Books read during the time of social distancing and self-quarantine

[Drew]

Please feel free to share the books you've read and some of your thoughts here:

[Charlotte]

My personal bookshelves in Kansas is about 90 percent read but discovered six unread books on USA history in hardback. So I have dived in. Books read so far
1) “Civil War in Kansas” by Bisel. Ok
2) “”Fall of House of Dixie” by Levine. Excellent analysis of political elites of South!
3) “Alexander Hamilton: American” by Brookhiser good but last third of book seemed unorganized
4) “Kansas: the History of the Sunflower State 1854-2000”
By Miller (excellent historian)
Though book is very dense and slow going
5) “Capitalism in America” by Greenspan and Others. Excellent!!! Expresses my economic outlook
6). Starting biographies on Presidents Coolidge and Johnson soon. Then have to attack the 10 European medieval period mysteries unread on the shelves

Did lighten reading with “Magpie Murders” By Anthony Horowitz recommend to mystery enthusiasts!

Happy reading to everyone!
Miss Tokyo but more freedom to move around here and do things

[Drew]

Magpie Murders is a consistently popular one here at the library. The Greenspan book sounds interesting too, does it require an intermediate understanding of economics or is it a good book for people who want a solid introduction?

I spent my time reading these:

"The Essential Schopenhauer"

"Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home" by Heather 'Anish' Anderson

"Infinite Jest" by David Foster Wallace

"Normal People" by Sally Rooney


I went out hiking a few times during the club's closure and climbed a few mountains around Kanto. I do count Infinite Jest as one of the mountains climbed during this period (1079 pages!).

Having studied philosophy in my undergrad, Schopenhauer was one of those thinkers constantly referenced in the work I was interested but I just never got around to him. He is a dark existentialist, but in a funny, accessible, and surprisingly light kind of way.

Really enjoyed 'Normal People' too, emotionally compelling and a very quick read (which was welcome after the other two reads). Thank you Sallie and Sona for recommending it to me!