Poppy State reads like an extended narrative poem in the best way possible. It is memoir and nature writing and political essay. It is deeply personalPoppy State reads like an extended narrative poem in the best way possible. It is memoir and nature writing and political essay. It is deeply personal and broadly universal in scope. I feel obliged to make a Gloria Anzaldua reference. It is not linear. Parts contradict previous statements, just like in real life. It is an astounding combination of things which I don't know if I would have the courage to put together but Myriam Gurba has managed to make a beautiful offering out of bits and pieces. It is experimental enough to surprise the reader but not so much that it is inaccessible. It is spiritual, truthful, and brave. Thank you to the author, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for the audioARC....more
Susan Orlean has had quite an adventure - it was great fun to read her thoughts on life and writing. I don't think it counts as name-dropping when MerSusan Orlean has had quite an adventure - it was great fun to read her thoughts on life and writing. I don't think it counts as name-dropping when Meryl Streep has actually played you in a movie. This fits right in with my mini-theme of memoirs by women writers of a certain age which I have stumbled into recently....more
I picked this book up out of curiosity about the Catholic Worker in general and Dorothy Day in particular. This is not the book to satisfy that curiosI picked this book up out of curiosity about the Catholic Worker in general and Dorothy Day in particular. This is not the book to satisfy that curiosity. If that is what you are looking for, look elsewhere. Once I realized I was not reading the book I thought I was, I thoroughly enjoyed the book I unexpectedly found myself in the middle of. Kate Hennessy is Dorothy Day's granddaughter and has written a poignant family saga. Many saints are less heroic at home and Dorothy Day does not escape that cliche. However, Hennessy is writing from a place of such deep compassion and understanding, the book still reads as a love letter to an amazing woman - even while sharing the struggles of being related to someone so revered....more
Part memoir, part family history, part cookbook, all magic. This was a joy to read. It felt like a gift from the author. I particularly enjoyed the imPart memoir, part family history, part cookbook, all magic. This was a joy to read. It felt like a gift from the author. I particularly enjoyed the imagined scenes from the past but have talked to others who were taken with the characters we are introduced to and others were drawn to the recipes themselves. This book has something for everyone. I honestly don't know who wouldn't be both fascinated and charmed by Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts....more
I listened to the audio version of Kent Nerburn's Native Echoes while sitting on a balcony in Taos, drinking tea. It was a magical combination of timeI listened to the audio version of Kent Nerburn's Native Echoes while sitting on a balcony in Taos, drinking tea. It was a magical combination of time and place, the right words in the right setting. The wind in the aspens and the blue skies and the slightly bitter herbs created an immersive experience, enhancing the author's poetic ramblings. Native Echoes is a series of stories, essays, remembrances of a life lived oriented to the land and the people who remember its sacredness. It was interesting in a way I find missing in today's algorithmically curated world. These weren't words written specifically to capture my engagement, instead I was gently invited into the space without being centered. It was a beautiful experience. Thank you to the author, David Stifel for the narration, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for the audioARC....more
The Healing Power of Korean Letter Writing is part memoir, part how to, and all delightfully cozy. If you read Rachel Syme's guide to letter writing eThe Healing Power of Korean Letter Writing is part memoir, part how to, and all delightfully cozy. If you read Rachel Syme's guide to letter writing earlier this year and want more, this is a wonderful companion read. Have I spent hours thinking about the logistics of opening a stationery store since reading this book? I have. Have I thought about organizing a letter writing party at my house? Yes. Did Juhee Mun encourage me to think about how community is built and maintained in different eras and contexts? Also, yes. While there is so much to love in this little book - the illustrations, the cross-cultural exchange, the serious exploration of paper - my favorite is the list of letter writers to read and emulate. The book list alone is worth the price of admission. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC!...more
Fascinating account of one woman's relationship to her heritage and the land which connected her family to Hawai'i. Sara Kehaulani Goo is a journalistFascinating account of one woman's relationship to her heritage and the land which connected her family to Hawai'i. Sara Kehaulani Goo is a journalist, she uses both her sleuthing and writing skills to tell her and her family's story. Along the way we get history lessons, pandemic musings, family drama, and cultural explanations. I was invested from beginning to end. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the audioARC....more
Of course I adore Rick Steves. Getting to meet young Rick in this travel memoir is such a TREAT. I imagine the urge to edit & revise was difficult to Of course I adore Rick Steves. Getting to meet young Rick in this travel memoir is such a TREAT. I imagine the urge to edit & revise was difficult to resist but I’m so glad he let us read it as-is, warts and all. I can see this becoming my go-to graduation gift for years to come. May we all say yes when adventure calls. And may we see the adventure in every day....more
