After reading Millard's fascinating book "The River of Doubt", I was curious to see what else she had written. In "Destiny of the Republic" she highliAfter reading Millard's fascinating book "The River of Doubt", I was curious to see what else she had written. In "Destiny of the Republic" she highlights a very different president, but does so in a similarly gripping and impeccably researched manner. It read like fiction, but taught me a lot I never knew about this president and this time in US history. I didn't know, for example, that presidents before Garfield never had bodyguards, or that Garfield's widow founded the first presidential library, among many other fascinating points. Looking forward to reading more by this talented author soon!
Brooklyn North is a fascinating, tragic and ultimately hopeful examination of wrongful convictions. It highlights the common inefficiency and bias of Brooklyn North is a fascinating, tragic and ultimately hopeful examination of wrongful convictions. It highlights the common inefficiency and bias of the justice system, in particular against Black men. We follow a number of cases connected to a well known former homicide detective, and see again and again, how corners were cut, how facts were distorted, misconstrued, omitted or made up entirely, how witnesses were coerced, and how this impacted the life of innocent men and their families who continued to fight for them. I do not get teary eyed easily when reading/listening to a book, but I did with this one, because it was such a real, human story that could not help but move you. It also details how release with parole is not enough. Without exoneration these men could not find good work, join the army, vote, and had to live not only with the fact that they unjustifiably lost years of their lives, but also had to carry the stigma of being branded a criminal and a threat to society. Of course there are many real criminals in prisons, but the fact that stories like these exist made me think about how many are innocent and also, how many were too severely sentenced due to sloppiness and corruption. Apparently, about 20,000 inmates are wrongfully imprisoned in the US. It's a sad tale that seems to be far too common. Brooklyn North sheds light on stories that deserve to be told and thus emphasizes that a significant reform to policing and the justice system as we know it, and a sincere examination of racial injustices and biases must continue to be a priority.
What a fascinating, strange, stubborn, crazy man Teddy Roosevelt was! This story focuses on his journey to the Amazon, and it is certainly quite a triWhat a fascinating, strange, stubborn, crazy man Teddy Roosevelt was! This story focuses on his journey to the Amazon, and it is certainly quite a trip! I don't know how he or any member of his party survived everything they went through. Millard has a real talent making for making nonfiction read like fiction, and it was compelling from beginning to end. She interwove the story of the expedition with parts of Teddy's history and family life, which made it feel really rounded and engaging. Looking forward to reading more by this author!
I went into this with fairly strong preconceived notions of what I would find. Scientology may be mysterious, but everything I had heard of it previouI went into this with fairly strong preconceived notions of what I would find. Scientology may be mysterious, but everything I had heard of it previously was disconcerting. Beyond Belief only emphasized my impression of something I can only describe as a cult. The Church of Scientology seeks to control individuals from as early an age as possible, brainwashing, separating families and putting children to work when they should be in school. It's so bizarre that an organization like this is allowed to function as though it carries legitimacy. As for Miscavige Hill, she goes into great detail about her experiences with the church, not shying away from events that must have ranged from embarrassing to traumatic. I do think it was a little long-winded and repetitive at times, and I found myself shaking my head in disbelief at her frequent naiveté, but then remembered, she was a part of this madness from the time she was a little child into early adulthood. All in all, a strange and intriguing story that leaves me with little doubt that Scientology is deeply problematic much like any fundamentalist ideology.
I like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as much as the next liberal millennial, so I was excited to get a chance to read this! That being said, I thought it wI like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as much as the next liberal millennial, so I was excited to get a chance to read this! That being said, I thought it would be more biographical. What it is, however, is a 240 page love letter. I am not a fan of fawning (I'm half German, that's not how we do) so you understand my rating is not a reflection of dislike for the woman on the cover, but the repetitive and slightly cringey content of the book. I kind of wonder what AOC would think of it? She doesn't seem like the kind of person who would much care to have people paint her a haloed hero. She seems too down to earth and self-aware for that. Of course, I understand that she and what she stands for means a lot to people, especially, perhaps, the Latinx community, and I don't want to diminish that, but I hoped for a deeper look at her rise and endeavors thus far. In any case, if you are an AOC superfan, you might like this, but I didn't feel it provided an especially balanced or nuanced look at the undeniably impressive, but human woman in question.
