JulieLill's 2021 Reading Challenge

[madrano]

What an interesting way to present Perry’s bio. I came to her fiction after seeing Heavenly Creatures , starring Kate Winslet. So, the important fact would weigh heavily were i to read the bio.

[Julie]

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike
Phil Knight
4/5 stars
What a well written book by Phil Knight, who maps out his journey to build a shoe brand and form his own company, NIKE with the help of his family and friends. This is definitely very inspirational for those building their own company but very readable for those who like a good biography. Male Entrepreneurs

[madrano]

Neat to hear, Julie. We are fans of his because he has generously donated to the University of Oregon, with particular stress on athletics.

[Alias Reader]

Julie wrote: "
Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike
Phil Knight
4/5 stars
What a well written book by Phil Knig..."

I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as I did, Julie.

[Julie]

I had this book on my list for a long time. I'm glad to have finally gotten around to reading it!

[Julie]

Advise and Consent
Allen Drury
4/5 stars
Drury’s book published in 1959 revolves around Washington politics. The Secretary of State needs to be replaced and the President’s nominee is not a popular one. The story unfolds through the eyes of four politicians as they deal with the nomination and the potential scandal behind the nominee. Amidst the nomination storyline is also the space race storyline between the US and Russia. This is a very long book but I thought it was well written and interesting. Best Selling Book of the Year You Were Born

[Alias Reader]

Julie wrote: " Best Selling Book of the Year You Were Born.."

Love your book categories. It's always interesting to go back and see bestsellers from years past.

[madrano]

First, i agree with Alias, your categories are a joy to see—so creative. Reading best sellers from the past is illuminating in many ways. Our grammar, language usage and expressions change over the decades and it’s a delight to see how.

Additionally, characterizations change, as well, particularly about women and people of color. What I doubt changes very much are the behaviors in political novels. Sad to say.

Glad you are sharing your reading journey with us.

[Julie]

The Bluest Eye
Toni Morrison
3.5/5 stars
This story, set in Ohio in 1941, revolves around the preteen Pecola Breedlove, an African American who is living in a foster home. Her biggest wish is to have blue eyes. She believes that if she has blue eyes that she will be loved. But things don’t go her way and she struggles with her life. This was Morrison’s first novel. A Book With a Color in the Title

[madrano]

Having only recently read my first Morrison novel, i appreciate your recap of this one, Julie. Thanks.

[Julie]

The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride
Daniel James Brown
3.5/5 stars
Daniel James Brown deals with the tragedy of the Donner party and their trek to make it to California. The book revolves around Sarah Graves and her family when her father, mother and 8 brother and sisters decide to try their luck in California. Disastrously, they take the advice of a Stephen Meek who told them a route which would be easier to take. However, this man never took this route but trusting him, the party followed his directions and so begins their harrowing trip followed by starvation, freezing temperatures, snow and death of several members of the party. Well written and thoroughly researched! A Tragedy

[madrano]

Good title about the stars. Was it tough to read, Julie? I’ve read about the events within larger contexts but never an entire book. It’s a western of a horrible sort.

[Julie]

madrano wrote: "Good title about the stars. Was it tough to read, Julie? I’ve read about the events within larger contexts but never an entire book. It’s a western of a horrible sort."

The author talked about the grisly parts of having to eat the dead to stay alive. That was hard to read but understandable if they wanted to live.

[madrano]

True. Thanks for the reply, Julie.

[Julie]

The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute
Zac Bissonnette
4/5 stars
This is the story of Ty Warner who created the buzz that fueled the need to own, sell and trade Beanie Babies and oh what an interesting tale the author Zac Bissonnette weaves. I remember that time period, the looking for and buying beanie babies for my daughter though we never sold or traded any. Anyone who remembers that time period would probably be interested in reading this book. A Book About A Business

[madrano]

Fortunately my children were too old for that toy. We barely escaped Cabbage Patch dolls, mostly because i somehow thought to draw the line when i saw parents panicking one Christmas season. Close call!

Seriously, there have been many fads over the years, so this book could help readers/buyers figure out how they happen. Spontaneous or not?

Thanks for the comments, Julie.