I adore this book. James Hollis reflects on many of the things he has learned in his long, full life. Reading Living with Borrowed Dust really feels lI adore this book. James Hollis reflects on many of the things he has learned in his long, full life. Reading Living with Borrowed Dust really feels like sitting with an elder. And Hollis is the sort of elder I want to hear more from. The book bounces around from topic to topic, all of them interesting, all of them relevant. I was particularly fascinated by the discussion of Jung since I only recently began my own journey reading and studying the subject. The narration was simple and direct, letting the author's words shine. Thank you to the author, narrator, Sounds True, and NetGalley for the audioARC....more
Happy Pub Day to Poets Square! This book is an example of the importance of reviews. About 20% into the book, and I was ready to DNF it. The subject mHappy Pub Day to Poets Square! This book is an example of the importance of reviews. About 20% into the book, and I was ready to DNF it. The subject matter, set-up, and author all bugged or bored me. But when I saw all the five star reviews on goodreads I decided to stick with it. And I am so glad I did. Because everything which bugged or bored me before, became interesting. I became invested in the story of these cats and the people they interacted with. There is some absolutely beautiful writing. There are a few chapters I would put up against any creative nonfiction out there. I am grateful goodreads reviewers convinced me to keep going, my life would be drabber without these cats and their stories living in my heart. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC....more
My mom just died and in one of those synchronicities the universe loves to throw my way, a seemingly random selection of holds came through on Libby. My mom just died and in one of those synchronicities the universe loves to throw my way, a seemingly random selection of holds came through on Libby. But no, wait, these don't feel random at all - books which have been on hold for so long I had completely forgotten what they were about. I started When Breath Becomes Air knowing nothing about it except I had waited months. Only to discover, once again, I was immersed in a story about life and death and grief. A beautiful memoir about expectations and reality, about choices and what we do when those choices are taken away. I cried through so much of this one, I would warn potential readers to be emotionally prepared. It is beautifully written and deeply felt. It is honest and raw....more
Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking is a book which embedded itself in the very fabric of who I am. Memorial Days is a sequel of sorts. The parJoan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking is a book which embedded itself in the very fabric of who I am. Memorial Days is a sequel of sorts. The parallels are obvious. And then Brooks finds her husband's annotated copy of Magical Thinking creating one of my favorite moments in the book and solidifying the connection between the two memoirs. Both are about losing not just husbands but creative companions. I had Memorial Days on hold since it came out and had forgotten what it was about so was a bit blindsided by the subject matter. My mother just passed and I wasn't sure reading a book about someone else's grief was what I wanted or needed. Libby knew better and sent it to me. Then pestered me until I read it by constantly reminding me there were 32 people waiting to read it after me. It is absolutely beautiful and devastating. I never thought of myself as a memoir reader but in the past few years, I've been reading more and more. And they often end up being my favorite reads of the year. I wonder if this is due to my own age. As someone who has usually thought of themselves as a genre reader, it seems like a departure to invest so heavily in the real lives of others....more
Do I even need to write a review? The title alone is enough to sell the book to the right reader. This is a fascinating account of one person's quest Do I even need to write a review? The title alone is enough to sell the book to the right reader. This is a fascinating account of one person's quest to find the "forgotten" authors who influenced Austen. Rebecca Romney crafts a compelling story of intellectual inquiry and the hunt for rare books, anchored by a very honest depiction of the reading life. Romney admits to not reading certain books out of snobbish preconceptions, of loving some very flawed stories, of not being able to finish others. All of which I found relatable. And I am sure I am not the only one fascinated by the act of locating, acquiring, and creating a cohesive book collection as described here. Do I want to become a rare book collector now? Maybe. Or maybe I simply want to become more discerning about the books I bring into my own home. I appreciate how the author frames the story, the discussion around accessibility, the acknowledgement of this book as one in an ongoing discussion. Thank you to the author, publisher, and goodreads giveaways for the ARC....more
Getting to Know Death reminds me of Salman Rushdie's Knife. Both are memoirs by well-known authors following traumatic events. Both detail the recoverGetting to Know Death reminds me of Salman Rushdie's Knife. Both are memoirs by well-known authors following traumatic events. Both detail the recovery process, and the hardships presented by aging bodies. Godwin's narrative weaves several timelines and observations from throughout her life and career in a sometimes unwieldy tapestry. I am glad I read Getting to Know Death - there were beautiful insights sprinkled throughout but overall, if felt a bit all over the place....more
Rushdie explores the horrific event when he was attacked on stage and stabbed multiple times and its aftermath. He details his life as it was before, Rushdie explores the horrific event when he was attacked on stage and stabbed multiple times and its aftermath. He details his life as it was before, the events of that fateful day, the subsequent life and death battle waged by the medical community and his body, the permanent scars - both emotional and physical, and the impact all of this had on his loved ones. I might, perhaps, suggest this book should have marinated a bit longer. But it was still a fascinating read....more
