Four star review, originally posted here on August 16, 2021. This was the perfect summer read for non-fiction history nerds such as myself. Bryson jumps from topic to topic to deliver a clear snapshot of America at onr particular point in time. While we focus heavily on Lindburg to tie it all together, we hit … More Goodreads Review: One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson
Four star review, originally posted here on June 9, 2021. Where the hell has this book been my whole life? I listened to the audiobook, but want to buy myself a hard copy to keep on the shelf for reference, with the hope that is comes with a solid index and illustrations (folks with hard … More Goodreads Review: The Vagina Bible: The Vulva and the Vagina—Separating the Myth from the Medicine by Jennifer Gunter
Three star review, originally posted here on May 4, 2021. Metzl brings up some very important topics in his book, but I cannot help but feel that the execution is off. It felt like the exact same information could have been much better and thoughtfully presented in a thorough Atlantic article than stretched out thin … More Goodreads Review: Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment Is Killing America’s Heartland by Jonathan M. Metzl
Four star review, originally posted here on May 4, 2021. Not everyone will enjoy the style of this book, but I sure did! This is a laundry list (a VERY LONG laundry list) of short terrible stories, told very informally. Ruffin frequently intejects with something like “Y’all, this next story is CRAZY!” and reacts to … More Goodreads Review: You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar
Two star review, originally posted here on April 9, 2021. I was very surprised that I did not enjoy the book. It’s not that it’s bad, it’s that it’s just boring. The primary culprit is the subject matter itself. You’d think the fight for gay rights would be pretty exciting, but no. In this case … More Goodreads Review: The Deviant’s War: The Homosexual vs. the United States of America by Eric Cervini
Five star review, originally posted here on March 10, 2021. This book is 100% perfection. This was one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. And my most recent books have been by Mary Shelly, Barack Obama, and Jack London! I am not joking. I am not exagerrating. It was great. This … More Goodreads Review: Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach
Four star review, originally posted here on February 27, 2021. This is an absolute MUST READ for everyone given our current political climate. This book is very different from Applebaum’s previous books. It is not a dense history, but rather her personal reflections. This fact does not make the book any less insightful or relevant; … More Goodreads Review: Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism by Anne Applebaum
Four star review, originally published here on February 21, 2021. Let no man ever accuse Barack Obama of brevity. Jeeeepers this is a loooong book! And it’s only the first volume! Barack needs to hire Michelle’s editor, or else just get some memoir-writing pointers from her. I kid! I kid! He was the leader of … More Goodreads Review: A Promised Land by Barack Obama
Four star review, originally posted here on February 1, 2020. You have to suspend disbelief to enjoy this book, or else several aspects of it will drive you nuts.But once you’ve done that, this book is fantastic! My main complaint is that I opted for the audiobook, which means I couldn’t highlight and copy-paste all … More Goodreads Review: The Sea Wolf by Jack London
Three star review, originally posted here on December 28, 2020. There wasn’t anything wrong with this book that I can put my finger on, but it somehow just didn’t click with me. I think our narrator’s experiences are so very different from my own that I’m having trouble relating, and where plenty of memoirs succeed … More Goodreads Review: Memorial Drive: A Daughter’s Memoir by Natasha Trethewey
