Book Report

 Life In Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland –  Loved this memoir! I first heard of Misty Copeland years ago when she became the first Black principal dancer at….some big ballet company. Her memoir has been on my “to read” list for ages. I’d put it in the category of page-turner and never boring. Her life is very interesting, from growing up when her mother “went from man to man” and Misty and her siblings constantly changed homes, to dancing in school then finding ballet at the Boys and Girls Club to being recognized as a prodigy and so on. I guess it’s natural to love to read about a success story, and I did love it. I appreciated that Copeland was open about discussing the racism she faced along the way. Grade: 7

 

Wayward by Dana Spiotta – This novel is a weird and yet compelling read. Sam is 50-something, she’s estranged from her daughter, she wants out of her marriage, her beloved mother has a mysterious illness, and after the 2016 election she wants to get involved in social change. The book’s tone is cynical and bemused. It probably wouldn’t have been my thing if not for the tie-in with current events, but like I said – it’s odd yet compelling. Grade: 6

 

The Clergyman’s Wife by Molly Greeley – A Pride and Prejudice novel! I was never actually a huge fan of the original but I’ve seen at least one movie based off of it. I had remembered that the main character had a friend, Charlotte, who didn’t have Elizabeth’s looks and had no dowry. And so Charlotte marries the bumbling, pompous-yet-obsequious William Collins in order to simply give herself a home and stability. This is Charlotte’s story. I listened to it on audio and it was excellent. Made me look forward to getting in my car and driving to work. Picking up a few years after Charlotte’s wedding, the author made all of it fascinating - Charlotte’s life, her choices, a dilemma she faces. Greeley’s prose is lovely too. Grade: 8

 

Things I Learned From Falling by Claire Nelson – A memoir that’s a page-turner. The author went hiking solo in California desert. She falls, shatters her pelvis, and her phone has no service. (Nelson admits that not having a plan to check-in at regular points was a bad idea. In her defense, she was an experienced hiker and the trail was rated as moderate). I won’t spoil anything other than to say that without the ability to walk or phone anyone, she’s in trouble – and she fell on a Tuesday, one of the area’s least popular days to hike. And soon after her fall, she realizes that she had accidentally ventured off the trail itself so she’s unlikely to see anyone else. Nelson did a great job of keeping this moving and not bogging the memoir down with too much of her past and backstory. This would’ve been a great book to read on a plane. Grade: 8

 

All The White Friends I Couldn’t Keep by Andre Henry – As the subtitle says “Hope – and hard pills to swallow – about fighting for Black lives”. The author shares his story in fighting racism, along with some conversations he had with white friends, which ranged from annoying to infuriating. He provides his thoughts on how to make progress in the fight for the world we want to see. Two things really stood out for me. One had to do with the fact that Henry has roots in Jamaica and he finally spends time there. He’s amazed to be able to walk into a shop and not be followed, he’s glad to be away from anti-vaxxers, police brutality, Trump talking about not leaving office even if he loses in 2020, and mass shootings. (Sometimes I think we’re all in denial about how awful the US is). Also, not long ago I read another anti-racism book and the author slammed the practice of Blacks dating and marrying non-Blacks. At the time I’d thought that was maybe a bit close-minded or a bit narrow. Henry talks about it here too, and how much better he finds it since he has focused on partnering with Black women. As bad as it sounds to say ‘only date within your race if you’re Black!’ I at least could see his point. No exhausting discussions with your partner’s relatives, someone to share the struggle with, etc. Grade: 8