Thanks to the publisher for supplying me with a copy of AOC in exchange for an honest review. Find my book reviews and more at http://www.princessandpen.com...more
My first thought: The editor's red pen was notably absent here! Goodness, this was long; long but not at all boring. I listened to the audiobook, whichMy first thought: The editor's red pen was notably absent here! Goodness, this was long; long but not at all boring. I listened to the audiobook, which Obama reads himself, and there was a sort of comfort in hearing his voice (for 30 hours...more
I was a little skeptical about this book, the title leaving me apprehensive. I am a quiet person. Obviously a person with opinions and stances, but I I was a little skeptical about this book, the title leaving me apprehensive. I am a quiet person. Obviously a person with opinions and stances, but I rarely think of myself as angry, even righteously angry. Frustrations or disappointments leave me feeling sad rather than incensed, so I didn't know if I could connect to the premise of Traister's book and the idea that anger can be wielded in a constructive rather than destructive way. However, I am happy to report, this was an eloquent and multi-dimensional examination of the degrees and different manifestations and consequences of women's anger. It was a little long and occasionally repetitive, but it definitely drove home the point that women are, first of all, evaluated totally differently than men based on their emotional responses, and secondly, that women can wield those emotions to achieve real change, especially if we band together. Traister acknowledged that there were and are women who feel alienated or turned off by the idea of feminism, yet she also highlights the power of movements led by women when they work together for the greater cause of achieving equality both at home and in their professional sphere. Certainly worth reading!
I was not going to read this. Not another Trump book. Alas, my friends, I am weak. I won't get too much into the details, because, honestly, the book I was not going to read this. Not another Trump book. Alas, my friends, I am weak. I won't get too much into the details, because, honestly, the book contains little that would surprise you at this point. What is astonishing, however, is that Trump allowed Woodward to record all the imbecilic, narcissistic things he said in all manner of crises. He made time to chat with a journalist for hours on end to pump up his ego, while a war with Iran was not out of the question, people were protesting racial injustice outside the White House, people were dying by the thousands from a disease that could have been controlled, etc. A further recurring theme of the interviews is that he is NUMBER ONE! On Twitter, on Facebook, number one for African Americans, number one in planning for Covid, number one for the economy, and on and on it goes. More than once, I thought he sounded like a spoilt child that always has to win, and who has indulgent parents (in form of cowardly senators) who give him a lot of merit trophies to avoid having to deal with too bad a tantrum. I can't comment much on whether Woodward should have come forward with his information sooner, because as far as I could judge, it wouldn't have changed much. I could go on, but all that I can say that really matters is VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! We can do better than this.
As a whole, Me and the White Supremacy is a thought provoking book, and the questions it presents worthy of contemplation. I did have some issues withAs a whole, Me and the White Supremacy is a thought provoking book, and the questions it presents worthy of contemplation. I did have some issues with it for similar reasons I had problems with White Fragility, though Layla Saad writes from the perspective of a Woman of Color, and is thus entitled to make observations and assertions I felt Robin DiAngelo was not. There were chapters I found really interesting and topics she raised with led to important conversations and reflection. However, other chapters made me feel concerned that Saad's approach of painting all white people as inherently racist supporters of the white supremacy and all POC as inherent victims may, on certain levels, be counter-productive and prevent the open dialogue and changes, both in mindset and in impactful legislature, that are truly needed for a more equitable society. Of course, white supremacy was not created by one person, nor will it be dismantled by one. That is the way with systems of tyranny. There may be figureheads, but the success of their dogma depends on the support or even the apathy of the population. My hope is that the momentum surrounding this movement will not only maintain but grow, and that lawmakers realize that change is demanded and that this demand will persist until it is met. They need to understand that denying this will cost them their place in power, and the way we can show them this is so is by voting (Please, please register and request that absentee ballot!). I feel if the BIPOC communities of this country have held on to the hope that change will come, I have no right to despair myself. All in all, this book is worth reading as a sort of primer to other books such as Chokehold by Paul Butler or The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, which discuss the systemic and legalized ways racism is perpetuated and tolerated in society, and which I found more impactful.
