Late summer book recommendations

Another summer is coming to an end and before you know it, school will be back in session.  Not for me though.  I'm done!  BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.  Sorry, I'm still giddy at the thought of not having homework and getting to read whatever I want!  Here are a few books I've really enjoyed recently:

A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes

This is the story of the Trojan War told from the perspective of the women who lived through it.  I particularly enjoyed Penelope's increasingly disgruntled letters to her husband Odysseus, calling him out on the nonsense that kept him from coming home: "You met a monster. You met a witch. Cannibals broke your ships. A whirlpool ate your friends."

The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times by Jane Goodall and Douglas Carlton Abrams

The title caught my attention, and the book did not disappoint.  I liked it so much I bought my own copy.  It's nice to have it as a reference when all the bad things in the world feel overwhelming, and I highly recommend it.  The audio book is especially great, as you get to hear Ms.Goodall tell her own stories.

How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by KC Davis, LPC

Behind my kitchen sink sits a decorative plate that I inherited from my Grandma.  It says, "Thank God for dirty dishes, they have a tale to tell.  While others may go hungry, we're eating very well."  This short book contains similar advice (and a phenomenal table of contents).  If your house isn't spotless, it's not some sort of moral failing on your part.  Life happens, and sometimes it gets messy.

She Come by It Natural by Sarah Smarsh

This collection of essays tells the story of Dolly Parton and how her work influenced so many people throughout her career.  There is so much more to this remarkable woman than her perfect make-up and towering blond wigs.

Have you read any good books lately?  Let us know in the comments, or email your recommendations (annie dot lipski at aah dot org) for a future blog post!

Summer reading 2022

While I typically enjoy non-fiction, after three grueling years of grad school, it feels too much like doing homework.  I've switched over to novels for now.  Here are a few I've read and enjoyed recently:

Mr Cadmus by Peter Ackroyd.  This was kind of an odd one, but if you enjoy mysteries and British humour, I'd recommend it.

Ask again, yes: a novel by Mary Beth Keane.  A story of intergenerational family trauma and how different people cope.  There were a few nights I stayed up too late reading this one.

The mystics of Mile End by Sigal Samuel.  A story about a Jewish family who becomes obsessed with climbing the Tree of Life.  I just happened to see this one while browsing the shelves, and thought it looked interesting.  It had complex characters, and the story is told from their varying perspectives.

The boy in the black suit by Jason Reynolds. The story of a grieving teenage boy who goes to work in a funeral parlor following his mother's death.  The book is written for teens, but sometimes it's nice to read something easy, even if the subject matter is tough.

In retrospect, my summer reading list is sort of depressing, but that's just how I roll.  What are you reading for fun these days?

What are you reading?

 It's hard to believe that it's already August.  By this time next month, I'll be back to slowly chipping away at grad school a few classes at a time, and won't be reading as much for fun.  

I'm currently reading The Library Book by Susan Orlean.  This well-researched book tells the story of the catastrophic fire that devastated the Los Angeles Public Library in 1986.  At the time, it was largely overshadowed in the national news by the Chernobyl disaster.  I highly recommend this book to all you library/history nerds out there.

Photo from "The Legacy of the Central Library Fire,"  LAPL Blog post, April 2016

Have you read any good books this summer?  Let us know what they are!

Escapist reading: The Feather Thief

 In looking for a little escapist reading lately, I ran across a recommendation for The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century. I'll confess that I'm not usually a fan of non-fiction, but this book reads like an adventure story. A black market, obsession, and a furtive trek through the English countryside at midnight unfold all in the first couple of chapters. I even wanted to learn more about fly-tying and the differences between trout and salmon flies after reading this book. 

For those fans of This American Life, Ira Glass and his team recorded an episode in 2018 about the story. 

I highly recommend it for your to-be-read pile. 

What are your favorite non-fiction reads?