The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates

 The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates (256 Pages)

Summary: Ta-Nehisi Coates originally set out to write a book about writing, in the tradition of Orwell’s classic “Politics and the English Language,” but found himself grappling with deeper questions about how our stories—our reporting and imaginative narratives and mythmaking—expose and distort our realities. In the first of the book’s three intertwining essays, Coates, on his first trip to Africa, finds himself in two places at once: in Dakar, a modern city in Senegal, and in a mythic kingdom in his mind. Then he takes readers along with him to Columbia, South Carolina, where he reports on his own book’s banning, but also explores the larger backlash to the nation’s recent reckoning with history and the deeply rooted American mythology so visible in that city—a capital of the Confederacy with statues of segregationists looming over its public squares. Finally, in the book’s longest section, Coates travels to Palestine, where he sees with devastating clarity how easily we are misled by nationalist narratives, and the tragedy that lies in the clash between the stories we tell and the reality of life on the ground. Written at a dramatic moment in American and global life, this work from one of the country’s most important writers is about the urgent need to untangle ourselves from the destructive myths that shape our world—and our own souls—and embrace the liberating power of even the most difficult truths.

Opinion: This is a collection of stories that guide the reader on an examination of our current worldly structures. I particular enjoyed the first essay as it talks a lot about the importance of informal education such as that provided in libraries. However, the third story was by far the most interesting as Coates demonstrates to the reader in real time what it is like to dissect one's own inherent biases as he discusses the concept of what power and peace actually look like. 

The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan

 The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan (314 Pages)

Summary: Tracking the natural beauty that surrounds us, The Backyard Bird Chronicles maps the passage of time through daily entries, thoughtful questions, and beautiful original sketches. With boundless charm and wit, author Amy Tan charts her foray into birding and the natural wonders of the world. In 2016, Amy Tan grew overwhelmed by the state of the world: Hatred and misinformation became a daily presence on social media, and the country felt more divisive than ever. In search of peace, Tan turned toward the natural world just beyond her window and, specifically, the birds visiting her yard. But what began as an attempt to find solace turned into something far greater—an opportunity to savor quiet moments during a volatile time, connect to nature in a meaningful way, and imagine the intricate lives of the birds she admired.

Opinion: Tan's drawings are beautiful and the graphics she sometimes adds provides levity to this book. She focuses mostly on birds one can find in the backyard, however, she lives on the West Coast so the majority of birds in her book are not found here in Missouri. Overall, this was an interesting read where I was able to learn more about bird behavior, but it was slow in parts. 

Slow Birding: The Art and Science of Enjoying the Birds in Your Own Backyard by Joan E. Strassmann

 Slow Birding: The Art and Science of Enjoying the Birds in Your Own Backyard by Joan E. Strassmann (352 Pages)

Summary: Many birders travel far and wide to popular birding destinations to catch sight of rare or “exotic” birds. In Slow Birding, evolutionary biologist Joan E. Strassmann introduces readers to the joys of birding right where they are. In this inspiring guide to the art of slow birding, Strassmann tells colorful stories of the most common birds to be found in the United States—birds we often see but might not have considered deeply before. For example, northern cardinals thrive in the city, where they are free from predators. White brows on a male white-throated sparrow indicate that he is likely to be a philanderer. This essential guide to the fascinating world of common, everyday birds features:

• detailed portraits of individual bird species and the scientists who have discovered and observed them
• advice and guidance on what to look for when slow birding, so that you can uncover clues to the reasons behind specific bird behaviors
• bird-focused activities that will open your eyes more to the fascinating world of birds

Slow Birding is the perfect guide for the birder looking to appreciate the beauty of the birds right in their own backyard, observing keenly how their behaviors change from day to day and season to season.

Opinion: I've really enjoyed backyard birding since moving back to Saint Louis, so this book was a perfect fit for me. I learned a lot about the history and personalities of the birds I see on a regular basis. Strassmann lives in Saint Louis and focuses primarily on parks and birds in the area, so it is a great read for locals. I appreciate how the book is divided up which makes it easy to take breaks in between chapters as this book is slow. 

Before and After, Judy Christie

Before and After, Judy Christie | 320 Pages

When Lisa Wingate published her novel, "Before We Were Yours," it stirred up lots of emotions and curiosity about the real adoptions and abuses of the Tennessee Children's Home Society in Memphis. Several adoptees and their families decided they wanted to gather together for a reunion - a time to process, share, heal, and grieve with others who could understand. Journalist Judy Christie comes along to record the experience and preserve the stories for future generations.

I like to pair novels with non-fiction to get a better understanding of the time and events portrayed. It was interesting to hear the real stories and follow the reunion, but it wasn't a tightly written book - so much fluff about the author's response to the stories told and the logistics behind the event. I would have preferred a collection of just the adoptee stories without the rest.

