Beautiful illustrations. My only issue with the book is that the title did not get repeated in the book. The line that did get used could have been thBeautiful illustrations. My only issue with the book is that the title did not get repeated in the book. The line that did get used could have been the title instead, making it a fresher take on this sentiment....more
For all the reading I did as a kid, I never ran across this book. I heard about it this year from some of my museum colleagues, several of whom said iFor all the reading I did as a kid, I never ran across this book. I heard about it this year from some of my museum colleagues, several of whom said it inspired them to work in museums. After reading it, I can see why. Great book! I can see how it inspired my colleagues. Gobbled the book down in 3 days. The ending wasn't predictable, either. I was pleased that my guesses about how the story would go were wrong. Very happy for the suggestion from my colleagues....more
Got this book to read via my sister-in-law, who got it from relatives in Sweden. As my sister-in-law said, this book does not simply get all nostalgicGot this book to read via my sister-in-law, who got it from relatives in Sweden. As my sister-in-law said, this book does not simply get all nostalgic for the good things in Sweden. We Swedish descendants in America tend to look at Sweden through rose-colored glasses. The author explains a number of not-so-nice things about the country, which provides for much-needed balance. No country is perfect....more
I loved this book! So well written! Isabel Wilkerson does a masterful job of revealing the lives of 3 people who migrated out of the South to the NortI loved this book! So well written! Isabel Wilkerson does a masterful job of revealing the lives of 3 people who migrated out of the South to the North and West as part of the decades-long movement of blacks escaping Jim Crow. ...more
My exploration of SciFi continues. Someone mentioned Octavia Butler to me a while ago and I recently purchased her 2 Earthseed books. Just finished PaMy exploration of SciFi continues. Someone mentioned Octavia Butler to me a while ago and I recently purchased her 2 Earthseed books. Just finished Parable of the Sower and am gobsmacked with how appropriate and prescient this book is for our current time. The societal shifts Butler foresaw in the 1990s for the early-to-mid 2020s are on track to become reality if we don't shift things in a major way fast. Like folks reading Orwell's 1984 around 1984, now is the time to read Butler's Earthseed series....more
For me, the biggest takeaway from this book is that good writing is good writing, no matter which field you're in. This book shows good writing in theFor me, the biggest takeaway from this book is that good writing is good writing, no matter which field you're in. This book shows good writing in the legal field by providing snippets of legal briefs. I found some of these snippets hard to follow because there wasn't enough context, but I've learned that good lawyers are often very good writers. Chief Justice John Roberts and the late, great Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Both excellent writers....more
An excellent history of how lower class white people have been used by the wealthy and powerful in the U.S. since before the U.S. was formed. Those inAn excellent history of how lower class white people have been used by the wealthy and powerful in the U.S. since before the U.S. was formed. Those in power use this segment of the population to keep control of land and resources by keeping them in the lower class. They also use them to prop up systemic racism....more
I'm totally biased because I love everything Christopher Moore writes. Of course my bias comes from the fact that Moore writes so well. And he is funnI'm totally biased because I love everything Christopher Moore writes. Of course my bias comes from the fact that Moore writes so well. And he is funny.
Noir follows Moore's tradition of being well-written and hilarious, though for the first few chapters the book seemed a bit more serious than his others. It had me worried for a bit, but once a snake is introduced, you know you're in Moore's zany territory.
I appreciated the afterward in this book, which explains where he got his main characters and the history he was riffing on....more