American Wolf: a true story of survival and obsession in the West by Nate Blakeslee
Wolves have always been a controversial animal - people either love them or hate them, especially out West. American Wolf tells the story of the wolf reintroduction into Yellowstone National park through the story of O-Six, the grandchild of some of the first wolves reintroduced into Yellowstone. O-Six stands out to rangers and biologists from very early in her life, she becomes an alpha female and leads a powerful pack known as the Lamars, based on the area of the park that is their territory. She survives harsh winters, lower numbers of elk, grizzlies, and attacks from other rival packs only to be killed when hunting wolves is legalized in Wyoming. Her death created a firestorm in an already controversial issue and ultimately led to wolves being put back on the endangered species list in Wyoming. O-Six becomes Rick McIntyre's favorite wolf and as a park ranger in Yellowstone it's Rick's job to help visitors see some of the magnificent animals that call the park home. Rick and a band of fellow die-hard wolf watchers spend hours every day tracking and watching the wolves both for biologists and to help educate the public. Without Rick it would have been much harder to tell O-Six's story and the author relies on Rick's research and knowledge to write this book. But, the author also is able to talk to the man who killed O-Six and get his side of the story, so it's a well-rounded book and covers both sides of the controversial wolf issue. Definitely a tearjerker ending when O-Six's death is described. How anyone could trophy hunt is beyond me. A wonderful book about a magnificent animal and the impact wolves have had in Yellowstone and beyond.
pg 183-86 the "trophic cascade" of how wolves being reintroduced to Yellowstone have created numerous other benefits to other animals and even the land itself.
p. 230-31 the powerful description of O-Six's death - have some kleenex ready.
Life in the Sloth Lane: slow down and smell the hibiscus by Lucy Cooke
This is the cutest book EVER! Every page is super cute sloth pictures and quotes that reflect the slower paced Life in the Sloth Lane. The author also gives facts about sloths throughout the book. If you love sloths this is the book for you! This is one I will definitely have to buy because it is SO CUTE and the pictures are really great.
Country Grit: a farmoir of finding purpose and love by Scottie Jones
Scottie and Greg Jones lived a normal suburban life in Phoenix, Arizona. But, when Greg is in a near-fatal car accident he decides life is too short for long commutes and high-stress life. So, he and Scottie buy a sheep farm in rural Oregon and Country Grit is the story of the farm's first 5 years. Becoming farmers in middle age there is a steep learning curve, but thankfully the Joneses find a community of like-minded people in their new town who don't mind helping and sharing advice. After a particularly hard year on their farm they are ready to admit defeat and sell, but one last crazy idea is able to turn their farm around financially. Part memoir and part farm start-up guide, Country Grit show just how hard it is to survive financially on a small farm, but how it can definitely be well worth the risk.
Dot Journaling: a practical guide by Rachel Wilkerson Miller
I had heard of dot journaling, but I wasn't sure exactly what it was or why I should (or shouldn't) try it. This book give a great overview of what dot journaling is and the variety of ways you could use it in your life. What I liked the best is that the author gives LOTS of pictures of sample types of dot journaling and sample topics you could use. It's really geared toward someone who loves lists and keeping track of things like what you read, how much you exercise, etc. If I decide to start dot journaling I might buy this book because it gives so many great examples and ways to organize your dot journal. Overall, a very thorough book about dot journaling with LOTS of ideas and examples.
Reading With Patrick: a teacher, a student, and a life-changing friendship by Michelle Kuo
After Michelle Kuo graduates from Harvard she joins Teach for America and spends two years teaching English in a low income school in Helena, Arkansas. There her optimism to make a difference comes face to face with the struggles of her students. But, she does make a difference and connects with a few of her students. After leaving Arkansas for law school she hears that one of her favorite students, Patrick Browning, is in jail for first degree murder. After hearing this devastating news Kuo goes back to Helena and starts meeting with Patrick every day in jail - they mostly pick up where she left off when he was in her class. Kuo feels like if she had stayed in Helena things might have been different for Patrick, but the odds are definitely stacked against Patrick and his community. Kuo combines her story of her relationship with Patrick with the history of the area and blacks in the South in general to give the background for Patrick's story and community. It's a sad book, but there is some hope and her story shows that all most people need is someone in their corner to encourage them.
Simple Organizing: 50 ways to clear the clutter by Melissa Michaels
This is a great organizing book that breaks things down into 50 small steps. The book is organized by room or area of the house and then further into the smaller 50 steps. There are also great photographs of beautifully organized homes (that don't seem too perfect). I got lots of great ideas and hope to implement them in my home - tip #16 arrange kitchen into task zones, #20 make the dining area usable, not a dumping ground for everything, #37 a wellness station to keep all band aids, creams, medicine, etc. organized and ready. As a librarian, I also appreciated that the author mentioned in tip #13 "Library books are best kept in their own storage container. Designating a separate basket or shelf for library items makes them easy to locate when they're due. Best way to avoid stress and fines." Good organizing book especially if you want to work room by room at your own pace.
