May 2017 Reviews

The Last One by Alexandra Oliva

Zoo is a contestant on a survival reality TV show. Some of the show's challenges are group challenges and some are solo. While on a solo challenge Zoo's cameraman never shows back up, but she thinks it's part of the challenge that there are hidden cameras. But, the reality that Zoo doesn't know is that her cameraman is dead - a pandemic has hit the US and hundreds of thousands of people die. But, Zoo still thinks she is on the solo challenge. When she starts seeing some of the carnage she thinks it's just part of the show. After meeting Brennan, a teenager who's family all died, she finally realizes what has happened. Zoo's hope is that somehow against all odds her husband survived. Will she and Brennan make it back to her home? Will her husband still be alive? 

This is a really unique storyline and it was definitely a quick read. The beginning was a little slow, but once the story picked up you didn't want to put the book down. This is the author's first novel, so I'll be interested to see her future books.

Detroit Hustle: a memoir of love, life, and home by Amy Haimerl

Amy Haimerl grew up in a small, working-class town in rural Colorado, so blue collar, hard scrabble towns are in her blood. While she and her husband are living in Red Hook Brooklyn where the cost of living is getting higher and higher, they decide to start looking for somewhere to live where they can afford to buy a house. They end up in Detroit. And while rumors of $1 houses in Detroit abound, there is a lot of red tape involved in buying and fixing up an abandoned house in Detroit...namely most banks won't give you a mortgage. After finding their dream home and cashing out their 401ks and borrowing money from family they spend two years rehabbing a historic home in Detroit. Amy writes about not only their adventure in renovating a home, but also some of the history and current issues with Detroit. She also delves into the whole issue of gentrification and what that can mean for both sides of the issue. Overall, an interesting book about how one couple realized their dream of home ownership and are helping to revitalize the city of Detroit.

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat

This is a unique cookbook in that only about half of the book is recipes. The first half talks about the four main elements of cooking - Salt, Fat, Acid, and Heat. Each chapter explains that element and how it affects cooking. She also includes "test" recipes to test out each element and using that element when cooking. The second half of the book is full of recipes and then at the very end she creates some sample menus based on the recipes given. This is more like cooking school in book form. Michael Pollan writes the forward and I remember Samin being featured in his book Cooked when she teaches Pollan how to cook better. Overall, a very thorough and educational book about cooking. This is one you could refer back to time and again and learn something new each time.

The Alliance by Jolina Petersheim

When a plane crashes into a Mennonite community in rural Montana it signals a drastic change for this pacifist community. Moses Hughes, the pilot of the crashed plane, believes that an EMP or electromagnetic pulse is the cause of his plane crash and the loss of electricity in the area. But, as the Mennonite community only uses electricity for their commercial store, they are the most prepared people in the area - which means they quickly become a target for gangs of looters and thieves. Moses and two other Englishers (non-Mennonites) work with the Mennonites to try to protect their community. 

While I liked the premise of the book, it was VERY obvious right from the start that a large focus of the book is the love triangle between Mennonites Leora and Jabil and the downed pilot Moses. It was also painfully obvious that Moses, like his Biblical namesake, was "sent" to lead the Mennonite community out of danger. There was also a very odd twist at the end relating to Leora's estranged father that really seemed crazy and did not fit with the rest of the book. But, it was still a quick read and I'll admit that I put myself on hold for the sequel since the ending definitely leaves you hanging. This is like the Hallmark movie channel version of a dystopian novel, which I would normally not like, but it did draw me in enough to keep reading and I do want to see what happens in the next book.

Devoured: from chicken wings to kale smoothies how what we eat defines who we are by Sophie Egan

In Devoured Sophie Egan explores the deeper meaning behind what we choose to eat and why. What does is say about our country that only 26% of Americans eat breakfast everyday and 40% eat lunch at their desk so they can keep working? Egan explores not only how we eat, but some of the crazy things we eat like cereal that has more sugar than candy bars and things like the Doritos Locos Taco from Taco Bell. Egan explores 10 phenomena that illustrate what our food says about who we are as a culture. In the last chapter she gives her prescription for how we can create better food habits and culture - "Work less and savor more. Make it real and stir the pot." (p. 311). This is a very interesting look at America's food culture and habits and it really does say a lot about who we are both for good and bad. I liked that Egan shows her findings, but doesn't pass judgement about what we should or shouldn't be eating. She isn't telling us to give up sugar forever, but what she explores does shine a light on some bad habits that could be better. Overall, a great book with tons of eye-opening information. 

Here are some quotes I really liked:

"I was on a hike with a Swedish friend, and she was talking about how stunned she is by the amount of time people work in the United States...she asked me a simple question about the sheer number of hours we work: Why? She was absolutely dumbfounded when I explained: Putting in the time proves your value. She laughed at the idea and said, 'In Sweden, if you're working more than the hours absolutely mandatory and expected of you, people's reaction is, 'What's wrong with you that you couldn't get your work done in time?' ' In other words, it's an efficiency question - 'You're working late tonight? Oh, you must be slow.' I stopped in my tracks. Mind blown." (p. 27)

"When [consumers were asked] how they define a 'meal,' they describe a combination of foods, home-cooked and plated. This sounds about right to me too. But when he asks them the last time they had a meal like that, responses vary from 'a couple of weeks ago' to 'maybe Thanksgiving.' One of the fundamental themes of eating behavior is that there is a difference between what people say they want and what they actually eat. It's often the difference between intention and action, between goals and reality." (p. 29)

"Dinner has become a litmus test for family values in America. According to recent data from Gallup, 53 percent of American adults with children under the age of eighteen say their family eats dinner together at home six or seven nights a week. On average, families share 5.1 dinners together, down only slightly from 5.4 in 1997...I'll admit, this figure is higher than I would have given us credit for...But if you dig deeper into the family meal, it gets more interesting...It turns out that a good number of families eating dinner 'together' aren't eating the same thing. Family meals are following more of an a la carte model...More than half of families cook multiple meals or dishes to cater to each family member." (p. 97-8)

