Book report
Sep. 27th, 2014 07:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stormkeeper_lovedorisThe Woman Behind the New Deal: The Life of Frances Perkins, FDR’s Secretary of Labor and His Moral Conscience by Kirstin Downey - I picked up this biography half-expecting to read 20 pages, put it aside, and honestly say “I tried”. I mean, I do love women’s history but I’ve read so much 20th century US women’s history and this was a long book with big pages, small font. But the first 150 pages or so, I enjoyed thoroughly. Frances Perkins was an amazing woman and I appreciate the author’s attempt to restore her rightful place in history. FDR gets most of the credit for getting the US out of the 1930’s Depression, but his right hand person was Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve on a Presidential cabinet. The book does lose some momentum as it goes on though. It gets a bit too bogged down in details and in Roosevelt’s and later Truman’s presidencies. Still, it held my interest. Interestingly, Frances Perkins may have been a lesbian – the author lays out the evidence to support either direction but it’s impossible to say for sure. Grade: B-
Everybody’s Got Something by Robin Roberts – I listened to this book on audio. The “Good Morning America” host talks about her struggles with medical issues (first breast cancer and then a rare, life-threatening condition that required a bone marrow transplant) and the passing of her mother. I have to say that I loved her positive attitude. Roberts embraces life and is determined to keep a positive attitude no matter what is happening – she is like a breath of fresh air. My criticisms are: I wanted to hear more about her relationship with her girlfriend Amber although I do think it’s great that Roberts is at least out now, and something about her reading/speaking style never sat right with me. Grade: B
What Are You Hungry For by Deepak Chopra – I loved this audio book. Chopra got me to think a lot about hunger, going beyond physical hunger and into spiritual hunger. He talked a lot about nutrition but then went beyond it, into the search for finding meaning in our lives. I took a lot away from it; it was definitely a good book for me at this time. Also as an aside, somehow his voice was perfect for this audio book even though he’s definitely no actor. Grade: A-
The Middlesteins by Jami Attenberg – Wow! This novel was so refreshing and well written. It takes place in modern times, and it reminds me a bit of the work of Carol Anshaw. The plot centers around a Jewish family living in the Chicago area whose matriarch is ill and has been gaining a lot of weight. I’ll try to explain why I loved it and why it was a page-turner, other than just saying ‘No really, it’s as good as Carol Anshaw’s best work!’ I guess because the story is hilarious and intimate and universal, and the characters are totally 100% real. Grade: A- (Okay, thus book definitely is NOT on the same level as some of my all-time novels such as “The Mists of Avalon” or “The Third Witch” or “Affinity”, but I so rarely give an A to any works of fiction that I might as well pull one out now. Besides, it’s pretty rare that I love any novel which is not of the historical fiction genre…..and not Carol Anshaw).
Prayers for the Stolen by Jennifer Clement – Two great novels in a row! In the remote mountains of Mexico, a small village consists of mostly women since the men have all left to find work elsewhere. It is a gritty, scary, and dangerous place where drug lords drive through with their SUVs and grab young girls, husbands briefly return and leave their wives with STDs, and helicopters dump toxic pesticides all over the village and its people. Sound depressing as hell? It is. But the spirited and strong heroine helps, as does a tightly-knit – and devastating – narrative. Grade: A-
Books I Started Reading But Didn’t Finish
None worth mentioning this time.
Everybody’s Got Something by Robin Roberts – I listened to this book on audio. The “Good Morning America” host talks about her struggles with medical issues (first breast cancer and then a rare, life-threatening condition that required a bone marrow transplant) and the passing of her mother. I have to say that I loved her positive attitude. Roberts embraces life and is determined to keep a positive attitude no matter what is happening – she is like a breath of fresh air. My criticisms are: I wanted to hear more about her relationship with her girlfriend Amber although I do think it’s great that Roberts is at least out now, and something about her reading/speaking style never sat right with me. Grade: B
What Are You Hungry For by Deepak Chopra – I loved this audio book. Chopra got me to think a lot about hunger, going beyond physical hunger and into spiritual hunger. He talked a lot about nutrition but then went beyond it, into the search for finding meaning in our lives. I took a lot away from it; it was definitely a good book for me at this time. Also as an aside, somehow his voice was perfect for this audio book even though he’s definitely no actor. Grade: A-
The Middlesteins by Jami Attenberg – Wow! This novel was so refreshing and well written. It takes place in modern times, and it reminds me a bit of the work of Carol Anshaw. The plot centers around a Jewish family living in the Chicago area whose matriarch is ill and has been gaining a lot of weight. I’ll try to explain why I loved it and why it was a page-turner, other than just saying ‘No really, it’s as good as Carol Anshaw’s best work!’ I guess because the story is hilarious and intimate and universal, and the characters are totally 100% real. Grade: A- (Okay, thus book definitely is NOT on the same level as some of my all-time novels such as “The Mists of Avalon” or “The Third Witch” or “Affinity”, but I so rarely give an A to any works of fiction that I might as well pull one out now. Besides, it’s pretty rare that I love any novel which is not of the historical fiction genre…..and not Carol Anshaw).
Prayers for the Stolen by Jennifer Clement – Two great novels in a row! In the remote mountains of Mexico, a small village consists of mostly women since the men have all left to find work elsewhere. It is a gritty, scary, and dangerous place where drug lords drive through with their SUVs and grab young girls, husbands briefly return and leave their wives with STDs, and helicopters dump toxic pesticides all over the village and its people. Sound depressing as hell? It is. But the spirited and strong heroine helps, as does a tightly-knit – and devastating – narrative. Grade: A-
Books I Started Reading But Didn’t Finish
None worth mentioning this time.
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no subject
Date: 2014-09-30 04:04 pm (UTC)i think it's hard to keep biographies interesting. I mean, even really interesting people go through long boring phases, but they can't very well say "so then for about 15 years not much new was happening" ;)
I don't watch good morning america but when i've seen robin roberts in interviews and stuff, she always seems very upbeat and happy. Of course, you probably have to have that kind of personality to thrive on a morning tv show, but, i don't know, she just seems.... genuine, I guess. Kewl that her writing is that way too :)
The Middlesteins and Prayers for the Stolen sound interesting. Were either on audio?
I've just been terrible about reading lately. I guess I've had a lot going on though.
no subject
Date: 2014-09-30 11:54 pm (UTC)LOLZ!
I agree; Robin seemed really genuine. She'd be a cool person to be friends with.
The Middlesteins is on audio CD. (I didn't listen to it on audio but I know it's available because I ordered one for Doris). I don't know about Prayers for the Stolen, but I doubt it because I don't think it was a best seller.