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

320 pages

★★★★★

The psychology and sociology behind past and current cults are revealed in the power of language by Amanda Montell in this collection of nonfiction essays. The way Montell addresses the fact that many things found “normal” in modern day society use language to control people and can be considered a cult by this standard was extremely interesting. Things such as SoulCycle, MLMs, social media influencers, QAnon, etc. all use language to manipulate the everyday person into following them blindly and wholeheartedly with nothing but the power of words, just as Jonestown, the Manson family, and Scientology have. 

This was eye opening and gripping from start to finish, not using words or ideas that are too technical for the average reader, who are the ones who need to learn this information the most.

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey

208 pages

★★★★★

This memoir is a collection of essays that follows Bailey as she falls ill and becomes bedridden and has nothing to do besides watch the daily activities of a snail on her bedside table. She begins to discover more about herself and her own world as she learns more about the snail and its small world.

This book gave me a better appreciation for life and the things we are capable of, as well as more understanding about the science and nature of snails. It also just made me really want a pet snail!

The Book Collectors: A Band of Syrian Rebels and the Stories that Carried Them Through a War by Delphine Minoui

 

The Book Collectors: A Band of Syrian Rebels and the Stories that Carried Them Through a War by Delphine Minoui - 194 pages

"Reading is an act of resistance.

Daraya is a town outside Damascus, the very spot where the Syrian Civil War began. Long a site of peaceful
resistance to the Assad regimes, Daraya fell under siege in 2012. For four years, no one entered or left, and aid was blocked. Every single day, bombs fell on this place―a place of homes and families, schools and children, now emptied and broken into bits.

And then a group searching for survivors stumbled upon a cache of books in the rubble. In a week, they had six thousand volumes; in a month, fifteen thousand. A sanctuary was born: a library where people could escape the blockade, a paper fortress to protect their humanity.

The library offered a marvelous range of books―from Arabic poetry to American self-help, Shakespearean plays to stories of war in other times and places. The visitors shared photos and tales of their lives before the war, planned how to build a democracy, and tended the roots of their community despite shell-shocked soil.

In the midst of the siege, the journalist Delphine Minoui tracked down one of the library’s founders, twenty-three-year-old Ahmad. Over text messages, WhatsApp, and Facebook, Minoui came to know the young men who gathered in the library, exchanged ideas, learned English, and imagined how to shape the future, even as bombs kept falling from above. By telling their stories, Minoui makes a far-off, complicated war immediate and reveals these young men to be everyday heroes as inspiring as the books they read. The Book Collectors is a testament to their bravery and a celebration of the power of words." -Amazon

Wow.  This is a book I just happened to stumble across, and I'm so glad I did.  The story of Ahmad and the other brave rebels who managed to save a piece of Syrian culture and create a safe haven among the asolute destruction in Daraya, is beyond incredible.  This book is absolutely heartbreaking, and also one of the most inspiring books I have ever read. I am highly recommending this book to anyone and everyone, but especially if you are a book lover.  This is a story that will stay with me for a very long time. 

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
352 pages / 9 hrs, 4 mins

"In the 1920s, the richest people per capita in the world were members of the Osage Indian Nation in Oklahoma. After oil was discovered beneath their land, the Osage rode in chauffeured automobiles, built mansions, and sent their children to study in Europe.

"Then, one by one, they began to be killed off. One Osage woman, Mollie Burkhart, watched as her family was murdered. Her older sister was shot. Her mother was then slowly poisoned. And it was just the beginning, as more Osage began to die under mysterious circumstances...

"Eventually the young director, J. Edgar Hoover, turned to a former Texas Ranger named Tom White to try to unravel the mystery. White put together an undercover team, including one of the only Native American agents in the bureau. They infiltrated the region, struggling to adopt the latest modern techniques of detection. Together with the Osage they began to expose one of the most sinister conspiracies in American history."     --from the publisher

This is heavy subject matter. I am stunned by the number of people who participated in and covered up this insidious attack on innocent people. It is disturbing to me that human nature can be persuaded to participate in multiple, horrible acts of violence for money. The story is well written and definitely one that should never be forgotten, but it leaves the reader with a sense of despair.

What are sleep disorders? by Leanne K. Currie-McGhee

What are sleep disorders? by Leanne K. Currie-McGhee - 80 pages

Everybody needs sleep, but millions of Americans are sleep deprived due sleep disorders, and this negatively impacts their health and daily lives. What Are Sleep Disorders? examines what this disorder is, what causes it, what it is like to live with, and how or whether it can be treated or cured.

Lets Talk About Sleep: A Guide to Understanding and Improving Your Slumber by Daniel A. Barone

Lets Talk About Sleep: A Guide to Understanding and Improving Your Slumber by Daniel A. Barone - 188 pages

News about sleep is everywhere we turn, and the statistics are numbing: Some 50-70 million Americans are affected by chronic sleep disorders and intermittent sleep problems; an estimated 30-35% of adults complain of insomnia; one in every 25 Americans takes a prescription sleep medication; more than a third of American adults don't get enough sleep on a regular basis; sleep disorders account for an estimated $16 billion in medical costs each year, plus indirect costs due to missed days of work, decreased productivity and related factors.