"...our food culture thrives on 'mass customization,' which sounds like an oxymoron but means taking existing processed foods and delivering them in individual-size portions that meet a wide range of specific demands. A cup of coffee made with a Keurig capsule costs about three times more than one made with supermarket grounds and a drip machine. That Keurig habit can add up to spending $400 more on coffee in a given year. Apparently the exact flavor we get from Keurig, made fresh at the precise moment we want it, is worth that much." (p. 103)

"...a far more prevalent, and equally puzzling, practice: Selling Absence. That is, how marketers convince us to buy foods such as fat-free milk, low-sodium pretzel sticks, and 100-calorie packs of cookies. What we are doing is purchasing a food not for the crazy reason that it contains worthwhile ingredients - but because of what an item lacks. Emily Green, a writer for the Los Angeles Times, has dubbed this genre of foods 'nonundelows,' because their labels being with 'non-,' 'un-,' 'de-' and 'low-.'" (p. 107)

"So when it comes to brunch, one way to think about its popularity is to ask what activity it is replacing. If people are sipping mimosas at a cafe with friends, what are they not doing on Sunday mornings? The answer: Brunch is secular church. Sunday service for the socially starved. Something for the nothings. Specifically, something soulful and restorative...in parts of the United States where people aren't as religious, the brunch gathering is the closest substitute for the experience of church: getting out of the house, marking the turn of the calendar, breaking bread together. Perhaps most important, Connor argues, it involves spending time with friends or family." (p. 145)

The Stars Are Fire by Anita Shreve

In October of 1947 after a long drought fires break out all along the Maine coast. Grace Holland and her husband Gene live 2 blocks from the ocean with their two children. When the fires break out Gene and some other men go try to create a firebreak to stop the fire from reaching their community. When the fire comes Grace and her children must huddle in the ocean to stay alive while they watch everything they own burn to the ground. Grace has no idea if her husband survived the fire or not, but she has to step up to care for her children. In short order Grace finds a place for them to stay, learns to drive, and gets a job. But months after the fire when her husband returns neither of them is the same. Grace has come to relish her independence and control over her own life and Gene is terribly burned and disfigured from the fire. While their marriage was never good, the stress of Gene's injuries really brings out the worst in him and he takes it out on Grace and their children. Grace found strength within herself to rebuild her life after the fire, but can she find the strength to leave her abusive marriage and start over yet again. Grace finds that her experience has irrevocably changed her and even if she wanted to she can never go back to who she was before the fire.

A beautifully written and haunting novel about finding the strength and resilience to start over.

The Dog Merchants: inside the big business of breeders, pet stores, and rescuers by Kim Kavin

I remembered reading and liking Kim Kavin's previous book Little Boy Blue about her personal story with adopting a dog who was transported from a high-kill shelter in the South to her home state of New Jersey. In The Dog Merchants Kavin takes on breeders. Is there such a thing as a "responsible" breeder? Can legislation stop puppy mills? Why does the Westminster dog show have such an impact on breeding and dog popularity? These are just a few of the questions that Kavin tackles in this book. I was truly amazed at how many large and small scale dog breeders are out there, but I was even more shocked by how much movies and the winners of the Westminster dog show affect the public opinion of certain breeds and the demand for them. While Kavin definitely shows examples of good, responsible breeders, the overall theme of the book is that dog breeding today (especially in the US) is driven by the "breed standards" created by breed clubs hoping for wins at Westminster and other dog shows. Any breed can make a great pet, but often breeders attach personality traits to their breeds that can apply to any pet if you put the time into training. At the very end she talks about what questions to ask when adopting or purchasing a dog - questions to ask yourself about how much time and money you're willing to invest in your pet and also questions for the shelter and/or breeder you're adopting/buying from. Definitely an interesting look at the dog industry through the lens of breeding.

Some quotes I really liked:

"'To me, breeds are like a designer handbag,' Woods writes. 'People like the way they look and the hype behind them. They buy into the stereotypes (Border Collies are the smartest, Labs are the most faithful, etc.) and then they match up how they see themselves with the marketing behind the dog.'" (p. 49)

"All dog lovers have come to know the terms 'puppy mill' and 'puppy farm' in recent years. They appear on the news and in fundraising letters from animal welfare groups showing horrific photographs and asking for donations to shut down the big-scale breeders who treat dogs badly...But what, exactly, is a puppy mill? There is no legal definition, even according to leading animal welfare groups." (p. 89)

"The notion that America's homeless dogs face an 'overpopulation problem' does not match up against the available statistics. Supply is not exceeding demand. Americans want about eight million dogs a year as new pets, while only about four million dogs are entering the shelters. America kills about two million of those shelter dogs each year while US dog lovers get their new pets from other sources. If just half the Americans already getting a dog went the shelter route, then statistically speaking, every cage in US animal control facilities could be emptied. Right now. And the United States would still need another four million dogs each year to meet demand. Americans want more pups than any other nation on the planet. In the United States, there are no extra dogs in terms of quantity. There are instead millions of throwaway dogs in terms of perceived quality." (p.140-1)

"'This is a very materialistic society. If you buy something and then you don't want it, you throw it out,' [Teri Goodman] says. 'I was walking on the street with Misty one day, and there was a woman who said a woman up the block wanted to get rid of her older dog. I said, 'What's the problem? Is the dog unhealthy? Is there a problem with finances?' And the woman said she was selling her house and moving to an apartment, and she had a garden and could let the dog out, but at the apartment, she'd have to walk her. The dog was fourteen. She'd had her from a puppy. Now that I've been in this senior dog world for a while, that's not an uncommon story. People think of a dog as a commodity, that you can get rid of it if it's inconvenient.'" (p. 203)

Goodreads Milestone

In May I posted my 1000th review on Goodreads! I joined Goodreads in August of 2007, so it took me almost 10 years to get there. 