This was a worthwhile read, though I listened to the audiobook, which might have been a small mistake. I felt the author reading it himself didn't worThis was a worthwhile read, though I listened to the audiobook, which might have been a small mistake. I felt the author reading it himself didn't work so well. That being said, it was very informative and offered a historical context, which he connected to the modern day. I felt much more interested in the first portion of the book, which discussed the views and efforts of people like James Baldwin, Harry Belfonte, Langston Hughes and Robert Kennedy. These points were really fascinating, and I felt sad thinking of their work and knowing how much more still needs to change many decades later, and wondering how people fifty years from now will judge the present day. I was slightly less moved by the parts that discussed current entertainers and politicians, because I felt it offered little new. Overall, recommended!
This books is deeply thought-provoking, filled with statistics, historical facts, analyses and, significantly, advice on how to move towards creating This books is deeply thought-provoking, filled with statistics, historical facts, analyses and, significantly, advice on how to move towards creating a more equitable and just society for all. This book and Paul Butler's Chokehold go had in hand, and I would recommend them both highly.
I want to preface this review by saying, despite some points I read critically, I do think White Fragility is a thought provoking book. Do I think it'I want to preface this review by saying, despite some points I read critically, I do think White Fragility is a thought provoking book. Do I think it's perfect? No. Do I think a white woman, even one who has studied racial inequities with intense devotion could illustrate the profundity of the societal rot that is racism? No. But it's a start, and that is something.
I wrote down all these notes that I made while reading White Fragility, but then I came across this article, and the author puts it more succinctly than I could have (https://theweek.com/articles/921623/l...). While this book is thought provoking, it is also lacking in certain fundamental ways. I recommend reading it, because it certainly made me think, but the more I did, the more I felt frustrated with DiAngelo and felt she veered into "white savior territory". She, being a white woman, offers vast and generalized criticisms and observations, but very limited solutions. This becomes especially evident when she repeatedly emphasizes how unresponsive people in her workshops are when she tells them they're all racists and how ineffective thus her methods seem to be. I thought a lot about this, wondering if I am being defensive, but I don't think that's where my issue with this book comes from. Like so many others, shaken by racial inequity and violence that seems to have become a norm, I am finally taking the overdue step of trying to learn more, of trying to listen and have conversations about an issue, so insidious in this society, that we think it is better to just pretend it doesn't exist. One statement that did really resonate with me in this book was the following, "One cannot change what one refuses to see". I want to move forward with my eyes open. This book did not offer everything I hoped it would, but it is perhaps a start. I would highly recommend Chokehold by Paul Butler, which, though I am only halfway through, has already taught me so much more about systemic racism in this country and how one might consider addressing it at all levels. If you disagree with my assessment of the book, I would welcome discussion, but let's do so respectfully.
I came across this book totally by chance, but I am glad I did. It's a short memoir (which are often the best kind when written by such young people, I came across this book totally by chance, but I am glad I did. It's a short memoir (which are often the best kind when written by such young people, in my opinion). The author fuses his own experiences with those of his family members within the framework of American society and civil rights. I have to admit, I'd never heard of Sellers, but his story is not one I will be quick to forget. He was remarkably candid and even emotional, willing to confess his own mistakes, discuss the many obstacles he faced, yet all the while acknowledging the support he received and the powerful sense of hope and faith that bolstered him through difficult times. I also appreciated how open he was about his struggles with mental health and serious bouts of anxiety, which, though difficult for anyone to talk about, I think is sadly still more of a taboo for men to discuss openly. Sellers came across as quite personable and I am curious to learn more about him and his work. Recommended!
Well, this was always going to be a bittersweet read. It still seems surreal that this vibrant man with such a curiosity for the world is not a part oWell, this was always going to be a bittersweet read. It still seems surreal that this vibrant man with such a curiosity for the world is not a part of it any longer, but his legacy lives on. He doesn't hold back, but is far more thoughtful and measured than in Kitchen Confidential. Certainly recommended, especially for fans of his shows and previous writing!
