Book Report

No works of fiction this time. Maybe next time. I gotta say that with the fandom brain rot I'm experiencing, I probably am leaning in towards genres I know I prefer. 


Getting To Yes With Yourself by William Ury – At work, we’re trying to up our skills at negotiation so I intended to get from the library the classic “Getting to Yes”. I ended up with a later book by the same author. I listened to it on audio. It was actually….excellent. The book talked about knowing and understanding yourself, looking at situations objectively, developing relationships. It was truly full of good life wisdom, and it was always engaging. Grade: 8

 

Walking to the End of the World by Beth Jusino –  The Camino de Santiago is a 900 year-old pilgrimage that spans a thousand miles through France and Spain. Some people walk it for religious reasons, others for historical/cultural reasons, and Jusino falls into the latter category. I wish I could hug writers like this one. I saved her book specifically to read on an airplane trip, and she did not disappoint. I was intrigued by her tales from the road, the little towns in Europe, the fellow travelers, the high points and low points. Grade: 8

 

Wander by Ryan Benz – So….there is a theme here. Been flying a lot, so I read another book about someone going walking. This was another Appalachian Trail memoir. I’ve read many. This was as good as any. Benz talks about his internal journey, searching for inner peace, and also gives details of the hike. It kept me interested enough on my flights, though I have read trail memoirs that were more engaging. Grade: 6

 

The Shift by Tinx – I grabbed this audiobook from the library. I didn’t go off my “to read” list and instead just pulled like 5 audiobooks from the self-help section. This book is kinda silly and trite; it’s basically one (straight) woman’s advice on (straight) dating, but it’s palatable because Tinx is all about loving yourself first and she does not see marriage as the ultimate goal. Her anecdotes weren’t bad. Look, I have fandom brain rot and can’t handle complex things, so this book was fine. Grade: 4

 

No One Tells You This by Glynnis MacNicol – A memoir by a woman approaching 40. She is unmarried and childless, and grappling with what it means when your life doesn’t have the typical markers that women are supposed to follow. She’s also dealing with family issues including her mother’s dementia. Normally I tend to either love a book or put it aside, but I felt wishy-washy about this one. MacNicol is a good writer and she brings up important issues, but the book wasn’t compelling. Grade: 5