April 2017 Cookbooks

Dishing Up the Dirt: simple recipes for cooking through the seasons by Andrea Bemis

This is a beautiful cookbook and there are lots of recipes I'd like to try. I really like the author's introduction about how she and her husband started Tumbleweed Farm. She also gives an introduction of each section, which is organized by season, about what's going on on the farm during that season, what vegetables are available, etc. While the recipes are mostly vegetarian, they all look so good you hardly notice! Overall, a great seasonal cookbook with beautiful pictures of both the recipes and their farm.

The Forest Feast: simple vegetarian recipes from my cabin in the woods by Erin Gleeson

This is a really unique cookbook in that it's very artistic and includes lots of beautiful photographs and illustrations by the author. Erin Gleeson grew up in California on an apple orchard, but when she moved to New York City she felt right at home there. After eight years in NY she and her husband had the opportunity to move back to California and they found a small cabin in the woods that they fell in love with. Inspired by the forest around their new home Erin started creating recipes that she felt reflected their new cabin life. While all the recipes in this book are vegetarian you hardly notice because everything looks so good. It's organized like a traditional cookbook with chapters on appetizers, salads, etc., but with really unique illustrations. This book is worth picking up just to look at the beautiful photographs, but you'll probably find at least a few recipes you want to try too.

Add a Pinch: easier, faster, fresher Southern classics by Robyn Stone

This is one I might end up buying. I just LOVE a good Southern cookbook and Robyn Stone does not disappoint! The premise of the cookbook is that she's trying to make a quicker, lighter version of many of the Southern dishes she grew up eating. It's organized like a traditional cookbook with chapters like starters & snacks, slow cooker suppers, simple sides, biscuits & bread, etc. Definitely a solid, Southern cookbook! There were so many recipes I'd like to try. I would definitely recommend this one.

Dinner Chez Moi: 50 French secrets to joyful eating and entertaining by Elizabeth Bard

I've read both of Elizabeth Bard's memoirs, so I was excited to see a cookbook from her. While it is a cookbook, she also explores the French food philosophy. There are some recipes I'd like to try, but I enjoyed the food philosophy part even more. The book is divided into 4 sections - Ingredients, Equipment, Rituals, and Family. Each section has French food "secrets" and recipes that go along with that "secret." Overall, a nice cookbook that focuses on simple, fresh food and enjoying food with friends and family.

Food Swings: 125 recipes to enjoy your life of virtue and vice by Jessica Seinfeld

I like Jessica Seinfeld's other cookbooks, so I decided to check this one out. She divides the book into "Virtue" which is healthier recipes and "Vice" which are more indulgent recipes. There were recipes in both sections that I'd like to try and I like her approach to food that it's not hardcore salads and quinoa all the time, but there is a place for creamy pasta and cake too. Overall, a good cookbook with quite a few recipes I'd like to try out.

April 2017 Reviews

Originals: how non-conformists change the world by Adam Grant

I wasn't really sure what to expect with this one, I just basically put it on hold based on the title. But, I LOVED it! Grant does a fantastic job exploring the philosophy of being an outsider and how outsiders are often successful because they are working outside conventional norms in their field. He gives dozens of examples in the business world of an "out there" idea that after much hard work ended up being the next "big thing." One of my favorites was about Meredith Perry - she had an idea for a wireless charger for electronic devices, but her idea was so against the grain that she couldn't even get anyone to help her build a prototype. Eventually, she found people by not giving them the whole idea, just asking them to work on a specific component, THEN revealing what they were really working on - by the end of 2014 her company had 18 patents and $10 million in venture funding. Grant gives examples of both successful outsiders and unsuccessful ones and explains why their approach worked or didn't. He also shows how various approaches can be cultivated in the workplace by both management and staff, so it's also applicable to the average person as well. It was also really interesting how very seemingly small decisions really show who we are like what Internet browser you use. Definitely a unique and interesting read.

Some quotes I liked:

"Not long ago, economist Michael Housman was leading a project to figure out why some customer service agents stayed in their jobs longer than others...his team had captured information about which internet browser employees had used when they logged in to apply for their jobs...But when he looked at the results, he was stunned: Employees who used Firefox or Chrome to browse the Web remained in their jobs 15 percent longer than those who used Internet Explorer or Safari...If you own a PC, Internet Explorer is built into Windows. If you're a Mac user, your computer came preinstalled with Safari...To get Firefox or Chrome, you have to demonstrate some resourcefulness and download a different browser. Instead of accepting the default, you take a bit of initiative to seek out an option that might be better. And that act of initiative, however tiny, is a window into what you do at work." (p. 4-5)

"As much as agreeable people may love us, they often hate conflict even more. Their desire to please others and preserve harmony makes them prone to backing down instead of sticking up for us...It is often the prickly people who are more comfortable taking a stand against others and against convention. As a Google employee put it, disagreeable managers may have a bad user interface but a great operating system." (p. 81)

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (Books & Banter book club)

I remember reading The Secret Garden as a kid and really liking it, but reading it as an adult was definitely a different experience. The character of Mary does grow on you because you see her change from a terrible child to a more healthy and caring child - especially after she meets Dickon and they are working in the secret garden. Where the book started to go downhill for me was when Colin was introduced. He was such an irritating and terrible child and character. His "transformation" seemed much more forced and didactic. And when his father has the dream of "in the garden, in the garden" I was literally rolling my eyes when I read that scene. That kind of ruined the book for me and it ended in a really odd way. But, I did still like the first 2/3 when Mary is growing and changing and discovering the wonder of the secret garden. I guess reading it as a child that was probably the age of the main characters you wouldn't feel as talked down to by the book, but I didn't love it as an adult.