[Julie]

Utopia Avenue
David Mitchell
4/5 stars
This story revolves around the band Utopia Avenue and follows the story of the members of the band as they try to break into the main stream music business during the hey days of rock and roll in late 1967 and early 1968. The author also has them interacting with real musicians from that time period. Mitchell doesn’t disappoint in his latest novel. Drugs

[madrano]

Good period to cover in rock, imo. I really enjoyed reading his Cloud Atlas.

[Julie]

madrano wrote: "Good period to cover in rock, imo. I really enjoyed reading his Cloud Atlas."

I did enjoy Cloud Atlas too!

[madrano]

Interesting author.

[Julie]

The Ninth Life of Louis Drax
Liz Jensen
4/5 stars
After a picnic with his parents, Louis, a smart young boy, falls off a cliff and ends up in a coma in a hospital. The father is missing and he has only his mother left. Dr. Danachett is his doctor who becomes attracted to Louis’ mother but something is just not right and Danachett probes into the incident about what really happened on that trip while trying to help Louis. Very compelling and was later made into a film. Magical Realism

[madrano]

This novel sounds fascinating, even though I’m not a fan of Magical Realism. Glad you shared about this, Julie.

[Julie]

Men and Cartoons
Jonathan Lethem
3.5/5 stars
This is an imaginative short story collection by Lethem. I found this on the free shelf at our library and it looked intriguing. I was not disappointed; I enjoyed most of the stories and liked that they were written in different styles. Lesser Known Authors

[madrano]

Sounds good, Julie. I’m grateful when authors stretch their styles in short story collections. Lucky find for you.

[Julie]

Travels with Charley: In Search of America
John Steinbeck
4/5 stars
In 1960, Steinbeck at the age of 58 takes off in a camper with his dog, Charley to explore and talk with the people of America. He starts off on the East Coast and travels to the West Coast and back. It was wonderfully written and is an interesting look back at the slices of life in the US in that time period. John Steinbeck Book

[Alias Reader]

Julie wrote: "
Travels with Charley: In Search of America
John Steinbeck
4/5 stars
In 1960, Steinbeck at the age of 58 takes of..."

I enjoyed Travel with Charley, too.

[madrano]

Julie, i agree with your comments on this Steinbeck. It was a shocker to learn that his sons believed most of the conversations didn’t take place. They claimed their father wasn’t social enough and didn’t truly like hearing opinions of other people. Whether this is true or not, the book struck a chord with that generation.

[Julie]

madrano wrote: "Julie, i agree with your comments on this Steinbeck. It was a shocker to learn that his sons believed most of the conversations didn’t take place. They claimed their father wasn’t social enough and..."

Interesting, it makes me want to read more about him. Maybe next year I will read a biography on him!

[madrano]

I have yet to do so. Years ago Nancy Steinbeck, daughter-in-law to the author, completed a biography her husband, John Steinbeck IV, began toward the end of his life. She was a guest at an American Literature chat group i attended. It was from their book, The Other Side of Eden: Life with John Steinbeck, that we learned about the doubts the son had.

Frankly, i cannot recommend the book. While there were interesting bits, it seemed to us there was too much about Nancy, who never met the father, and too little about the others.

[Julie]

madrano wrote: "I have yet to do so. Years ago Nancy Steinbeck, daughter-in-law to the author, completed a biography her husband, John Steinbeck IV, began toward the end of his li..."
Interesting!

[Julie]

Tippi: A Memoir
Tippi Hedren
4/5 stars
Tippi Hendren writes about her time in the film industry including problems with working for Hitchcock, her family and her famous daughters, her work in charity and her animal rights advocacy which resulted in starting Shambala, a big cats’ preserve in California. Very interesting! T

[Barbara]

Julie wrote: "
Tippi: A Memoir
Tippi Hedren
4/5 stars
Tippi Hendren writes about her time in the film industry including problems with working ..."

I like this book too. 🙂

[madrano]

We were discussing Hitchcock’s The Birds last night. All four of us didn’t like Hedren’s work in the film. Yet we all remember the film more than many others.

I recall hearing about her work with animal rights. Good for her!

