I’m so extremely sad to have just learned of the passing of Tony Horwitz. Celebrity deaths don’t usually affect me, but this one is different. He’s not just my favorite author; he’s my hero and role model; someone I aspire to be like and whose work I dream of emulating. I’ve read most of his … More Facebook Post: May 30, 2019
Today I learned: 1. Playing a volleyball tournament (in a freezing cold gym) and running a 5 mile trail race (in a freezing cold forest) within the same 24 hour period is a very bad idea. 2. A dude at the grocery store called me “young man” (twice!), so I guess I don’t look as … More Facebook Post: November 24, 2019
Four star review originally posted here on Janaury 10, 2020. The main thing I loved about this book was learning about the women-only Ravensbruck concentration camp, about which I had known nothing before. It’s a pretty incredible story about a really messed up situation, and the novel was a light easy read. Which, I think, … More Goodreads Review: Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
Five star review, originally posted here on December 5, 2019. I have never before in my life come across a book that I so, so, so want to force everyone on the planet to read. Ignore the poor sentence structure there and focus instead on the fact that you HAVE TO read this book. This … More Goodreads Review: Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado-Pérez
Four star review, originally posted here on November 8, 2019. Gosh, it’s tough to think of a more likable person than Michelle Obama, as is evidenced by the amount of people who have read this memoir. Do yourself a favor and get the audiobook so you can listen to it in her own voice. There … More Goodreads Review: Becoming by Michelle Obama
Four star review, originally posted here on October 26, 2019. The majority of this book was really interesting. Douglas applied his contemporary expertise to historic famous cases, showing how modern profiling may have helped bring culprits to justice. Fascinating stuff. But at the end he crams in a weird mismatched chapter about the Jon Benet … More Goodreads Review: The Cases that Haunt Us by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker
Three star review, originally posted here on October 23, 2019. Meh. I was looking forward to this book, but it fell kinda flat. Like other reviewers have already said, this book is basically just preaching to the choir. I was hoping for more tangible information and data, but I didn’t really learn anything new. Valenti … More Goodreads Review: The Purity Myth: How America’s Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women by Jessica Valenti
Four star review, originally posted here on October 7, 2019. I am delayed reviewing this one because I had just too much to say and react to and needed a step away from it to keep me from rambling. I think I can do this now. Starting with the negatives: I’ve heard there have plagiarism … More Goodreads Review: Roots: The Saga of an American Family by Alex Haley
Here’s a story about something that happened this week on NextDoor. For those who are unaware, NextDoor is a social media site that is specific to small geographic regions. The entire purpose is to create a sense of community within a neighborhood. It’s just a high-tech version of the community bulletin board. “Lost cat!” “Curb … More A Story
Four star review, originally posted here on October 4, 2019. Okay, look, this little book isn’t going to go winning any Pulitzers. Not exactly a monument of literary achievement. But for what it is, it is absolutely fantastic. For those who don’t know, Steve Dangle (real name Steve Glynn) is a hockey commentator, best know … More Goodreads Review: This Team Is Ruining My Life (But I Love Them): How I Became a Professional Hockey Fan by Steve “dangle” Glynn
Helga without the H 