Heart of Glass by Wendy Lawless

I remember really liking Lawless's first book Chanel Bonfire about growing up with her volatile mother, but I didn't remember a lot of the details. This book starts when Wendy finally escapes her mother and moves to New York City for college. While she is relieved to be away from her mother, the wounds from her childhood still hold her back. She has no safety net of family to help her and because of her dysfunctional family her romantic relationships are terrible. Finally through some good friends and therapy, Wendy is able to start making better decisions for herself and set boundaries with her mother. She also is finally able to develop a relationship with her father and step-family. By the end of the book she has met her husband and her future looks bright both personally and professionally.

I really liked the beginning and end of the book - a lot of the middle was hard to read just because of her terrible choices in men and how she let people use her. I appreciate her honesty and I'm glad that it did end on a happier note with her in a healthy relationship. I feel like this book just highlights how hard it can be for people from ultra-dysfunctional families to break the patterns they learned growing up. But, Wendy Lawless shows that it can be done.

The True Tails of Baker and Taylor by Jan Louch

This is such a great book. Working in the library world I was always familiar with Baker & Taylor the library book wholesale company, but this story explains how two cats named Baker & Taylor became the mascot for the company and changed the lives of many people in the small town of Minden, Nevada. When the two librarians in the Minden library decided to get two cats to help protect their new library from mice and also create a welcoming environment, they kind of jokingly decided to name them Baker & Taylor after the company that most libraries buy their books from. Jan Louch decided to call the company and let them know about Baker - they were still saving up to buy Taylor at that point. The company loved the idea so much they offered to buy Taylor if they could do a photoshoot and use the cats in their marketing materials - and the rest was history. The first photoshoot went well and the new cat mascots blew up in the book world. The Minden library also started getting fan mail and requests from all over the world for posters and Baker & Taylor swag. They had people from all over the world come and visit the two famous cats. But, the everyday people who used the Minden library were the ones affected the most by Baker & Taylor. Patrons loved coming in to get books and see the cats. The library staff also loved coming in to work with the cats every day too. Baker & Taylor lived in the Minden library for 15 years, Baker dying 3 years before Taylor. After that the library board decided not to replace Baker & Taylor. While it's definitely sad when the cats die the book overall is so much fun as you get to read about all the adventures Baker & Taylor had together. There are also stories about other library cats after most of the chapters. This is a great book for anyone who is a fan of cats and the library!

Jesus Swagger: break free from poser Christianity by Jarrid Wilson 

The premise of this book is that as Christians we need to emulate Christ in all aspects of our lives, get our Jesus Swagger on so to speak. While the premise is good, basically don't be a fake Christian and really let God transform your life, the book seems geared toward either teenagers or very new Christians. The writing is very basic and almost assumes that you don't know much about God or the Bible at all. Being a Christian very often means being an outcast and if you really want to fit in you are going to struggle with that. I did like that Chapter 6 "Be the Change" was almost exclusively about Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his example of standing up for the gospel to the point of death - Bonhoeffer is definitely someone every Christian reads about and knows about. Overall, I didn't love this one because it was just a little too elementary for me, but the premise is good and it could definitely be helpful for a teenager or new believer.

Some quotes I liked:

"Remove the word hate from your vocabulary, and start reflecting an image of Jesus that portrays him differently than a man standing on a soapbox wielding a megaphone. I can't ever recall a person who came to faith because of hate." (p. 52)

"As William Gurnall said, 'We fear men so much, because we fear God so little. One fear cures another. When man's terror scares you, turn your thoughts to the wrath of God.'" (p 162)

My Name is Leon by Kit De Waal

Leon's mom is white and his dad is black, but his new baby brother Jake's dad is white. Leon's mom is really struggling after Jake is born and Leon tries to take care of them both, but he's only 9 years old. When he asks a neighbor for money to get food and diapers she calls social services. At first Leon and Jake stay together, but because Jake is white and a baby he is quickly adopted. Leon struggles to understand why he and Jake can't stay together and when his mom will come back for him. Leon is lucky to end up in Maureen's foster home because she genuinely cares about him, but he still wants to be back with his mom and Jake. Eventually he makes a few friends, but they are all adults he meets in a community garden. Leon is planning to find his brother Jake and take care of him by himself. On the night he leaves to find Jake all hell breaks loose and Leon realizes his new family might not be so bad. 

This was an interesting book that dealt with the issue of race in foster care and adoption through the eyes of a child. While Leon definitely struggles, it's easy to see how much worse it could have been and how quickly he could have gone down a really bad path if he didn't have such a good foster mother.

Minimalism: live a meaningful life by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus

I would never consider myself a minimalist, but after watching The Minimalist's documentary I was intrigued and they seemed really fun and interesting. I decided to check out their book and actually laughed when I got it because of course a book about minimalism would be succinct and short - only 121 pages. While I did like the book, it's a good overview of minimalism and how it can help/impact different areas of your life, it seemed a little too didactic to me. There were a lot of steps and here's how to do this better, etc. While they never claim to have all the answers I think a lot of stuff is subjective and it won't look the same for every person. Where I disagreed the most was with food, I am NOT trying to be vegan or a minimalist when it comes to food! But, overall I do think they have a lot of good stuff to share about their journey and how minimalism has worked for them. They recommend that you read one chapter of the book a week and really think about it, work through stuff, etc., but I read it over the course of one day - it's a really quick read. 