I don't want to start on a bad note, but I didn't love this book. I felt it preached to the people who pretty much already 100% agree with the author I don't want to start on a bad note, but I didn't love this book. I felt it preached to the people who pretty much already 100% agree with the author and though I agree with her on many points, I also found some of them a little problematic and likely alienating to those who are slightly less fervent than the author about certain issues. Of course an author knows her audience and there's nothing wrong with that, but I had expected something a little different here, which may well be my own fault. I liked "Shrill" and I think I would get along well with Lindy West, but I felt that her views are expressed in as black and white a manner as people on the very opposite end of the political and ideological spectrum would present theirs, which is to say, little argument would be accepted, minds are firmly made up. Maybe I am being unfair, but I also expected a little more depth and maybe some more new ideas from this book and its author. I respect West for being upfront and addressing points that are important to her, but the ones she chose, while relevant, did not feel revelatory or especially thought-provoking. In many respects I whole-heartedly agree with her, but the issue, I think, is that her readers will be like me, people who already mostly think the way she does. I don't think, with this book, she will reach those who do not already think like her. Another point that irked me a little was that she advocated "getting angry", because nice girls don't win. This is a point I have come to find very irritating nowadays. Yes, sometimes you have to get upset to get involved; yes, sometimes anger is unavoidable, but ultimately, I still want to believe, naively perhaps, that being kind, being thoughtful, and even reserved, thinking before ranting, is worth a lot, too. This world could use more of that and less anger. All in all, I thought this was okay, but it also fell short of what I hoped it would be. That being said, I still think West is well-intentioned and I will be interested in reading what she comes up with next.
This book was a pleasant, though melancholy surprise. I came across it by chance, and am always tempted to reach for books about adventurers doing thiThis book was a pleasant, though melancholy surprise. I came across it by chance, and am always tempted to reach for books about adventurers doing things or going places I may never do or see myself. The Adventurer's Son was no ordinary travelogue, though. It tells the true story of Roman Dial and his family, in particular his son, Cody, who took on his father's love for exploration. It is no spoiler to say, this book deals with tremendous personal tragedy for the Dial family and must have been hard to write, though perhaps somewhat therapeutic as well. It was certainly hard to read. That being said, I am glad I did and it's a story I won't be quick to forget.
This was a bit of an odd choice for me, but I'd put a hold on the book ages ago and when it was finally released, I thought why not give it a try, it This was a bit of an odd choice for me, but I'd put a hold on the book ages ago and when it was finally released, I thought why not give it a try, it was in such high demand after all;-) Though I am by no means an athlete, I might have one or the other pair of Nikes in my wardrobe and was curious about the man who mad created the wildly iconic brand. The book, though a bit long for my liking, was entertaining and interesting. I didn't know anything about Knight and he came across as an intelligent, ambitious and creative person. I liked that he addressed both failures and successes and was willing on several occasions to admit to his faults. A surprisingly enjoyable and engaging read!
A little too technical and long-winded at times, but overall, a thorough and very informative read. I would probably recommend Travis Rieder's "In PaiA little too technical and long-winded at times, but overall, a thorough and very informative read. I would probably recommend Travis Rieder's "In Pain" and "Dopesick" by Beth Macy before I recommended this, because they were a little less clinical, and more compassionate and thoughtful. That being said, Fentanyl, Inc. is still worth reading, and certainly provides an in-depth look at the opioid epidemic. In the midst of the turmoil 2020 has brought, this crisis has gone under a bit, but it's important to remember this is still real, people are still suffering and something can still be done to turn things around.
This was my first book by Macfarlane, and my first book of this decade, and a good start on both fronts. I really enjoyed his style of writing, which This was my first book by Macfarlane, and my first book of this decade, and a good start on both fronts. I really enjoyed his style of writing, which felt immersive, though the pace of the book was sedate. I love walking myself, it is, for me, one of the most meditative things I can think to do, and The Old ways is a sort of ode to the practice. Definitely curious to read Macfarlane's much-praised newest book Underland soon!'
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