Prior to reading War on Peace, I knew a few things about Ronan Farrow but was not familiar with his backstory. Had I been aware of everything he accomplished at such a young age, as well as the astonishing depth of knowledge he had accumulated about America’s foreign policy, I would have jumped the book …
Category Archives: Uncategorized
in your neighborhood
Ah, the suburbs. Matchy-matchy houses, sidewalks, greeting the neighbors, the sounds of children playing. It’s where Americans want to raise their families, right? Julie Langsdorf’s White Elephant takes readers inside a development in Northern Virginia in which the suburban utopia is being replaced by high drama. When a construction magnate purchases a few homes in …
low cabin pressure
Maybe this is a personal shortcoming, but if I find a main / narrator-type character to be despicable, I don’t like the book. If I can find one quality in that person that is endearing, maybe I’ll like the book a bit. Unfortunately, the flight attendant (Cassie) in Chris Bohjalian’s aptly named book was not …
an eye for an eye
Anyone who has ever shown up for jury duty has been asked whether or not they are more likely to believe a police officer is telling the truth on the witness stand than a regular citizen. I remember the first time I was asked that question — I was in my early twenties and had …
hope within grasp
It seems like an exaggeration to describe a book as devastating, but Disappearing Earth fits the bill. Set in Russia’s Kamchatka peninsula, Julia Phillips’ novel explores families, biases, fear of immigrants, and the pain of loss through a variety of characters whose lives touch at the margins following the disappearance of two small girls from …
one for the girls
Earlier this year I tore through Cristina Alger’s The Banker’s Wife, so I anxiously awaited the arrival of her newly released thriller Girls Like Us at my local library. I’m happy to report that I was not disappointed. A taut, tightly woven whodunnit, Alger’s book follows Nell Flynn, an FBI agent who returns to her …
her father’s daughter
“You are your father’s daughter,” Alice’s mother told her. “Neither of you can help being conspicuous.” Stephanie Marie Thornton’s American Princess is a delightful account of the life of Alice Roosevelt, Teddy Roosevelt’s oldest child. She was one of the most famous teenagers ever to live in the White House, and her adult life was …
relatable
Stars, they’re just like us. Right? It’s hard to agree with that sentiment, but the honesty with which Busy Philipps pens her memoir makes it tough to disagree — if only on certain topics. Any review of a celebrity memoir should note the expectation of the reviewer upon starting the book. Are they anxiously anticipating …
deliciousity
Chocolate-covered strawberries. Mini chocolate lava cakes. Luscious, mouth-watering desserts are decadent and not recommended for everyday indulgences, much to the chagrin of most people. Elizabeth Gilbert’s City of Girls is akin to a Shari’s Berries delivery accompanied by two bottles of red and When Harry Met Sally on DVD. It was the PERFECT read for …
how about a round of applause
A couple meets in a pub prior to their marriage counseling session in Nick Hornby’s quick-yet-luxurious examination of their partnership, State of the Union. A brief yet endearing book, Hornby exposes the staggering number of connections between the couple, as well as their resentments, their fears, and the hardships they have experienced. Quite a bit …
Literal Laura 