More Myself: A Journey

More Myself: A Journey by Alicia Keys
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I don't read a lot of celebrity memoir, but I admire Keys' musical ability and her activism, so I decided to give this one a try. After all, I woke up to Empire State of Mind for a least a year as my alarm ringtone of choice, and I loved Keys' role as June in The Secret Life of Bees. This book is probably a 3.5 and definitely higher for others who know her work better, but I got bogged down in some of the details. I wanted a little less philosophizing and more tangible details about specific projects she has been a part of. That said, I still think she's remarkable and the audio version is a must if you're going to read this. Not only is Alicia a good reader, but she has guest narrators like Bono, her husband, Oprah, and Michelle Obama who chime in.

Happy reading and happy musical living--

ps. I loved the details about why she chose Keys as her stage name, and I appreciated her commentary on finding her voice as she got older. I strongly identify with that experience.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix...Again

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Seems pretty fitting to read a book where some government officials are unwilling to acknowledge reality and others are just blatantly evil. Also, I love reading Harry Potter books in the fall.

Happy reading--

Station Eleven

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm not sure reading a book about civilization's collapse because of a pandemic is advisable during a real pandemic, but I didn't know what Station Eleven was about. I only knew that many people highly recommended it, and it was available through my Libby app. I had no idea what a great book it would be - how timely and how profound. To strip away the lights, the noise, and the chaos of current life and to just focus on survival is hard to imagine, yet Mandel managed to create a believable world post-collapse. I loved how the characters were subtly linked and that the early repercussions of choices and relationships resounded throughout the story. I also loved the Station Eleven story references and how they applied to the lives the characters were actually living. The concluding portions about the characters, especially Arthur, were such that I will be thinking about this book for a long time.

I know our pandemic is nothing like the one in Station Eleven, but I do think it's had a similar effect. People are making hard decisions as they realize that life is short and we shouldn't wait to live the life we want. I know that's not all that this pandemic has brought us - despair, discordance, etc are rampant. The political ridiculousness and faulty logic in our country is horrifying, and crazily enough, Mandel does manage to capture some of that fanaticism. But the simplicity and the focus on life at home during our real life pandemic has been interesting and caused me a lot of introspection. I'm glad to be able to be safe at home and not forced to face a scary world like the characters of Station Eleven.

I highly recommend this book, but it could be triggering for some readers.

Seems to strange to say happy reading after such serious topics, but in this crazy time, I'm grateful for the simple things like reading that make life more meaningful.

ps. If the review makes you think of Cormac McCarthy's The Road, you are not wrong. That said, The Road was so disturbing and so dark. Though Mandel's world collapse is just as severe, it is not nearly as hard or devastating to read.

pps. Another book read in a day - couldn't stop listening.

Hold On, But Don't Hold Still

Hold On, But Don't Hold Still by Kristina Kuzmic
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's not often that I would say you should a read a book written by a person who has gotten famous because of YouTube and Instagram, but I love the content Kristina Kuzmic creates. Her honesty about parenthood and life mixed with her hilarious commentary was a perfect distraction from a tricky parenting day. I didn't expect her to open up so much about her experiences getting divorced and becoming a single parent or having to flee her home country as a teenager, but she manages to convey her experiences with the same relatable candor that she exhibits in each of her posts. It's not a perfect book, but it was thoroughly entertaining.

Happy reading and happy parenting--

Ps. Literally read this book in a single day. So fun to have Kuzmic as the voice in my head for a few hours.

Anxious People

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. While the plotline is unconventional, the characterization is exceptional. Backman's ability to describe people and their relationships is unparalleled. They are not overly simplified, overly flawed, or overly heroic - they're just people. They have hopes, dreams, and disappointments. They love their kids, aren't sure how to save for the future, or explain to their spouse that they're having a hard time. They have to go to the bank. They want to order pizza for dinner. And yet - the humanity Backman conveys is more than the mundane. I love his work, and I loved this book.

This story is one that you're better off not knowing specifics about it and just diving in. But trust me - it's a really great book.

Happy reading--

ps. What a perfect title for 2020!

The Screwtape Letters

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Despite being a religious person, I tend to shy away from religiously themed texts. I literally have started and stopped this book a half a dozen times in years past. The evidence of that was a piece of Netflix DVD envelope advertising Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince being used as my book mark. Still like so many others, I love C.S. Lewis' unconventional approach to Christianity. While I may get bogged down in his writing style, the messages he conveys are incredibly powerful. I'm glad to have finally read The Screwtape Letters cover to cover. Can't say I'd immediately recommend it to lots of people, but I would gladly discuss his ideas with anyone.

Happy reading and happy better living--

Nobody Will Tell You This But Me

Nobody Will Tell You This But Me: A True (as Told to Me) Story by Bess Kalb
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When we were in college, my then-roommate, Maria, came over to my grandparents' house for dinner. On our way home, she said, "I didn't know you were so much like your grandma." I was taken aback initially. How many times do you compare yourself to a person 45 years older than you are? But as we drove, Maria explained the similarities she noticed and in the weeks that followed I realized how much of who I am can be directly tied to my beloved Grandma Joan. She is evident in my love of books, my love of hosting, and my desire to have everyone I love best live on the same street. She's quick to laugh, unfailingly supportive, critical of those who hurt her family, and my dad's number one fan. She instilled in me my love of the Oscars, Diet Coke (cheese, chocolate and bread are her close seconds), Italy, Trivial Pursuit, decorating, the perfectly smelling candle, and a dozen other things. I haven't been able to hug her since this COVID madness began, and it breaks my heart a little each time that I see her from the frustrating six feet away.

Enter Bess Kalb's "Nobody Will Tell You This But Me" - a book about her grandmother, told in the voice of her grandmother but written by Bess. I loved it. It's strange and a little hard to follow initially, but once I fell into it, the cadence of Bess' storytelling about beloved bubbe is everything. It's heartfelt, inspiring, hilarious, and sad. The great women that shape our lives all deserve this kind of notice. I was left wanting to write down every little detail about the people I love most from the sound of my family laughing around my grandma's table eating pumpkin stew in the fall to the sight of the little fake snow flakes around her Christmas village when I was a little girl. My first real memory is being in my grandparents' house, and it seems pretty fitting to me that it and so many other memories came to mind as I read about Bobby's life through her granddaughter's eyes. Read it. It's the kind of book that restores your faith in humanity, and I think we all need a bit more that right now.

Happy reading and happy appreciating the people who know you best and love you most--