Here are some quotes I liked:

"Health is not a destination; it is a vehicle. So, okay, maybe Joshua will never make it to the NBA with his bad back...but that doesn't mean he should feel defeated, broke, broken. No, it means he must take care of the vehicle he has, providing it with regular tune-ups (daily stretching, regular exercise, and occasional chiropractor visits, as well as a good diet, adequate sleep, and daily meditation), which will help him better enjoy the journey ahead." (p. 35-6)

"Once you acknowledge your vocation is who you are, it's extraordinarily difficult to do something else." (p. 79)

"Financial freedom isn't easy, but you knew that before reading this book. The exciting part about these five steps is they apply to anyone, anywhere on the socioeconomic ladder. Whether you earn minimum wage or six figures, whether you are single or have half-a-dozen children, we have seen these principles work for thousands of people - because it's not about our income level, it's about the decisions we make with the resources we have." (p. 90)

The Guest Room by Chris Bohjalian (Books & Banter and Evening Edition book clubs)

Richard Chapman offers to host his younger brother's bachelor party at his house because that way it's less likely to get out of control. He assumes there will probably be a stripper, but thinks it will be pretty tame. He was wrong. At the end of the bachelor party multiple guests have had sex with the "entertainment" and two people are dead. While Richard didn't cheat on his wife, he is still associated with a wild orgy that turned into murder. The aftermath of the party is devastating for Richard - his wife is contemplating leaving him, he is suspended from work, his house is now a crime scene, and one of the other party guests is trying to blackmail him. But Richard doesn't have the worst of it - the two girls who were the "entertainment" are now running for their lives. Told in alternating viewpoints from Richard and Alexandra, an Armenian teenager who was kidnapped into sex slavery, you see how both of their lives are profoundly changed from this one fateful night.

Re-read for both of my book clubs. It was equally good the second time, but slightly less suspenseful since I already knew the ending. Still it should make for some good discussions in book club.

Esther the Wonder Pig by Steve Jenkins, Derek Walter, and Caprice Crane

I love a good animal memoir, but I just didn't like this one. Steve Jenkins is tricked into adopting what he thought was a mini pig that wouldn't get any larger than a medium sized dog, in reality Esther was an industrial pig who topped out over 600 pounds. While trying to deal with a growing new pet Esther basically destroys their home because huge pigs aren't meant to live inside a 1000 square foot house. Pigs are also very intelligent, so she often outsmarted them when it came to stealing food and their attempts to house train her. Eventually Steve and his partner Derek decide to buy a farm and start an animal sanctuary for rescued animals from the industrial food industry, of course along the way thanks to Esther they also become vegan. I was familiar with the basic storyline of the book, but I didn't know they became vegan. While I am VERY familiar with the evils of the industrial food industry, I don't want to be vegan. I think supporting local farmers who are raising animals in natural and humane ways is a better way to opt out of the industrial food system instead of being vegan. While I understand their love for Esther she really destroyed their house and made for a very stressful life until they moved to the farm, and it was stressful to read about all of their stress and destruction. I also wasn't wild about them crowd-funding the purchase of their farm. I feel like crowd-funding is best used for unexpected medical emergencies, etc. not buying your dream house (even if you are starting an animal sanctuary there). They also included some random recipes in the back, which was odd since food was not really mentioned much other than them talking about deciding to become vegan. Overall, it was disappointing. A better pig memoir is The Good Good Pig by Sy Montgomery.

March 2017 Reviews

My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem

I've always been a fan of Gloria Steinem, but I've never read any of her books until now. This book is more of a compilation of her time traveling - both for journalism and for organizing and speaking for the women's movement. Each chapter is centered around a topic - one on politics, one of Native communities, etc. But the overall theme was of travel and how you can't really get to know about issues and people without interacting with all types of people - particularly via public or communal transportation. She talks about how she got started in the women's movement and community organizing, but she also talks a lot about more recent times and events. It's a good mix of both early and current stories and how they shaped her and continue to shape her today. Overall, a good book for anyone who considers themselves a feminist.

Some quotes I really liked:

"In the 1980s, I published my first real book, Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions, and discovered the author's tour as a new kind of road trip...That plus two more books and tours in the 1990s made me realize that bookstores were the great community centers. Anybody could come, whether they could afford a book or not, and the spaces reserved for talks and signings invited talking circles. Since no computer can provide this companionship, the more personal the store, the more likely it is to survive." (p. 52) [I would add this also applies to the public library!]

"By treaty, Native nations were supposed to have government-to-government status with Washington, yet in reality they weren't even allowed to teach their own languages in schools. As one Native delegate said, 'Other Americans have histories and families and gene pools in their home countries. If French or Arabic is forgotten in America, it's still being spoken somewhere. We have no other country. If our languages are wiped out, they can't come back. If we disappear here, that's it.'" (p. 62-3)

"If there is one thing that these campus visits have affirmed for me, it's that the miraculous but impersonal Internet is not enough...nothing can replace being in the same space. That's exactly why we need to keep creating the temporary worlds of meetings, small and large, on campuses and everywhere else. In them, we discover we're not alone, we learn from one another, and so we keep going toward shared goals." (p. 123)

The Martian by Andy Weir - Books & Banter book club

Mark Watney is part of a team of astronauts who are some of the first people to walk on Mars. But, six days into their mission a violent storm pops up and they have to abort, but Mark is hit by flying debris and the team can't find him. They assume he is dead. But, Mark survives and is now stuck alone on Mars. He must figure out how to survive until he can contact NASA and be rescued. Mark is a botanist, so his first order of business is to try to grow plants with Martian soil. His sense of humor and his problem solving skills help him survive until his fellow astronauts can come back for him. But, almost everything than can go wrong - does. Will Mark survive long enough to be rescued?

