Reviews and Comments

I needed more of a plot from this book. There are mini-plots within each character’s backstory, but this is really just a series of character sketches describing a wide range of Black people who were designated female at birth and live in and around London. They are each interesting characters, but I needed a larger plot to draw them together and keep me engaged.

This book does not just ask the question, “What do we do with art made by people who turn out to be monsters?” but “Who do we deem worthy of redemption?” and “Are we all ultimately monsters?” and “What does it mean to love a piece of art?” I found it all enjoyable to read and thought-provoking. If you don’t mind reading a book-length essay, I would recommend it.

This isn’t actually a book about “how the other half eats,” it’s about how emotions around wanting to be a “good mom” affect how mothers of different socioeconomic classes feed their children. I still found it interesting, but definitely not a must-read. For a more insightful look at why people in lower-income brackets make choices about food (and everything else), a much better read is “Hand to Mouth” by Linda Tirado.

If you liked “The Corrections,” this novel is very similar: A darkly comedic look at multiple generations of a dysfunctional family, and how they each deal with the trauma of the past, with extended character studies of each member. There is lots of commentary on capitalism, Jewish identity, and the corruption of The American Dream.

This was the worst book I’d read in a while. It’s clearly intended to pander to mothers of young children, but at the same time, I think it would be an unbearably stressful read for that target audience. Most of the book is — and this is not a spoiler — focused on the minute-by-minute torture a woman suffers during the time in which she is forcibly separated from her baby. This is also what makes it an incredibly tedious read. I was hoping it might be redeemed at the end, but nope! It’s also much too long and repetitive. It might have made an okay New Yorker fiction piece, but the author’s ideas are not enough to fill a novel.

I came to this book without knowing anything about it or the author, so I was very surprised when the story took a turn I didn’t expect. Overall, I enjoyed it, and the plot and characters kept me engaged, although it’s more of a YA novel.

I love Erik Larson, but this book needed a stronger editor to keep the story focused more tightly on the standoff at Sumter and Moultrie. Instead, the narrative sprawls out to include Lincoln’s election, his journey to Washington, various Southern characters who kept detailed diaries, and other side stories and characters that, while interesting, made the story feel too long and cluttered. The U.S. Civil War is a sprawling topic, and one book can’t cover all aspects of it, so authors do best when they rigorously focus on one particular aspect, which Larson could have done more effectively. Still an interesting read.

Short and entertaining read for people who are already fans of Paul Scheer. My main criticism is that he never really explains how he went from the person he was in his youth (abused and managing rage issues) to the person he is now (a seemingly well-adjusted guy who is married with two kids). Maybe he hasn’t quite figured that out for himself yet, but that connection would have made it a better and more worthwhile read. I would recommend doing the audiobook, as it contains relevant podcast clips that enhance the book.

Miranda July is a national treasure. 5 stars.

Everything David Grann writes is gold. Fascinating.

I understand why people need to keep writing books about how enslaved people were tortured and traumatized, their lives stolen, especially in a world in which some states are forcing teachers to tell stories about how enslaved people learned useful trades and somehow benefited. However, reading these grim stories of endless pain is difficult and depressing, and I did not feel like I needed to read another. Ward’s prose is beautiful, and I loved the main character’s story arc, which is why I gave it 4 stars, but I would not recommend it.

I loved it. This should be required reading for every woman who aspires to professional achievement. She’s very relatable and describes situations we have all experienced, and really captures the feeeling that goes along with them.