In the Days of Rain: a daughter, a father, a cult by Rebecca Stott
Rebecca Stott spent the first 6 years of her life in a cult known as the Brethren. The Brethren was a strict offshoot of mainstream Christianity that believed that the Rapture, or return of Christ, was mere days or weeks away and in order to be ready they had to retreat away from the world's evil influences. As time went on and leadership changed, the rules of the Brethren got more and more restrictive. Family members who didn't comply were excommunicated. Under the worst leadership there were suicides and even murder resulting from mental breakdowns caused by the stress of trying to live up to the Brethren expectations. Rebecca's family had generations of Brethren believers and her father and grandfather were church leaders and speakers. After a scandal involving the leader at the time, Rebecca's family left the Brethren and her father completely left the faith and eventually developed a gambling addiction and went to prison for embezzling money from his company. The book is divided into 3 sections - Before, During, and After. The Before section gives the history of the Brethren religion and how Rebecca's family became involved. The During section is what their life was like during their family's time in the Brethren, and the After is the aftermath when their family left. The best section was the During one - the others really dragged and there are still a lot of unanswered questions. Rebecca struggled to adjust to life outside the restrictive Brethren, but her parents never really explained anything to their children about why they left or how their beliefs changed. The author's father asks her to complete his book about their Brethren experience on his deathbed, but she never mentions talking to her mother about that time. It's like it's her father or nothing and once he dies she is trying to figure everything out on her own. Overall, it was not a great book. It's a crazy cult and the story definitely has potential, but maybe the author just got weighed down by her grief over her father's death. Whatever the reason, a lot of the book drags and there are still many unanswered questions.
Out of Line: a life of playing with fire by Barbara Lynch
Barbara Lynch grew up in the hardscrabble Southie area of Boston in the projects. She was the sixth of seven children, so she never got much attention from her mother and her father died before she was born. She and the gang of kids in her neighborhood got into all kinds of trouble growing up. But when Barbara discovers food and cooking she realizes this is her passion. Completely self-taught Barbara is a true rags to riches story of working her way up from nothing to owning multiple successful restaurants. I really liked the first half of the book that was more about her childhood and how she got into cooking, but the second half seemed like too much information was crammed in. She opened restaurant after restaurant like it was nothing with no details of how she managed to do that. She was doing so many things I don't know how she ever slept. And major events like when she almost died from sepsis were just kind of glossed over. I like her story and she's obviously successful and working hard to give back to her community, but the book wasn't great. I feel like it could have been told better with not as much childhood detail and more details about her adult professional life. Overall, it was OK but not one I would really recommend.
Backyard Winter Gardening by Caleb Warnock
When I put this book on hold I didn't realize it was the same author of the More Forgotten Skills of Self-Sufficiency that I had read before. Warnock gives a really good overview of winter gardening and why it's important and good to do. My husband and I keep talking about doing a fall/winter garden, but haven't yet. This is a great resource that once we finally make that step I will definitely use. Overall, a good solid book that is a great resource.
My Life With Bob: flawed heroine keeps book of books, plot ensues by Pamela Paul
Pamela Paul was always a reader. She loved going to the library and getting lost in books. As a child uninterested in sports or most childhood activities she found books to be both her escape and comfort. When on a high school trip to France she starts Bob, or book of books, a notebook where she lists every book she reads and the date read. Bob continues in the same notebook for the next 28 years and still going - through marriage and divorce, trips abroad, good times and bad times. Bob is a snapshot of what was going on in Paul's life at the time. There were times when she was reading books recommended by her first husband, times she was reading about the culture she was visiting, and times when she needed to read more fluff. Bob becomes a sacred part of Paul's life. As someone who also keeps track to all the books I read and sets reading goals for the year, I can totally relate to Paul's story and Bob. If you're a lifelong reader and list-maker this is the perfect book for you.
Some quotes I really liked:
"Books are how cautious kids get to experience a kind of secondhand rebellion, a safe way to go off the rails." (p. 15)
"There can certainly be pleasure in hate reading. As with The Fountainhead, I have hated my way through several books to the last page, not always out of generosity to the writer. It's a force of will. You will be read no matter how hard you make it. Some say reading hateful books feels like time wasted - and with so little time, so many books, why bother with the bad? But there's something bracing about reading a book you despise, because loathing is usually mixed with other emotions - fear, perverse attraction, even occasional, complicated strains of sympathy. It's one of the many reasons I believe in negative reviews. It can be interesting when a book promotes animosity." (p. 171-2)