I was really excited to read this one for book club, but I was disappointed. While the basic storyline is definitely interesting, there is SO MUCH science and math and astrophysics that bog down the story. About halfway through I just started skimming because I didn't understand the science and honestly it wasn't 100% necessary to the story. Suffice it to say EVERY character is SUPER smart and works really hard to figure out ways to help Mark and get him back to Earth. Overall, I wasn't super impressed, but I do think the movie should be good since hopefully it will scale back all the science talk and stick with the basic storyline. Definitely interested to see what my book club thinks of this one.

The Beginner's Guide to Beekeeping by Samantha and Daniel Johnson

This is a good, basic overview of beekeeping. It's pretty short and I was able to read it over the course of a day. What I like the best is that there are TONS of pictures and that is helpful when you're just starting and not sure what you should or are seeing. It doesn't say it's for children or teens, but it seems like it's geared that way. There is not a lot of text, so it would be easier to read. But, it is very informative and does give a good overview of getting, installing bees, caring for them, extracting honey, etc. Definitely a good reference book with all the detailed pictures.

All Stories Are Love Stories by Elizabeth Percer

On Valentine's Day two major earthquakes hit San Francisco. Three survivors lives are connected on that fateful day. It's Max's birthday and just after the first earthquake hits he sees Vashti, his lost love that he never got over. They are trapped together during the second earthquake and finally have the conversations they never had when they broke up 14 years earlier. Gene is a professor of geology and knows more than most the danger and possibility of earthquakes. While trying to get home after the earthquakes he gets roped into rescue missions, which is how he meets Max. A beautifully told story that takes place mainly over the day of the earthquakes, this novel explores how fragile and fleeting both life and love are, but how much they can change people.

Counter Culture by David Platt - Meck book club

I had read Platt's previous book Radical and really liked it, so I was looking forward to reading this one too. Platt explores 10 aspects of culture that the Christian faith is called to counteract - areas like abortion, marriage, poverty, caring for the orphan and widow, etc. While he did a good job of explaining the importance of Christians being counter culture to our society's norms, I wish that he would have given more practical advice in each section. While there are resources in the back of the book, it just seemed like he focused more on how God can impact these areas for people instead of how the Church can help counter today's culture. While I did like it I didn't like it as much as Radical. I could see how this book could be very helpful to a new believer who is trying to adjust their life to a new Christian faith.

All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders

This was one of the weirdest books I've ever read. Patricia and Laurence meet when they are in middle school. Both are outcasts both at school and in their own families. Patricia can talk to birds and thinks she might be a witch, while Laurence is building computers and a time travel device. When someone at their school comes between them it shatters their friendship. Ten years later they are both living in San Francisco and run into each other - Patricia has graduated from an academy for the magically gifted and Laurence is an engineering genius who is working with a select group of people to save the world from natural destruction. While working in both magic and technology, Patricia and Laurence find themselves drawn to each other, yet also unknowingly working against each other. Is the love they have for each other enough to sustain them in a world that is catastrophically falling apart? 

This unique book looks at the roles of nature and technology, love, and the limitations of humans. A very bizarre love story that takes place in a potential apocalyptic future.

From A to Bee: my first year as a beginner beekeeper by James Dearsley

We are getting our own bees in a little over a week, so I was excited to read this book about James Dearsley's first year beekeeping. While it was somewhat interesting and helpful, this is what I call a bumbling memoir - you write about how you bumble through something in your life and it's supposed to be funny and self-deprecating. But, there is a fine line between bumbling through and really doing dumb things with bad results. While James isn't on the dumb side of that line, I didn't love the book. It seemed like he did a lot of dumb things that could have turned out really badly - like moving a full hive by himself to another location just because he REALLY wanted to get a jar of honey his first year. But, there were other aspects that I did appreciate like his honesty about being kind of scared to check his hives each week, etc. Overall, it was OK, but not one I would really recommend. I did really like that he gave a LOT of beekeeping resources at the end.

How to Hygge: the Nordic secrets to a happy life by Signe Johansen

Hygge (pronounced HOO-gah) is a Danish word that translates to a feeling of coziness. In How to Hygge Signe Johansen explores this philosophy of hygge and how it can impact all areas of life. The main points she makes are the importance of nature and regular exposure to nature, the importance of exercise (particularly outdoors instead of a gym), staying active and self-sufficient, the importance of cooking and enjoying food with friends and family, and she also touches on minimalism in the home. There are also 3 chapters of recipes as well.

I wasn't really sure what to expect with this book, but I had heard about the hygge craze and wanted to check it out. Overall, I liked it and I can definitely relate to most of the tenants - I prefer to exercise outside and I love to garden and cook from scratch. I will definitely be checking out more hygge books in the future. This was a good overview of the philosophy.

Bunny's Book Club by Annie Silvestro (children's picture book)

This is one of the cutest picture books I've seen! Bunny falls in love with books while listening in to storytime at the library. But when storytime moves inside at the end of summer he must find a way to get access to more books. So, he finds a way to get into the library and borrow books. Soon all his animal friends notice he's not around as much and one by one bunny introduces them to the library. The illustrations are just beautiful and the story is so cute and illustrates a love of reading and the library.

February 2017 Cookbooks

Simple: effortless food, big flavours by Diana Henry

I thought this cookbook would be right up my alley - I love simple, whole food based recipes. But, there really wasn't anything in here that I wanted to try. Maybe it's because the author is British, but I just wasn't into this one.

February 2017 Reviews

The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat by Edward Kelsey Moore (Evening Edition book club)

Clarice, Odette, and Barbara Jean have been best friends since high school in the 1960's when they were dubbed "the Supremes." Now they have been friends for over 4 decades and catch up every week over Sunday lunch at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat. Clarice is once again dealing with her husband's infidelities, but this time she won't just ignore it. Odette has always been the strongest Supreme, but she is now fighting for her life. Barbara Jean is dealing with an addiction that started with a shameful secret. These three friends help each other through the best and the worst times together, all while watching daily life unfold in their small Indiana town. 

