Joanna’s
Comments
(group member since Nov 17, 2010)
Joanna’s
comments
from the Reading with Style group.
Showing 1,381-1,400 of 2,307
20.10 Fall EquinoxLocking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America by James Forman Jr.
Review:
A compelling book that complicates the mass incarceration narrative. This book is an excellent companion to The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness to provide additional context and history for how we've ended up with the criminal justice system that we have.
Forman does an excellent job of threading his own stories and experiences through the policy arguments and history here to make this not only informative, but full of heart. Forman worked as a public defender and saw the effects of the harsh incarceration rates directly through his work. He also meticulously research the political context for how the laws came to be, who supported them, and how the combination of individually-rational decisions can lead to an unjust system.
I'm really glad to have read this one and recommend it highly. The reader for the audiobook does an excellent job.
+ 20 Task
+ 10 Review
+ 5 Prizeworthy (Pulitzer)
+5 Combo (10.9 - Punishment)
Task total: 40
Grand total: 205
What about Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood?South Africa is a place, but South African describes the personage rather than the place, right?
20.10 Fall EquinoxBorn a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
Review:
A really wonderful audiobook read by the author (who made a living as a comedian, so he has the timing down perfectly). Definitely a perfect way to experience these stories; it absolutely felt like I was just hanging out with the author at a cocktail party as he told me little stories from his childhood. But the stories are still heartfelt; he isn't just looking for comedy here.
He could also have called this book Ode to My Mother because much of the book centers around her willingness to ignore rules and push ahead with what she wanted to do. The author tells his own stories without bitterness or blame--the rules just were what they were and he's just giving the reader a peak into his lived experiences.
Recommended if you even sort of like memoirs or if you like watching Trevor Noah's comedy or TV appearances.
+20 Task
+10 Review
+ 5 Combo (10.5 - Bantam here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...)
+ 10 Prizeworthy (NAACP Image Award; Thurber Prize)
Task total: 45
Grand total: 165
20.2 To Conquer HellKillers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann
Review:
This book starts out slowly and builds to an amazing feat of historical research and writing. This was selected as the "One Read" by my local library (i.e., the book the library encourages everyone in the community to read and plans a month of activities around). I got to hear the author speak, to discuss this with my bookclub, and to talk to folks all over town who had read it.
I had no knowledge of this piece of history (or really anything particular to do with the Osage Nation) before reading this book. The book tells the story of the calculated, planned, and horrific murders of many Osage for their oil fortunes. The Osage Nation had the foresight to reserve the mineral rights under their reservation to the tribe, so when oil was found in Oklahoma, the tribe became quite wealthy. White folks preyed on them, going as far as marrying for the purpose of murder.
Everyone should read this book. Very important that these stories be told and an impressive research project by the author, who was also super likeable in a nerdy New Yorker way.
+ 20 Task
+ 10 Review
+ 15 Prizeworthy (Anthony for Best Critical/Nonfiction, Edgar for Best Fact Crime, Spur Award for Best Western Historical Nonfiction)
+ 15 Combo (10.5 - Penguin Audio here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... 20.1 - set in 1920s; 20.10)
Task total: 60
Grand total: 120
I've been gone for several seasons, but I'm excited to be back...20.1 War's End
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
820 Lexile
Review:
On the recommendation of someone upthread, I picked this up to read with my kids. We all really enjoyed it. The illustrations in the book were fantastic and kept the kids flipping pages right along with me. I learned after reading it that it's based in part on the story of a real filmmaker. I absolutely adored the idea of someone crawling through a train station's walls and tunnels to keep the clocks running -- this led to a long discussion about different ways that a clock can work (springs, batteries, etc.). The author clearly loved this story and his characters and the book was ultimately heartwarming and earnest.
+ 20 Task
+ 10 Review
+ 15 Prizeworthy (lots of prizes actually)
+ 10 Combo (10.9 - invention; 20.10)
+5 Jumbo (525 pages)
Task total: 60
Grand total: 60
I had lots of plans this season, but instead have quit my state job and decided to go into private law practice with two of my colleagues from work. We had an administration change (the joys of working for an elected official) and it seemed like the right time.Now I'm completely busy with learning how to set up and run a small business. It's funny -- the law part of the business we really know well, it's the business part that is new to me. Really exciting, but also completely terrifying.
I managed to finish my 10 CiV books, but I don't know how many others I'll get to. I think I'm also going to need to read some books on small business management. Any recommendations?
I'm going to go with Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond. This isn't necessarily my favorite book of all time, but it's a book that really shifted my perspective on this topic. I had no clue that evictions were as routine and frequent as his research uncovered. Also, on a structural level, the book is the best kind of nonfiction writing -- thoroughly researched, non-moralizing, personal, and highly readable. I'd love to be able to write a book like this.
15.10 CiV 2What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
Bet: Even
Squares: 14, 26, 30
Task total: 80
+100 CiV Complete
Grand total: 525
15.9 CiV 2Report from the Interior by Paul Auster
Bet: Red
Squares: 9, 25, 36
Task total: 70
Grand total: 345
15.8 CiV 2Bet: High
Squares: 24, 28, 34
Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin
+60 Task
Task total: 60
Grand total: 275
15.7 CiV 2Bet: Column 3
Squares: 3, 6, 27
In a Glass Darkly by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
+50 Task
Task total: 50
Grand total: 215
15.5 CiV 2The Hustle: One Team and Ten Lives in Black and White by Doug Merlino
Bet: Black
Squares: 15, 31, 35
Task total: 35
Grand total: 125
How about A Man Called Ove?The intent is about Ove's name, but can't it be read as a sentence about someone phoning or calling out to Ove?
15.3 CiV 2The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man by James Weldon Johnson
Bet: Column 1
Squares: 7, 10, 22
Task total: 25
Grand total: 60
15.1 CiV 2Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
Bet: 2nd Dozen
Squares: 13, 16, 18
Task total: 15
Grand total: 15
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "In the librarian's thread, Rebekah asked an entry be added for the Weatherford Awards. I have now found a bit of time that I might be able to get them all added. In doing so, I've tripped across [b..."Done!
Will the O Henry award qualify?Girl with Curious Hair by David Foster Wallace
(Note: the wiki page doesn't list this title, but GR does as does this page: http://www.randomhouse.com/crown/feat...)