I am so excited for this eARC! Trying very hard to read it slowly and savor each gorgeous image. The writing is exactly what you would expect from JefI am so excited for this eARC! Trying very hard to read it slowly and savor each gorgeous image. The writing is exactly what you would expect from Jeff Chu - it is hard not to stop everything to speed through the book in one sitting. Which would do a disservice to the beauty of the prose and the thoughtfulness of the words. --------------------------------- My neighborhood book club is reading John Green's The Anthropocene Reviewed and I took a break from Jeff Chu's Good Soil to reacquaint myself with Green's essay collection before this month's meeting. Which I didn't need to do because it turns out I had forgotten to change the date in my calendar and so I waltzed into a stranger's house, right through the front door, with cookies and a pitcher of Diet Dr. Pepper (because fountain is better than bottled) on the wrong night. Yes, it was as mortifying as it sounds. But due to this unfortunate mishap, I had the happy accident of reading John Green and Jeff Chu in conversation with each other and that was a treat! I don't think I would have made the connection on my own but both have a very pastoral voice when they write. I think what I mean by pastoral is they both acknowledge the overwhelming grief of life while encouraging us to have faith there will also be joy. I posted the following to the neighborhood book club about The Anthropocene Reviewed and I think it is an equally valid description of Good Soil, "This is such a warm and lovely book written by a person who has a gift for letting their vulnerability show in beautiful ways." Thank you to Jeff Chu, Convergent Books, and NetGalley for the eARC.
Another book I believe Good Soil should be read in conversation with is Camille T. Dungy's Soil: The Story of a Black Mother's Garden. Both books are part memoir, part history lesson. They explore gardening and racism. They confront very real systems of oppression and still leave room for hope. Honestly, if anyone is looking for a book club idea, I would throw in a little Ross Gay and Annie Dillard and make a series of it.
And now we get to the warning section of this review. I cried. I first encountered Chu during a writing workshop. Since then, I've attended various conferences where he has spoken. I knew the tears were coming. I was prepared. But if this is your first encounter, let me warn you, you will be moved. Chu has a way of telling his own story in a way that resonates with your own and there is never a dry eye left by the time he is done. Have a hanky handy is all I'm saying.
Reading Good Soil was the treat for my heart and soul I thought it would be. The writing is lovely. The stories are achingly vulnerable. The emotions are earned. And in the end, through all the grief, love wins....more
An Australian man meets an Italian woman in Ireland and promptly falls in love. After attempting a long-distance relationship, she invites him to moveAn Australian man meets an Italian woman in Ireland and promptly falls in love. After attempting a long-distance relationship, she invites him to move to Italy and he says yes. Head Over Heel chronicles his first year of living in Italy as a resident and not just a tourist passing through. It is a memoir filled with interesting characters and plenty of cultural clashes. ...more
Mornings Without Mii stuck with me long after I finished it last year. So when I saw the audio version available on NetGalley I jumped at the chance tMornings Without Mii stuck with me long after I finished it last year. So when I saw the audio version available on NetGalley I jumped at the chance to revisit Mayumi Inaba's memoir. And I am glad I did. Nancy Wu's narration was warm and intimate. I found myself more immersed in the life of the writer and her cat. The only parts which suffered were the poems which close out the chapters. I find poetry is often as much of a visual art as oral and in this case I found the poems harder to appreciate. I definitely recommend a paper or ebook for those. However the memoir itself was enhanced by the narration. I found myself entranced all over again with the story of one woman and her cat, the universality and particularity of it. Thank you to Mayumi Inaba, Nancy Wu, Blackstone Publishing, and NetGalley for the audioARC. ------------ Mornings Without Mii is the memoir of a writer's life with her cat. That is the entire story. And yet within those parameters there is an entire world of love and longing, of living in and without nature, of relationships and responsibilities. Although covering completely different ground, the book this most reminds me of is Jill Ciment's memoir from earlier this year, Consent. Both books are alarmingly honest glimpses into the authors' lives - impossibly vulnerable details delivered in clear, concise language. I found both books devastatingly brutal and beautifully loving at the same time. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC.
In one sense, this memoir was a difficult read. I am not sure if it was the translation or the author's writing style, but I struggled at times with the language. I do not share a cultural context with Mayumi Inaba, I had to work to understand the time and place she describes. These are not negatives in my mind. I think reading should challenge us at times. Sure, I love a fluffy comfort read now and again. But I also like books which stretch me in new and interesting ways. There were off-hand observations I found utterly appalling, and beautiful turns of phrases I rolled around on my tongue to savor. Any effort I put into the book was richly rewarded. In another sense, this was an easy read. It is short and much of it covers ground familiar to anyone who has loved a pet.
I treasured this glimpse into a life so different from my own....more
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