This is one of those books that I wouldn't have read if not for my book club, and honestly I don't think I would have missed much if I hadn't read it. I did really like Odette's character and a whole book about her would have been great, but overall it seems to take a REALLY long time to not really get anywhere. While you see each character's story issue get resolved by the end, it just seemed over written and too much minor details that didn't really go anywhere. Overall, I wasn't too impressed, but I did really like Odette.

Mother Earth News Almanac by Mother Earth News

This is one I might need to buy. I love the Mother Earth News magazine and this is a great collection of tips and tricks organized by season. There is a LOT of really great information on all kinds of topics. There are also quite a few recipes too. Overall, a very well-rounded book that is perfect for the homesteading/gardening/do-it-yourself person or family!

The Oregon Trail: a new American journey by Rinker Buck (Books & Banter book club, re-read)

Originally read October 28 - November 3, 2015

After re-reading this book, I like it just as much as the first time. Buck is a born storyteller and his writing makes for a fantastic non-fiction book. I think this will make for a great book club discussion and if it doesn't inspire you to explore more of our country then something is wrong with you. Definitely a great book that I would highly recommend!

A few additional quotes I liked this time around:

"The Mormons are effective because they exploit something so basic in the national psyche that most of us have lost the ability to see it. Americans on summer vacation, especially the RVers, are idiots, and haven't read anything in years. Their every cranial neuron has been erased by watching Fox News. The brains of American tourists will accept practically anything as truth because there is nothing else up there to compete with new information." (p. 285)

"Taking Rocky Ridge infused us with energy. I had studied Rocky Ridge for months the winter before and learned to fear it, and all of the Oregon Trail 'experts' had exhorted me not to cross it. But nobody knows. Nobody had taken a wagon over those rocks in a century. Fear was just a deceptive veil obscuring the unknown. But when we got there and saw the terrain, it was just a lot of hard work crossing large rocks." (p. 310)

Fever at Dawn by Peter Gardos

Peter Gardos parents met via letters while they are both recovering in Sweden after surviving the Holocaust and concentration camps. Miklos has been given 6 months to live due to his TB, but in his heart he knows he will live and vows to find a wife from his Hungarian village. Lili is recovering from a kidney problem and at first only responds to Miklos letter out of boredom, but soon she is falling for a stranger through his letters. The author only found out that the letters between his parents survived after his father's death and he used them for the basis of this book. Since he had the text from the actual letters, I guess he more or less imagined their in-person conversations and thoughts. It's a quick read, but it also kind of dragged on at the same time. Once they finally meet in person it definitely gets better, but overall it wasn't as good as I was hoping it would be.

Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates

This is by far the most disturbing book I've ever read. I'm a feminist and I know women in our society are still far from equal, but as I've never personally experienced daily sexual harassment on my commute or at work I was blown away. After her own experiences with daily sexual harassment from strangers on her daily commute to work, Laura Bates decided to create a blog that turned into Everyday Sexism and was blown away by how many responses she got on the first day alone. Everyday Sexism has turned into an online gathering place for women to commiserate or open up about assaults for the first time. Bates organizes the book into categories like Women in Politics, Women in the Media, Women in the Workplace, etc. and what was most disturbing to me was how young sexual harassment started -both for the girls and how they were harassed by peers and much older adults starting from a very young age. Bates also shines a light on how pornography is becoming more violent and how that is shaping boy's sexuality in a horrific way. There are parts of this book that are hard to read, as they should be, but this should be required reading for EVERYONE. And this book was published BEFORE the Brock Turner rape case and Donald Trump being elected President - those two things alone could have added more chapters. Bravo to Laura Bates for tackling this issue and working to create a safe space for women and also challenge the pervasive cultural norms of misogyny and sexism.

Here are some quotes that stood out since I can't quote the whole book here...

"Like the anitrape underwear before it [Undercover Colors nail polish], any product that claims to enable a woman to protect herself from being raped can't help but contribute to the suggestion that it is partly a victim's responsibility to take precautions against attack...When we suggest victims can stop rape, we also (however unintentionally) imply that rape is an inevitable aspect of life rather than an action deliberately carried out by a perpetrator." (p. 26)

"The knee-jerk reaction here is to protest that surely it's in everybody's interest for children to dress appropriately at school, but in reality these messages privilege boys' apparent 'needs' over those of the girls (who often complain that they are prevented from wearing cool clothing in hot weather), sending the insidious message that girls' bodies are dangerous and provoke harassment, and boys can't be expected to control their behavior, so girls are responsible for covering up." (p. 104)

"Because street harassment is perhaps the clearest manifestation of the spectrum of sexism, sexual harassment, and sexual assault that exists within our society...And if we say it's acceptable for men to assume power and ownership over women they don't know verbally in public, then, like it or not, we're also saying something much wider about gender relationships - something that carries over into our personal relationships and our sexual exchanges." (p. 167)

"The British Transport Police has used thousands of accounts collected by the Everyday Sexism Project to help them retrain two thousand officers for Project Guardian, an initiative specifically designed to fight back against these crimes and their normalization. Within a mere two months of the launch of the campaign, it had already increased reporting of sexual offenses on public transport by 20 percent and detection of offenders by 32 percent. In just a single week of action, fifteen people were arrested. For every woman who manages to stand up and say no, there's another harasser who will think twice the next time. For every bystander who intervenes, there's another crack in the culture of complicity. For every report made, either to an individual company or to the police, there's another perpetrator who will face consequences for his actions." (p. 183)

"This is a culture steeped in misogyny and the objectification and subjugation of woman - and yes, it does have a real impact, both on the way society sees and values women and on the way women feel about themselves." (p. 215)

"There are never any victims who don't matter, because this isn't about men versus women. It's not about taking away men's rights, or about failing to focus on the issues that affect them. It is about working, together, toward a more equal society in which everybody is free from stereotypes, rigid expectations, and discrimination, enabling them truly to fulfill their natural potential." (p. 346)

Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist (Meck book club, re-read)

First read September 9-14, 2016

I think I actually liked this one better reading it the second time. I just blew through it this time and it seemed to take me longer to read it the first time. I just love Shauna Niequist and her writing is just so timely and helpful. I think one of the biggest messages of Christianity is going against the cultural norms and flow - that is hard to do and in this book Niequist addresses the siren call of business and hustle and recognition for all you've done. A great book for anyone who wants to feel more rested and present in their life.

