Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love R, and reading more about her only made me love her more. This book probably would have been better in print because I assume there were pictures, etc, but this was a concise look at the wonder that was Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She's one of those people that the more you know about her, the more you realize her impact. Her work ethic and impact is extraordinary. My daily life is better because of her efforts. I also really enjoyed learning more about her husband Marty. Their marriage was one of true partnership and something to emulate. I'm only sorry she didn't live even longer. She's the type of woman we need more of.

Happy reading and happy trying to be a little more like RBG--

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Concrete Rose

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I loved The Hate U Give, so I'm inwardly cringing at giving Concrete Rose only three stars. The thing that is was too much about teen parenthood for me without the same sort of compelling characterization that made me love Thomas' other books. It's still worth reading if you like Angie Thomas, but really it just made me want to reread The Hate U Give.

Happy reading--

Ps. Lisa Carter is still the best part of any story she is in.

Pps. Full disclosure that the audiobook narrator could have been part of my issue. While a decent reader, he was a letdown after the amazing Bahni Turpin, who narrated Thomas' other two books.

Hamnet

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"I wish I was still teaching." That was the thought I had over and over again while I read this book. It adds such depth to Shakespeare's life - not because it actually focuses on him. It's more about his son and his wife, but the fictionalized Stratford home that O'Farrell created is so well done. With its ties to the plague, this book also felt surprisingly relevant as both the illness and grief took center stage.

I've always loved Hamlet. My English major heart can't get enough it sometimes. And I actually loved teaching Shakespeare - even if my most commonly taught play was Romeo & Juliet to ninth graders. I realize though after reading Hamnet that I could have done a better job entrenching them in the struggle of 16th and 17th century England. One of the reasons Shakespeare was such a novelty to the people of that time was the escape his works provided. I see that now more than ever after reading about O'Farrell's version of what it might have been like to have lost Shakespeare's only son and what it might have been like to be his wife, left behind in Stratford, to deal with her grief alone.

I don't think you need love Shakespeare to love this book, but you do need to be ready for literary fiction and a book that is filled with more trials than triumph. I hope you do read it though. It really is so good.

Happy reading--

Ps. It feels worth mentioning that it is not a spoiler to say that Hamnet dies in the story. It's well documented historical fact and entirely what the book is about.

The Trouble with Hating You

The Trouble with Hating You by Sajni Patel
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm not a huge fan of the genre name "chick lit", but it's the quickest way to describe "The Trouble with Hating You". It's a classic hate turned love story with the conflict of traditional Indian cultural norms butting against what the characters want. The story isn't amazing, but it was entertaining. I like Sonali Dev's similarly themed books better, but this was a fun, quick read.

As always, happy reading--

Hercule Poirot's Christmas

Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was my favorite Agatha Christie, but I loved how it wrapped up. None of the characters were very likeable, so it made getting to the "who done it?" moment less compelling. I am proud to say that I guessed the murderer early on. That guess though didn't take away from how well Christie always manages to layer her big reveals. Still, unless you read a high volume, I would stick to other mysteries.

Happy reading--

Beyond Band of Brothers

Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters by Dick Winters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. It captures one of the most remarkable groups of men and central to that group is Major Dick Winters. This book is an addendum to Stephen Ambrose's book that inspired the miniseries, also called Band of Brothers. I actually haven't read Band of Brothers, but I admire Winters so much and since this book was included in the Audible catalog, I decided to read it. Though sometimes a little dry, the stories Winters shares are insightful and captivating. What Easy Company accomplished in World War II and beyond is incredible. I'm glad to have read this.

Happy reading and happy better living--

American Like Me

American Like Me: Reflections on Life Between Cultures by America Ferrera
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. It's simply stories of American people - their lives, their hopes, their struggles, and their dreams. America Ferrera's commentary adds a profound touch as she opens and closes the book. Some of the names of the contributors, you'll recognize. Others will sound vaguely familiar and others you won't know at all, but it doesn't matter. Each has its own impact and is a strong reminder that we need to value each individual we come across no matter our seeing differences. After all, we're so much more alike than we are different.

Happy reading--

ps. I finished this the day before the inauguration. It was perfect timing as we enter a new stage in American history.