[Julie]

Orphans Preferred: The Twisted Truth and Lasting Legend of the Pony Express
Christopher Corbett
3.5/5 stars
This was quite an interesting tale of the first Pony Express (which ran from Missouri to California) and the riders who worked the line, unfortunately a lot of the material can’t be backed up and the author discusses that problem. I found it interesting that the first Pony Express did not last long - from April 1860 till October 1861 when the trains took over the route, though other Pony Express routes lasted longer. O

[madrano]

Julie, i’m surprised at the short service time, too. I guess the idea caught the imagination of the public and writers took off with it. Intriguing title.

[Alias Reader]

Julie wrote: "I found it interesting that the first Pony Express did not last long - from April 1860 till October 1861 when the trains took over the route,"

That's interesting. I guess from watching Westerns and just the fact that it is something most people have heard of, I would have thought it was longer. Though as you noted there were other routes.

[Julie]

madrano wrote: "Julie, i’m surprised at the short service time, too. I guess the idea caught the imagination of the public and writers took off with it. Intriguing title."

Orphans were not preferred though I am sure there were some that rode and they did talk about that in the book.

[madrano]

Ah. Thanks for filling us in on that.

[Julie]

I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer
Michelle McNamara
4/5 stars
This is the amazing story of the search for the Golden State Killer (also known as the East Area Rapist) in California. Author and TV consultant Michelle McNamara put her heart and soul into writing this book before dying of an undiagnosed heart condition. Unfortunately, she never lived to see her book come out or the capture of the killer since she died two years before he was caught. This is definitely, a page turner. FYI - https://www.biography.com/news/michel... True Crime

[Alias Reader]

Julie wrote: "
[book:I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer|3506..."

One of my friends like to read true crime books. I'm going to pass on this title to her. Thanks !

[madrano]

I remember reading about this book, Julie. Thanks for the comments. I will be adding it to my TBR.

[Alias Reader]

Julie wrote: "
[book:I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer|3506..."

As I noted in my reply post, I passed this title on to a friend. She had already read it and loved it. She noted as you did that the author passed away young, she was the actor Patton Oswalt's wife. Unfortunately she died of unintentional drug overdose.

[Julie]

Alias Reader wrote: "Julie wrote: "
[book:I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden Sta..."

Yes, she did have drugs in her system but she also suffered from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. A combination of the two is not good for anybody.

[madrano]

What a shame.

[Julie]

A Gentleman in Moscow
Amor Towles
4/5 stars
After the Russian revolution in 1922, aristocrat Count Rostov is punished by the Bolshevik tribunal and loses his rooms where he lives. He is then put under house arrest at the Metropol Hotel and is forced into smaller accommodations and eventually ends up working there. However, his life brightens up when a young girl alone stays with him and they become a family. Wonderfully written and hard to put down! A Book Set In Russia

[madrano]

I remember reading about this book, Julie. Great to know it’s a winner.

[Barbara]

Julie wrote: "
A Gentleman in Moscow
Amor Towles
4/5 stars
After the Russian revolution in 1922, aristocrat Count Rostov is punished by ..."

Such a good book!! 😄

[Julie]

Attachments
Rainbow Rowell
3.5/5 stars
Lincoln O’Neill works in a newsroom as an internet security officer as Y2K approaches but he also has to monitor everyone’s work email. Two workers, Beth and Jennifer who know they are being monitored but they don’t take it seriously, discuss everything going on in their lives. Lincoln is enjoying their emails but he doesn’t turn them in. He starts to have a crush on Beth but how would that work out and how would she feel that he was the one reading their email. This wasn’t the best romance book I have read but it was kinda sweet. Romance

[madrano]

Julie, that’s kind of the way i felt about herLandline. I liked it but didn’t love it. The premise was intriguing.

[Julie]

Tipping the Velvet
Sarah Waters
4/5 stars
In the 1890’s Nan King lives with her family in England and helps with their oyster seafood restaurant business. One day she is invited to music hall and is intrigued with Kitty Butler, a young actress whose act has her portrayed as a male impersonator. Nan has become enamored with her and goes to her show daily.
Kitty Butler sees her there and hires her to help with the act. They soon become lovers but that ends when Kitty goes off with a gentleman friend leaving Kitty devastated. She soon meets with a rich woman who takes her in but that too becomes complicated and she is left on her own but she soon finds someone that she may rely on. This was made into a mini-series. Intriguing! T