Book Report

Radiant Fugitives by Nawaaz Ahmed –  I normally prefer historical fiction. But there was something awesome about this novel set in current times, with so many key plot points taking place against a backdrop of recent history. (One of the main characters is undergoing a pivot point in her marriage as Obama is elected to his first term and Proposition 8 passes in California. Two years later she is working on Kamala Harris’ campaign for Attorney General). And the author did seem to capture a lot of timeless themes, like sibling rivalry and human failings and love. It never quite gripped me but it was good. Grade: 7

 

An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski – So many thoughts ran through my mind as I read this memoir. First, a bit about its subject matter. In 1980s NYC, Laura Schroff is a successful ad executive. (And is white). A Black teenage boy named Maurice asks her for money, she keeps walking by until something compels her to turn around. She takes him to McDonald’s, they soon go on to meet every week, and they remain in each other’s lives. Despite nearly insurmountable odds (a drug addicted mother, absent father, dire poverty), Maurice goes on to have a stable and happy adulthood. So yeah, there’s a lot to unpack here. Is this just another “white savior” story? Is it also similar to books like The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Pearce or The Lost Daughter? (White person interacts with Black person and gets to see glimpses of their world! Decides to help them!) With this book, I will say that Laura Schroff is aware of her economic privilege, though sadly there is not one mention of racism in it. And Schroff’s coauthor is a writer, making me wonder why Maurice’s voice is mostly absent until a note at the end. (Did he intend to write his own memoir someday? Was he just not that interested in this project?) All of those questions and concerns swirled around for me. But the book as a book is fantastic, a gripping page turner – I mostly read it on one afternoon I had off, accompanied by a pot of tea. Grade: 8

 

Level Up by Stacey Abrams and Lara Hodgson – A business book that is a page-turner? Co-written by THE Stacey Abrams? OMG yes. Why is Abrams such a great writer? This is perhaps the 3rd book by her that I’ve read, and they are all good. In this book, she and her business partner talk about what it’s like to own a small business today. The pitfalls they face, how much the world of small business ownership has changed even in the last 10 years (this book is hot off the presses, from 2022. The copy from the library I held, it felt like I was the first person to touch the brand-new pages), how to be flexible and navigate them. I wish my wife would read this, as it seems she could learn from this; like she’s had trouble with cash flow, and they talk about that here. Grade: 8

 

Spirit Run by Noe Alvarez – In this memoir, the author talks about a run he went on. A group of folks with Indigenous heritage ran for peace and justice, from Canada to Mexico. It was a grueling experience, with bad behaviors from many group leaders and shortages of food and water. Alvarez takes many detours in this book to talk about his family and his life growing up. I don’t know….for whatever reason, this book just like never took off or never got gripping. Grade: 5

 

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon – A work of fiction. So, I’ve had a long day and am struggling to describe the book; I’m going to start by just pasting something from Amazon. (Weak, I know): “Vern - seven months pregnant and desperate to escape the strict religious compound where she was raised - flees for the shelter of the woods. There, she gives birth to twins, and plans to raise them far from the influence of the outside world. But even in the forest, Vern is a hunted woman. Forced to fight back against the community that refuses to let her go, she unleashes incredible brutality far beyond what a person should be capable of, her body wracked by inexplicable and uncanny changes.” (Back to me now). I wanted to love this book. I should love this book. There are WLW and racism is a major theme with all the main characters being POC, and  fighting back against oppression is also a theme. Idk, I just didn’t connect with it. Am I in a ‘not connecting’ mood? Because see below….. (Grade for this one? I will go with a 6, I guess)

 

 

Books I started reading but didn’t finish:

I’ve stopped doing this section. If I listed every book I started but chose not to finish, it would be longer than each book report. But The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck has me stumped. I loved the setting (a castle in post WWII Germany, lived in by women and children), the plot should have been good enough, and the characters were alright (including one with the same first name as I, and she is awesome). But I couldn’t finish the damn book. The only decent explanation I have is that the narrative did move backwards and forwards in tine, and the old skip-around technique usually doesn’t work for me. I still think my coldness towards the book was odd. Maybe it just lacked the hard-to-grasp element that makes a book compelling?