Emma’s Comments (group member since Jan 05, 2017)

Emma’s comments from the Around the Year in 52 Books group.

- What are you reading for this category?

The Seagull by Ann Cleeves

- Why did you choose this book?

This is a book set on the seafront, and the body discovered in the mystery is found in a drain culvert

- If you already have chosen your 4 Elements books, are they somewhat linked?

Not at all.

- What are you reading for this category?

The Road from Home: A True Story of Courage, Survival, and Hope by David Kherdian

- Why did you choose this book?

To be completely honest, I was looking for an audio-book that I could listen to on my commute.

- Do you usually look for grave themes in your reading? Why?

I'm always drawn to stories of people overcoming adversity, and I think it is important to look at our own history so that we know where we have come from.

- What are you reading for this category?

The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu: And Their Race to Save the World’s Most Precious Manuscripts by Joshua Hammer

- Do you think the map will add to the narrative or reading experience?

The map in this book is actually the inner cover of the book, and it was incredibly helpful when I was trying to figure out where and what people were doing.

- What are you reading for this category?

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

- What is your favorite perspective when reading?

I think most of the books I love are in first person, although I can get frustrated with close first person if I want a better sense of what is actually going on

I chose Celine by Peter Heller, as I absolutely loved his book The Dog Stars, and I was excited because this book is set in Yellowstone, where I live!

The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt's New World by Andrea Wulf

Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood - this is the first book in the Phryne Fisher series (the inspiration behind the excellent TV series Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries). I love the show, and I expected the books to be the same mix of fun roaring 20's atmosphere, interesting takes on social issues and murder mystery solving escapades, and they have not disappointed.

My pick for this month was Smokejumper: A Memoir by One of America's Most Select Airborne Firefighters. This is a book that is both a history of smokejumping ( a form of fighting wildfires), and a memoir of the author, Jason Ramos.

Optional questions:
- What are you reading for this category?

Dead Feminists: Historic Heroines in Living Color by Chandler O'Leary

- Have you read any other books by the author?

She doesn't have any others

- Could you tell it was a debut novel?

It wasn't a novel as much as a collection of essays about famous women. I picked it because the essays are based on color prints the author designed for each woman, and I especially loved how you could see their artistic progression from initial prints to later ones so it felt like it was exploring a "debut" topic as well as being a first book.

- Are you interested in reading the author more?

I absolutely love the prints described in this book - check them out!

I chose State of Wonder by Ann Patchett, which is primarily set in the Amazon jungle and is incredible. This book is one of the most incredible and fascinating books I have read in the past few years.

- What are you reading for this category?
You Can't Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain by Phoebe Robinson

Optional questions:
- What are you reading for this category?

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez

- Which marginalized group is the focus/background of the book?

Immigrants, Hispanic communities, people with mental illnesses...there are a few here.

- Did you think it made a difference that the author is a member of the group?

Absolutely yes. This is a book that explores the breadth and complexity of a certain experience in a way that could have easily relied on stereotypes in the hands of an author from a different background.

- What are you reading for this category?

The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie

- Is it a winner, nominee, or Grand Master author?

Agatha Christie is a Grand Master author (I think she is the first actually)

- What are you reading for this category?

Small Country by Gaël Faye

- What is the books original language?

This is by a French-Rwandan author and hip hop artist and was orginially written and published in French. It won some huge prizere there, and is coming out here on the 5th of June.

- What are you reading for this category?

Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce

- Why did you choose this book?

I chose this book for this category because I was so excited to read it that I pre-ordered it. I love this author, and *almost* everything she has ever written

- Do you usually try to read very recent books?

I don't try to read them, but I do end up reading more recent books because I hear more about them and get excited for them.

- What are you reading for this category?

Rainbow Valley by L M Montgomery

- Do you usually read feel good books or do you tend to pick the despressing kind?

I like both. I like my feel good books to have an element of reality to them because in real life, true happiness is often accompanied by sorrow and I like my darker books to have some aspect of humor or hope to them.

- What are you reading for this category?

The Bling Ring: How a Gang of Fame-Obsessed Teens Ripped Off Hollywood and Shocked the World

- Which sin did you choose?

Greed/Envy? I think this book covers a few sins

- What are you reading for this category?

I read The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

- Why did you choose this book?

This was a book I have avoided for a while because of the level of attention it got when it came out. However, when a woman I work with who I would never have expected to pick this up started raving about it, I knew that it would be something I would like.

I am reading this for 47.) A book by an author of a different ethnic origin etc.

This book has gotten a lot of love, so I don't want to say too much, but what I loved most about it was that it was written in a way that was accessible to people who are resistant to the narrative that racism is a structural problem. The way she was able to illustrate complex ideas about race, racism and class in a YA book without it ever feeling too academic was absolutely incredible.

- What are you reading for this category?

The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin

- How is it related to the element (cover, title, content, item, etc)?

The title has the word "sky" in it, and one of the major plot points in the book involves the moon and a set of flying obelisks

- Which of the 4 elements do you prefer?

It depends on how I am interacting with them - I like to breath, so air seems pretty important.