Some different quotes that jumped out at me this time:

"This is what I call fake-resting. I'm wearing pajamas. The kids are watching cartoons, snuggling under blankets, eating waffles. Aaron's reading or sleeping. It looks like I'm resting, too. But, I'm not. I'm ticking down an endless list, sometime written, always mental, getting things back into their right spots, changing the laundry, wiping down the countertops...Frankly, the men I know don't generally struggle with this. They've been raised to eat when they're hungry, sleep when they're tired, run when they're antsy, leave when they're ready to leave. But even the most driven, articulate, strong women I know struggle to really meet their own needs." (p. 35-6)

"What it seems the world wants me to be: really skinny and really tired. If I could shrink and hustle, I'd be right there, skinny and tired. Shrink and Hustle. This is what our culture wants women to be: skinny and tired, from relentlessly shrinking and hustling." (p. 186)

Marrow Island by Alexis M. Smith

On May 1, 1993 a huge earthquake hit Washington State. Lucie and her best friend Katie were in school on Orwell Island when it happened. Lucie's father worked for an oil refinery on nearby Marrow Island and was killed in an explosion and fire caused by the earthquake. Twenty years later after being laid off from her job, Lucie comes back to Orwell and the home where she grew up until the earthquake. Her friend Katie has contacted her that she is now living in a commune on Marrow Island and wants Lucie to see how they're remediating the soil. Lucie is intrigued because of how closely the island's history affects her personally, but she's also a journalist and senses a story. When Lucie visits the Colony she senses there is more that what's being presented to her on the surface and when she finds out the truth about what the Colony is doing and it's ramifications she is now at risk. Told back in forth between when Lucie first visits the Colony and two years later when she is still trying to deal with what happened, this is a semi-dystopian novel that explores friendships, love, and the impact of environmental disasters.

While I liked the premise of the book and how it was told back in forth in time, but the ending was very ambiguous and there were a lot of unanswered questions. There were also quite a few really weird scenes thrown in that didn't seem to make sense and were out of place - Lucie helping change Sister Janet's diaper when she's dying - that would NEVER happen and was very weird and gross. Overall, it was a little disappointing.

Champagne Baby by Laure Dugas

Laure Dugas grew up in a prominent wine family in France and was constantly surrounded by champagne and wine growing up. But, she never felt a connection with the family business until her uncle offers to send her to the US to work with his wines in the American market. Laure falls in love with New York City and enjoys traveling and seeing the US, but she still has a lot to learn about wine. While working for her uncle in the US, Laure finally comes to appreciate the varieties of wine and the privilege of her family background. Throughout the book Laure gives tips on how to taste and appreciate various types of wine.

I liked Laure and I wish I liked the book better. Maybe I would have liked it more if I was into wine, but the story seemed kind of choppy. She was constantly talking about how much she missed her boyfriend Jules and he even moved to New York and got a job, then at the end when they're both back in France they break up! I just didn't love it. If she writes a book about her wine bar and restaurants she's opened in France I'd give it another try, but I just didn't like this one much.

Somewhere Out There by Amy Hatvany

I really like Amy Hatvany and how she explores difficult issues without sugar coating the reality. In Somewhere Out There Hatvany explores the issue of adoption and separating siblings. Jennifer was a teenager when she got pregnant by her boyfriend and she thought they would create their own family, but not long after giving birth to Brooke he kicks them both out. While trying to survive she ends up pregnant with Natalie. When Brooke is 4 and Natalie 6 months old Jennifer is convicted of shoplifting and endangering her children because the three of them were living in Jennifer's car. With no family to help her, she ends up signing away her parental rights hoping that a loving family will adopt her girls. And while Natalie was adopted almost a month later, Brooke ended up in and out of foster homes until she aged out at 18. Thirty five years later Natalie and Brooke reconnect, but with such different childhoods will they be able to really bond? And if they find their mother can any explanation change their past? Told from Jennifer, Brooke, and Natalie's perspectives, this heart-breaking novel explores the meaning of family, what it means to be a parent, adoption, and foster care.

I though Hatvany did a great job with each character - they seemed true to life and showed the reality of this situation without sugar-coating or making everything work out perfectly in the end. While there was some closure at the end, it wasn't all neatly wrapped up like a Hallmark movie. Overall, a really great novel that explores a tough issue.

Dinner With Edward by Isabel Vincent

When Isabel and Edward meet they are both at a crossroad in life. Edward just lost his wife of sixty-nine years and Isabel is struggling in an unhappy marriage. Isabel is friends with Edwards daughters and since they are both living in other countries they ask Isabel to check on their father. The weekly dinners that Isabel and Edward have change both of them. Isabel finds the strength the leave her unhappy marriage and Edward finds a new will to live planning and cooking their weekly dinners. They each inspired the other and find a new unlikely friendship despite the vast difference in age and stage of life. This was a very quick and uplifting read - my only complaint is there were no recipes included and the food they described sounded phenomenal. Overall, a great book about food and friendship.