I needed to review this great example of that genre. In The Writer’s Library, editors Nancy Pearl and Jeff Schwager interview well known authors about books. They discuss current and childhood favorites, as well as how their reading and writing relate. Interviewees include an impressive number of Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winners and nominees. Even though I haven’t read most of these authors, I knew nearly all of their names. Read more »

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WWII Fiction Review: The Ways We Hide

October 10, 2022 Uncategorized 2 ★★

WWII Fiction Review: The Ways We HideTitle: The Ways We Hide
Author: Kristina McMorris
Source: from publisher for review
Links: Bookshop (affiliate link) |Goodreads
Rating:two-stars

Summary: Annoying choices by the protagonist and melodramatic outcomes meant I didn’t enjoy this much, despite a great premise.

I don’t pick up WWII fiction all of that often because I find the sheer amount of it somewhat off-putting. However, this is the story a of a female illusionist recruited by British military intelligence. That’s a unique enough premise that it convinced me to take a chance on this one. Read more »

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Activist Memoir in Review: They Called Me a Lioness

September 26, 2022 Uncategorized 4 ★★★★

Activist Memoir in Review: They Called Me a LionessTitle: They Called Me a Lioness: A Palestinian Girl's Fight for Freedom
Author: Ahed Tamimi, Dena Takruri
Source: from publisher for review
Links: Bookshop (affiliate link) |Goodreads
Rating:four-stars

Summary: This was a good book to begin learning about Palestine with its simply written blend of memoir and history.

This is the second memoir I’ve read recently that is by a political activist and named after a big cat (the other being Year of the Tiger). I enjoyed both of these books and think activist memoirs may be a good subgenre for me. I found this pair both inspiring and informative. This memoir is about Ahed Tamimi, a young Palestinian woman who was jailed for activism at only 16 years old. Read more »

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Memoir Review: Year of the Tiger

September 15, 2022 Uncategorized 5 ★★★★★

Memoir Review: Year of the TigerTitle: Year of the Tiger: An Activist's Life
Author: Alice Wong
Source: from publisher for review
|Goodreads
Rating:five-stars

Summary: This was a fun read that spanned a wide variety of topics and formats, constantly surprising me and teaching me new things.

I really loved this “genre-bending” memoir, full of essays, interviews, photos, and drawings. Essay collections in general have appealed to me lately. The short sections make them feel easy to pick up. Every element in this essay collection was enjoyable, informative and fun. Even the essays that described anger-inducing discrimination the author has faced were leavened by her delightful sense of humor. Although information was occasionally repeated across sections, the context was different enough that this never felt repetitive. I didn’t pay enough attention to be sure it was completely chronological, but there was a good sense of forward momentum and a logical grouping of essays by theme. Read more »

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Magical Realism Review: Other Birds

September 2, 2022 Uncategorized 3 ★★½

Magical Realism Review: Other BirdsTitle: Other Birds
Author: Sarah Addison Allen
Source: from publisher for review
Links: Bookshop (affiliate link) |Goodreads
Rating:two-half-stars

Summary: Charming but without much emotional depth.

Before she starts school in the fall, Zoey moves to Mallow Island to learn more about her deceased mother. Living in her mother’s old apartment, she begins to connect with the other residents, all of whom are dealing with their own past traumas and their own ghosts. Read more »

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