And questions abound: why do we need to sleep at all? What happens when we sleep? What happens to the brain? We know the brain is active when we sleep, but what about the mind? And what are dreams? 

An accessible and lively take on sleep, this book provides answers to those and other key questions. Along the way, it highlights the lessons a well-known neurologist has learned and what he shares with his patients on a daily basis. It discusses -- in terms everyone can understand -- what we know about sleep, what can go wrong with it, and what we can do to fix it. It also delves into what some of the great scientists and spiritual teachers have told us about sleep. 

The book is packed with useful information and suggestions that will improve all aspects of readers' lives.

The Book of Books by Jessica Allen

The Book of Books by Jessica Allen, 276 pages

I checked this book out from the library, but after reading it, I decided I will probably buy it.  The book is based on the series on PBS called the Great American Read.  The book covers 100 of America's most favorite books.  The book contains a summary and background of the books including wonderful photos of the covers.  The Book of Books also contains lists like favorite characters and some of the early jobs of the authors.  Some books were surprising to see on the list like the Twilight series and the Fifty Shades series.  After reading this book, I discovered I had only read about a dozen of books on the list and was inspired to read some books I did not have on my to read list.  I would say this book may be one for every reader's collection!  The introduction is written by former Today show host Meredith Vieira.

Live Lagom: Balanced Living the Swedish Way by Anna Brones

Live Lagom: Balanced Living the Swedish Way by Anna Brones,
221 pages

I think if everyone lived life like the Swedes, the world would be a much happier place.  Live Lagom is about balanced living, not too much, not too little.  So true. The book is divided into four parts: work, home, health and nature.  Light colors, relaxed living, more vacations, and bringing nature inside are what add to a balanced life.  One of the best books I have read in a while.  It also includes some beautiful pictures.  I also believe there are a few other books written about this subject.

the sun and her flowers by Rupi Kaur

the sun and her flowers by Rupi Kaur, 248 pages

The sun and her flowers is Rupi Kaur's second book of poetry.  I like poetry, but I am not sure I am a fan of Rupi Kaur.  Her books contain a message, but I am not sure I always get the meaning of them.  This book is divided into five parts: wilting, falling, rooting, rising, and blooming.  Her poetry is also accompanied by some very creative drawings.

milk and honey by Rupi Kaur

milk and honey by Rupi Kaur, 204 pages

It has been a while since I have read this book and somehow it did not stick in my mind.  I decided to blog it after reading her new book the sun and her flowers.  Rupi Kaur chooses an unusual style of poetry.  She writes all in lower case letters.  Her poetry is based on love and loss and survival.  Her poetry is also accompanied by drawings.

My Secret by Frank Warren

My Secret by Frank Warren, 144 pages

My Secret contains postcards written by teens and college students to the author with their deepest, darkest secrets.  This is the first secret book I have read.  Apparently, it is quite a movement, as there are several books and a website devoted to people's secrets.  Frank Warren started this project in 2005, shortly after his wife committed suicide.

Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why by Laurence Gonzales

Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why
by Laurence Gonzales
302 pages / 10 hrs, 29 mins

After her plane crashes, a seventeen-year-old girl spends eleven days walking through the Peruvian jungle.  Against all odds, with no food, shelter, or equipment, she gets out.  A better-equipped group of adult survivors of the same crash sits down and dies.  What makes the difference?

Examining such stories of miraculous endurance and tragic death--how people get into trouble and how they get out again (or not)--Deep Survival takes us from the tops of snowy mountains and the depths of oceans to the workings of the brain that control our behavior.  Through close analysis of case studies, Laurence Gonzales describes the "stages of survival" and reveals the essence of a survivor--truths that apply not only to surviving in the wild but also to surviving life-threatening illness, relationships, the death of a loved one, running a business during uncertain times, even war.

Fascinating for any reader, and absolutely essential for anyone who takes a hike in the woods, this book will change the way we understand ourselves and the great outdoors.  --from the publisher

Although I don't agree with all of Gonzales' theories of why some survive and some don't, his insights and rules for survival are excellent.  Since I am a naturally fearful person who is prone to panic, I was encouraged to see I've gained some survival skills through my life experience and maturity.

Gay America: Struggle For Equality by Linas Alsenas

Gay America: Struggle For Equality by Linas Alsenas, 166 pages

Gay America is a colorful book of the struggle that has occurred over the past 125 years in the history of Gay America's struggle for equality. The book touches on subjects such as gays in the military, politics, and pictures before the 20th Century.  The book touches on the AIDS epidemic and gays rights to marry.  It also contains information how gays are portrayed in movies and the Ryan White scandal.  This was a very informative book on how rights of Gay Americans have evolved through the years.